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afraid | Deacon Allen Tatara Catholic Speaker

afraid | Deacon Allen Tatara Catholic Speaker

On the Inside; On the Outside


 
Oct 31 2019
Love0

A Scary Thought

Posted by | Everyday Life | No Comments

Halloween is an ancient Celtic festival that dates back some 2,000 years ago when the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred. It was believed that on the night of October 31st, the ghosts of the dead returned to earth. Ghosts? That’s pretty scary!

What else do we find scary? According to a recent Internet poll: spiders, snakes, clowns, death, heights, falling, and fear of the unknown, just to name a few scary things.

As Catholic-Christians, we frequently find ourselves doing other scary things such as: talking behind each other’s backs, seeking revenge for something that was done to us, treating others unfairly, judging others because of who they appear to be in our eyes, neglecting to look out for those in need, not standing up for what is right – doing things that we think will disappoint God.

Yet no matter what we do, how we act, what we say, or who we betray, God is always looking at us with great mercy. God loves us no matter what. God is always with us, encouraging us to keep moving forward and to keep striving to live the gospel each and every day. God wants us to understand that although we may not be perfect in our eyes, we are made perfect in God’s eyes.

When the darkness of this world envelops us and we feel like we have been left alone, abandoned or forgotten, let us remember that nothing or nobody will ever separate us from the love of God.

That’s not scary; that’s praiseworthy!

Apr 12 2018
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To Boldly Preach in Jesus’ Name

Posted by | Discipleship | No Comments

After having been miraculously released from jail and returned to the Temple to continue their preaching in the name of Jesus, the apostles were re-arrested and brought again before the Sanhedrin, the ruling council of the Jews. They were accused of two things:

  • They had continued to preach in “that name” (their accusers could not bring themselves even to mention the name of Jesus), even though they had been strictly forbidden to do so; and
  • They were blaming the Jewish leadership for Jesus’ death.

The apostles were not in the least fazed by these accusations. These men who were so fearful at the time of Jesus’ death now spoke out boldly. “It is better for us to obey God than men!” they told their judges. (Acts 5:27-33)

There is a lesson in there for all of us. How often are we fearful of speaking out for what is right? How often do we revert to silence when someone else is being accused of something that they didn’t do? How often do we question our faith when things become too difficult?

We need to follow the example of the apostles and realize that we already have the power of the Holy Spirit to push us forward. We have no need to be afraid or to worry about what could happen. Jesus gave us the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us in everything that we do so we may boldly preach in his name to the entire world.

Let us pray that our testimony and actions always be directed and confirmed by the Holy Spirit, who is given to all who respond to God with the obedience that comes from faith.

Jun 25 2017
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Fear or Faith?

Posted by | Emotions/Feelings | No Comments

More than 19 million Americans have this, and it causes difficulty in some area of their lives. What is it? It’s a phobia. A phobia is an excessive and irrational fear reaction. If you have a phobia, you may experience a deep sense of dread or panic when you encounter the source of your fear, whether it is of a certain place, situation, or object. Unlike general anxiety disorders, a phobia is usually connected to something specific. Here are a few of the most common phobias:

  • Altophobia: Fear of heights.
  • Arachnophobia: Fear of spiders.
  • Claustrophobia: Fear of confined spaces.
  • Arachibutyrophobia: Fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of the mouth.
  • Theophobia: fear of God.
  • Ecclesiophobia: Fear of church.
  • Homilophobia: Fear of homilies. (Maybe even Deacon Allen’s homilies!)
  • Testophobia: Fear of taking tests.
  • Phalacrophobia: Fear of becoming bald.
  • Chaetophobia: Fear of hair (other people’s hair).
  • Xenophobia: Fear of the unknown.
  • Ephebiphobia: Fear of youth (teenagers).

There is an old proverb that goes something like this:

Fear less, hope more; eat less, chew more; whine less, breathe more; talk less, say more; hate less, love more; and all good things will be yours.

Notice, “Fear less” is at the top of that list of what needs to be done if all good things are to be ours. Moreover, “Fear less” was high on Jesus’ list of things you need to do in order to experience wholeness of life.

Jesus wants you to know beyond all doubt that you and I are important to God; that God wants to be in a relationship with us. You may turn on the busy signal if you wish, but God never will do that. We can always count on God’s constant care for us.

Each one of us is called to go out and serve those in need, the most vulnerable in our society – and that can be scary. We are often afraid to speak the truth, to stand up for what is right, or afraid of those who might try to hurt us. We might be afraid to try new things, or meet new people who are different than us. But Jesus promises us that God is in control: “Not one sparrow falls to the ground without your Father’s knowledge.” Jesus reassures us of the value that God places on us. You and I are worth more than many sparrows; and we are also precious in God’s sight. With God by our side, we have nothing to fear.

Sep 01 2016
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What a Surprise!

Posted by | Everyday Life | No Comments

My wife and I spent this past weekend with 13 teenagers on a Peer Ministry Retreat at a camp in East Troy, Wisconsin. This was our 8th year doing this retreat and we really enjoy watching the teens as they learn important leadership skills and deepen their relationship with God. We always stress to them the importance of making time for prayer in their busy lives, and I always share this story with them.

surpriseA few years back while on this same retreat, I decided to do my Sunday morning prayers down by the lake. It was a misty, calm morning as I sat myself down on the little wooden pier. I pulled out my Liturgy of the Hours and began praying out loud. At a certain point, I began freely talking with God about some things that were going on in my life at the time. I verbally placed my intentions before the Lord hoping for some direction and guidance. Suddenly, I noticed movement from deep beneath the murky waters, and slowly emerged a very large turtle. His head peered out of the water and it was looking directly at me. I was completely caught by surprise. It felt like God appeared before me right when I needed him during my prayer. After a brief moment of eye contact between each other, the turtle returned to the depths of the lake.

Our God surprises us so many times during our lives, but we’re often so preoccupied with life that we often miss it. Sometimes we’re asked to put out our boat one more time, to try again, to go outside our comfort zone and take a chance. But how often do we react like Simon Peter and say that we’re not worthy of such blessings, that we’re not worthy of such love? We need to trust in the Lord and not be afraid, for he made us out of love and wants what’s best for us. And if we do, the rewards will be amazing.

May the Lord bless and fill your life with his mercy, his unending love, and with many surprises.

Jun 07 2016
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The Light in the Dark

Posted by | Everyday Life | 2 Comments

A few years ago, Stephanie and I were on vacation when it took an unexpected turn, leaving behind a memory that neither one of us expected. We headed off to Maine to do some wilderness hiking for a few days, and then headed up into Canada to spend some time in Quebec. Read More