Two Sacraments and a Dance

I don't blog about work too often, but today is one of those interesting combinations of events that makes me appreciate just how diverse this existence of ours really is... I work at a Catholic Church, and today we are hosting an Advent Mass with the Anointing of the Sick. Following that, I will join my Associate Pastor as he presides over a funeral. And later this evening, "DJ Jazzy Greg" spins the hard drive at a local school dance.

 So it's a Mass offering hope to those who are sick, and in need of God's healing touch; a funeral celebrating a long and happy life with an eternity of grace to follow; and a middle school dance to blow off a little steam before mid-terms! Hope, eternal grace, and a dance party...

This weekend is the Third Sunday of Advent ("Gaudete"), and what I always refer to as "Think Pink Sunday"! It's a weekend of Joy, knowing that the Christ who is to come will truly save us! Have hope, and may an eternity of grace flood your existence, and give you the energy to truly "dance the night away!" (cf. Isaiah 9:2 - "A people who walked in darkness have seen a great light!")

Hope: The Goal and Desire That Gets Results!

This is gonna sound funny, but I just had a ministry moment at my Parish Finance Council Meeting. When I sit at meetings like this, believe it or not, I have nothing to say. Let's just say that I'm a tad outta my league, and am very happy to let this part of the think tank do all the thinking. Tonight was no different, but in my listening I heard one member offer a statement that brought a concept of our faith into clear view. The word "goal" was used in a statement, as in looking ahead and setting goals for the future. One of the members stated that they preferred the term "desired result" instead of "goals". This prompted another member to add that maybe "hope" was the better term. But the person who likes "desired results" thought that the term "hope" might not have enough "umph" to it, or measurability. This got me thinking about the Gospel, and the whole WWJD thing. What would Jesus prefer? With respect to our faith, should we have goals or desired results? I would argue that both terms would be fine in planning one's journey of faith, but another term might be "more better!" :) The term is HOPE! I would say that a GOAL involves a victory that comes after much effort and hard work! This process seems to involve research and dreaming, but the key word is "victory". I would say that achieving a DESIRED RESULT also comes with much effort and hard work, but the term seems to imply that the outcome was understood from the beginning, and the culmination of the process is simply a measured and understood result. I'm not 100% sure, but I would maintain that nowhere in the Scripture do the terms "goal" or "desired result" appear. The term HOPE, however, appears quite frequently. It's most popular appearance is of course it's listing as one of the big three of FAITH, HOPE AND LOVE in St. Paul's Letter to the Corinthians. HOPE seems to involve the similar elements that "goals" and "desired results" have, but it is unique in that it involves trusting a promise. St. Paul promises that with Christ one can have a new life. Christ promises that in living this new life, one can have life everlasting! With those kind of promises, one can live with HOPE, and it is in that hope that one becomes motivated to work hard and give supreme effort. So let me offer my thanks to tonight's Parish Finance Council Meeting for giving me some great stuff to pray about. I would say that I prefer the term HOPE, for it is HOPE that gives us the purpose to dream dreams, set goals, and work for desired results. It is also HOPE that gives us the courage to keep trying, especially when we falls short of the victory of achieving goals, or being able to relish in results. It is HOPE that breeds goals and desires that will some day get the ultimate result. Because of the promise made by our Father in heaven, HOPE will always keep us alive!

Always Ready to Share a Reason for Hope!

One relatively new dimension to the GregCast is that I am gainfully employed as the Director of Liturgy and Music for my Parish, St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Madison, Alabama. Each week, I like to send my team of folks a little reflection that points us to the following Sunday's Scripture, and what it can add to our ministry focus. Thanks to the joys of copying and pasting, I will include those reflection here whenever I think about it... So here's the latest:

Always Ready to Share a Reason for Hope!

This coming week, we begin the home stretch towards Pentecost and the true Easter call to live out our faith for a world that desperately needs it. Our purpose here, with these weekly reflection, is to always keep in mind the reason we sing, and the reason serve. Our song, helps others sing “The Song” of Christ’s love and promise for the world! This week, we’ll continue hearing advice from Peter, the fisherman who would be Pope… Peter, il primo Papa! “Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope, but do it with gentleness and reverence, keeping your conscience clear…” (1 Peter 3: 15-16) Let us all move through our week, our worship, and our lives, always ready to give evidence of God grace by the way we live and carry ourselves.

Patience!

“Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.” (Mark 12: 17)

Happy June!

Today I am thinking about the normal, the predictable and the inevitable! Today, the June Bugs are coming, the Government is confused and all shall be well!

Just like normal, and arriving any day now, will be these brown bugs that have packed their bags to come live outside my garage door, so that they can live their happy and ridiculously short lives and die on my driveway. Their arrival and demise is just like clockwork! Life is predictable, and I have to be patient with the inevitability of the visit of these brown little bugs! Because come July, all we’ll have to deal with is 100 degree heat and Japanese Beetles!

The Government is confused as to what to do about oil gushing into the Gulf of Mexico. You know why they are confused? They don’t know what to do, and they are forced to wait on the people that do know what to do. Its excruciating, but it appears to be the only option! Meanwhile, there a another “war” brewing in the middle east... Its a no wonder Jesus said what he said in the quote above. “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s!” It must be hard to be a government!

Finally, all shall be well... “In a manner of things, it shall be well!” (St. Julian of Norwich) Today’s readings at daily Mass offer this: “But according to his promise we await new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, since you await these things, be eager to be found without spot or blemish before him, at peace. And consider the patience of our Lord as salvation.” (2 Peter 3: 13-15)

We are a people of promise, hope and patience! Get ready to wait, and know that while certain things are predictable and inevitable, the outcome is always more than what you thought it would be! Oh, and let the Government be confused as to what to do about oil... And “Mr. BP”, please plug up that whole that you thought we all could benefit from (yeah right)! You and me, we need to gather the supplies the folks on the coast need, and get ready to respond by helping in the cleaning, or the buying of the pricey fish, or whatever it takes to help THEM!