What Are You Afraid Of?

In most studies, people’s number one fear is public speaking. Number two is death. Death is number two. Does that sound right? This means to the average person, if you go to a funeral, you’re better off in the casket than doing the eulogy.

What are you afraid of?

In the gospel, Jesus warns the disciples to be wary of those who seek, not to destroy the body, but those who wish to destroy the soul. In other words, those who wish to crush our spirit.

Jesus contrasts two kinds of peace: a peace that he leaves us and a peace that the world can give us. What is the difference?

The peace that the world can give to us is not a negative or a bad peace. It is real and it is good, but it is fragile and inadequate.

It is fragile because it can easily be taken away from us. Peace, as we experience it ordinarily in our lives, is generally predicated on feeling healthy, loved, and secure. But all of these are fragile. They can change radically with one visit to the doctor, with an unexpected dizzy spell, with sudden chest pains, with a surgery that didn’t go as planned, with the loss of a job, with the rupture of a relationship, with the suicide of a loved one, or with multiple kinds of betrayal that can blindside us. We try mightily to take measures to guarantee health, security, and the trustworthiness of our relationships, but we live with a lot of anxiety, knowing these are always fragile. We live inside an anxious peace.

What Jesus offers is a peace that is not fragile, that is already beyond fear and anxiety, that does not depend upon feeling healthy, secure, and loved in this world. What is this peace?

The phrase Jesus repeats more often than any other throughout the Gospels is “Be not afraid.” Why because He knew more than anybody else that the measure of your life will be the measure of your courage, following Jesus requires incredible courage. It will take incredible courage to be counter cultural, incredible courage to follow the dreams He gives you. It will take incredible courage for you to strive every day to become a better version of yourself and to help the people you love do the same. A deep genuine relationship with God banishes our fears and fills us with the courage to live a great life.

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends, for I believe that something wonderful is about to happen in your life. I believe that faith overcomes fear. We worry about the future God says I hold the future, we worry about failure, God says walk in my ways and I will bless you. So again, what’s your worse fear? What are you afraid of? What’s preventing you from being who God intends you to be because deep down you know that’s God’s power is greater than your fear.

 

The Ordination of Fr. Erick

 

Two weeks ago, I shared my humble privilege to serve as the archdeacon and present to the bishop Deacon Erick who would be ordained a married Catholic priest in the Polish National Catholic tradition. The following article was published in the Las Vegas Hispanic newspaper about this historic ordination.

“In an emotional religious ceremony held at the headquarters of the Divine Mercy parish, on Wednesday, June 7, 2023, Erick Heredia's ordination as a Priest was carried out.
 
Before numerous representatives of the clergy, led by the bishop of the Diocese of Buffalo-Pittsburgh, John Mack, Erick Heredia became pastor of the Polish National Catholic Church (PNCC).
 
Father Erick will be exercising his pastoral ministry at Divine Mercy Polish National Catholic Church located at 3844 Meadows Lane, in the vicinity of The Meadows shopping center.
 
Bishop John Mack asked him during the sermon to "Live a life that is worthy of the calling you have received. Walk humbly in love and charity. Embrace with mercy the faithful of the church. And in your home, share the spirit of God that unites and liberates you."
 
For his part, Pablo Castro, as a proud native of Morales, Mexico, expressed that, "The ordination of Father Erick is a transcendental, historic moment, not only for the people of Morelos, but for the entire Hispanic community to have a new priest. People will have a new religious ally."
 
Many people agree that we are living in difficult times; violence, drugs and lack of moral values lead us into a destructive spiral. "In this church, they have programs that seek to rescue young people from the clutches of alcohol and drugs, not only is it coming to Mass, but the faithful have the opportunity to take advantage of the mental health services they have here," he stated.
 
On the other hand, Guadalupe Loyo Malabar, one of those who attended the ordination ceremony, commented that, "As a mother, the pastoral guidance of Father Erick will make us unite under the spiritual mantle of the priest; for parents and children who take the wrong path, it will be a great refuge of assistance. We are proud that we have another Hispanic priest in Las Vegas.”

As the Vocation Director and friend to Fr. Erick, the following photo shows the moment I laid hands on my brother priest and more special, when Fr. Eric offered me his priestly blessing. What is even more touching is the photo when he blesses his mom and she kisses her son's hands.

 

 

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends and especially pray that more laborers will answer the call to serve as deacons and priests. Yes, the laborers are few but i believed there are many who wish to come and serve. If you feel you haver a vocation, call or email me anytime.