Palm Sunday Donkey

 

In the Gospel, Jesus is acclaimed as King of Israel by a crowd of people as he rides to Jerusalem on a donkey. It is a great triumphal parade, a high point of local fame and popular success for Jesus.

The crowd that acclaims Jesus so greatly is next seen shouting for his crucifixion.

But I want to ask about the donkey.

It’s not Jesus’ donkey. How did he get it?

The Gospel says Jesus sent his disciples to a neighboring village to untie it and take it away. But why would anyone let the disciples of Jesus simply make off with somebody else’s donkey? As far as that goes, how did Jesus even know a donkey was there in that village?

Here’s one possible answer.

The Gospel says that Jesus was near Bethany when he sent his disciples to get the donkey. So maybe that donkey was in Bethany. Bethany is the home of Martha and Mary and Lazarus. Like the donkey, which is a humble beast, Martha, Mary, and Lazarus are small and ordinary people. Nobody would acclaim them in great parades. But they are nonetheless the particular friends of Jesus.

Maybe the donkey belongs to them or to their friends. Maybe Jesus knows exactly where that donkey is because he has seen it when he was visiting Mary and Martha and Lazarus. Maybe the villagers are so ready to let the disciples of Jesus take the donkey because they know and trust Jesus.

On this way of reading the story, with the people shouting and acclaiming him King, Jesus rides into Jerusalem on the small beast which comes from the village of his particular friends, two ordinary women and their equally ordinary brother.
 
And here’s the sequel. The crowd that acclaims Jesus so greatly is next seen shouting for his crucifixion. That’s how much fame and popular success are worth. And here’s what particular friendship with the Lord is worth. When Jesus ascends to God the Father, do you know what place he chooses as the site for his ascension? It’s Bethany where his friends Mary, Martha, and Lazarus live.

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends on this Palm Sunday that we choose to ride on that little donkey. The Lord shows us what is truly worth caring about, the small things, the particular things so dear to us and to our great King.

 

Your Lenten Memories

 

People often don’t look forward to Lent. Childhood memories of giving up candy or sitting through weekly Stations of the Cross come immediately to mind. Words like “sacrifice,” “discipline,” and “self-denial” are often used in ways that suggest that Lent is something to be endured rather than a time of grace and spiritual growth.

Have you ever thought of Lent as a yearly second chance? Each year the Church gives us six weeks to take a long, loving look at our lives to see if our values and priorities are in line with God’s desires for us. Since most of us find that we’ve wandered from God’s path, Lent becomes that second chance, or do-over, to “return to God with our whole heart.”

I like to share Lenten practices and memories of people who have shared their stories with me. Their experiences range from pious and traditional to creative and out-of-the-ordinary, but all of them represent attempts to make the season of Lent a meaningful time of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving for themselves, their loved ones, and their communities. Invite family members to share their thoughts, hopes, and desires for Lent. Decide to support one another in whatever you choose to do. As you journey through this annual second chance, remember that each step brings you closer to the welcoming arms of our loving God.

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YOUR Favorite Lenten Practices

From the breakfast table to the car seat, from writing to drawing, from giving something up to doing something more . . . Let the wisdom and spirit of these stories inspire you in your own Lenten journey.

Around the breakfast table
One of my best Lenten practices was begun when my children were in elementary school and I was a working parent. It seemed as though we were struggling to find time to eat dinner as a family and this was greatly disturbing me. I decided that if we were unable to hold the dinner hour sacred due to work schedules and after school activities, I would instead hold the breakfast hour sacred. I made sure to get up each morning during Lent just a little earlier so that I could not only provide breakfast for my family but actually sit together, pray our meal prayer and begin each day on a happy note. It began in Lent and didn’t end until my children went off to college many years later. I learned that Lenten habits could carry far off into the future with my family. The impact was dramatic in that each day was started with a prayer and positive attitudes. Breakfast became and remains one of our favorite rituals of the day.
Roberta, IL

Drawing a prayer
I took time every day to draw in a sketchbook. I called the time my “God Time.” I wanted to make each day of Lent special by taking time to reflect on God and my relationship to God.
Barbara, OH

My Lenten jar
I always have nice things that I’d like to do, but never seem to make time to get to: write a letter to a friend, visit a lonely person, call a distant friend. At the beginning of Lent, I write down 40 plus tasks, one per little slip of paper, and toss them in a jar. Then, each morning of Lent, I pull one out and do the task written there. It teaches me that I like surprise and variety in my Lenten practices. For me, this is a simple way to concentrate on the disciplines of giving alms and doing good for others.
Mark G., KS

Dialing into God
Instead of listening to music or talk radio in my car, I decided to take that time for prayer and to listen to God. At first, it was a difficult transition; the silence was deafening. But soon, I began to enjoy the quiet time. I prayed for people who I knew needed my prayers. I prayed for my family and myself. I also thanked God for my many blessings. I found that I became much more calm and peaceful during this time. This reflective time grounded and centered me to do my best.
Donna, NC

A thank you note a day
Each day of Lent, through prayer, a name surfaces of a person who has had an impact on my life in some way. I then take the time to write a handwritten note to that person. I have been amazed at the people that come to mind: from my retired professor friends at the Newman Center, to a brother priest in Las Vegas, to the Lutheran builder I refer to as the Good Shepherd, to an outstanding newspaper reporter who has published many of my Sonshine reflections in his local paper. I send the notes without the expectation of a response. Yet, I have received several emails and notes stating how much it meant to the person. Life is too short —we see that with Jesus—but, we have the opportunity to share our thoughts with those who have made an impact (some don’t even know it, until they receive the note).
Fr. Matt East Bethany, NY

YOUR Favorite Lenten Memories

Whether we have decided to do something new this Lent, or have continued our own traditions, our Lenten practices transform us and imprint on us memories that carry deep meaning. Let these stories invite you to look into your life and discover your own powerful and meaningful Lenten moments.

Coming home
I had been away from the Church for many years. I did not have an especially strong upbringing in the Church, so it was easy to fall away as a young adult. When my mother died when I was 31, I was very angry at God. After over a year of being angry at God, I felt a really strong need to go to Mass. I ignored that feeling for awhile but found myself in church one Ash Wednesday. There, in the quiet of the Church before the service started, I felt called home. All throughout that Lent, every homily felt like it was spoken directly to me. God let me know, in the death and resurrection of his son, that he was big enough to handle my anger; patient enough to wait for me to heal from it; and that he never stopped loving me. To this day, Lent reminds me of my homecoming!
Lori A., WA

A forgiving family
We had a family practice of weekly prayer during Lent that we called Friday Forgiveness. After the evening meal, my husband would read a story of forgiveness from the Bible. I would offer a brief reflection and then we would engage in Friday Forgiveness. Each person would ask every family member for their forgiveness, and the other person would respond by forgiving them. Each person forgave and asked for forgiveness. No particular faults were mentioned, only a general petition for forgiveness. The experience was never routine. It was a time to experience healing and peace returning to our home.
JAH, IA

A sacramental desert moment
When I lived in Las Vegas, Nevada, I used to go hiking in the desert. One Ash Wednesday, there was a sudden downpour. The redrocks were washed and intense in color; a vibrant rainbow appeared; and water pooled in a worn basin in the sandstone. Without thinking, I reached into that water and blessed myself—it was so holy and sacred. The water disappeared into the sandstone and the rainbow into the heavens, but both remain in my heart.
Rosemory, New York

It is no time to be silent         On Palm Sunday, Jesus knows what’s about to happen, and he can’t keep silent. He sees Jerusalem and his eyes fill with tears because he knows there’s a chance for peace—a chance that’s going to be missed. The people will choose violence and rebellion and bloodshed. And then the city will be leveled and not one stone will be left upon another. Then the scattered stones themselves will shout out the people’s folly. The rubble of Gaza, the wreckage of Ukrainian cities, the scattered debris of American homes lost to fire, flood, and other climate-related disasters, the deportation of legal immigrants all speak aloud of the foolishness of government and our resistance to listen to the word of God. Protests in our city and around the country are a cry for peace, reconciliation, and forgiveness and justice that has to be sounded even if we think no one is listening. I think we find ourselves in an hour similar to that in which Jesus entered Jerusalem. Things are tense. People are unhappy. It is no time to be silent, because the society is hungry for the things Jesus came to give: love, compassion, fellowship, forgiveness, cooperation, and self-denial. It might start with a simple conversation with a neighbor or a family member about what faith in Jesus means to you. Neighbors, family and friends protesting today.

A Good Friday God Moment

Last Easter, I was invited by Fr Erick, pastor Divine Mercy in Las Vegas, to concelebrate Holy Week Services. In planning the liturgy for Good Friday, tradition invites the parishioners during the service to venerate the cross. This ia a sign of our love and gratitude to Jesus who died on the cross for our sins. Some people would approach the cross on their knees, others would genuflect and then kiss the cross, a few would simply touch the body. However, a God moment occurred when a mother walked up to the cross with her five- old son and after she kissed the cross, her son hugged the foot of the cross by putting his little arms around the feet of Jesus. This was a moment when a child showed those who noticed how his trusting and love for Jesus. After the service, I asked this young boy to hug the cross again and Fr. Erick and I shared our thanks to this lad for his beautiful spontaneous gesture of love.

Fr. Matt, NY

 Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends that this Lenten season has brought us closer to one another and Your compassion to serve the poor, the migrants and all in need of your protection and care.

        If you have a favorite Lenten memory, please forward to: drmattkawiak@gmail.com

 

Neither Do I Condemn You

Sadly, I was called to provide grief support to a staff who care for homeless veterans. One of the veteran’s committed suicide. The staff shared their shock, frustration and anger. They struggled with their sadness and broken spirits. Some might rashly judge this action as the worse sin to take away the gift of life. This week’s Lenten Gospel story shows how our Teacher helps a desperate person who has committed a grave sin.

It is a scene from a nightmare. Yet it turns out well.

Pretend that you are the woman in Sunday’s Gospel. You have been “caught in adultery.” Note, the man involves is never mentioned. The officials shove the woman into a mob of people.

They recite the ancient law of Moses: “The sacred law says you must be stoned to death for your crime.”

Remember, you are that woman, and you stand in humiliation

There was a man everyone called the “Teacher.” He had been captivating the crowd just before you were dragged in. Now you, the woman, have become the center of attention.

By means of your disgrace the accusers try to trap the Teacher and shame you. They are using you for this purpose. They question the Teacher. Doesn’t he agree you should be stoned to death? They have him in their snare, this "teacher," this dreamer who always preaches about forgiveness and love. If he defends you for the sake of his so-called love, he will break the law of Moses! If he does not defend you, he must follow the law, pick up a stone and throw it.

This teacher leans down and scratches absently in the dirt. People hold their breath, and the accusers worry. Why is he silent and what will he say?

“My Abba has loved each of you through all ages, no matter whether you were sinners or not.”

For “Father” he uses an Aramaic word that expresses both familiarity and respect, “Abba.” Abba always begged them, “be my people. Love one another. I love you, and I forgive your sins.” But hatred is their motto, not love. They want death to happen.

They shout again. “What is your answer? Shall we follow the law and stone this sinful woman?” Remember, you are that woman, and you stand in humiliation, cheeks hot and tears falling. Your heart says in terror, “the accusers are right!”

Now the teacher lifts his head. He utters a sentence that sums up the Gospel and all of Lent.

“Let the one among you who is without sin throw the first stone.”

The crowd creeps away quietly, submerged in their own consciences.

Now you stand alone before this quiet Teacher, and your terror has subsided. There is something about him that brings you relief from the nightmare of being stoned to death.

“Well, where are they,” he asks. “Has no one condemned you?” You say, “No one, sir.” Then it is as if he also asks, “Do you condemn yourself?” You, the woman, spend a long time on this answer because it is so very hard. Finally you whisper, “I do not want to condemn myself, Teacher.” “Neither do I condemn you,” answers Jesus. “Go and sin no more.”

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends that the response of Jesus could refashion the whole earth. If we could each accept our own sinfulness as well as the forgiveness that surrounds it, we would have peace. We would drink in the compassion of God, who has been there all along, tracing in our souls. We stammer at last, “I believe, Lord. Help my unbelief.”

 

 

Confirmation-Competition to be the Best Disciple

I had agreed to travel with Bishop John to San Antonia Texas and Las Vegas Navada to confirm 28 young adults. Sadly, I found the online Confirmation messages were pretty much boring.

In San Antonia, Bishop John wanted to show me the famous “river walk” in downtown San Antonia which seemed more like a tourist attraction.  Instead, I convinced the bishop to uber me to Braunfels, Texas the location of Cypress Bend Park. To our surprise, the majestic cypress trees were a landscape photo dream. However, we had also stumbled upon a unique event being held at the park the “North America Tree Climbing Competition” 

From all over the world, professional arborists have come to this unique cypress grove to display their passion, skills and appreciation for these amazing trees. 

I wrote the following story for the bishop to share his thoughts to inspire our young people who came to receive their Confirmation in San Antonia and Las Vegas.

Confirmation is about receiving the grace and love for Jesus. We receive 7 gifts like “fear of the Lord.” However, this is not about being afraid of God but more about celebrating an appreciation for our gifts where we grow into a personal friendship with the Lord who sees us at our very best.

The event we had stumbled upon was the rescue competition. The arborist’s had to have “knowledge” of their equipment that included clamps, belts, ropes to save a victim who had an accident and was hanging in the tree limbs. 

“Understanding” is about learning that you have the potential to make a difference in another person’s life because the love of God is in your heart to serve and help those in trouble. 

“Wisdom” is the acquired knowledge how to make such a dangerous climb to help others. This wisdom is a gift the Lord gives to us when we are open to allowing the Lord to use our skills for good.  

Counsel” as the competition began meant this arborist had 5 minutes to complete the rescue. The life of the accident victim was literally hanging in the balance. As the arborist made his ascent he shouted out his every movement and what he observed. This “counsel” recorded was all the wise choices he had to make during this rescue mission. Just like the Lord gives us the ability to know right from wrong. Confirmation is the invitation to accept the mission that the Lord gives to us to make this world a place where all people live in peace and love.

“Fortitude” is another gift of Confirmation, and I remember the arborist propelling and ascending hundreds of feet into the tree limbs to rescue the victim. To be a follower of Jesus requires the same courage when faced with difficult moments in life.

“Piety” is not about thinking you are special or better than other people, but understanding that God has blessed each of you with unique gifts. Your vocation in life is about doing something with your life in which you may save someone from falling out a tree, or from a serious disease, or from a broken heart.

As the arborist propelled himself down to the ground with the accident victim, his fellow arborists cheered his efforts that he had accomplished the rescue in less than the 5 minutes allotted. That’s what Our Lord will be doing for you when you are anointed on your forehead with the “holy oil.” Jesus is cheering you on today and everyday that your passion, your gifts and enthusiasm bring a smile to your best friend Jesus who is very pleased that you have chosen to be his buddy and best friend forever.

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends that whether hanging from a tree or planted firmly on the ground, we offer our service to come to rescue folks in danger and bring them Your compassion, comfort and peace. 

Fr. Marcus Ordination

 My Sonshine this week features the ordination ceremony of Fr, Marcus who was ordained to the Priesthood at Holy Mother of the Rosary Cathedral in Lancaster, New York. Perhaps you never had the experience of witnessing this unique and profound service. As part of your Lenten practice, you might review the images of this ordination and offer a prayer for all men and women who serve leadership positions in your churches.

 

 

 

 

Giving Your Life Away

 

Today’s Sonshine photo is an image of Death Valley. As an amateur landscaper photographer, I had contacted a motel outside the park who offered free lodging if I would take photos of their motel for a new brochure. That adventure reminded me of this Sunday’s Lenten gospel where Jesus is tempted by the devil in the desert.

Temptation's not a fun place to visit? Temptation's a lonely place, a difficult place, a place of testing. But that's where Jesus is in the gospel reading today. He's already been tempted for 40 days, and then Satan goes straight for his soul. He plays hardball. Satan comes back with three final temptation doozies after 40 days of temptation. If Jesus - think about it - if Jesus, the Son of God, is opposed by the strong forces of evil, if he's not exempt from them, who is? 

Satan's message is clear. "Get all you can, Jesus. Look at the splendor, look at the sparkle. It's all yours. Don't worry about God, don't worry about pleasing Him. Please yourself, Jesus. That'll make you happy. Simply worship me." Because the devil is all about getting. He's about getting because the more we focus on getting, what we think life should be, the less and less life we actually have. You can call it acquisition; you can call it purchasing; you can call it consuming. Call it what you want, but you and I live in a culture of getting. It is we. Getting, getting even, getting my way, getting what's mine, getting while the getting's good, getting all I can, getting what I want out of life, getting, getting, getting. And no matter how much we get, we still want more. We get what we want, and life's still not right. Our soul's not settled, our heart's not satisfied. We want more revenge, we want more assets, we want to get more pleasure. We are a culture of getters.

Plenty is just never enough. There's just something in our souls that always wants to get more. The devil is about getting. Jesus is about giving. "Don't try to get life," Jesus says. "Give your life away, and when you do then you'll find it." Because life is not about us. It's about God. As long as we focus on ourselves, our needs, our wants, our passion, our spirit, our desires, we'll never actually find what life is about. That's the irony, isn't it?

So when Satan offers the world, Jesus replies, "Worship the Lord your God and serve only Him." Because Jesus understood you can only have one master. You can serve whatever you choose, your passion, your desires, all the world's stuff, or you can serve God. "Just know," Jesus says, "that to serve anything other than God is to choose Satan." To serve Jesus, God, is life itself. In other words, do you want life? Give it away. That's why Lent's just so powerful. It's about these simple habits: pray, fast, give. Habits that help you give your life away to God. When you invest your heart, when you invest your money, when you invest your life in God, then you will find life.

It's funny who understands that. I had stopped by the Death Valley Visitor Center to get directions to the best photo sites in the park. The young ranger pointed out several locations like Artists Pallette, Zabriskie Point and Great Salt Basin. That evening, the hotel manager shared that his wife was going to the hospital in the morning for tests because she was diagnosed with cancer. I offered to give her a blessing and anoint her with the Sacrament of the Sick. Her husband cried when I prayed over her and most  grateful that someone would pray with her for comfort, courage and strength. Yes, life is about giving. The following morning I took pictures of their motel for the brochure. The devil is about getting. Jesus is about giving.

 

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends that during Lent a lot can happen. How are you going to use yours? What are you going to do with your 40 days? Jesus is inviting you to give your life away, and when you do, you just might find that you have more life than you ever had before.

 

 

Rededicate Yourself in Prayer

 

What do we do when we’re facing an upcoming big event, celebration, or special occasion in our lives? We prepare for it. Holy Week and Easter are “big events” in the liturgical year of the Church and in the spiritual life of a Christian. So, as Christians, we prepare spiritually for these through the forty days of Lent. This means that, during Lent, we rededicate ourselves to prayer.

There are as many ways to pray as there are pray-ers in this world, but a few prayer methods can help us in particular to spiritually prepare ourselves during Lent:

1. Make your abstinence a prayer-in-action.

On Ash Wednesday, I suggested that you give up something for Lent. Chocolate, coffee, that snack before bedtime, one less hour of video games or steaming the news networks—whatever it is, you can make what you’re giving up for Lent a prayer as well: a prayer-in-action. Whenever you encounter the thing you are abstaining from or the time of day that you would normally enjoy it, take a moment to say a prayer in recognition of your wholeness in God even without the thing you have given up. Thank God for the freedom to be wholly yourself without this and, at the same time, acknowledge the gift of its existence in the world.

2. Renew yourself through personal reflective prayer.

Take a moment and click to review the following online resources. Lent is a time of spiritual renewal. One easy step you can take is to use the many free online resources to jump-start or reinvigorate your prayer life. A few such resources are Loyola Press’s popular 3-Minute Retreats and Seven Last Words of Christ guided meditation, or try the prayer reflections offered by the Irish Jesuit site Sacred Space. If you’re seeking more traditional support for your personal reflective prayer, consider a book specially designed to nourish you during Lent, such as Praying Lent.

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends, especially the following family and prayers:Mary Z in hospice in San Antonia, TX (Robert G. grandma), Pope Francis in Rome, Ted in Farmington for successful medical procedure, Baby Rhett recovering at home and improving daily-dad thankful for all your prayers, Stacey & newborn Merlin in Las Vegas, Luz L in hospice Las Vegas, Tim in Nashua, NH cancer in remission, Tina in Strykersville cancer in remission, Patty’s parents Madeline & George W in Buffalo, Sandy in North Java, Patti in Florida, Beau in Spain, Sister Ann Marie and Sister Miriam in IL. Monastery, John in North Java, Mary Hills in Toronto, Jane in NC, Ricki & Marina in Brockport, Jerry in Lancaster, Fr. Donald F in Florida, Shelia in Webster. Bob in Buffalo, Matt in Batavia, Melanie in Attica, Cheryl in Florida, Alivia and her dad Art, Bob & Kathy in Macedon, Beth in Massachusetts, Stan In Greece NY, Steve in North Java, Will in Canandaigua, Ruth in Rochester, ospital, Fr. Don & Yvonne in Batavia, Sherri in Lancaster, Mary Jane in Rochester, Brad in Akron, Tony in Greece, Diane in Virginia, little Henry in Ohio, Paul in Lancaster, O B in North Carolina, Jane in Lockport, Maggie in East Bethany, Kathy in Farmington, Nelson in Buffalo, Joe & Carol in Rochester Bob G. in Lancaster waiting for kidney transplant donor.

 

 

What Should I Give Up for Lent?

 

When was the last time you had a really memorable Lent? Or even a life-changing Lent? So often we just give up something like chocolate like we always have, without giving it much thought. And we don’t really stick to it. Or if we do manage to get to Easter without eating said chocolate, we realize we haven’t really grown spiritually since the beginning of Lent. And isn’t that actually the point?

The point of giving something up, of fasting, is to cultivate the inner life. When we fast, we realize how truly dependent on God we are. We open our hearts, our minds, and our bodies to God’s love in our lives. We look at the ways that we need to grow, and dedicate ourselves to becoming a-better-version-of-ourselves. And when we make ourselves available to God, incredible things can happen. That’s what can make Lent so powerful.

But you can take it one step further. Don’t just give something up. There is also great value in doing something for Lent. It’s the perfect time not only to abandon self-destructive habits, but also to form new life-giving habits, habits that can extend beyond the 40 days of Lent. Give something up, eliminate a bad habit from your life, and then fill that gap intentionally.

I invite you this Lent to pick one thing from the following to give up for Lent.  Give something up, then fill the gap.

Give something away—every day

It doesn't need to be money or material things—though giving these away can be a powerful experience. Try complimenting a stranger, teaching someone how to do something, spreading a positive message, helping someone who is in a hurry, or simply smiling at someone generously. You don't need money or material possessions to live a life of staggering generosity! Give something away—every day.

 

Don’t interrupt people

We could probably all do well to spend more time listening, and less time interjecting.

 

Stop complaining

Have you ever stopped to think about how many times a day you complain about something? What if, instead, you find constructive ways to talk about your difficulties? What if you look for the good in people instead of focusing on any inconvenience we experience?

 

Don’t waste downtime

You don’t have to give up social media or the like entirely, but you can be intentional about not using it during specific times. Take that time instead to pray, to breathe, to reach out to someone around you. You’ll be amazed at the difference it can make in your day.

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends that we focus this Lent on being generous and give something away. I am grateful to Michael who taught me floral design many decades ago. Yesterday, I decorated our home to bring the promise of Spring inside and share online for you to enjoy. Go ahead and use as a screen saver or forward to your friends and family to bathe in the love and comfort of Our Lord.

Blessings for a wonderful Lent. Fr. Matt