A Lenten Challenge (StVdP)

A Lenten Challenge

Reflection for St. Vincent de Paul Meeting, February 8, 2016  

Dcn. Bob Bonomi 

Lent is upon us, and the first thing we usually associate with Lent is fasting.  As a kid, I remember having to “give up” something for Lent, and it usually was candy.  Once I became a responsible adult (more-or-less) , I added alcohol and soft drinks to the list.  Of course, there’s always the ban on meat on Fridays, but fish sticks and macaroni and cheese were quickly replaced with salmon or other fancy fish meals.  The toughest fasting came when I began to give up television.

But as tough as giving up these things might be (depending on how old I was) I always knew that once Easter came I could return to the things I loved most. 

The last several years, however, the Church has emphasized a more comprehensive approach, focusing on all three three pillars of Lent: prayer, fasting and almsgiving. 

First, prayer.  During Lent one is encouraged to spend time in prayer, meditation and reflection.  To aid in these endeavors, parishes often offer Lenten missions, provide Lenten prayer books, or some other type of opportunity for spiritual growth.  You might find presentations on the Stations of the Cross and opportunities for Eucharistic Adoration.  All are meant to help you grow spiritually.

Second, fasting.  Fasting was the primary focus of Lent for many centuries, based upon Jesus in the desert.  Often it became an excuse to lose weight or to try and break a bad habit, but more and more it has come to help us identify with those who do not have the luxuries of life that we do, and serve as a reminder to us to think of God and His Son’s sacrifices for us.

Finally, Almsgiving.  This is more than just putting money into the Rice Bowl for Catholic Relief Services, although that is indeed a worthy cause.  But in addition to money, almsgiving includes the participation in charitable acts, especially addressing those needs defined in the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy.  It is as important to give of ourselves as it is to give of our resources.  As Vincentians, you are intimately familiar with the first four of the Corporal Works: Feed the Hungry, Give Drink to the Thirsty, Clothe the Naked, Shelter the Homeless. But almsgiving includes the other works as well.

Although we often look at these three pillars as being independent of each other, for this Lent I’m going to suggest a change in emphasis in your approach to all three, combining them into a personal program for a lasting change in your life.   

First, instead of fasting from food or drink, I would suggest that you fast from something related to the time you spend somewhere.  It may be from television or the computer, or it may be from one of your other favorite activities. But rather than fasting 100% of your time from that activity, pick a specific time every day and give up whatever it is that you might be doing at that time.  One day it might be TV, the next day it might be gardening – or it might be sleep.  But it should be for at least an hour every day.  

Then, spend that time in prayer.  You might consider spending that time every day in front of the Blessed Sacrament or in front of a home shrine or even a religious statue or icon.  As part of your prayers, use that time to pray that God reveal to you His special mission for you.  As Vincentians, you already have a mission, but if you are not feeling joy in your calling, ask God to show you why.  You might find there is something more you can or should do.

Finally, once you begin to feel a deeper sense of calling, then as part of your almsgiving, spend your resources in pursuing that call.  It might require attending a class, or going somewhere to see something being done, or investing in reading materials – or it may be in giving directly to assist someone else to do it.

Use your Lent in discovery, not in just doing.  Then, when Lent has ended and the Easter Season of new life begins, BEGIN.  Begin to implement what you discovered about God's call to you during Lent.  Let it be the start of something new for you.  Let it be the start of something great.

Deep Waters

Deep Waters

Homily for February 7, 2016      Fifth Sunday of Ordinary - C
by Dcn. Bob Bonomi

I have a confession to make.  I’m afraid of deep water.

When I was in grade school, I couldn’t swim.  I tried to learn but never did – in fact, I had a swim instructor who got so frustrated with my not being willing to dive in that he’d throw me back in every time I’d get out of the pool.  After several times of this, I waded across to the other side of the pool and crawled out, and I never went back.  As a result, I never really learned to swim and to this day I am still deathly afraid of deep water.

But I didn’t want to be afraid and I most certainly didn’t want other kids to know that I was afraid.  So after a while, I learned to jump into the deep end of the pool with them, but I’d always jump toward the edge so that I would only have to swim a couple of strokes to reach the ladder and pull myself out. 

As I grew older, I continued to “jump into the deep end”, figuratively speaking, even though my swimming hadn’t improved much – I learned to scuba dive and snorkel, and I’d go on float trips.  But I can’t float, and have almost drowned several times. I’m still afraid of deep water, but I still do not want to be left behind.

Today’s readings are all about being called into deeper waters. 

In our first reading, Isaiah sees the depths of the glory of God.  He has this vision of the LORD sitting on a throne, surrounded by celestial beings singing praises to him.  By the way, the “Holy, Holy, Holy” that we sing during the preparation of the Eucharist comes from this passage.  He knows his limitations and failures and believes he is unworthy to be in God’s presence.  He is afraid. But God sends one of the seraphim with a burning ember and touches his lips with it, signifying that Isaiah has been cleansed of his sins and is now ready to accept God’s call.

“Here I am,” Isaiah says. “Send me.”

Paul, in his letter to the Corinthians, talks about how, because he persecuted the Church, he was unworthy to enter the depths of Jesus’ mission for him, but the grace of God within him carries him and makes him effective in proclaiming the Good News.

And then we have Simon Peter.  He also experiences the depths of God’s call when Jesus first asks him to help him with his mission of preaching to the people. Peter helps him with the easy task; then Jesus puts him on the spot – “Put out into deep water.”

Peter isn’t afraid of deep water; after all, he’s a fisherman.  But he’s tired and too caught up with his own problems to be able to fully embrace the glory of God before him.  He’s heard Jesus’ message and it has had enough of an impact on him to respond to Jesus’ command to continue fishing, but his heart wasn’t in it. It’s only after experiencing the miraculous catch of fish that awakens him to who really is before him – and he is afraid.

Isn’t that a little like where we are in our faith?  We come to Church and receive Jesus through the Eucharist, but we’re a little afraid to put out into the deep waters of our faith.  When we do jump, we still jump close to the edge where we can pull ourselves up the ladder to safety.

There’s a song by TobyMac called “Beyond Me”.  Don’t worry, I won’t torture you by singing it.  It opens with:
Call it a reason to retreat
I got some dreams that are bigger than me
I might be outmatched, outsized, the underdog in the fight of my life
Is it so crazy to believe?
That You gave me the stars put them out of my reach.  Called me to waters a little too deep.  Oh, I've never been so aware of my need.  You keep on making me see.  It's way beyond me. 

All three readings today point out to us that we are called, and we are called to do things that are beyond our own ability to succeed on our own.  And we’re afraid.  But we do not need to be. Jesus commands Simon Peter to “Put out into deep water” and tells him: “Do not be afraid.” 

He is telling us the same thing.  I’ve said this before, but it bears repeating:  God doesn’t call the qualified, God qualifies the called.”

Lent starts next week.  As you ponder what it is that you should “give up” for Lent, I challenge you to give up things that will allow you to spend more time with God – quiet time to listen to Him.  He is calling you into deeper waters.  The graces that you will find there will fill your boat – your life – to excess with the Joy of Jesus.

Are you willing to jump into the deep end – knowing that Jesus is there to lift you up?  Jump in – the water’s fine.

Three Short Years - My Ordination Anniversary

Three Short Years
Homily for February 2, 2016    Feast of the Presentation of the LORD
Third Anniversary Ordination to Diaconate
by Dcn. Bob Bonomi

February 2^nd is a day well-known to most people, made famous by Punxsutawney Phil and immortalized by Bill Murray. It’s Groundhog Day, and it is one of the few dates most people remember that doesn’t have a day off from work associated with it, or which isn’t associated with a Christian anniversary of sorts.

But the date IS special to the Church, for it is also the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord – the day that the infant Jesus is brought to the Temple and presented before God.  It isn’t a holy day of obligation, but it is an important feast day, and it will forever be special to me, for I celebrate the 3^rd anniversary of my ordination as a deacon. 

When I think back over the last three years, I am somewhat amazed at how fast they have gone by. It seems like only yesterday that I was presented to the Bishop at the Cathedral for ordination as a deacon.

And in thinking about it, I realized that in the same amount of time, Jesus, through His ministry, forever changed the world.  Think about that.  We tend to gloss over the amount of time Jesus spent in ministry, preparing his disciples – the Apostles – to continue his mission when he left. But it was only THREE YEARS.  The same amount of time I have been ordained.

I have to ask myself, am I being effective in my ministry?  Am I helping others to draw closer to Jesus – to God – and am I helping them to continue Jesus’ ministry when I am gone?

Yes – and no.  No, but I am not Jesus.  I don’t have that single-minded focus on the will of my Father in heaven that Jesus had.  No, because I have a tendency to veer off of the path to which I am called, and I sometimes have to stumble in the brush to find my way back.

But, yes, I do believe that I’m fulfilling God’s will for me.  With His help and His mercy, I have received glimpses of God’s work in others through me, and I continue to experience the joy of serving God even when I’m tired or distracted or have wandered a bit off course.  God draws me back, like a parent with a wayward child.  I am not Jesus, but I am a Child of God.

Think back over your own last three years.  Some of you have been with St. Vincent de Paul for more than three years; some less.  But all you have to do is look at your annual summary of service to know that together you are continuing to carry out Jesus’ mission. 

You continue to carry out Jesus’ mission of mercy every time you share His love with one of your clients.  You continue to carry out Jesus’ mission of Love whenever you show mercy to your clients – and to each other.

Three years into my ministry. Three short years.  But I don’t think God is done with me yet, nor is He done with you.  As you reflect on your own ministries, may you find the grace to continue bring mercy to others.  And may you re-present yourself tomorrow to the Lord, and may He continue to bless you in your ministry.

Are You a Lug Nut? (StVdP)

Are You a Lug Nut?

Reflection for St. Vincent de Paul Meeting, January 25, 2016

Dcn. Bob Bonomi

Brothers and sisters: As a body is one though it has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body, so also Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons, and we were all given to drink of one Spirit.

…

But God has so constructed the body as to give greater honor to a part that is without it, so that there may be no division in the body, but that the parts may have the same concern for one another. If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if one part is honored, all the parts share its joy.

The Word of the Lord.

Once upon a time, there was a car.  It was a pretty car, as cars go.  But one day, the various parts of the car began to argue about which of them were the most important. 

First, the engine spoke up. “I’m the most important part of this car.  I’m powerful; when people hear me roar, they take notice!”

Then the body of the car spoke up.  “I’m more important.  People look at me; my colors are bright and attractive and I’m what people notice when we go by.”

The headlights jumped in, “What about us?  You wouldn’t be able to see where you are going if it wasn’t for us, and in the dark others wouldn’t know to get out of the way unless they saw us.”

The tires chimed in, “Hey, we’re the big wheels around here.  You wouldn’t be able to anywhere without us.”

Finally, all the little lug nuts protested.  “But what about us?”

The rest of the car just laughed at the little lug nuts.  “What about you?  You’re so small and there’s a lot of you – one of you wouldn’t even be missed.”

The lugnuts were all sad and one by one they dropped off of the car.  Pretty soon the wheels fell off, and the car sat all by itself, unable to move.

The moral?  You don’t have to be a big wheel to be important, for it is the little lug nuts that hold everything together.

As Vincentians, always remember that you do not have to be pretty, or powerful, or bright, or a big wheel to help keep the world running.  You only have to be a lug nut, willing to hold on for the ride.

Are We New Wineskins? (StVdP)

Are We New Wineskins?
Reflection for St. Vincent de Paul Meeting, January 18, 2016
Dcn. Bob Bonomi

There is an old story that compares corporate traditions to five monkeys and a banana.  There once was a scientific experiment where researchers placed five monkeys in a large cage with a pyramid in the middle of it.  Periodically, they would hang a banana over the top of the pyramid, and whenever a monkey would climb up to get the banana, they used a fire-hose to spray the other monkeys.  The monkeys quickly learned that, if one of their number tried to get the banana, the rest of them would be hosed down so they began to prevent each other from going for the banana.  Pretty soon, none of the monkeys would try for the banana.

Once they were trained, the researchers removed one of the monkeys, replacing him with a new monkey who had never seen the fire hose. Sure enough, when a banana was hung over the pyramid, the new monkey would try to get it but the other monkeys would stop it.  Pretty soon the monkey would stop trying.  One by one the monkeys were replaced with new monkeys until there were no monkeys left who had ever seen the fire hose.  But they never tried for the banana, because "that's how it's always been."

Pope Francis, during his morning Mass at Santa Marta today, said that a Christian who hides behind the notion that “this is how it’s always been done...” is committing a sin, becomes idolatrous and disobedient, and lives a “patched up, half and half life”, because his heart is closed to the “newness of the Holy Spirit”.

Are we closed to the movement of the Holy Spirit in our lives?  When is something that we encounter considered "good" wine that we should embrace?  And, when is it vinegar that would poison us if we embraced it?  Discernment of spirits is a difficult task at best, and frustrating and deadly at worst.

But we do have a master vintner to help us - Jesus - and an excellent winery - the Church.  Especially during this week of Christian Unity, we should open our hearts in prayer and focus on the mighty acts of the Lord both through the Church and through our personal experiences.  As Vincentians, our ministry may be the vessel that will help others encounter the Lord's mighty works, and we must always be aware of the brittleness in our own lives that may keep us from being open and loving to those we meet.  The challenges we face - the lifestyles, the life situations - of our clients will always challenge us but as long as we continue to draw into ourselves the love of the Lord and His mercy, we will be able to "stretch" with the Holy Spirit and in turn offer the sweetness of the Good News to those we serve.  May they drink fully of His loving Mercy, especially during this Jubilee Year.  It should be a very good year.

A Prayer from St. Clement I (StVdP)

A Prayer from St. Clement I
Reflection for St. Vincent de Paul Meeting, January 11, 2016
Dcn. Bob Bonomi

“Lord, we entreat you to help us. Come to the aid of the afflicted, pity the lowly, raise up the fallen, show your face to the needy, heal the sick, convert the wayward, feed the hungry, deliver the captives, support the weak, encourage the fainthearted. Let all nations know that you alone are God; Jesus Christ is your Son, and we are your people and the sheep of your pasture.”

This prayer is part of today’s Office of Readings and comes from a letter to the Corinthians by Saint Clement I, pope and martyr.  It is an excellent prayer for Vincentians to recite before we meet with or provide assistance to one of our clients.  Let’s look at the prayer in detail.

“Lord, we entreat you to help us.”  There is humility in our acknowledgement that WE need God’s help before we can help others.  We depend upon the presence of the Holy Spirit to guide us in our dealings with others, and we should ask for His help before we embark on our missions of mercy.

“Come to the aid of the afflicted, pity the lowly, raise up the fallen, show your face to the needy, heal the sick, convert the wayward, feed the hungry, deliver the captives, support the week, encourage the fainthearted.”   We recognize that it is God that comes to the aid of others, and there is more to helping another than just feeding them.  Like we see in the Beatitudes, for a person who is in physical need of food or shelter, there are usually other needs that are present which may be even more important than material needs –a person trapped by their circumstances, a broken spirit, a lost soul hungry for love more than food.  God provides for these needs and more through our efforts and through His own mysterious providence.

“Let all nations know that you alone are God; Jesus Christ is your Son.”   Our mission is not just to provide material assistance to our clients; it is to open people to the love and mercy of God and to share the Good News of Jesus.  Our goal is to point them to the gates of Heaven – and to point us there, too.

“We are your people and the sheep of your pasture.”   We are not in charge.  As we pray in our closing prayer, “May we never claim that the fruitfulness of our apostolate springs from ourselves alone.” We follow the Great Shepherd and, like our clients, are dependent upon the love and mercy of God. 

Let us always remain in humble service to God.

Our Baptismal Mission

Our Baptismal Mission January 10, 2016    Baptism of the Lord - C
by Dcn. Bob Bonomi

Well, here we are.  Another Christmas season has come and gone, and we’ve begun a new calendar year.  Just think, according to the Internet, my “Santa Ticker” shows that we have only 349 days until the next Christmas season begins!  Are you ready?  I didn’t think so.

Seriously, within the Church, the Christmas Season ends today with the Baptism of the Lord.  We celebrated the birth of Jesus two weeks ago and now, with the celebration of his baptism, Jesus’ childhood is at an end.
Beginning tomorrow, we enter into the Ordinary Time of the Church calendar – the period where we learn and reflect on the mission and the ministry of Jesus.  Between now and Lent, and then again after Easter, we will listen to Jesus as he reveals to us how we should relate to each other – and to God our Father.  Jesus will teach us about love and relationships, about compassion and forgiveness, about justice and Mercy.

Today we focus on a pivotal moment in Jesus’ life – his Baptism. It is in this moment that we are introduced into the ministry of Jesus.  All four Gospels speak of Jesus’ encounter with John the Baptist, and although the Gospels of both Matthew and Luke provide us with what are known as the “infancy narratives” – the recollections of the life of Jesus prior to his adult ministry and the various stories about his birth that we heard during the last few weeks – from this point on in all Gospels we will see Jesus through the actions that will ultimately lead him to Calvary – and to our salvation. 

But each Gospel presents this particular moment from a different perspective, and so I encourage you to take a little time and read about the encounter between Jesus and John the Baptist in all four Gospels this week, and compare the stories.  It will only take you about 15 minutes to read all four.

For example, in the three synoptic Gospels – that’s the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke – we see John the Baptist physically baptizing Jesus.  In the Gospel of John, we don’t see Jesus being baptized explicitly, but John’s Gospel, like the other three, has John the Baptist revealing Jesus as the fulfillment of the passages from the prophet Isaiah like we heard in our first reading.  Different perspectives – same event.

(It kind of reminds me of the different things I heard last week from people who saw the latest Star Wars movie. It seemed that everyone saw something different.  No wonder people keep going back to see it again – and again!  After listening to them, I know I missed some things the first time I saw it.)

Today’s Gospel, like that of Mark, sort of rushes over Jesus’ meeting with John. Read Matthew’s version – he recalls the conversation where John protests and says that he should be baptized by Jesus, and Jesus replies that John needs to allow it for all righteousness.  And in Matthew we also hear the voice of God addresses the crowd and tell all those present that “This is my beloved Son”, while the Gospels of Mark and Luke has God talking directly to Jesus – “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

But there is a common point that is emphasized in all 4 Gospels – John the Baptist isn’t the Messiah; Jesus is.  And, John baptizes with water; Jesus baptizes with the Holy Spirit. 
OK, you might ask, so what has that got to do with me? 

Well, just as with Jesus, our baptisms are pivotal moments for us. Do you remember yours?  I ask that question every time I have baptisms or teach a baptism class and the results are almost always the same – out of everyone present, I’ll only have one or two who actually remember it.  The rest, invariably, are converts to the faith.

But whether we remember it or not - whether we were baptized as an infant or as an adult, it is through our baptisms that we begin our personal encounter with Christ. Through the waters of our baptism we receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit, which calls us to mission.  We may not recognize it yet, but we are ALL called to action through our baptism.  We are given a mission.  We are part of Jesus’ ministry.

Not sure what to do?  It’s easy. During this Jubilee Year, this Year of Mercy, we will hear all about Mercy and what it is and what we are called to do.  We are all called to minister the Corporal Works of Mercy: Feed the Hungry; Give Drink to the Thirsty; Clothe the Naked; Shelter the Homeless; Care for the Sick; Visit the Imprisoned; and Bury the Dead.  Here at St. Francis we have ministries that address every one of these.

Just as important, if not more so, are the Spiritual Works of Mercy, and they may be even harder to perform: Admonish Sinners (in a loving way of course); Instruct the Ignorant (which includes teaching ourselves); Counsel the Doubtful; Bear Wrongs Patiently (this can be pretty tough), Forgive All Injuries (even harder to do); and to Pray for the Living and the Dead.  Our baptismal call is to a mission of Mercy and these are the ministries that fulfill that mission.

You are ready for this.  You’ve been baptized.  You have received the gifts of the Holy Spirit.  You have been blessed with the graces to perform every one of these works of mercy, both corporal and spiritual. And everything you do in your life, whether at work, at play, or in the world at large, touches one or more of these works of mercy EVERY DAY.  Every day you will be called to fulfill one or more of these works of Mercy.  It may be to a family member; it may be at work; or it may be to a complete stranger.  You are called to show mercy. And, You Are Ready.

It’s time for us to go to work.