JESUS’ BIRTH CALLS US TO PEACEFUL RELATIONSHIPS THAT CREATES COMMUNITY!

 Dear Subscribers –

Following the Fourth Sunday of Advent on December 22, 2024, A Catholic Deacon’s Perspective will, in addition to the Cycle C, Christmas season and ordinary homilies that normally appear at this time or by itself, offer homilies or commentaries for 12 weeks on the 12 Sacred Heart of Jesus Promises made to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque between 1673 – 1675. The homilies/commentaries will be written both by me and Rev. Glenn Baaten, spiritual advisor of the First Friday Friars representing Catholic men in the Diocese of Orange, California, who meet monthly on the first Fridays from September through May.

Founded in 1959, the First Friday Friars gather to celebrate the Sacred Heart of Jesus, building friendships and networking to expand contacts in the Catholic community. It meets on the first Friday of the month from September through May each year to attend Mass, to receive reconciliation, pray the rosary, eat a fish lunch and hear speakers on topics of interest to the community.

St. Margaret Mary said about the appearances of Jesus to her, “I do not know of any other exercise in the spiritual life that is more calculated to raise a soul in a short amount of time to the height of perfection and to make it taste true sweetness to be found in the service of Jesus Christ.”

It is hoped that these added homilies and commentaries will provide each person an opportunity to better understand God’s love for us and how we can return His love to be in His service throughout our lives.

God Bless,

Deacon Jim Merle

CHRISTIAN JOY IS GOD’S GIFT TO US SO WE CAN SHARE IT WITH OTHERS!

“What should we do”? That is the question in St. Luke’s Gospel today that the crowds are asking St. John the Baptist when he challenges people to repent from their sinful ways. His response: Be Lovable to others. This should not be so difficult considering we are approaching the official Christmas season with the birth of Jesus in less than two weeks. The world decided in October prior to Halloween that we will have a Christmas of buying things to show our love for others. This is not the love of which John the Baptist speaks.

Love Requires Us To Be Selfless, Sacrificial And Complete. As John The Baptist Proclaimed A Baptism Of Repentance, We Are Called To Follow Jesus By Letting Go Of Our Sinfulness.

 In our baptismal promises to love God above all and all that He has created as Jesus loves us, we often lose focus because we confuse becoming a responsible Christian with a need for personal attainment.  When we do this, we fall into a type of entrapment in which sin overtakes our good intentions.  It is at this juncture that more than ever we need to ask God’s forgiveness, let go of whatever led us astray and follow Jesus by emulating what He taught us while he walked this earth.

In Advent, We Wait In Hope! Seeking Balance To Our Life, We Are Called By God To Be Alert To His Comings.

Waiting is a common phenomenon these days which calls for patience.  We wait in lines at grocery stores, banks, post offices and gas stations to name a few.  Our hope is that whatever is happening ahead will be short lived decreasing our time so we can get on with whatever else we have planned. 

Thy Kingdom Come, Thy Will Be Done On Earth As It Is In Heaven, If We Hand Over Our Life To Jesus!

 We often define historical kingdoms as vast amounts of geography ruled by a person who makes decisions based on a perception of truth supportive of what he or she wants and/or needs.  This can be either a positive or a negative experience, depending on the benevolent or dictatorial state of mind of the ruler.  Today, most royalty are figureheads who represent political leaders who rule kingdoms for better or worse.

If God Predestines Us for Salvation, Then Why do We Need Free Will or to Worry about Mortal Sin?

God predestines no one to go to hell, for this, a willful turning away from God (a mortal sin) is necessary, and persistence in it until the end. In the Eucharistic liturgy and in the daily prayers of her faithful, the Church implores the mercy of God, who does not want “any to perish, but all to come in repentance.”  (Catechism of the Catholic Church CCC 1037) “2 Peter 3:9”

If God Knows All and We Have Free Will, Why Cannot We Confess Our Sins to God Directly for Our Forgiveness Rather Than Go to Priests?

Dear Subscribers –

During my 19-1/2 years as an ordained deacon at three separate parishes, I have been asked countless questions about our Roman Catholic faith. Though I have responded when asked, these questions are often repeated.

In these next few weeks prior to The First Sunday of Advent (Liturgical Year C - 2025), my blogs will respond to these questions from Roman Catholics who either asked out of curiosity or due to life changes. I want to make sure they understand God’s meaning and purpose to follow His ways. It is by receiving such answers that they are better able to balance their life and practice of faith.

Thank you for your understanding,

Deacon Jim Merle

Communion of Saints

Dear Subscribers –

Below is a homily I gave on November 1^st for All Saints Day. Considering the last several blogs I have written about how we need to improve ourselves, I believe this falls into that same category, and so I offer it to you as this weekend’s blog. I hope you feel the same way.

Deacon Jim Merle

 

“The only real sadness in life,

is not to become a saint” and

the loss of eternal life.

The choice is ours.

I hope we make the correct one!

Finding Truth in a Self-Centered World: Perspectives from Sacred Scripture

Learning to read profoundly shapes one’s life. I can only imagine how challenging it must be for someone who never had that opportunity. Those I have met who did not learn to read often express regret, feeling It is too late to start now and feel both empathy and frustration – frustration that society did not do more to empower them to thrive.

Prayer is Essential to Leading a Good Christian Life and Having a Relationship with God!

Being a Catholic Christian, though rewarding in many ways, can be difficult to practice if one is not active in the faith. The activity of which I am speaking is to take time to personally grow in faith beyond attending Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation, living a sacramental life beyond Eucharist and Reconciliation and following the Gospel in reaching out to others. It is about understanding God’s gifts and how to best practice them.

Pope Francis Says It Is Our Civic Duty to Vote. When it Comes to Voting, Choose the Lesser Evil If Voting for Trump or Harris When It Comes to Migration and Abortion Issues!

In less than a month from now, registered Americans, including a number of 72 million Catholic registered American voters, will be asked to vote for a change in presidency. The two main candidates are former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris. Recently, Pope Francis was asked at a news conference to provide guidance to Catholic American voters as to how they should vote as it related to these two front runners.

“This One, At Last, Is Bone Of My Bones And Flesh Of My Flesh.”

Please note that I am not an expert in marriage or divorce counseling as it relates to our Gospel and readings in which both are referenced.  My blog this weekend is based on three perspectives: My own marriage of 56 years; Witnessing relative and friends’ marriages; and Meeting and talking with couples as a deacon either prior to a marriage in the Catholic Church or after a divorce of couples married either in or out of the Church.

“Whoever Is Not Against Us Is For Us.” Let Us Not Forget Why We Are Called!

Being a Catholic Christian doesn’t mean we are automatically saved or know better than others when it comes to doing God’s work.  On the contrary, we need to work harder to avoid the sin of being judgmental that ruins a person.  Though God welcomes those baptized into the Catholic Church, He also expects that we will live up to the promise we make of loving both Him and all that He is created as Jesus loves us.  Without that, we risk loss of the Holy Spirit and the ability to serve those who are in need as defined by Christ.

“If Anyone Wishes To Be First, He Shall Be The Last…And…Servant Of All.”

God and the world strive to be the best.  The difference is in their approach.

It is no secret that the world, for the most part, defines “best” as being Number One.  Society usually breaks it down into three areas: Wealth, Power and Fame.  On an overall scale, the United States, China and Russia lead in all three categories.  It is the subjectivity of how one specifies the strength in each category that decides who or what is number One in the past, now and for the future as all three can claim victory for any number of particular times.

Deny Self, Take Up Cross And Follow Jesus! Instructions For Path To Heaven By Helping Those In Need Through Faith And Works!

Everyone needs some type of direction to at least go from point “A” to point “B.”  Without that, we will meander for a longer period of time.  We may or may not reach our destination of choice.  The real crux of going from one place to another requires correct information so we can make the proper decision without too many detours.

“Ephphatha – Be Opened!” Jesus Calls Us By Our Baptism To Be Open To God So We Can Share Our Faith With Others

One of the faculties I have been granted by my ordination into the permanent Diaconate is to baptize children.  I view it as one of the greatest blessings for which I have been gifted in service to the Lord.  To bring a child into the faith and, more importantly, into a personal relationship with God is a deeply spiritual time which touches my very heart and soul with humility and joy.

Catholicism’s Prime Directive: Use Love When Reaching Out To Serve Those In Need

If I have learned anything in my life, it is that the normative is change; not status quo.  Whatever people plan, they “must” be ready to expect the unexpected and to do what is necessary to take care of the new direction.  If one doesn’t, he or she may discover that life runs in circles rather than towards an objective or a goal.

Faith Is Always A Matter Of Choice! Eternal Life Or Your Way? You Choose!

Deciding to follow God is not always an easy decision.  As humans we are familiar with things of the flesh so we often use our senses to decide which way is best for us.  God, on the other hand, places spirituality first; allowing us to choose for ourselves which path leads us in the right direction for eternal life.  Jesus never forced adherence, but instead invited, urged and appealed to people to believe in His teachings, healings and sacrifice as a sign of God’s truth for the people He created for everlasting life.

YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT! IF THAT IS SO, WHAT ARE YOU EATING WHEN IT COMES TO A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD FOR ETERNAL LIFE?

Blog Hiatus 2024

Dear Subscribers –

Due to some medical conditions, including a surgery, stay in the hospital and sustained recovery, I am not able to offer a new weekly blog at this time.  Since I have completed all three-year cycles of blogs for Sunday’s Gospels and readings, I will have them repeated for the time I am away recuperating.  Please forgive this repetition, but hopefully it will be a good reminder to what you are currently doing in your relationship with the Lord.

God Bless,

Deacon Jim Merle

SAY YES WHEN YOU MEAN YES AND NO WHEN YOU MEAN NO. ANYTHING BEYOND THAT IS FROM THE EVIL ONE. (Matthew 5:37)

This biblical saying is part of the Beatitudes which announced religious happiness for the anawim (those who are bowed down), the poor of every sort: The vulnerable, marginalized, socio-economically oppressed, impoverished, those of lowly status without earthly power. In fact, they depended totally on God for whatever they owned.

Though Name Calling May Seem Like a Quick Way to Bring Truth to the Forefront, It Can Also Insult and Demean Others Resulting in Distrust and Disbelief. Christianity Calls for us to be Mindful of How Powerful Our Words are and Empathetic to How They Effect People.

 

Name calling has been around since humans could talk. The Bible, in the Book of Genesis, has Noah cursing his grandson, Canaan, in Chapter 9, Verse 25 when he says: “Cursed be Canaan! The lowest of slaves shall be to his brothers.”  It had to do with indecent sexual practices in the Canaanite religion.

OLYMPIAN ATHLETES WHO WORK HARD TO BE THE BEST REMIND US OF WHAT GOD GIVES US TO LIVE THE GOSPEL!

Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee, in his opening remarks at the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics said: “We are part of something bigger than ourselves. We are part of an event that unites the world in peace.

DEATH THOUGH DIFFICULT GIVES US HOPE TO BE WITH GOD IF WE FOLLOW HIS WAYS!

This last week was particularly difficult because three women our family we knew died in that period. It was not a surprise in that all three have been suffering over a prolonged period. The time, however, did not give us an opportunity to grieve for more than a day or two to pay our full respect to each as we could.

SOCIAL MEDIA INFORMS! BUT DOES IT GIVE YOU INSIGHTS INTO GOD?

Social Media, no matter how we receive it, is a reminder to us that decisions we make allow us to accept, reject or ignore how we may live our life. It invariably provides us with multitudes of topics that perk our curiosity so much so at times that we cannot function until we seek an answer with which we can live.

CHILDREN ARE A GIFT FROM GOD! PARENTS ARE CALLED BY GOD TO CARE FOR THEIR CHILDREN WITH GREAT JOY!

 “Nothing delights me more than to hear that my children are walking in this path.”                                                                                             (3 Jn. 4)

Parenting is a decision that can bring boundless joy if parents accept the great responsibility of what God’s gift is calling them to do by caring for a person for their entire lives in either blood or adoptive relationships. The difficulty lies in how a parent defines what that means to her or  him.

GOD COMFORTS THE SUFFEREING WHEN THEY REACH OUT IN FAITH

 “Praised be God, the Father of mercies, and the God of all consolation! He comforts us in all our afflictions and thus enables us to comfort those who are in trouble with the same consolation we have received from Him.”

                                                                                                                        (2 Cor. 1:3-4)

FEAR NOT! TRUST THAT GOD IS HERE FOR US NO MATTER WHAT IS HAPPENING IN OUR LIFE!

 

“Who can this be that the wind and the sea obey Him”?                      (Mark 4:41)

Daily, news media updates us with extraordinary weather disasters across the United States that range from wildfires to flooding, tornadoes to hurricanes and from heat domes to large hail stones. People are being hurt and dying, property is being destroyed and such vast areas are affected that may never be able to be restored even with the help of federal funds.

WORDS TO LIVE BY!

Two thousand years ago the itinerant preacher known as Jesus, son of Joseph, the carpenter, and his wife, Mary, lived a simple life in a rural area of Galilee in northern Israel. Fishing and agriculture were the two main industries. It should be no surprise that Jesus talked to the people in this time about interests of which they were familiar, but we are not.

Sin, Salvation, Journey and Morality. A Path to Holiness and Oneness with God!

“Sin speaks to the wicked man in his heart; there is no dread of God before his eyes, for he beguiles himself with the thoughts that his guilt will not be found out or hated.”                                                                                                     Psalm 36:2-3

“TAKE IT; THIS IS MY BODY.” “THIS IS THE BLOOD OF MY COVENANT…” DO THIS IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME!

The solemnity of The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi) focuses primarily on the adoration of the Holy Eucharist and secondarily on the presence of the Body of Christ in the Church as a sign of common faith.  In other words we, His disciples, are the Body of Christ who believe in the real sacramental presence of Christ in the Eucharist, not just a symbol of eating a wafer.  He, Jesus, the Son of God, is physically and spiritually present in our bodies we carry with us throughout the day.

THE MOST HOLY TRINITY: A MYSTERY WE DEFINE AS GOD’s LOVE FOR US

Dear Subscribers –

Several weeks ago I wrote about how we have been gifted by the Holy Spirit.  In that blog I mentioned the gifts I have been given and how they have enhanced my relationship with God.  My idea was to take each gift, write about it and then summarize how these work for me and how from that you might be able to understand your gifts to become closer with God. 

In doing this, my timing was off in that I still wanted to first review the Sundays of Pentecost, The Most Holy Trinity and the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ before offering my assessment of gifts I have.  Therefore, I will do that the 10th Sunday of Ordinary time which falls on June 9, 2024.  Below is my blog on the Holy Trinity which will be followed next week by the Body and Blood of Christ.

Thank you for your understanding,

Deacon Jim

PENTECOST’S INVITATION OF INVOLVEMENT BRINGS THE HOLY SPIRIT INTO OUR HEARTS AND OUR SHARING OF THE GOSPEL MESSAGE

God’s perfect plan for our involvement might seem over the top with the original Pentecost filled with a “strong driving wind,” “tongues as of fire” and speaking in different tongues, but why shouldn’t it be?  We are created out of God’s love to build the Kingdom of God by bringing people to God.  Without God’s help, we would not be able to accomplish this.  We need to be of the same Spirit to spread His message of love through preaching, healing and forgiving.

GOD GIVES US THE POWER OF STRENGTH TO WITHSTAND THE CHALLENGES OF LIFE BECAUSE OF HIS LOVE FOR HUMANITY

Whether male or female, many of us look at strength as a physical attribute allowing us power to face demanding situations and overcome challenges as individuals or by sure numbers of people and weapons. Every May, Russia celebrates its might in the Victory Day parade with its armed forces and armaments so that anyone thinking they can conquer them by force needs to think twice before doing anything.

GOD’S CALL TO COURAGE CAN OFTEN MAKE A BETTER DIFFERENCE IN OUR OR OTHERS’ LIVES

One of the most important lessons I learned in life both in the minor seminary for two years as a teenager studying to be a priest and as a married adult in formation for ordination as a deacon was to adopt virtues that represent who I am and how to maintain a holy life.

ALL WHO JOURNEY WITH THE LORD BY FOLLOWING HIS WAYS ARE SAINTS. HOW IS YOUR ROAD TRIP GOING?

To date, I have only seen up close one canonized saint of the Catholic Church. To the best of my knowledge, he never boasted he was one. From everything I have read or seen in videos, all are humble and avoid anything that would deter them from doing God’s work. This includes saints who lived a sinful life before committing fully to God’s ways. Remember, except for Jesus and Mary who were born without sin and John the Baptist who had his original sin removed in the womb, all are sinners.

WORLDLY HAPPINESS IS FLEETING AT BEST. INSTEAD, SEEK PEACE AND JOY TO REALIZE THE EVERLASTING HAPPINESS OF HEAVEN!

 

Merriam-Webster’s dictionary defines happiness as a state of well-being and contentment (Joy) or as a pleasurable or satisfying experience.

CAREGIVING, THOUGH DIFFICULT, CAN BE A BLESSING, WITH THE RIGHT ATTITUDE

In the United States first responders are appreciated for their efforts to take care of situations that can cause damage to lives and properties. Fire fighters, doctors, nurses, police officers, veterans and clergy are the most prominent one sees when something happens that can harm people. Whether it is in their DNA, it comes from one’s background or learned, those who first answer the call to be there to help do so at their own risk.

As Life Challenges Us Daily, How Do We Adapt to God’s Ways?

There is a certain truth that with age comes wisdom. The importance of understanding this is based on what decisions we make based on our state of mind and in what condition our life is in. The comic relief and sadness about what we do is centered around what we remember or do not.

EASTER! PROMISE OF EVERLASTING LIFE FULFILLED!

Easter, especially the Triduum, is a continuous historical and spiritual reminder to Christian believers of the greatest love story that ever happened in our reality nearly 2000 years ago.  Without it, a massive amount of those would have no connection with God except at creation and at the end of one’s life for judgment.  The years in between would be aimless based on one’s free-will decisions that may or may not lead to a relationship with God.  The Blessed Trinity in their infinite wisdom provides a plan for each of us that circumvent what could have been a tragedy for all: A world without a Christian God who created us out of and for love.   

Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord gives us messages of praise (Hosanna) and of hate (Crucify Him). Our response is a cry of understanding and acceptance when we shout: GOD IS GOOD! ALL THE TIME!

 In St. John’s Gospel at the procession of Jesus into Jerusalem, we hear a great crowd of followers crying out: “Hosanna!  Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, the King of Israel.”

Dear Subscribers

Dear Subscribers -

Due to technical difficulties, I was not able to send my blog for last weekend (March 16 - 17, 2024).  Please accept my apologies.  I am in the process of having technicians look at the reasons for this situation and ask that you bear with me while it is being fixed.

Thank you for your consideration in this matter,

Deacon Jim Merle

TRUST IN GOD’S PLAN TO GIVE YOU THE LIGHT OF EVERLASTING LIFE

 

Nicodemus, a Pharisee, leader and teacher among the Jews, is confused by an itinerant preacher from the province of Gallilee named Jesus.  Instead of confirming the covenant God made with Moses some 1,513 years prior as the only way to have salvation, Jesus talks about a new covenant in which He will suffer, die and rise from the dead to provide the chosen people with everlasting life.

THE MEANING OF “THE FEAR OF THE LORD.”

 

Every writer, worth his or her salt, comes to the conclusion that other writers are better at explaining certain aspects of life.  I was reminded of that 23 years ago during Lent when I was reading my morning prayers from Volume II of the Liturgy of the Hours.

REPENT AND BELIEVE IN THE GOSPEL

 

“All have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God.”          Rom. 3:23

I, an ordained deacon in the Roman Catholic Church, am a sinner.  I write this not as a boast, but out of humility for regrettable personal decisions I have made in denying God’s love.  In essence, I have at times placed myself first and God second because of my need or want for instant gratification.

Communicating with God in Prayer

 

It is interesting to me that those who say they believe in answered prayer, also complain how difficult it is to pray at times.  They seem to be caught up in making sure their phrasing is so correct that whatever they are praying for or about will convince God that not only is it important but that He will not be confused by what is being said.  Below is a Scripture passage from St. Paul’s Epistle to the Philippians from the New Testament of the New American Bible which I believe answers their trepidation.

‘Bless me father, for I have sinned.’

 

For those of us who frequent the Sacrament of Reconciliation, it is how we begin to ask God for forgiveness for those times we have offended Him in sin through our thoughts, words and/or deeds or by omission.  It is our hope through our sincerity in going to Confession that God, through the priest, will give us absolution if we are truly repentant.

TRUST IN GOD ALWAYS

 

‘Trust me, I’ve got your back.’  How many times have you heard someone in good faith tell you that?  A dozen, two dozen, more?  How many times have you agreed to do just that?  And, how many times did the promise of protecting you work?  How many times did it not work?

JESUS IS OUR TRUTH

 

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father but through me.”                                                                               John 14:6

 

In seeking a relationship of love with God through wisdom and faith, we begin to look for the truth of what all this means to us now and for the future.  As we search, we are provided with numerous paths that take us in multiple directions; many away from God and His ways.  Often, this will confuse us because what we are learning is that there are many truths that can provide us with positive outcomes with or without God.  It is then that we need to focus on the path which directly connects us with God, avoiding any and all distractions which can lead us toward a life of purpose and meaning.   

FAITH TO BELIEVE

 

“Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”                                                                                                                                                       Hebrews 11:1

 

Of all the topics indexed in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Faith has the most references to provide the clearest picture of all aspects of our theology.  For purposes of this blog, I will refer to Paragraphs 26 (Profession of Faith) and 150 (Belief in God).

WISDOM to UNDERSTAND

 

For those who want a relationship of love with God, it requires wisdom to understand what is required to follow His ways.  The Book of Proverbs, in its introduction tells us it is a book of an anthology of didactic poetry, and has as its primary purpose to teach wisdom.  The book covers a wide field of human and divine activity, ranging from matters purely secular to most lofty moral and religious truths beginning with “fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.”                                                   Proverbs 1:7.

RELATIONSHIP OF LOVE

 

Belief in a Supreme Being such as God is based on one’s acceptance that such an entity has one’s best interest in mind. This God, therefore, would have the ability to provide one with a life of peace and joy on earth and eternal happiness after death if he or she follows His ways provided in a plan with parameters for that purpose.