I would like to take this opportunity to welcome Father Robert Murray as our new pastor here at Saint John the Baptist Church. I have known Father Murray for several years now and have witnessed his dedication shepherding Saint James Church. Now, we have the opportunity to have him guide us in the same direction. Being a pastor of two churches is no easy task and Father Murray must be commended for accepting this assignment.

The Holy Spirit does indeed continue to move through this parish. I have been blessed to witness so many acts of selflessness and faith. As we move forward with our 55^th Anniversary Celebrations, we now have more causation for celebration. We have gone full circle in a particular way. We are indeed the Mission Church of Saint James and share a common brotherhood and sisterhood with the parishioners there. Now, we share the same pastor; a proven leader and holy priest who lives his life in the service of the Church. We are further blessed with the presence of Father Paul until September when we will be assigned a Parochial Vicar.

Saint John the Baptist continues to strengthen and grow. This week, we begin our second year of Vacation Bible School. As of this date, we have over forty children who signed up. This is a wonderful ministry led by our Religious Education Director Renee Barrick and our very own Secretary Diane Forte. One year ago they had a vision that they brought to life through Vacation Bible School and the results speak for themselves. With an energetic staff who will be recognized next week, this ministry has taken on a life of its own.

These events that I mention bring the Scripture Readings this Sunday to life.  When our thoughts and actions are oriented towards Christ, what we do and say come to life, life within the Christian Family is celebrated, and the Love of God is spread throughout the community. This proves there is more to this world than what is in front of us: the Love of God always prevails. When we are able to take a step back and see the true gifts that God has given us: family, friends, this parish, and an overpowering love for each other, that which is of the greatest value shines forth ever so brightly. 

When we focus on the riches and allures of the physical world, we are always left empty and disappointed. When we focus on Christ, everything becomes perfect. This perfection is sometimes hidden for a great deal of time but it slowly reveals itself. The Holy Spirit guides us on this journey and our thoughts are put into action. What happens then is eternally beautiful.

So much has been said, seen, and experienced. And there is so much more to do. And we do it together, in this community, in this church.

"On the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed from the tomb... (John 20:01)."

We have entered the Easter Season and with that Triumphant Event, we now celebrate the Resurrected Christ and His impact on our lives. We are encouraged to free ourselves from our Lenten Crosses and step into the light, knowing that there is more out there than just the world that is before us. Christ is with us, Christ is around us, and Christ winthin us in all of his splendor and glory.

No longer should we be burdened by our sins and the ever-present problems which impede our relationship with Christ.We have examined these throughout Lent and discovered how these have influenced our relationship with Christ. Now, we go forward with Christ as our shield and Resurrected Savior. Christ our friend and companion has been replaced with Christ the Risen Lord. We must ask him to free us from our earthly tribulations and sorrows. We must pray for His intercessions to break those secular chains and lift us up. We must plead for His Grace to mend our open wounds and hold us ever so closely. Christ has the power to do all of this and so much more. All we have to do is ask.

Pray for Christ to role away the stones from our tomb and ask us to come forward in the form of a new creation; steadfast in spirit and with a wantoness to build up The Kingdom of God here on this earth.

Embrace this Easter Season wholeheartedly and come forward as a Soldier of Christ.

Pray for redemption. Pray for forgiveness. Pray for the strength and power to endure. For, "If God is on our side, who can be against us?"

-Deacon Tom

The word of the LORD came to me, saying: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
before you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you.”

What a beautiful passage from the beginning of the Book of Jeremiah.  It has a special meaning to me because, there was a time when I was discerning my vocation to the Permanent Diaconate when I read it. The words spoke directly to my heart and from then on, I knew exactly what Christ wanted me to do. His love enveloped me and cradled me. It was a moment  of experiencing Christ’s Grace that I will never forget. What is even more wonderful about this passage is the fact that it calls to all of us in the same way. God does in fact know each and every one of us and has claimed us as his own. He is there from the very beginning, cradling us in his loving arms and holding us closely to his breast. He is constantly around us and walking with us, during the good times and during times of crisis. We just need to take a moment and realize that He is there.

Being a creation of Christ, we are called to love Him. Christ is what love is. And it can be argued that the perfection of that Love is the vision of that little child: pure innocence helpless and pure in the womb. Envision that state: totally dependent on the one who created you and who has the responsibility to protect and nurture you. In our lives, Christ is the nurturer and we are that child.

We are commissioned by Christ to keep this love within our hearts  and spread this love through our actions and our words. We are all prophets spreading the Living Word of our Lord Jesus Christ. Recall those moments of joy when we all celebrate together, be it the Eucharist or some sort of occasion that brings this Christian Family together. What happy, unforgettable moments I myself can recall. And how many more are yet to come. Why? Because all the times we come together it is because of Love. It isn’t for a moment of enjoyment or something that will be easily forgotten. It is always because we all feel that closeness, we all feel that overabundance of love that is Christ. And when we feel it, we want it all the more.

Through these moments, Saint Paul’s words ring all the more true: “ Love never fails.” It has that distinct ability to overcome all obstacles. It is not a coincidence that, in times of trial and tribulation, people flow back to the Church and the Eucharist for comfort and guidance. What also happens, though, is that when the crisis subsides, there are those who turn their back on that same love which carried them through. Many times, it is very easy to do this. That is our human nature. The world around us tends to drown out even something as great and resounding as Christ’s Love. But it is still there, crying out in the distance, waiting for us to respond to the call. It can also be felt deep within our hearts, tugging at our conscious.  Temptation is always there, urging us to ignore our very own creator. What a tug ‘o’ war this can easily become, especially with all of the worldly goods society offers.  To fight this, we must realize where this world comes from and why we were created: because GOD LOVES US.

Through that love we are encouraged to build a foundation for our lives. This very same foundation is made of many different stones of different shapes and sizes. Each one is unique because each one is a different individual that we have welcomed into our lives. This solid, unbreakable foundation is our Christian Family. Each is as important as the other.  We are united in our faith, our love, and our lives. As long as this is realized, the stones are unbreakable.  Nothing can separate what God has fused together. We are all united through Christ and with Christ.

 When you are living your life, going through your day, keep the fact that you are not alone in the back of your mind. And silently thank those around you for being a part of your foundation.

Thank you all who made our Saint John the Baptist Dinner Dance a tremendous success. Over 200 people attended and more than $2600.00 was raised for the parish. It was a beutiful evening filled with fun and entertainment. 

A call to service.

Sometimes, in our lives, we may find ourselves in a situation where we are called to serve the Lord in the most unexpected circumstances. This may be something as small as a kind deed or as big as performing an act of sacrifice for the betterment of someone or something else. We can never be one hundred percent sure when Jesus Christ will call us to action. I have been witness to this a countless number of times within my own ministry and I have been truly blessed to watch normal people performing extraordinary things in the course of every day life.

Jesus Christ, in his own ministry, would often stop what he was doing to tend to the basic needs of others or to help someone in crisis. These simple acts, directed towards the lowliness of people within society serve as a life lesson to us all and were as important as the words he spoke. Saint James himself said it best when wrote, “So faith also, if it have not works, is dead in itself.” Christian Charity goes hand in hand with our faith. You cannot have one without the other. Jesus displayed this through the feeding of the 5000 in today’s Gospel. Not only did he feed them spiritually but he tended to their physical needs, providing more than enough nourishment to have twelve baskets left over: a symbol of the twelve tribes of Israel.

Us as members of the Living Body of Christ cannot fathom doing what Jesus did that day, but know this: everything that we do and say in the name of Our Lord Jesus Christ manifests into Christ on this earth. Every little thing that we do for ourselves, our children, family, and friends; people that we know and don’t know exemplifies our faith. It defines who and what we are. Through these acts we earn merit and are able to understand our faith more deeply. We also open ourselves up to the gift of God’s Grace. What a wonderful world this would be and what a wonderful state of being if we all could live our lives in this constant state. Impossible, yes, but something that we all could strive to do. Just the effort itself produces so many great results.

I am honored to witness this in our own parish community, with so many wonderful and beautiful people. I am also privileged to be able to carry out my own ministry in the name of Our Lord Jesus Christ and am humbled by some of the results. There are times, when I am out in the community and I am approached by people I do not even know. They tell me how wonderful Saint John the Baptist Church is and what great work the parish community is doing. Through their eyes and their words, I know we do indeed make a difference.

Through our acts, we all come closer together and are open to the Love and Glory of God. And as we feed his sheep and help tend his flock, he in turn takes care of us. He feeds us and takes care of our every need. The LORD is near to all who call upon him,
to all who call upon him in truth. We call and he answers. In the same way, others call to him and he answers through us. It is a great responsibility. A responsibility born out of LOVE AND THE GLORY OF GOD.

A PASTORAL LETTER

from Deacon Tom

Where was the spring? Better yet, where is the summer? Did I miss something here or does it feel like we are approaching autumn again? The world is a wonderful and mysterious place that we cannot even begin to understand. God has given us a playground of mystery and wonder that, as soon as someone claims to have figured it out, something else happens that rises to the level of unexplainable. Just as we are being told that the planet is “suffering from a fever,” we begin to enter a cooling cycle where weather patterns once again change to confound many.

All my children are home from school and a new cycle beings in my household. Sleep patterns change (my children don’t sleep all night during the summer), meal habits change (they usually take it on the run), and there appears to be a new surprise daily. These surprises present themselves in different ways. Coming home from work this morning, it was about 58 degrees outside. The time was 3:00 am. I had just received a phone call from my youngest, Renee’. She wanted me to go swimming with her. And as it is always the cases, I could not say to Daddy’s Little Girl or to my son, Alex. So I found myself playing Marco Polo in my pool which was a chilling 55 degrees (if that) with my two youngest children for over an hour.

And you know what? It was wonderful. Moments like these are the ones that stay with you for the rest of your life. The birds chirping in the distance, the rustle of some unknown animal in the underbrush, a strange sound far away. I looked up into the sky at a blanket of white clouds that covered everything and thought, “God is Good.” Crazy as it was, it was also beautiful.

As Jesus healed the suffering woman and the child, we to need healing and spiritual refreshment. We all need to take time out of our busy lives to actually enjoy who we are and what we are. We need to take time to be with our families and our friends. Everyone needs rest and everyone needs companionship. It is not an option. It is a necessity. Without it, we are not complete. Taking time for ourselves and for those that we love completes us as human beings. God created us with the capacity to love and to express that love. He has given that as a gift to us. When we exercise that gift, we are able to feel God’s presence amongst us. From what we feel, we also know it is the right thing to do. Then come the smiles and the deep sigh of satisfaction. We are able to look around and nod, understanding fully why we work so hard: for our children, for our families, and for our friends. The small moments become bigger and more important.

Summer is not only a season. Summer is a state of being; an opportunity to surrender ourselves more completely to God and to enjoy ourselves. Have fun, take the day, take the week. Do not feel guilty about it. We all deserve it. Regardless if the sun is shining or the rain is pouring down, thank God for all the good things given to us, look around understand:

YES, GOD IS GOOD.

It was one year ago today that I remember standing on the altar of this church and looking out into the rows of pews before me. It was 4:00 am in the morning; almost fourteen hours after my ordination to the Permanent Diaconate. I couldn’t sleep. Very soon, I would be assisting at my first mass. One journey had ended and another had begun. I recalled that famous line from the movie The Candidate. Robert Redford just spent an exhausting amount of time and resources fighting for a senate seat in California. He was the underdog going up against the entrenched veteran. He wasn’t expected to win but he did. As they were celebrating his victory, he looked over to his campaign manager and asked: “WHAT NOW?” At that moment, I could definitely relate to that feeling. After over six years of spiritual direction, preparation, and formation, the moment was upon me and my ministry as a member of the clergy had begun. It was a beautiful, terrifying moment that I will never forget.

Today, as we celebrate the Feast of Pentecost, I am able to reflect on my ministry and on my life. As Jesus sent the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and instructed them to go out into the world to spread the Good News of Our Lord Jesus Christ and His Message of Salvation. WOW. What an amazing moment and one that I could relate to in a most special way. A way very close to my own heart and my own Journey of Faith. It is also a Spiritual Moment that can be shared by all of us. The Holy Spirit guides us, moves us, and makes us feel God’s loves as we do those things we do which define us a Christians living the Faith in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit is the deliverer of God’s special grace and that which we long for but only get a glimpse of in our lifetime.

Pentecost is a time of remembrance and renewal. We look back a Jesus’ commissioning of the Apostles and use that moment to energize our own faith and our own mission. We are counted among the faithful and are sharers in that same mission. We are asked to come forth and testify to Gift of Salvation and the wonderful presence of our God. With it comes the power to save the world and move mountains. It is a great responsibility and great place to be; dwelling in a community of love, fidelity, and faith. Within that community we live our lives and enrichen ourselves with the gifts therein.

The presence of the Holy Spirit has the ability and power to move us in a purely spiritual way. We only need to open our hearts to receive that gift. Jesus is always waiting to give it. He only needs to be asked. And when he is asked, a whole new world is opened to us every day. Through this gift, we all feel the need to do acts of charity and goodness which define the Christian Condition. A conscious guides us towards salvation and God’s Graces surround us. We are safe, we are comforted, we are loved within our community.

Take moment today and reflect on the Gifts of the Holy Spirit. How has the Church been an impact on our lives? Where would we be without the Church and without Jesus Christ in our lives? How different would our lives be? How different would this city be? How different would this world be?  We are all one body and our lives display this fact. Take a moment today and thank God for His Church, His Bride, the Rock of Our Faith. I thank Him every day as I look out into the rows of pews: be it at 4:00 am in the morning or any other time.

Yours in Christ,

Deacon Tom.

WHERE: SAINT JOHN THE BAPTIST CHURCH IN HAVERHILL, MASSACHUSETTS

I was speaking during a reflection at Exposition and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament last Tuesday. I mentioned how those who do work the secular society and those doing God’s work react in two different ways when the job is done. Those in secular society breathe a sigh of relief and look forward to a well-deserved rest. Those doing God’s work breath a sigh of relief then ask: “What do you want me to do now Lord?” The building up of Christ’s Kingdom on Earth is reward enough them.

The Tridium was long, demanding, and exhausting. It was also utterly fantastic. The Holy Spirit moved through this church and it was a joyous occasion. Now, we gather again, on Divine Mercy Sunday to celebrate once again. Not only in remembrance of Jesus’ eternal sacrifice but also to celebrate his mercy and love for us; to celebrate our sinfulness and our redemption through Our Lord Jesus Christ.

Through the readings we learn that the Apostles spread the Good News of Our Lord Savior Jesus Christ with energy and an unbridled fervor. They were on fire. Sort of like a Baptist Tent Revival. Scattered after the Crucifixion, hiding for fear of reparations, they were reunited and invigorated by the Resurrection. It was the ultimate pep rally. You see. We as Christians now can look back can see the Crucifixion for what it is: Jesus’ Ultimate Sacrifice for our salvation and redemption. To Jesus’ disciples, they saw it as a shocking end to what they thought was a movement of promise and the fulfillment of God’s Promise of a Messiah.

That was until the Resurrection, when Jesus appeared to the Apostles for the first time after his death in that upper room and revealed to them everything in the fullness of his glory. Then they believed. Then they got it. Everything seemed to fall into place. This marked the beginning of the Apostolic Age. This was where the Apostles started spreading the Good News of Our Lord Jesus Christ as living witnesses. They were alive and energized by the Holy Spirit.

Here, in this Easter Season, we focus on this in a particular way, very much how we focused on the Crucified Christ during our Lenten Journey. We are encouraged to read the Letters of James and Peter: simple men from a simple way of life thrust into the spotlight and central to Jesus’ Plan. We are encouraged to learn about the early Church and how its influence spread like wildfire throughout the known world. We are also encouraged to continue to celebrate and immerse ourselves in Jesus’ Eternal Mercy. And through that, we learn more about ourselves.

What better way to celebrate all of this on Divine Mercy Sunday; a day of celebration first revealed to us by an individual not unlike the Apostles before her: simple, ignorant, uneducated, and like a child in their understanding and reverence of their Lord. Helen Kowalska, born in 1905 Poland, was from a poor religious family with 9 other siblings. From a young age she was devoted to her faith and at the age of 17 announced to her parents that she wished to enter a convent. They opposed the move and she obeyed for another year until her visions of Christ and her calling to religious life became too overwhelming.

Her persistence and her dedication to her vocation serve as an inspiration to everyone following a call to service to Christ. When she though she was ready to enter a convent and serve Jesus Christ, she was told to wait another year and work to save the money so as to purchase her wardrobe. A year later, in 1925, she entered the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy. Here, visions of Christ, her gifts of grace, and her participation in the Sufferings of Christ grew. Her life was filled with unspeakable joys and unspeakable horrors as she was overcome both mentally and physically as the sins of the world and the separations from the Grace of Jesus were weighed down on her so as to have her serve as a Messenger of Salvation.

Through it all she kept a diary, a confessor, and a spiritual director which would all serve as a testament in later years on her road to sainthood and as an inspiration for generations to come. She became a Messenger for Christ. Through her, this simple message was spread:

Jesus Christ is Mercy. Pray for His Mercy, pray for His love in the salvation of the world and the souls in Purgatory. A simple devotion from a simple Servant of God. How do we let this celebration of the Devine Mercy influence our own lives? There are the particular devotions which are set forth from the Chaplet, the Three O'clock Prayer, the Three O'clock Devotion, and Celebrating Divine Mercy Sunday,

There is also something else that can be done: forgiveness, praying for God’s Eternal Mercy for everyone. It becomes a collective event with the prayers of the faithful extending out beyond this community and into the world. We pray together, for everyone, and for Jesus' Mercy. This mercy that we seek can take on so many different characteristics. It can be for the sinner, for us, for faith, for understanding. For the doubts that we may foster deep within our souls. Or we can just pray; to experience Christ's Love.

Christ's Mercy and Christ's Love can be found in the most peculiar places and the most peculiar experiences. And we as human beings find ourselves reacting differently to it in different circumstances. I loved my grandmother so very much and she was an inspiration to me in my life. When she was dying, there were tears. But with her death came a peace and solace, for I knew she was with God. I missed her, but there was certain peacefulness to her death.

Maybe it was the way she accepted it as my good friend Deacon Dick did. Knowing it was there in front of them, they prepared themselves and, because of this, prepared those they loved the most; their concern for those around them. They also had tremendous faith in Our Lord Jesus Christ. I am comforted by the knowledge that they are now with Christ.

With their passing came a massive surge of love. I felt it, welling up inside of me. A gift from God and a Gift from the Holy Spirit. God's Love, what a gift of Mercy for us who grieve. I know, sometimes it is hard to find in times of trial and heartache, but it is there.

The other day, I suffered another loss. To those who do not have a pet or never had one, it might be hard to understand. But when one has one, such as my dog Abbey, she becomes a part of the family. The children grow up with them. They become attached to them; the entire family is melded together around them. I have mentioned Abbey before and my 3:00 am walks.  She was over twelve years old; that is almost 70 years old in dog years.

In the last month, I noticed her slowing a little bit. And then, unexpectedly, I found her Thursday Morning on the floor. She could not walk. Her face was sunken and all her muscles had relaxed. I Brought her into my daughter's room and nurtured her back to health. I took her for a walk Friday Morning and Friday Night. She was alive; the kick was back in her step. She even refused to go home after her walk. The walk took over an hour.

In the morning we walked again. Then, she died.  There was gathering at my house, a wake of sorts. Even my mother was there. She was an important part of me and nothing can replace her. There was a deep bond and a deep love between us. I felt it even more when she died. I realized she indeed was precious, for she was God's creation and a true gift from him to me. And I thank him for that, that gift of the capacity to love, to miss, and to mourn.

When we do these things, when we act out our humanness, God's presence is all the more overwhelming. We need to thank God for these moments and pray for his mercy to help us through these moments, to make these moments truly beautiful in the face of loss and tragedy. All of this is God's Gift to us. That is one connection that we cannot forget, we cannot overlook. Christ's Mercy and Love join all of us together and us to creation. This is God's majestic symphony. In it there is happiness, joy, trauma, temptation, sadness, and loss. But in the end, through His sacrifice and mercy, there is love.

PRO-LIFE NIGHT AT SAINT JOHN THE BAPTIST CHURCH

A RESOUNDING SUCCESS!!!!!

This was the second in a series of Pro-Life Nights at All Saints Church and Saint John the Baptist. At Saint John the Baptist, 12 members of the 2009 Confirmation Class were in attendance along with about 16 other people for a total of 28. The movie "Bella" was shown and a good time in Christian Community for a good cause was had. To date, almost $400.00 was raised for the Pregnancy Care Center of Haverhill before expenses.