Deacon Speakin'

Season 7 Episode 183

Unsolved Mysteries

What is it to these wonderful mysteries of our faith that we embrace as foundational ground stones of our belief, why would we continue to seek an understanding for something that has been deemed a mystery and accepted as a mystery for thousands and thousands of years? Why do we keep going back to the spring of knowledge and understanding when there are scores of others who cannot know, understand, or define?

Season 7 Epiosde 182

When the Music Stops and the Dance is Done

You are dancing with your partner to your favorite song when the music stops and the dancefloor disappears. Does the dance make sense anymore? With no beat to synchronize your steps, is it a dance with meaning anymore? I'd say not. It becomes awkward movements to a song that doesn't exist and none of it matters: not the rhythm, the flow, the grand crescendo, nor the big dip at the end.

When the world goes away, or our time in it – when the music stops and the dancefloor goes away – when you are faced with the heavenly notions of God, do you expect to be doing the same things you were doing on this earth?

Season 7 Episode 181

These Problems and the Pain they Cause

There is a recurring problem in the world and its one that we don't particularly enjoy dealing with it and its as CS Lewis puts it: the problem of pain. Everywhere we look we see suffering and agonizing through the trials of life and we see folks who carry heavy, heavy loads – some that are so heavy we wonder how they are not crushed under the weight of it.

Pain comes in many different shapes and sizes and it does not discriminate to whom or when it rears its ugly head, but come to us it does, often in such a way that it makes little sense of the who, what, when, where, or why of things.

Season 7 Episode 180

Mother's Love

I want to begin by telling you about a woman I know who I was introduced to as a child and continue to have a wonderful relationship with her to this day. Her story is amazing and inspiring, and I share it with you in the spirit of this Mother's Day in the hope that it might inspire you too.

Season 7 Episode 178

Cease and Desist!

There are many: MANY who would love to silence the Word of God in this world; who would like us – you and me – to not mention the name of Jesus, the promise of Salvation, the victory over death, or any of the amazing miracles of a life lived in Christ. Many who would have us tried and slapped with a mandate to cease and desist our Christian belief and practice. What is to become us?

Season 7 Episode 178

These Men - These Priests

In an otherwise dark world, the priest is the light of Christ that cuts through the darkness, chasing the shadows and bathing the world in the truth and hope of Jesus. We must pray that they hear His call daily and stay the path and stay the course, lest he go astray – which is always a great tragedy when there is one less priest to afford us the blessed Eucharist. Pray for priest and pray for those discerning vocations.

Season 7 Episode 177

What Has God Done for You?

"Do you realize what I have done for you?"

That line says so much by asking all of us a big, big question.

"Do you realize what I have done for you?"

I think THAT is the question that should be in our hearts and on our minds when we awaken on Easter Morning. We should meditate on that and bake that into our prayers daily and then spend our lives answering that question – or trying to answer that question.

Many fall asleep in faith and many die. Still living, but spiritually and faithfully asleep. Going through the motions, not really sure and not really unsure of what it is their faith has in their life. Not completely engaged with their faith; going through the motions, existing. Those who die to their faith quit; as a dead man: unable to move; unable to be. Listless and without response.

What does it take to awaken the sleeping and the dead.

Season 7 Episode 175

Throwing Rocks

Who are we to judge? Who are we to be judged by the scribes and the Pharisees of our time? Do we find ourselves the unknown man in this story and know that we have sinned – have been caught red-handed in sin, and carry that sin like a yoke around our necks…never approaching Jesus in our sinful state with all the humility and shame that comes with it and never asking for that yoke to be removed from us. He is the only one who can remove the yoke and the burden and pain and the suffering of that yoke – He's the only one who can absolve you and forgive that sin; the only one who can free you from the imperfect and sinful creatures that we are and heal us.

Season 7 Episode 174

The Ghosts of the Monastery

When I stepped onto the familiar grounds of the monastery, checked into my room, and began to tread the trodden trails of the monastery halls and places – I was immediately greeted by the ghosts. But not before running into my dear friend Steve who was parked upon a wooden bench, walking stick by his side, journaling as he has faithfully done for years. When I sat with him, we remembered Tony...