From the heart of Deacon Doug.
Our reading today about turning the other cheek is very misunderstood. Jesus is not talking about the right to defend ourselves, but rather he is talking about the temptation to retaliate. Sadly retaliation is part of our culture today. Turn on the news and you know what I’m talking about. Read more…
Today is the feast of The Body and Blood of Christ. What a great day to open up our churches once again ! Last week as I was coming out of Vons Grocery Story with my mask on, a lady came up to me and said; “Deacon can I ask Read more…
55 years ago a woman named Sheila said “I do” before God’s holy altar and married me. What a blessings for me and a support for me as a deacon all these years. In our reading today Elijah is in a cave (I’ve been there four times for mass) and Read more…
Growing up I am the oldest of a brother plus two half brothers and two half sisters. My full brother is six years younger than me. I would have to say that as children I picked on him a lot. He also got a few spankings that belonged to me Read more…
We know the power of prayer by interacting with people who have received its healing power. The prophet Elijah calls on God to start a fire dosed in water after none of the pagan gods could do it. He was trying to convince people that the God of Israel was Read more…
In the Bible, The Jews usually associated a mountain as being closer to God. In Matthew’s Gospel he places Jesus on a mountain to indicate that Jesus Actions or message is important. That is why the Beatitudes take place on a mountain with Matthew because he is writing to a Read more…
One year on my birthday I was in Kyoto, Japan all alone in my hotel room. It was one of the first times I was ever homesick and feeling very much alone. Everyone feels alone at some time in their life. Perhaps you have had that feeling overnight in a Read more…
The good news is that our churches are beginning to open. I sort of feel like St. Paul who says to us today; “I have finished the race. I have kept the faith.” But have we really finished the race ? I don’t think we have but rather we have Read more…
We all love to receive gifts. Jesus promised his disciples a special gift. He told them he would give them another advocate to be with them forever, namely his Spirit. Jesus made that same promise to me. I don’t always call upon the Spirit in time of need, but he Read more…
Why was it that those close to Jesus, at least in the beginning of his ministry, had difficulty with him ? Perhaps they had watched him grow up as a “normal” child leading a normal life. He seemed like one of them until one day in his thirties he began Read more…