On the Inside; On the Outside


 
Jul 23 2020
Love1

Come and Follow Me

Posted by | Hodgepodge | No Comments

“Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me” ~Mark 8:34

If you are anything like me, you have probably thought about this verse more than once over the years. What did Jesus really mean by following him? What does it truly entail?

Following Jesus means responding to his call every day and believing in the gospel. But it is more than just following and believing; it is also about imitating his example. We need to be asking ourselves these questions: Are we living in a manner that reflects Christ to everyone we encounter? Are we putting the needs of others before our own? Are we being kind and treating our neighbors (and I mean ALL our neighbors) with dignity, respect, and love – acknowledging that they, like us, are made in the image and likeness of God?

Honestly, following Jesus is downright difficult; however, it can be done. During every step of our journey, we must make a conscious effort to follow Jesus through the narrow gate of life into the abyss of the unknown. If we can faithfully do this, we will find peace. Fellow composer and musician John Angotti wrote about this when he quoted Jesus in a song:

“He said to me, ‘Come and follow me.’ He said to me, ‘Come and follow me.’
There you’ll find peace of mind if you just come and follow me.”

And this is what I now ask of you: to make that conscious effort to come and follow me, too. I want to assist you on the journey by providing spiritual and faith-based guidance through my thoughts, writings, and insights. But due to my busy schedule, my blog posts do no appear as often as I would like. Therefore, the best way to keep up with me is to follow me on social media. Hopefully, I can provide you with some peace of mind through my Daily Thoughts, Noonish Nuggets, PM Ponders, and just a little bit of my ‘Deacon Allen’ humor. Here is where you will find me:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DeaconAllenT

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DeaconAllenT/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deaconallent/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deaconallent

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/DeaconAllenT

Website: https://www.deaconallen.com

Blog: https://www.deaconallen.com/blog



In the words of author Francis Chan, “We never grow closer to God when we just live life. It takes deliberate pursuit and attentiveness.”

I would be honored if you would come and follow me. May God bless you on your journey.

Deacon Allen

May 21 2020
Love1

We Are All in This Together

Posted by | Emotions/Feelings, Everyday Life | No Comments

Where is the one who brought up out of the sea, the shepherd of his flock? Where is the one who placed in their midst his holy spirit, who guided Moses by the hand, with his glorious arm? 

Where is the one who divided the waters before them— winning for himself an everlasting renown— who guided them through the depths, like horses in open country?

As cattle going down into the valley, they did not stumble. The spirit of the Lord guided them. Thus, you led your people, to make for yourself a glorious name. ~Isaiah 63: 11b-14

 

Since the very beginning of this pandemic, there has been one phrase that we continue to hear: “We are all in this together.” It reminds us that you are I are not the only ones facing the challenges and struggles of COVID-19. Like it or not, we are all in the same boat.

As part of my day-job, I get to speak with people from across the globe every single day. This past week, I spoke with individuals from Japan, China, Sweden, Mexico and the United Kingdom. Every call begins with the topic of self-isolation, how we are surviving in this current environment, and if our families are safe. I see on a daily basis how we really are ‘all in this together.’ This is truly a global experience.

I have been thinking about this and how we can make a direct connection with our own Catholic faith. Catholic means universal. The Mass and the other sacraments are celebrated exactly the same throughout the world, bringing all Catholics together in a spirit of unity.

When I have attended Mass in other countries; even though I may not have fully understood the languages, I was fully aware of what was taking place. No matter where we may be, our Catholic faith is universal, centered around Jesus Christ and our belief in Jesus’ presence in the Eucharist.

But being Catholic is also about having an ongoing personal encounter with Christ so that we may be a witness of God’s love in the world. This means that we are called to live like Jesus and to work for peace and justice for one another by living out the Gospel.

We are part of this universal Church together, believing that God is not only present in the Eucharist, but is also present within us. This means that whatever we are going through, whatever comes our way, whatever obstacles we encounter, we are never left alone. God is always with us. Now I’ll admit, it’s not always easy to recognize Jesus when our eyes are cast down, when life is difficult, or when we find ourselves in our own personal pit of despair. But that is when we must fall back on our faith, trusting and believing that Jesus is the only one who can lift us out of our pit. We just need to be able to lift up our eyes and our hearts to see that Jesus is right there and to feel his presence.

My sisters and brothers, as Catholic-Christians “we are all in this together.” We always have been, and we always will be. May the spirit of the Lord guide us always and let us remember that Jesus is with us; Jesus is here – and we are never left alone.

Apr 11 2020
Love1

New Life is Right Around the Corner

Posted by | Emotions/Feelings | 4 Comments

Though the fig tree does not blossom, and no fruit appears on the vine,
Though the yield of the olive fails and the terraces produce no nourishment,though the flocks disappear from the fold and there is no herd in the stalls; Yet I will rejoice in the Lord and exult in my saving God.

God, my Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet swift as those of deer and enables me to tread upon the heights.

These short verses from Habakkuk (3:17-19) is a small portion of one of my favorite scripture passages. For me, it’s always a reminder that even in the face of fear and uncertainty, there is always an opportunity to express faith and trust in God’s awesome majesty and power. However, during this particular Holy Week, this has been a bit more challenging.

All of us are battling the dominant forces and effects of this COVID-19 outbreak. So much so that we cannot help ourselves from being overcome with fear. We have fears after being introduced to new terms such as “global pandemic, social distancing and self-isolation.” We have fears of becoming prisoners in our own homes – quarantined from those we love and our communities of faith. We have fears of losing our livelihood, our ability to socialize, our freedom to do what we want, when we want, and where we want. We have fears of losing our jobs, returning to our jobs, providing for our families and getting back to some sense of normalcy. And we are fearful of this powerful disease that is taking more and more lives ever single day. We can’t help but ask the question: when will this all end?

 I’ve been reflecting a lot this week on how the disciples were feeling after Jesus had died and how similar it is to our current situation. Think about it. Jesus had been unjustly convicted, crucified and buried. His friends feared for their lives. They feared that they would be the next ones to die. They feared the uncertainties ahead of them: what to do, where to go, and how to move on. They isolated themselves to avoid any contact with others out of fear of what could happen. They were fearful that life outside of their community of believers would never feel the same again. They had to be asking that same question: when will this all end?

But despite all of their fears, they still held onto their faith. They still believed in Jesus and trusted that his death was not the end – but just the beginning. They were finally starting to understand that they needed to first experience death in order to experience resurrection – to experience new life in Christ; a life that knows no end.

We too must fall back on our faith during this period between death and resurrection, between Good Friday and Easter Sunday. We must believe that whatever comes our way, whatever we encounter, whatever fears overtake us, whatever uncertainties confront us – we are never left alone. We trust that our God and Savior is always with us, especially during the difficult times in our lives. We believe that Jesus is suffering right along with us, holding our hand and guiding us through the darkness. It’s our faith that will bring us that much needed comfort and hope.

On this Holy Saturday, let us rejoice in the Lord and give praise to our saving God. May we, just like the disciples, find the strength to ride out these dark days and patiently wait for the stone to be cast aside – for new life is right around the corner.

Mar 26 2020
Love1

How to Work from Home (and not lose your mind)

Posted by | Everyday Life | 2 Comments

I am writing this as I sit secluded in my home office. Like all of us here in Illinois (and many other locations worldwide), we have been instructed to stay in and avoid leaving our homes. This, of course, is to prevent the continued spread of the COVID-19 virus. Thousands upon thousands are being mandated to work from home. Many of us have never done that before and may be struggling with this new concept. And if you have others at home with you (especially young children), you may be feeling the stress of wondering how you will be able to accomplish anything. Hopefully, I can help guide you through this challenging ‘remote worker’ journey.

        I’ve been fortunate to have been an exclusive work-from-home employee for nearly 8 years now. Prior to that, I was telecommuting several days each week for about 3 years. Over this period, I have learned how to be productive, efficient, and trustworthy. (Yes, trust is a big factor as your employer is trusting that you are doing what you are being paid to do – especially when not in the office and not directly supervised.) Therefore, I would like to share a few tips on how you can work remotely while maintaining your sanity as well as the sanity of those stuck at home with you.

  1. Start your day with prayer. There is no better way to begin your workday than by praying to your heavenly Father. By carving out a few minutes each morning for prayer, you will notice that your day runs more smoothly and that you can better handle what lies ahead. Remember, prayer changes everything.
  2. Make a to-do list. After praying, plan out your day and write down (either on paper or in an app) all that you need to accomplish that day. Prioritize your tasks and get to work. Having a plan is an excellent way to stay focused on what needs to be done.
  3. Find a space and create an environment. If you can claim a space in your home that is away from everyone, good for you. This is not always the case. If you cannot get away from the action, then find a space that is comfortable and functional. A kitchen table is not always the best choice, and neither is in front of a TV. Try a small desk in a bedroom or even at the dining room table. Create an environment that will put you at ease and let you focus on your daily tasks. Have some family photos nearby. Maybe light a candle or listen to some instrumental music, or even have a meditation fountain running. I like to have some religious articles in my sight to remind me that God is always with me during my day.
  4. Separate work (work) and home (work). A constant challenge for any remote worker is trying to keep your home life from creeping into your work life. It’s difficult to not think of all the things that you need to get accomplished at home, but you need to find a way to do this. If you need to put a sticky note on your computer to remind you to stay focused, then by all means do so. The mind always wants to wander. You must do whatever it takes to bring it back to reality – and to the work at hand.
  5. Set some ground rules. This is especially important if you have children at home. Make sure that they know that when the door is closed, you are not to be interrupted. Be creative. If the bathroom is the only isolation chamber in your house, then use it for those important phone calls. Setting some ground rules upfront will make all the difference.
  6. Take a break. Studies have shown that sitting and staring at your computer for a prolonged period of time is not good for your eyes, body, or mind. Set a timer for 50 minutes. When the timer goes off, take a 10-minute break. Don’t hit the snooze! Literally stand up and walk away from your work. Take a quick walk, do some yoga stretches, meditate or even pray. And don’t forget to eat. It sounds silly, but I cannot tell you how many times that I was so engrossed in my work that I had completely forgotten to eat. Try to stick with a similar time each day for lunch (or a walk). Doing this will re-energize your mind and body and better prepare yourself for getting back to work.
  7. Stay off of social media. Avoid the temptation of peeking at your social media accounts. Once you fall into this hole, it is extremely difficult to pull yourself out. If you are completely hooked, then at least try to save this for when you take your breaks or lunch.
  8. Be patient. Working from home is not always easy, and it’s not always for everyone. But cut yourself some slack. Noah didn’t build the ark overnight. It may take some time to find your groove. Just be patient with yourself. Ask God to help you if distractions keep making your mind drift. Perhaps God is trying to tell you something important with those distractions.
  9. Ask for help. In many cases, working from home will make your more productive. This is primarily due to missing out on some of the common distractions of being in an office. And as you become more productive, you may find that you are so involved in your work that you lose all track of time. This is truly the case if you have a private room tucked away from everyone else in the house. This is where my wife Stephanie has been invaluable to me. When I get too buried in what I am doing and it is getting late in the day, she will remind me that it is time to come out of my cave. I can’t tell you how many times I needed her to do that for me. Don’t be afraid to ask someone for help, someone who can remind you to come back to the family and back to reality.
  10. Adapt as required. Phones will ring, children will interrupt, dogs will bark, diapers need to be changed, etc. Life happens. Don’t lose your cool. Don’t turn a cut into an amputation. Once you realize that things happen (and you don’t get upset over these things when they happen), you will be in a better position to go with the flow.

One final thought. I always like to end my day with prayer. Whether doing an examination of conscience or any other type of prayer, it’s always a good idea to have the final words of your day be one of praise and thanksgiving to the One who made the day possible.

May God bless you and keep you safe during these difficult times.

Remember, we’re all in this together. I’d love to hear if you have some other tips that may be useful for others.

Mar 05 2020
Love1

Ask and You Shall Receive

Posted by | Emotions/Feelings | 2 Comments

For the past several weeks, I have been under an overwhelming amount of stress. Most of this was work-related: working long hours with short deadlines. Throw in several church-related activities and tasks on top of that, and I was running on non-stop overdrive.

        In the midst of all of this, we had a family emergency at the hospital. Upon driving to the hospital one day, I noticed that I was having difficulty breathing and felt some odd pains in my chest that I had never felt before. I thought that I was having a heart attack. I immediately broke into prayer asking God to help calm me down. At that very moment, a song came on the radio – and I heard these lyrics:

Every anxious thought that steals my breath,
It’s a heavy weight upon my chest.
As I lie awake and wonder what the future will hold,
Help me to remember that You’re in control.

You’re my courage when I worry in the dead of night.
You’re my strength ’cause I’m not strong enough to win this fight.
You are greater than the battle raging in my mind;
I will trust You, Lord, I will fear no more.

As soon as these words touched my ears, I felt the power of God within me and I began to realize that I could not handle all of this weight on my own. I suddenly felt a calmness come over me and began to breathe normal again.

In our first reading, Queen Esther, filled with anguish, breaks into prayer and realizes that there is no one else who can provide her with the help she needs other than her Lord and Savior.

Every now and then, you and I need a little reminder that we need to turn to God for help. We cannot handle our stress alone but need to rely on the one who can help us carry our load.

During this Lenten season, let us get into the habit of turning to our Father in prayer. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Lord, turn our mourning into gladness and our sorrows into wholeness. Praise be to God, now and forever. Amen.

Feb 13 2020
Love1

Persistence Pays Off

Posted by | Everyday Life | No Comments

Today, we meet a Syrophoenician woman (Mark 7:24-30), which means she was from the area near Tyre and Sidon, just north of Galilee. These were cities truly lacking in faith, and those that lived there were Gentiles. Bottom line: if she was not a Jew, she was considered an enemy of Israel. But this was one brave and determined woman.

She cried out to Jesus to heal her daughter, who was possessed by a demon. But she was a Gentile, so he would not help her.

But she persisted. Finally, he acknowledged her, “It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs.” (Many Jews referred to Gentiles as ‘dogs’.) The children of the Israel were to be fed first, meaning that she might expect that her turn would come, if she waited. But she wouldn’t take ‘no’ for an answer. She basically humiliated herself in a desperate effort to save her daughter, refusing to give up even when Jesus pushed back. Jesus is no match for her: she won’t leave; she beats him in the argument (willingly, I might add). She ends up breaking down his resistance and he changes his mind. Then, she ends up placing her complete and total trust in him.

It’s a great story of a mother’s love. The Syrophoenician woman teaches us something about prayer: sometimes God keeps us waiting so that we can deepen our faith. Persistence is key; that’s the reason God responds to persistence because prayer changes the one who is praying. Prayer doesn’t change God – it changes us. As we pray, God is making us spiritually ready to receive what God is already willing to do.

Let us put our complete trust in the Lord and remember that persistence in prayer makes all the difference in the world.

Jan 23 2020
Love1

In God I Trust

Posted by | Discipleship, Everyday Life | 2 Comments

Today is the feast of St. Vincent, Deacon and Martyr. Vincent was ordained a deacon by his friend and bishop St. Valerius. The Roman emperors had published their edicts against the clergy in 303, so Vincent and Valerius were imprisoned in Valencia, Spain. They seemed to thrive on suffering, for hunger and torture failed to break them.

Valerius was sent into exile, and the Roman governor now turned the full force of his fury on Vincent. Many types of torture were tried, but all failed.

Finally, the governor suggested a compromise. If Vincent would give up the sacred books to be burned according to the emperor’s edict, he would stop the torture. But Vincent would not give in, so the torture continued. Vincent remained courageous, and the torturer couldn’t take it anymore. So, Vincent was thrown into a prison cell and ended up converting the jailer. The governor wept with rage; but strangely enough, ordered the prisoner to finally be given some rest.

The faithful came to visit Vincent, but he was to have no earthly rest. For when they finally settled him on a comfortable bed, Vincent fell into his eternal rest.

Even in the midst of turmoil, God sticks with us and uses those challenges that we encounter to shape us and make us better disciples. As it says in the psalm, ‘In God I trust; I shall not fear. When we remind ourselves of this, we no longer see our setbacks as failures and our problems as obstacles; we see them as moments when God is working in us, strengthening us for our earthly journey. We will be rescued from our stumbling. All we have to do is trust in the Lord with all our hearts. For when we trust in the Lord, we have nothing to fear.

Jan 02 2020
Love1

Remain in Christ

Posted by | Everyday Life | 2 Comments

In our first reading (1 John 2:22-28), John tells us that as we have received the anointing from Christ, that anointing must remain in us. When the anointing remains in us, it teaches us about everything and is true. When that teaching remains in us, then we will remain in Christ.

The word “remain” really means persistence. When we “remain” in someone, that means that we are persistently living in that location. When we are persistently living in Christ, then our life is all about him and we are staying with him. In the same way, when John said that the anointing abides in us, this means that we need to think about the word of God persistently living in us and directing our lives. When we pray the words, “remain with us,” we are asking for the Lord to stay with us through all of life’s good times and bad times. We are asking for the Lord to persistently hold on to us and never let go. John is calling for us to live our lives in Christ and in his word, and not in the world.

To remain in Christ daily requires us to do three things:

  1. We must have a life-giving connection or relationship with God. This is a mutual union where we are united with Jesus always; for when we have no connection, we have no life.
  2. We are to be dependent on Jesus and rely on Him for everything. Are we spending consistent and regular time with the Lord in prayer? When we are apart from God, we find that we can do nothing.
  3. Lastly, we must continue to always remain in Jesus. We must persevere in His teaching by living out the Gospel. Are we meditating on God’s Word and applying it to our daily lives? To remain in Christ means to have a new relational direction.

So, as we begin this new year, let us make this our daily mantra: that we have a constant connection with God, are dependent upon God, and continue to remain in God. For when we remain in Christ, Christ will remain in us and abide with us always.

Dec 12 2019
Love0

Our Lady of Guadalupe

Posted by | Everyday Life | No Comments

Earlier this year, I was giving a Lenten mission in Iowa and on the final night, I ended Evening Prayer with the song Immaculate Mary. After we had finished, a woman came up to me and told me that she is blessed with having visions. She told me that while I was singing, the Blessed Mother appeared behind me and was smiling at me. I had chills when she told me that. Hopefully that meant that our Lady was happy with what I was doing.

I’m not telling this story so that you will be impressed. I’m telling this story to remind us that Mary is always looking out for us and doing all she can to point us toward her Son.

Another great story is the centered around today’s feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. An indigenous peasant, Juan Diego, was walking by a hill called Tepeyac in Mexico when he heard a voice calling him by name. A radiant cloud appeared, and within it stood an Indian maiden dressed like an Aztec princess. After she had identified herself to him, Our Lady asked that Juan build her a shrine in that same spot, in order for her to show and share her love and compassion with all those who believe.

Afterwards, Juan Diego visited the bishop, but Juan was dismissed and was asked for proof of his story and proof of the Lady’s identity.

Juan Diego returned to the hill and encountered Our Lady again. The Virgin told him to climb to the top of the hill and pick some flowers to present to the bishop.

Although it was winter and nothing should have been in bloom, Juan Diego found an abundance of flowers of a type he had never seen before. The Virgin bundled the flowers into Juan’s cloak, known as a tilma. When Juan Diego presented the tilma of exotic flowers to the bishop, the flowers fell out and he recognized them as Castilian roses, which are not found in Mexico. What was even more significant was that the tilma had been miraculously imprinted with a colorful image of the Virgin herself.

Mary had heard the prayers and pain of these people, and she came to give them hope and to remind them that God will remember his mercy for all people.

Today we honor Our Lady of Guadalupe not only because of her motherly concern and love for us, but because we truly believe that she always there with us. May we always come to Mary asking her to intercede for us with her Son.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Dec 11 2019
Love0

Reaching New Heights

Posted by | Everyday Life | No Comments

In July of 2005, our family vacationed out west, and the highlight of the trip was going to Zion National Park in Utah.

All of us love hiking, so I was super-excited that our three sons and I were going to venture on an adventurous hike. (Stephanie had surgery a few weeks before our trip and didn’t want to risk going on this particular hike.) We decided to do the ‘Angel’s Landing’ trail which was advertised as ‘5 miles of strenuous and steep paths with high elevation and exposure to long drop-offs.’

So off we went, climbing higher, and higher, and higher. We finally reached a flat cliff and decided to take a break. The view was spectacular. As we caught our breath, one of my boys (who will remain nameless) suddenly said to me, “Dad, I think I’m afraid of heights.” I couldn’t believe that he waited until that point to tell me this important piece of information. I pointed to the visible end of the trail stating that we were almost there. I asked his brothers if they wanted to continue on; but after seeing how high we still had to climb and the extremely narrow ledge we had to ascend to get there, they all wanted to go back.

I was really hoping to continue; but I was also very fearful for their safety. So, we headed back down the mountain. To this day, I still wonder how it would have felt to have continued our journey to the top of that summit.

The reading from Isaiah (Isaiah 2:1-5) talks about our spiritual journey as an ascent up the Lord’s mountain. And that is what Advent is all about. It’s a time for us to step back from life as we know it or life as we live it, and re-look at the direction of our spirituality. Are we walking toward the Lord, or walking away? Are we trying to deepen our relationship with God, or are we burying ourselves in the black hole of busyness? Are we taking steps to improve our prayer life by following the light of Christ, or are we falling into the darkness of temptation and deceit? Are we in such a hurry to reach the destination of Christ’s coming at Christmas that we’re not being patient enough to enjoy the journey?

It’s only the second week of Advent. There is plenty of time left for us to focus on the Lord’s coming. And it all starts with a desire to journey forward and not let fear get the best of us – and to prepare the what lies ahead so that we are able to tackle the obstacles that we face on a daily basis. If we can improve our relationship with Jesus, our ascent up the Lord’s mountain – although challenging – will be achievable.

During this busy season, let us begin tonight by stepping back from the busyness and walking toward our God who loves us so deeply. Jesus is coming, but He is also here right now. Come, let us walk in the light of the Lord.