Deacon's Door - Pentecost Sunday May 31, 2020

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   "The Deacon's Door"

      May 31, 2020

“When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place together.  And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were.  Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them.  And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit…”  (Acts 2: 1-4)

Pentecost is the Greek name for the spring harvest festival of the Israelites, which was going on when the Holy Spirit came. The disciples were together in Jerusalem after the Resurrection of Jesus.  They were fearful because He was no longer with them.  On that morning, however, there appeared tongues like of fire, that sat upon each of them. “And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit…”

Because of the festival, there were large crowds of visitors in Jerusalem.  They had come from many places for the festival and were speaking many different languages.  When the disciples of Jesus came among them and spoke to them, every one could understand what was being said.  They spoke about the wonderful works of Jesus and the Good News of the Gospel.  It was then that Peter made a moving speech to the crowds and many were baptized as new followers of Jesus.  

The Third Glorious Mystery of the Rosary is the Descent of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost Sunday.  Today, we are much like the disciples that gathered in the Upper Room in isolation.  We too are confused and in some cases in a state of loneliness, fear and despair. We have been denied the opportunity to celebrate the Eucharist with our family and friends.  The elderly that are homebound, or in hospitals and nursing homes, are not allowed contact with loved ones due to the fear of transmitting this deadly virus to each other.

We cry for the support and gifts of the Holy Spirit to help us during these trying times, and yet, we may have neglected to realize that when we were baptized, we were given the gifts of the Spirit, and then we were sealed by those same spirit in Confirmation.  The Holy Spirit lives in our parishes, our family and friends and in our homes and nursing centers.  Jesus gave all of us the Holy Spirit to be with us in our daily lives, let us allow ourselves to be guided and comforted by the Spirit, whose disciples we are.

The window of light and spiritual well being in our lives comes from the faith and knowledge that we are not alone.  Our Lord is with us during these challenging times and His Holy Spirit is there to provide us the comfort, love and compassion we are crying for.

YOUR LIGHT SHINES:

No matter how high the trees,
no matter how close the branches,

no matter how dense the foliage:
your light shines through, O Lord...

No matter how gray the sky,
no matter how thick the clouds,
no matter how heavy the rain
your light shines through, O Lord...

No matter how black the night,
no matter how few the twinkling stars,
no matter how think the silvery moon:
your light sines through, O Lord...


No matter how dark my path,
no matter how gray my thoughts,
no matter the tears that dim my sight,
your light shines through, O Lord...

No matter how bad the news,
no matter how grim the numbers,
no matter how long the wait,
your light shines through, O Lord...

No matter the shadows of fear,
no matter the dusk of doubt;
lift my eyes and my heart to see, O Lord,
how your light shines through on me...    AMEN

                     - Austin Flemming

We love all of you and include each of you in our daily prayers.  My greatest joy is in serving you at SH and IC as your deacon.  I continue to look for ways to connect with you and to be the servant of Christ that God has called me to be.  Please pray for me as I continue to pray for you, that one day, we will return to a time of health and prosperity and that when it is God’s plan to call us home, we will all be able to join together as a Family of Faith in the eternal glory of heaven.

“Pax et bonum” (Peace and Goodness)

            Deacon Jim Patera   319-509-1210   deacon.jim.patera@gmail.com

Deacon's Door for May 24, 2020 - Ascension of The Lord

 Welcome to

"The Deacon's Door" 

Ascension of The Lord

(May 24, 2020)

The Chapel of the Ascension on Mount of Olives, Jerusalem is built on the site where Christians and Muslims believe that Christ was physically lifted to Heaven.  On a rock inside the chapel, is a stone with a footprint which is identified according to Christian tradition as the print that Jesus left as he ascended into Heaven.

The Ascension of the Lord is revealed in the Acts of the Apostles today as part of the first reading: “When they had gathered together, they asked Him, ‘Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?’  He answered, “It is not for you to know the times or seasons that the Father has established by His own authority.  But you receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’  When He had said this, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight…”

As important as this is to our faith, in today’s Gospel, there in no mention of the Ascension.  It is here that Jesus commissions the disciples to tell the good news to all in the world.  This story is called the “Commissioning of the Disciples or The Great Commission. 

As we celebrate this important weekend in our homes under the guidelines of isolation and social distancing, we can reflect on this great commissioning.  We are all sent, like the disciples to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ.  We are called to be on a mission and to live the values of the Gospel as Jesus has taught all of us.

May our lives be lives of discipleship, demonstrated by our service and sacrifice for others.  Let us all, ordained and lay people of God, be a true witness that others are drawn to.  In doing so, we will be assured that we are living the pascal mystery of Christ.

During this month of May, let us also continue to call on Our Mother Mary, asking for her intercessions to keep us from harm and end this pandemic that challenges us in our daily lives.

“Mary weeps for all of her children who are suffering during these challenging times as well as for those who do not yet know her Son, Jesus Christ!” (Carma Schmidtke)

“Pax et bonum” (Peace and Goodness)

            

Deacon Jim Patera   319-509-1210                                  deacon.jim.patera@gmail.com

Deacon's Door - 6th Sunday of Easter May 17, 2020

Welcome to "The Deacon's Door" 

Sixth Sunday of Easter (May 17, 2020)

The Jewish Cemetery on the Mount of Olives, is the most ancient and most important Jewish cemetery in Jerusalem. Burial on the Mount of Olives started some 3,000 years ago in the days of the First Temple, and continues to this day.  The cemetery contains anywhere between 70,000 and 150,000 tombs from various periods, including the tombs of famous figures in Jewish history.

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If you have seen the movie, “Schindler’s List”, you most certainly remember the final scene where survivors of the holocaust and their families file by the grave of Oskar Schindler, the man responsible for saving so many Jewish lives during this terrible time.  As if part of a ceremony, the family members place stones on the grave.  For most of us this may seem to be a strange custom, after all, we have practiced burying the dead with flowers on the grave.  In the Jewish tradition, we would leave stones, rather than flowers.  Stones, large and small are piled without pattern on the grave of the loved one.  There was even a feeling that bringing flowers was a pagan custom not to be followed.

So why do the Jewish wish to pile stones rather than flowers on the graves, even today?  Stones have a very special character in Judaism.  In the Bible we find that an altar would be made of little more than a pile of stones and yet it is used for ones offering to God. Beyond that, the explanation spans from superstitious to a common belief in the hearts and souls of the Jewish people. 

The Superstitious thinking is that the stones keep the soul down to continue to dwell for a while in the grave.  To some it is a way for the living to say to the one who is passed, to “Stay put!”.  An interesting superstition.   To others, there is a very simple reason that they use stones.  As I was told by a Jewish person on my recent visit to the hills of the Mount of Olives, where thousands of these grave have existed for thousands of years, “Flowers will wilt and eventually fade away, but the stone will last forever as a sign of the loved one who came to visit and offer prayer for those who have passed.” 

The Jewish families have brought their dead to the Mount of Olives for centuries.  The graveyard is the holiest place for these faithful to be laid to rest.  From this sacred place it is only a few hundred yards to the Holy Temple Mount in Jerusalem’s Old City.  Everyone is buried with their feet facing the Temple Mount so they can come straight up at the time of the final resurrection of the dead.

An interesting custom that, while having been a practice for many generations, will come to a stop soon, as the area is lacking in space now for new graves.  These burial spots are so sought after that the current cost could run as high as $22,500.00 for a current plot, if one can be had at all.

While the Gospel today does not speak directly to the raising of the dead and the glory of eternal life with Our Father in Heaven, it does speak directly to how we might get the opportunity at the end of days to be included in those who have lived a love of God by following His Commandments.   “If you love me, you will keep my commandments… And whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him.”  (John 14: 15-21)

This Sunday is a good time for us all to reflect on our life and on just how much we love God.  It is easy to say,    “I love you”, but it is very difficult to live that love in all we do and all we practice every day of our lives.  Even Saint Peter struggled along the way and yet, his love won out and God rewarded him for that loyalty and love. 

The life of discipleship that Jesus is calling us to is one that will stretch and challenge us.  Let us all pray that we will have the gifts from the Holy Spirit to make us strong enough to meet that challenge in our daily lives and follow His Commandments.

During this month of May, let us continue to call on Our Mother Mary, asking for her intercessions to keep us from harm and end this pandemic that challenges us in our daily lives.

“Pax et bonum” (Peace and Goodness)

            Deacon Jim Patera   319-509-1210    

Deacon's Door for May 10, 2020 / 5th Sunday of Easter

This is a picture of The Church Dominus Flevit (Latin for:   ”The Lord Wept”). It is half way down the slope of the Mount of Olives.  This small church gives us, from this very unique window behind the altar, a panoramic view of the city of Jerusalem, where it is said that Christ looked down and wept.

Welcome to "The Deacon's Door" 

Fifth Sunday of Easter (May 10, 2020)

The pictures I have shared with you this week cause us to reflect on the message Jesus is sharing, not only in today’s Gospel, when he states, “Do not let your hearts be troubled.  You have faith in God; have faith also in me…” (John 14: 1) but also in His message of faith in God, that was driven forward just prior to the events of Palm Sunday, when He was nearing the city of Jerusalem for His triumphant entry only then to be arrested and crucified. 

According to the 19th chapter of the Gospel of Luke, Jesus, while riding toward the city of Jerusalem, becomes overwhelmed by the beauty of the Second Temple and predicting its future destruction, as well as that of the Jewish people.  It is with that emotion that He, weeps openly (an event known as Flevit super illam in Latin).

Gospel of Luke:  19: 41-44

“As he came near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, ‘If you, even you, had only recognized on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. Indeed, the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up ramparts around you and surround you, and hem you in on every side. They will crush you to the ground, you and your children within you, and they will not leave within you one stone upon another; because you did not recognize the time of your visitation from God.”

And again, in the Gospel of Matthew 23: 37-38

“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how many times I yearned to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her young under her wings, but you were unwilling!  Behold, your house will be abandoned, desolate.

The image of a hen with her chicks under her wings is found behind the altar at the Church of Dominus Flevit. Latin for "The Lord Wept"

Jesus wept because of the people’s lost opportunity. The Israelites that assembled in Jerusalem for the Passover missed the opportunity to be saved from both earthly and eternal destruction. They were visited by their Savior, but they did not know it. Instead of receiving Him, they killed Him.

During these times of isolation and social distancing, we too are given an opportunity to remind ourselves that God is with us through it all. He says to us, “Do not let your hearts be troubled, you have faith in God; have faith also in me.”  Do we turn to God during these times of challenge?  Do we open our hearts and souls asking God to give us the strength and faith to sustain us during these days?  We live in a time when so often our lives are consumed with possessions and access to wants rather than needs.  Can we hear the voice of Christ calling out to us that this is our opportunity to have faith in God?  This is a time for us to turn to Jesus and remember that He is the Way and the Truth and the Life. 

Things are not like we would have them now and most likely will not return to the life we had for quite some time, and yet, God has never abandoned us.  Do not let our hearts become troubled.  Remember, have faith in God and He will see you through this storm.  2000 years ago, Jesus wept over the peoples’ missed opportunity to turn to Him, to recognize Him and receive Him as their Lord and Savior.  Will we miss this opportunity to turn to God during our time of need? 

During this month of May, let us call on Our Mother Mary, asking for her intercessions to keep us from harm and end this pandemic that challenges us in our daily lives.

“Pax et bonum” (Peace and Goodness)

            Deacon Jim Patera   319-509-1210   pateraj@msn.com

The Church of The Primacy of St. Peter / and - Fourth Sunday of Easter May 3, 2020

The picture above is of The Church of the Primacy of Peter (Mensa Domini Church).  The church contains a projection of limestone rock in front of the present altar which is venerated as a "Mensa Christi", Latin for table of Christ. According to tradition this is the spot where Jesus is said to have laid out a breakfast of bread and fish for the Apostles, and told Peter to "Feed my sheep" after the miraculous catch, the third time he appeared to them after his resurrection. (John 21:1-24)

Welcome to "The Deacon's Door"

May 3, 2020

Fourth Sunday of Easter

All of the readings today for the 4^th Sunday of Easter, cause us to find comfort during a time of challenge and the unknown.  Our Catholic Churches remain closed and we continue to stay in our homes in isolation, away from the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist.  I have had a number of people ask me what I thought would be the final result of this void in our lives.  What will happen after we have been denied the opportunity to be physically present for the Mass on Sunday and denied to receive the Eucharist for so long?  It is an interesting question.  One I think is worth pondering in prayer, as we face our daily COVID routine.  What will our faith look like when we return to Mass and the Eucharist? 

For me, I believe it will be a joyous reunion of sorts with my love of the Mass and the True Body and Blood of Christ in the Eucharist.  For me, I believe it will have made me appreciate more the blessings I have of being able to live in a county where I can practice my faith and where I can celebrate that faith with my Parish Family.  I believe I will have a greater appreciation for the reverence that is deserved to be shown at Mass and when receiving the Body and Blood of Christ.  For me, it will be a day of celebration that I have weathered the storm and that my faith has not only gotten me through the hard times, but has been strengthened by the crosses I have endured away from my church.

As we continue with the challenges we face with this pandemic, we cannot help but feel a little unsettled.  We have experienced the loss of so much of our freedom, our security, our independence and certainly much of what we have taken for granted in our lives.  And yet in the scriptures that God has placed before us, we find hope and assurance of his ever-present mercy and love for us all. 

Listen to the words from 1 Peter in the readings from today: “Beloved:  If you are patient when you suffer for doing what is good, this is a grace before God.  For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in his footsteps…  He himself bore our sins in his body upon the cross, so that, free from sin, we might live for righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed…”

I pray that we all will emerge from this time of suffering and challenge to be able to count ourselves as the chosen ones of God.  It is with an absolute trust and grace that we are following Christ like sheep through the Gate – knowing that our faith will see us through.  As we hear in the Psalms from today: “The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.”

As you may be aware, the challenges continue.  The Iowa Bishops have extended the closure of our Catholic Churches through May.  While we mourn the loss of being present for Mass and the Eucharist, we thank God for the dedication and efforts of Fr. Atwood and our volunteers who are providing us the opportunity to watch the live stream of Sunday Mass each week during this pandemic.  As a reminder, we will continue to live stream Mass on Sundays from Sacred Heart Church.  You can follow that Mass at 9:00 AM on Sunday morning on Facebook or YouTube and can find it posted on Facebook and the SH Web Page. (Sacred Heart Oelwein Mass) to be viewed at a later time.   It will also be played at about 3:00 pm on Mediacom each Sunday. 

“Pax et bonum” (Peace and Goodness)

            Deacon Jim Patera   319-509-1210   pateraj@msn.com

Deacon's Door - Third Sunday of Easter 2020

This is a picture of the statue of St. Joseph in the arbor near the St. Joseph’s Church in the old city of Nazareth in Israel.  The image of the angel is on the back side of this statue, supporting Joseph.

Welcome to "The Deacon's Door"

April 26, 2020

3^nd Sunday of Easter

Scripture tells us that an angel appeared to Joseph three times during his life, while supporting Mary and Jesus.  The first time was to let him know that Mary, to whom he was betrothed, was a chaste woman and that she was with child of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1: 19-20).  The second time the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph was in a dream, telling him to flee to Egypt with the child Jesus and His Mother (Matthew 2:13).  The third time the angel appeared to him was while he was in Egypt, to inform him that Herod, the king who sought to kill the child Jesus, was now dead.  The angel instructed Joseph to return to the land of Israel with the child and his mother.

The statue of Joseph near the St. Joseph’s Church in the old city of Nazareth in Israel is a reminder to us that, like Joseph, God sends his angels to support us during challenging times in our lives.  (The image of Joseph sitting on the shoulders of the angel can be seen on the back side of the statue).  As strong as Joseph appeared to be in his support and caring for Jesus and Mary, he was always lifted up by God who sent his angels to give him that strength and wisdom.

We too may appear to be strong in facing our challenges of life, but it is important to realize that, like Joseph, we are supported by God who sends his angels to guide us in the path of holiness and wisdom of Our Lord.  We only need to recognize the presence of this support in our lives and call on the mercy of Our Lord to carry us forward. 

Jesus is always present in our lives and He gives us special times when our eyes are opened to His love and mercy.  In the Gospel for this Sunday, Jesus encounters two disciples on the road to Emmaus.  He walks with them and talks with them about the events that had taken place, (the crucifixion, death and resurrection).  Even with all of that discourse, it was not until the “Breaking of the Bread” at their celebration dinner, that the disciples became aware of who He was.

Within our eucharistic liturgy we also meet the risen Lord in the word of God and in the breaking of the bread.  It is in this encounter that we are meant to have our hearts “burn with the joy and love of God in the Gospel.”  Remember that it was earlier in Luke’s Gospel, that Jesus had told His disciples, “I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing.” (Luke 12: 49)

During these days of isolation, worry and frustration, remember that it is through the Eucharist and the breaking of the bread, that the Lord is opening our hearts to burn with joy and love of His Word.  This is a joy that is too great not to be shared and a love that will set the world on fire.

As a reminder, Fr. Atwood has agreed to live stream Mass on Sundays from Sacred Heart Church.  You can follow that Mass at 9:00 AM on Sunday morning or look for it to be posted on Facebook and the SH Web Page. (Sacred Heart Oelwein Mass) It will also be played at about 3:00 pm on Mediacom each Sunday. 

“Pax et bonum” (Peace and Goodness)

            Deacon Jim Patera   319-509-1210   pateraj@msn.com

Deacon's Door Reflection - 2nd Sunday of Easter 2020

The first picture is the stone where tradition says Jesus prayed at the foot of the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem, and where He underwent the Agony in the Garden and was arrested.  The center picture is of one of the olive trees in the garden that are said to be over 2000 years old.  It is said to be among a number of trees that were living when Jesus was in the garden.   The final picture is of the Upper Room, where Jesus and the Apostles gathered for the Last Supper, and where Jesus appeared to the Apostles after the Resurrection.

Welcome to "The Deacon's Door"

April 19, 2020

2^nd Sunday of Easter

In the Gospel for the second Sunday of Easter we hear John’s story of Thomas, the skeptical apostle who needed physical proof of the resurrection.  While Thomas is known as the one who doubted the resurrection of Jesus at first, it is clear that, out of fear and a lack of understanding, all of the apostles were looking for some kind of sign, some kind of proof that their Lord had in fact risen from the tomb.  The meeting with these men is said to have taken place in the Upper Room.  By tradition, this is the same room where Jesus appeared, both before and after the resurrection. It was here that Jesus, made visible his wounds for the Apostles to see and touch, and the room where the faith of Thomas emerged. It is where, after the resurrection, Jesus breathed on the Apostles with the Holy Spirit “on the evening of that first day of the week” (John 20:19). It is where tongues of fire appeared to them on Pentecost and “they were all filled with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:4).  It is from there that the apostles went forth with boldness sharing the Good News.

Fear and lack of understanding stood in the way of the faithful at the time of the death and resurrection of The Lord and for many of us today, it still challenges our faith.  After all, we, like Thomas, were not able to be present when Jesus first appeared to His chosen.  So why do we believe?  Maybe a timelier question would be, “Why do I identify as a Christian?” 

During these days of social distancing and isolation, we have been given time to reflect on many things.  Christ has risen from the dead but we remain tied down and restricted.  Why would a loving God allow such things to happen to our world?  Why do such terrible things happen to good people?  We want to celebrate the Risen Christ and yet the reality of fear, sickness, death and for some, disaster, are what we are called to face.  “We could bear nearly any pain or disappointment if we thought there was a reason behind it, a purpose, to it.”

This past week, someone very close to me shared the pain he was dealing with as he returned from the war in Afghanistan.  As he shared some of his horrible experiences that took the life of not only the enemy in battle, but of innocent women, children and families who were only bystanders, he asked, why these things happen.   Why does a young father with a family have to face the challenges of cancer and the possibility of an early death, leaving his family behind?  Why, during this time of Easter celebration, do so many in our world suffer?

Irenaeus, a Greek Bishop and theologian, proposed the following:

• God created us to develop into a perfect relationship with himself.
• He created the world as a place for that development.
• Evil is thus necessary as a means of our spiritual development and our free will.

 Our challenge is to not let the crosses and disaster that we face in our lives destroy our relationship with God as our Father and Creator.  Instead, let them strengthen us and cause us to immerse ourselves in a time of prayer and renewal for the eternal resurrection that will follow.  There is no good answer when someone asks, why things happen.  We put our faith in God and trust that He will see us through the storm. 

Easter Season is a time of reflection and renewal.  How are we doing with the crosses we are faced with?  God will not leave us alone in the battle.  Even Jesus cried out near the end, “Father, why have you abandoned me?”  In the end He gave us His example of faith and love when He said, “Into your hands Lord I commend my spirit.”  Turn it all over to the hands of God. 

As a reminder, we will continue to offer other spiritual services and opportunities that will be announced on the Archdiocesan Web page, as well as on our parish Face Book Pages, Bulletins and Web Pages.  Fr. Atwood has agreed to live stream Mass on Sundays from Sacred Heart Church.  You can follow that Mass at 9:00 AM on Sunday morning or look for it to be posted later on Facebook and the SH Web Page. (Sacred Heart Oelwein Mass) It will also be played at about 3:00 pm on Mediacom each Sunday.  I will try to get the link to the IC Web page as well.

Please look for continued updates as we travel these days together.  I look forward to continuing to reach out to you on a regular basis until we are able to worship again together with our Parish Families.

“Pax et bonum” (Peace and Goodness)

            Deacon Jim Patera  

                         319-509-1210   

pateraj@msn.com