“The Baptism of Jesus” Pencil Drawing for Bulletin: Ronald Raab, CSC

Click here to read the full bulletin for January 15, 2017

Dear Followers of Jesus,

We listen to today’s gospel (John 1:29-34) and it seems we are back to the beginning of Advent. John is pointing again into the direction of Jesus and says, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.” His gesture and words point out to us who Jesus really is- the Lamb who will be slain for our sins. He is God who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.

The point of these gospels in the early weeks of Ordinary Time is to establish Jesus’ authority in his ministry. We are back to the beginning of his adult life and his ministry needs to be put into a context of what will happen. His entire ministry as an adult leads him and us to his passion, death and resurrection.

Our own baptism enables us to know Jesus. Our connection to Jesus does not get washed away in our memory from when we were baptized. Our identity does not fade away. Our connection does not get lost even though we move on to other things such as greed, power or lust as the primary source of our identity. Our connection to the Holy Spirit always finds a way to refresh us even though we get lost in our denial or self-sufficiency. Our life in the Holy Spirit is real even when we believe that God must have abandoned us years ago. Our future remains tightly in the bonds of the Holy Spirit even when we have not prayed in the years since we were children.

Perhaps this year we can renew our lives in the Holy Spirit. Perhaps we can pick up the scriptures again and pray. Perhaps we can learn a new dependence on God even in the center of our aches and pains and our anger about being lost and alone. Perhaps this is the year that we can recognize Jesus as John did—that He is the Lamb of God who takes away my sin and loves me for who I really am.

Here are some questions to ponder this week and beyond:

Jesus, how do I learn to trust you again? Help me Jesus, to have the gumption of John, to truly recognize you, to call your name out loud and find my place within your life.

Jesus, how do I learn to pray again? Help me Jesus, with my lonely heart, and show me again how to pray in the silence. Sustain me when I feel so abandoned and lost. Give me the grace to get out of my head and into my heart.

Jesus, how do I learn to live with a greater love in the world? Help me Jesus and show me the real needs of people so I may learn to offer your love to people.

Blessings,

Fr. Ron

On the Margins from Mater Dei Radio, Portland, OR

Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, January 15, 2017

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We recognize Jesus along with John, “The Lamb of God.” We are part of the mission of Jesus and his baptism. John helps us point into the direction of Jesus and we share his mission and his authority on earth.

“The Searching Kings” Original Cover Art: Ronald Raab, CSC

My original cover art and column both for this week’s parish bulletin

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Dear Followers of Jesus,

Matthew’s gospel (2:1-12) invites us into a very well known story known from our childhood. However, this story is anything but childish when it comes to our spiritual lives. Let’s look at this story from an adult spiritual viewpoint.

The magi received word that a king was born. Herod was threatened about this new king. The magi followed their instincts and the star to the place where Jesus was born. What they found was a king with his mother, Mary. The newborn king was poor. He was different and their lavish gifts seemed worthless in the sight of Jesus.

The search for Jesus is still important for us. I spoke many times during Advent that we are all searching for Jesus. I believe this with my whole heart. We may not even understand for ourselves what this means. As adults, we must find the reasons why we believe in God. We cannot let our faith slip into sentimentality or childishness. The story of the Epiphany guides us to who Jesus really is. God of all eternity is born to be accessible to every human being. Our searching leads us to the child, who is Jesus, our Messiah. Our search for Christ is ongoing.

Our search must be endless and life-long. We cannot love until we find that we love with God. We cannot forgive until we understand that we forgive only with God’s grace. We cannot understand our life direction until we cooperate with Jesus’ call and challenge to follow him, from his manger to his cross.

“Epiphany” means the manifestation of God. We are all drawn to the Light of God. We are all drawn from darkness of sin, doubt, despair and hardship to the beauty of God’s grace and fidelity. The manifestation of God is still being made new within us! This is such a beautiful and magnificent concept. We are still part of God’s plan. So often these feasts of Christmas are lost to us adults because we think that Christmas is for children. This could not be farther from the truth. We are connected to God in baptism. Christmas invites us to live our giftedness in the world as children of the Light.

We all receive gifts from God. However, we all give gifts to God. These gifts are not gold, frankincense and myrrh but all the richness and talents that we have to make God known, loved and served in our world. I hope that you will reflect on this beautiful feast of the Epiphany in this coming week.

What am I searching for in my life? What gifts do I bring to Jesus in this Christmas season? How can I learn to make manifest the gifts of love, tenderness and hope to all people, especially people in poverty, in hunger and in various human needs?

Follow the star and know the place of Jesus in your own life,

Fr. Ron

On the Margins from Mater Dei Radio, Portland, OR

The Epiphany of the Lord

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We are all searching for Jesus. We follow the Light bearing gifts. On this Epiphany, may we recognize the gift through the darkness and our home in the saving presence of Christ Jesus.

Cover for parish bulletin: Mary, Holy Mother of God: Painting, Ronald Raab, CSC

CLICK HERE to read the complete parish bulletin for this weekend.

Dear Followers of the Messiah,

Today has many meanings. We celebrate a World Day of Peace. We flip the calendar for a new year, 2017. Today, the Church celebrates a holy day, the Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God still in the Christmas Season. Today might also be the day in which you make some new resolutions such a losing ten pounds or to clean out the garage. Today might also be a day of hangovers and regrets from New Year’s Eve. Today, no matter how you view the New Year, is an opportunity to also change your life with God.

Today’s gospel (Luke 2:16-21) tells the story of how the shepherds saw Mary and Joseph and the infant lying in a manger. The shepherds then went and told others what they saw. People were amazed. Here is the critical point here: the message of the Messiah’s birth came from poor people, shepherds. People that we would least expect, were telling other people about Jesus. Here are some important questions for you this year: How will you discover and see Jesus? Who will reveal God to you? Will you be open to finding Jesus in unexpected ways? Does your faith matter to you? Will you trust your search for Christ?

I suspect that for most of us, we will find Jesus when we are ready to find him. We usually find Jesus in our vulnerability such as an unexpected illness, a job loss or in an argument with your adult children. Sometimes in such vulnerable moments, we then argue with God because we assume God hates us and condemns us. We blame God for allowing such things to happen. I understand this. However, God does not condemn us in our vulnerable or even our sinful moments. Sometimes God uses our weakness, our humble hearts and even our tragedies to simply get our attention, to open our hearts for authentic trust.

We need God more than ever. Mary models faith with trust and openness. In today’s gospel, Mary carries these events in her heart. We cannot live in God without the ability to carry our daily concerns within our own hearts. This is a first step to profound prayer. We need God to transform our lives when we stumble and finally realize we need something more than ourselves in this life.

Today’s celebration of Mary challenges us to live with hope in our world. On this World Day of Peace, we need more than ever the conviction that God’s presence remains within our vulnerable and fragile lives. We are the containers for peace in our world. We hold within us the ability to work for justice and remedy the world’s ills. We hold all of these things in our hearts and ponder the love God has for the world and us on this New Year’s Day.

Thank you to all for the Christmas wishes and the cakes and candies that you have dropped off for me and the parish staff to enjoy. I am so happy that you all are apart of our Catholic family. Happy New Year.

Blessings to you,

Fr. Ron

On the Margins from Mater Dei Radio, Portland, OR

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Sunday January 1, 2017

Mary, the Holy Mother of God

We celebrate Mary as the Mother of God. Mary is the mother of hope. She bares the mystery of Jesus’s love in our world. We also celebrate the World Day of Peace. Let’s us all be part of God’s plan and the dignity of all life in our world. Make plans to renew your prayer, to open up your heart to the reality of God’s love within your life. Be an instrument of justice and peace in our day and time.

“The Creative Night” Painting: Ronald Raab, CSC

Click here to also read an article from the website of the Congregation of Holy Cross, where this art appears.

Click here to read full bulletin from Sacred Heart Church.

My dear followers of Jesus, the Prince of Peace,

Welcome to Christmas! Welcome to our prayerful celebrations at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Chapel in Manitou Springs, Holy Rosary Chapel in Cascade and Sacred Heart Church in Old Town, Colorado Springs.

I am grateful for your presence and most especially your prayer as we celebrate the Incarnation, the miracle and mystery of Hope in our world. Welcome to you who join us for the first time and welcome to our long time parishioners. Welcome to those of you who are searching for a spiritual home and those of you who ache for God’s forgiveness and tenderness this silent and holy night.

Today, we gather in faith to treasure the love God initiates in our lives. The Real Presence of Jesus unites our families. Although Jesus offers us healing and peace, I am also aware that a lack of forgiveness still creates division and uncertainty within our families. Our world is still restless and violent. Even at our family tables during these beautiful days, we argue over our differences and still feel the hurt from our past relationships. In fact, today can also be the loneliest time of year for some of our elderly still grieving the loss of a spouse or for a high school student who cannot believe he or she will ever find love.

We gather as families and as believers around the manger scene to discover for our own lives that we are loved in the here and now, beyond our selfishness and even beyond our fear. The gospel (Luke 2: 1-14) for Christmas Eve and the gospel (John 1:1-18) proclaimed on Christmas Day, both invite us to open our hearts to God-made-flesh. The miracle of this day reaches far beyond the warmth of our family hearth, but extends to the areas of violence and war in our streets and throughout our world. Each one of us becomes an instrument of such love in our words, our actions and our service. God depends on us to keep the flame of hope burning in our world. However, we cannot give what we do not have. God alone provides the justice, love and peace we are all searching for in our world and so we turn to God alone this Christmas Day.

Thank you all for your love and service within our parish community this past year. I look forward to the ways in which God is calling us further into practicing our faith in our communities and beyond.

If you are searching for God or questioning your own life, please know you are welcome here. My prayer for us all is that we may open our hearts this Christmas Day to the wonder and tenderness of God’s mercy and find for ourselves that we are loved beyond measure.

With prayer and gratitude, Merry Christmas,

Fr. Ron