Deacon Mark Dillon's Blog

On May 21st The Most Reverend Joseph F. Marino (Bishop Emerius of Scranton) will visit MDP to confer the Sacrament of Confirmation on students in grade 6  who have completed their sacramental preparation.  These young Christians will receive the Holy Spirit, whom the Lord sent upon the Apostles on Pentecost, and become more fully conformed to Christ.  By the grace of the Holy Spirit their lives will be strengthened to enable them to bear witness to Christ as they build up his Body in faith and love.

While the initiation of children into the sacramental life is primarily the responsibility and concern of Christian parents, we as a worshiping community express the faith the Holy Spirit has produced in us by joining their parents through our participation in the celebration of the sacrament.

It is appropriate for each person being confirmed to have a sponsor for the sacrament. In addition to presenting the candidate to the Bishop the sponsor helps the newly confirmed fulfill their baptismal promises faithfully under the guidance of the Holy Spirit whom they have received.  For this reason it is desirable that the godparent at baptism, if available, also be the sponsor at confirmation.

Confirmation takes place within the celebration of Mass.  This makes clear the importance of confirmation by which the faithful are incorporated into Christ and configured to him through the bond of the three sacraments of initiation: baptism, confirmation and the Eucharist. Celebrating the rite of Confirmation at Mass affirms the fundamental  connection of the sacrament with the other Rites of Christian Initiation and allows this connection to be clearly seen and understood. Through the sacrament of confirmation those who have been born anew in baptism receive the inexpressible gift of the Holy Spirit and are further strengthened by the reception of the Eucharist.

During the celebration of the sacrament great emphasis is placed on the word of God that introduces the rite of confirmation.  It is in hearing the word of God that the many-sided work of the Holy Spirit flows out upon his church and upon each one of the baptized and confirmed.  Through this hearing of his Word, God’s will is made known in the life of Christians everywhere. During this celebration we move from listening to the word of God to the sacramental experience of the Eucharist.

The diocesan bishop is the ordinary minister of the sacrament of confirmation.  As a successor to the apostles, his presence as the sacramental minister creates a clear connection to the first pouring forth of the Holy Spirit on the apostles at Pentecost. The apostles were so filled with the Holy Spirit that by divine inspiration they began to proclaim “the mighty works of God.”  They then gave the Spirit to the faithful through the laying on of hands.  Thus the reception of the Spirit through the ministry of the bishop shows the close bond that joins the confirmed to the Church with the mandate received from Christ to bear witness to him before all.

The sacrament of confirmation is conferred through the anointing with sacred chrism on the forehead, which is done by the laying on of the hand, and through the words: “Be sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit.” The laying of hands on the candidate by the bishop, along with the anointing with chrism and the accompanying words clearly express the effect of the giving of the Holy Spirit.  Signed with the perfumed oil of chrism, the baptized receive the indelible character, or seal, of the Lord.  This, together with the Gift of the Spirit conforms them more closely to Christ and gives them the grace to spread the “sweet fragrance of Christ” in the world.

The sacrament of Confirmation draws us into God’s glory as we are consecrated to him and share in his three fold ministry of Priest, Prophet and King.  Our priestly ministry is witnessed in our adoration of God and through our prayerful intercession for the needs of his people.  As his current-day prophet we witness to God’s kingdom here on earth by glorifying the Lord by our lives.  And we share in his kingship by humbling ourselves and becoming servant to all through the works of charity inspired by the Spirit.

Let us pray for those to be confirmed and for all already confirmed in his love:

“Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And You shall renew the face of the earth.”

What a treasure God gives us in the gift of life.  By the power of the Holy Spirit in Baptism, we are recreated in God’s love and one day will share eternal life with him in paradise. Doesn’t knowing that make you appreciate this life all the more?

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In a little farming village in China, about 200 miles south of Shanghai, lives an 88 year old woman named Lou Zow Ying. Everyone just calls her Grandma Lou. Since 1972, Grandma Lou has helped her family by collecting and recycling items found in trash cans and dumpsters. Now that, in itself, really isn’t anything special. But Grandma Lou is known throughout the region: As the woman who has rescued more than 30 babies abandoned in the trash.

Those children were discarded by their parents because China has a strict one-child per family policy.  The Chinese government imposes a very high fine on families that have more than one child. So when additional children are born, some parents simply toss their live babies into the trash. Fortunately for more than 30 of them, Grandma Lou came along.

Does this shock you?  It really shouldn’t because Americans do basically the same thing. Since 1973, when the U.S. Supreme Court decided the landmark abortion case of Roe vs. Wade, over 52 million babies have been taken from their mothers’ wombs and discarded as medical waste.

Later this month, on January 25^th, an estimated 250,000 people will assemble on the National Mall in Washington DC.  For the 40^th consecutive year they will join the ‘March for Life’ down Constitution Avenue, past the U.S. Capitol, and end up in front of the Supreme Court Building.  They will march to give witness to their commitment to preserving the sacredness of life as God has given it to us.

Our Founding Fathers genuinely understood the value of human life. Somewhere along the way, however, that value has been eroded by controversies that were never envisioned by the framers of our Constitution.  Today we must deal with issues like: abortion, embryonic stem cell research, contraception, and the question of whether or not life begins at conception.

The annual March for Life is a call for all Catholics to renew their personal commitment to defend the most vulnerable members of the human family – our unborn children.  It’s an opportunity for Catholics to speak out in the public square for the restoration of our nation’s moral conscience.

In today’s Gospel we hear of the Baptism of Our Lord which is one of the few times when each person of the Blessed Trinity (Father – Son – and Holy Spirit) is revealed at the same time. That occurrence does not happen by coincidence. God is clearly showing us that His love and our eternal life are bound together forever in the creative and saving work of the Trinity.

Our life here on Earth begins and ends in God’s love. It starts with the reflection of his creative love found in the sacrament of marriage; is nurtured with the birth of children; reaches its purpose in the family; and is proclaimed in the dignity of life found in our natural death. Whether you are married or not, everyone is called to raise their voice in defense of life NOW…before it’s too late!

Within the family, we have a moral obligation to pass on to our children, an appreciation of the intrinsic value of life and the responsibility to respect unborn life.

Now I know that is easier said than done.  So, let me give you a way to explain it to your children and grandchildren, your nieces and nephews so that they’ll understand it: By telling them a story!

Many of you have heard of Dr. Seuss. In 1954, Dr. Seuss wrote a children’s book called, Horton Hears a Who. What you may not know is that many people believe that story has a pro-life message in it, especially because the most famous line of the story is: “a person’s a person no matter how small.”

The story was about an elephant named Horton who hears a speck of dust talking to him. Horton discovers that the speck of dust, sitting on top of a clover, is really a community of microscopic people, called the Whos. Because of his very large ears Horton is able to hear the Whos quite well.  So he befriends them, especially the Mayor of Whoville, who asks Horton to protect them from harm. Horton agrees and is seen all over the jungle, carrying this clover in his trunk and talking to it. The problem was that none of the other animals in the jungle heard the tiny voices coming from the speck of dust. They thought that Horton was nuts, so they ridiculed him, locked him up, and tried very hard to take the clover away from him so they could destroy it.

Eventually, Horton is put on trial, presided over by a big kangaroo. In order to save his little friends, Horton implores the Mayor of Whoville to get everyone together, and to shout as loud as they can so that the other animals in the jungle will hear them and spare their lives. They do it, but it’s not enough. The other animals still can’t hear the Whos. So Horton asks the Mayor to see if there is anyone else in town who is not shouting. The Mayor goes searching door to door, until he finds a very small Who hidden away in the corner of an apartment.

Well, what happens next is very important, so I’d like to pick up the story here by reading an excerpt from the book. Here’s what it says:

“A very small, very small shirker named Jo-Jo,

Was standing, just standing, and bouncing a Yo-Yo!

Not making a sound! Not a yipp! Not a chirp!

And the Mayor rushed inside and grabbed the young twerp!

As he climbed with the lad up the Eiffelberg Tower,

“This,” cried the Mayor “is your town’s darkest hour!

The time for all Whos who have blood that is red

To come to the aid of their Country!” he said.

“We’ve GOT to make noise in greater amounts!

So, open your mouth, lad! For every voice counts!”

Thus he spoke as he climbed. When they got to the top,

The lad cleared his throat and he shouted out, “YOPP!”

And that Yopp…That one small, extra Yopp put it over!

Finally, at last! From that speck on that clover.

Their voices were heard! They rang out clear and clean

And the elephant smiled. “Do you see what I mean?”

They proved they ARE persons, no matter how small.

And their whole world was saved by the Smallest of All!”

Imagine that…the smallest voice made all the difference!

The debate over whether or not Dr. Seuss intended his children’s book to have a pro-life message still continues: even though it was written 19 years before the Roe vs. Wade decision. But we all know that God is not bound by time, and maybe He did inspire Dr. Seuss to be a modern day prophet.

Maybe, just maybe, Horton represents the Church. The Church hears the cries of the weak and small, but it needs the help of all of us to save them. And just maybe we are a little like Jo-Jo, sitting on the sidelines, content with our own lives, and not wanting to get involved, or thinking that our one little voice won’t make a difference. Well, as we saw in this story, every voice DOES indeed matter!

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I’d like to end this extra-long homily by mimicking Dr. Seuss, with a reminder of how important life is and how essential it is that everyone’s voice is heard.

So, with my apologies to Dr. Seuss, here’s one last story:

In just a few weeks many people will walk,

To show all the lawmakers…that it’s more than just talk.

The stakes are so high…with lives on the line

The voice to be heard is yours and it’s mine.

Traveling that far, just to be fair

May not be feasible for all, but you can be there in prayer.

The Church calls us to action. She says do something, please.

Speak up for what’s right, pray to God on your knees.

Be brave, save the babies, just like Grandma Lou.

Be brave and speak up, like the littlest Who.

Remember your mission; God is with you this day.

He will never abandon you, so He begs you to pray.

The issue is life – so precious and new.

It’s all up to us! So what will you do?

Are you ready yet?  It’s almost here!  In two short days from right now we begin an incredible celebration! This is a time like none other.  For on Christmas day we rejoice in the birth of our savior and marvel at the glorious gift God has given us:  His plan for our salvation.

That wonderful plan God revealed to us in today’s readings.  Did you catch it?  If we trust in his Word and obey his will, he will draw us to himself and we will gain his peace and eternal life with him in heaven.  It’s such a simple yet ingenious plan that applies to everyone.

His plan begins to unfold with the miracle of Christmas. The birth of Jesus initiates thefulfillment of every promise God has made to mankind throughout the ages. Mary and Elizabeth show ushow God’s favor came to be with them and so also with us.  It begins by putting your trust in God.

Both Mary and Elizabeth are called by God to be mothers at very unexpected and difficult times in their lives.  Through the power of the Holy Spirit, an old woman who was considered barren, and a teenage girl who had never been with a man, conceive sons that forever change the world.  They had a choice to make and they chose to surrender their doubts and fears to God – trusting in His plan for them to bring His goodness, His grace and His peace into the world.

The prophet Micah, in our first reading, tells us that the mystery of the incarnation is revealed to everyone, including ordinary people who live ordinary lives. He foretells that a ruler greater than King David will come from a tiny, backwater village, too small to be counted among the clans of Judah. He lets us know that you don’t need to come from a well-off family to be important to God. All that is required to share in the mystery of Our Lord’s incarnation is an open heart that trusts in God and a readiness to do his will.

Have you ever been in a difficult situation?  If you have, I hope you followed the example of Mary and Elizabeth. They show us that the believer is truly blessed every time they trust in God’s word.  No matter what uncertainties we face, or worries that trouble us, if we have faith, God will lead us to the healing, support and consolation we need in our life.

But the real reason we rejoice at Christmas isn’t just the birth of the infant Jesus!  In fact, that’s just the beginning of our joy.  God’s plan, we are told, achieves its completion in Our Lord’s sacrifice that we celebrate in the Eucharist.

St. Paul, in his letter to the Hebrews, confirms that is the reason for our celebration. Listen again to what Christ said in prayer to His Father:

“Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, But a body you prepared for me.  As it is written, Behold, I have come to do your will.”

Our Lord’s obedience to his Father, in accepting his passion and death on the cross, became the ultimate and eternal offering to God for the forgiveness of our sins.  The pure andspotless body prepared for Jesus at his birth…he freely and obediently offers in sacrifice to His Father for our redemption. Because Jesus did that for us, all humanity has been consecrated to God and made holy once again.

There’s nothing we could ever do to surpass the divine sacrifice God’s newborn son made on our behalf. The glorious plan God has for our salvation, begun with the birth of Jesus, is
realized in His eternal sacrifice of love. That’s what we rejoice in at Christmastime and what we celebrate at every Mass!

We express our gratitude and joy for God’s gracious love in praying the Eucharistic prayer at Mass. In that prayer we ask God to remember us, whose faith and devotion is known to Him.  We affirm that our sacrifice is a sacrifice of praise, offered in thanksgiving for the redemption of our souls: redemption brought about by Jesus, the living and true God!  In humble prayer we ask God the Father to accept the gift of our service to him, and to count us among the flock he has chosen in his Son.

No wonder we can hardly wait for Christmas to come. In two short days we will celebrate a truly glorious, exciting and electrifying event!  What a wonderful gift we have received in the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ: A gift made possible by Mary’s trust in God and the obedience of her son to his Father’s will.

As we get ready to rejoice in the Feast of the Incarnation, take a moment to recognize that God has a plan for each one of us; and that plan, our salvation, is accomplished right here in his Son.

May you and your family have a very blessed Christmas!

Deacon Mark

The night of November 14^th was bone-chilling cold! So cold in fact, that even wearing two pairs of wool socks and heavy combat boots didn’t keep Officer Larry DePrimo warm as he walked his beat through Times Square.  It was around 8 o’clock that night when Officer DePrimo encountered a shoeless, barefooted elderly man hobbling down 7^th Avenue.  Many people passed by, either not noticing the man or not caring to help; but not Officer DePrimo.

“It was freezing out there” he said “and you could see the blisters on the man’s feet.  I could only imagine how cold that pavement was.  I had to do something.” Sitting the man down on the pavement outside of a shoe store, the officer went inside and bought a pair of thermal socks and insulated winter boots.  He returned to the man, knelt down and put the footwear on him.  As he did that, the man just smiled ear to ear.  Officer DePrimo said he keeps the receipt for those boots tucked inside his bullet-proof vest just to remind him that no matter how bad things seem to be, some people have it even worse.

The officer expected nothing in return for his act of kindness. But a tourist from Arizona witnessed him helping the elderly man and took a picture of them with her cellphone.  She posted it on Facebook.  Within hours that picture went viral and has since been seen by over a million people.  You probably saw it too, either on the internet or in a story on the evening news.

The prophets Baruch and Isaiah tell us today to prepare the way of the Lord.  Make low every mountain and hill and fill every gorge and valley.  Of course they weren’t speaking about reconstructing rough roads or straightening winding streets.  Rather, they urge us to make straight the path that leads from the heart of Jesus to our own hearts, and then from there to the hearts of others. On that cold night in November, Officer Larry DePrimo did just that by sharing a moment of love, in caring for his fellow man.

Before we can truly experience the glory and wonder of the Birth of our Lord Jesus, we need to make straight the path of our own life. We need to be sure that nothing hinders us from receiving the full measure of God’s favor toward us.  We need to be sure that the road we have constructed does indeed lead to our salvation.

This season of Advent is a time for us to both prepare and to repair the road that leads us to God.  St. John’s cry in the desert, “Make straight the paths of the Lord,” point us to the roadwork we need to do to get ready for the coming of Jesus. Here’s our task: Level the hills and valleys that create unevenness in our life; Remove the obstacles that prevent us from hearing the “Good News” of the Gospel and sharing it with others.

Today’s readings invite us to reflect on the type of “spiritual roadwork” each of us needs to do. What are the hills and mountains that need leveling?  It may be a prideful attitude, an unwillingness to forgive, a resentment of someone’s success, or greed.  The valleys and gorges to be filled are visible as well; do we always find fault in others, are we jealous, do we bully people at work, are we indifferent to the plight of those around us?

The spiritual “roadwork” you undertake during Advent will be completed by a road crew of one.  The work of repairing or strengthening your spiritual life starts and ends with you. Only you know the extent of the reconstruction work that’s needed to prepare yourself for the coming of Our Lord.

But there is help available! I’m sure you’ve noticed that the readings of Advent focus, not on the birth of Jesus, but on the spiritual rebirth of each one of us.  The readings were chosen to guide us in our work of making straight the path that leads to God.  The Advent readings show us how to use the tools of justice, compassion, caring for our fellow man, prayer, repentance, humility and love to complete the work before us.

Here are a few things to do this Advent to make straight your path to salvation:

-      Start by listening closely to the Good news of the Gospel and opening your hearts to the message of God’s love.  Spend a few minutes this evening with your family re-reading and reflecting on the word of God that you just heard.  Ask yourself: What do I have to do, as St. Paul says, “to discern what is of value” in order to be ready for the day of Christ?

-      In preparing to “make straight your path,” think about the obstacles that stand in your way and pray for the grace to act forcefully and with love to remove them.

-      And then, with the same love shown to a stranger by Officer Larry DePrimo, let your
voice and actions announce that God is near indeed!

This Advent, do all that is needed to

“Prepare the way of the Lord, and make straight His paths.”

That has always been a difficult question to answer because it requires us to think about the difference between what we want and what we really need.  I’m reminded of the story of a teenage boy who went shopping with his Dad for a new pair of athletic shoes.  When they got to the store the boy found just the shoes he “needed”: A pair of Nike, Air-Jordon Retro Hi-tops.

Living the truth God revealed to us through his Son Jesus Christ requires not only the gift of faith, but also the courage to profess it.

“Me?  You can’t possibly mean me?” You can just imagine the expression of bewilderment that came over Amos when God told him: “Go, prophesy to my people.”  He must have been dumbfounded.  NOT ME, he surely thought! After all, I’m just a simple shepherd content with herding my sheep.  What do I know about being a prophet?

Play the MDP Summer Spiritual Scavenger Hunt from July 15 – August 15 for a chance to win one of these prizes:

1st Prize: 2 ‘Ride all Night’ wristbands for the Community Carnival Wristband Night

2nd Prize: $25 Gift Certificate to Petrucci’s Ice Cream at NorView Farms

3rd Prize: $15 iTunes Gift Card

Everyone in the parish is eligible to play.  Just click on the link at the top right hand corner of this page (^)  to begin your Summer Spiritual Scavenger Hunt.  Good Luck!

What a daunting command Jesus leaves us with this morning: “Love one another as I love you.”  Sharing of ourselves as Christ did, with a self-emptying love, is the greatest expression of love there is.  It comes from a choice we make togive our self completely to others; and in doing so share the joy that is our love.  I think we learn a lot about God’s love for us, and how to live his command, by observing His love at work in others.