HOMILIES

►'Finding Jesus in illness' - Deacon Stephen May 2011

► 'Divine Dialogue' Fr. Keith, August 7, 2011

Homily by Deacon Stephen delivered by Father Keith

 Where was Jesus Christ yesterday; Right beside us

Where will Jesus Christ be tomorrow; Right beside us

Where is Jesus Christ right now; Right beside us.

 Where is Jesus Christ when things are going well, and our life is awesome; Right beside us.

But Where is Jesus Christ when things are not going so well, when we struggle day to day, when one by one everything you thought was yours, is slowly being taken away, slowly slipping through your fingers, like sand that you are holding on to so tight because you don’t want to lose it, but the harder you grip, the faster the sand disappears.  Where is Jesus Christ then??? Not only is He right beside you, He is closer than ever, and when you need Him most, He is holding you in His loving arms.  Trying to comfort you in your time of sorrow, your time of need, your time of desperation.  He feels what you feel, and He will never, ever leave you alone.   

If you can’t feel Him by your side right now; find Him; find Him before you need Him.  Because believe me, you will need Him.  I don’t know when, I don’t know why, I just know you will; so please start searching for Him now.  His arms are wide open and He is waiting on you; and He wants to be friends; the closest of friends.

 God does not want you to go through life without Jesus by your side.  He knows how tough life can be, how tough life is.  He does not want nor does He believe we should try and make it on our own.

 How much can one person take? Just think about it for a minute.

 If I can be so bold as to use myself as an example of What God Will Do when you invite Him to be forever by your side. 

 In 2008 I was diagnosed with Cataplexy

Last October I lost my Job because of the recession

Then in November My Cataplexy got worse, and a new specialist at Sunnybrook Hospital wanted to confirm it was nothing more, based on their new findings they had to suspend my Driver’s License indefinitely.

Through more testing, they are going to confirm if I also have Laurence Moon Beidel syndrome.

 On March 07^th I was going to get the results of more tests to see what it was and what they could do about it.

The tests were inconclusive, and they needed to do more extensive testing, so no answers at all; just more questions once again.   

Although I am unemployed, ill, no drivers license, and now running out of money; my greatest PAIN is my inability to be with you every Sunday, to serve God and to serve all of you, and share my Homilies with you.  To see your smiling faces, feel the love from all of you and to interact with the children after mass.

 So how do you think I feel?  How do you think anyone would feel with all of the above?

 I feel so much LOVE, PEACEFULNESS, HOPE and JOY that I can not even express it in words. I am closer to God now than I ever thought possible. You know I would be lying if I told you I never have bad days, or bad moments; but God always sends an Earthly Angel to get me back on track. All we need to do is TRUST in HIM.

 God has blessed us in so many ways through so many terrific people, so many special friends, blessings that we would not have even dreamed of and never ever expected. 

I believe the more suffering we do here on earth; the closer we get to GOD.  What a blessing that is. 

To suffer here during our Earthly Life, in exchange for an eternity in Heaven with God.  No Sadness, No Tears, No Suffering. 

 Suffering on earth is inevitable, and the best way to get through those challenging and trying times is to have Jesus Christ by your side.

 I know that if I had not found Christ, Not fallen in Love with Christ, I would never have been able to handle this on my own. 

Jesus is always by my side, along with all His children He sent to us from our Parish, ex employees, fellow Deacons, and other very Special Friends and Family.

 I found Christ, He welcomed me with open arms and He is getting us through our life’s challenges, and I know He is doing or will do the same for you. 

 All you have to do is ask!                    Deacon Stephen   May 2011

'Divine Dialogue' Fr. Keith august 7, 2011

Divine Dialouge

 To enter into conversation with God – in Divine Dialogue 

I must admit that the first reading for today is one of my favorites. A perfect example of – Divine Dialogue. Elijah is called by God to be a prophet and he goes to find out what this means. What direction he is to go Elijah climbs Mount Horeb – the same mountain where Moses received the 10 Commandments – and waits dialogue – divine dialogue with God.

At first there is a wind – but God was not there in the wind – then an earthquake – then a fire on the mountain. But God was not there. Finally there was silence that passed by the cave – and God was in the silence. And Elijah begins the divine dialogue with God. In the end he leaves the mountain and goes down to the Hebrew People to become one of the greatest prophets. A wonderful example of Divine Dialogue

            As you may know there are three steps of Divine Dialogue – you begin the conversation with God; then enter Divine Dialogue; then a decision has to be made.

            The next part of the homily I must admit that I struggled whether to add it or not. I really hesitated because I thought to share with you my own personal divine dialogue with God that I had these past few months and my decision to leave the Parish for sabbatical. I really hesitated because it is so personal – my own personal conversations with God; also a homily is never about the priest or deacon but greater than this. But two weeks ago some teenagers who are going into Grade 12 met me to discuss with me my decision. Perhaps because they were going into Grade 12 and were looking for direction we discussed it. And it was very successful. So here goes.

As you know last October my father became very, very ill. November and December were horrible months for my family. As they say ‘the cure is worse then the cause’ The winter was so bad for my daddy and stress filled for mom. And so I started a conversation – divine dialogue – with God. What was I suppose to do? I had to do something for my dad.

Months later I was standing on the church property and in my “mind’s eye” the land fell from under my feet. Don’t worry – the land did not collapse. But in my “mind’s eye” I was on a huge hill. And – in divine dialogue – God said – just like Moses on Mt. Nebo. Just like Moses on Mt. Nebo. Then I started to realize. As you may know Moses took the Hebrew People through the desert for 40 years to the Jordan River. As Moses stood on Mt. Nebo he looked across the Jordan and saw the Promised Land, but he did not enter. As the Jews crossed the Jordan Moses turned and from Mt. Nebo went away. I started to realize what the Divine Dialogue would mean.

Two weeks later I was in morning prayer, and in Divine Dialogue God said – Matthew 6, Matthew 6, Matthew 6. Well Matthew 6 is the Gospel of Ash Wednesday and it paraphrases – Beware of practicing your faith in front of others so they will praise you. Your reward will be on earth. But practice your faith before God alone – and He will reward you – in Heaven.”

I knew what I had to do.

It is just like NOT being the one here on earth to be the one to open a new church. In Divine Dialogue I knew what I had to do.

So it is not only the people of the Bible in Divine Dialogue with God – Elijah, Mary, Abraham, Sarah, St. Joseph – but all of us. But you may say – but Father you are a priest. You are in chapel everyday. You have Mass two, three times a day. And I bet you read the Bible everyday. It is easy for you to be in divine dialogue.

Absolutely not ! I am the biggest sinner at Holy Spirit and yet God choose to have a conversation – divine dialogue  -  with me.

You may say – but I have a mortgage, bills, the children, soccer, piano. How can I enter into Divine Dialogue with God – well - God speaks Divine Dialogue through our wives and husbands, our children and especially our teenagers.

God does; God wants to have a conversation, divine dialogue with us in all these ways.

Divine Dialogue is wonderful; messy; challenging; wondrous. And when we fall – as we will – God will raise us up. Look at the Gospel. St. Peter sees Jesus and has divine dialogue with him, Peter walks across the water and what happens? He starts to sink. And what does Jesus do – does He say – you are such a loser and turns from Peter? NO ! Jesus reaches out His hand and grabs Peter by the hand. He says to Peter – you are my beloved son. I want to continue my talk, my divine dialogue with you. And to us – the same. 

So let us truly enter into conversation – like Elijah – into divine dialogue with God.

To be His People; not volunteers but disciples; truly His beloved Sons and His beloved Daughters.

Fr. Keith Wallace