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  Sunday – Feast of the Ascension Gospel - Matthew 28:16-20 What Are We Waiting For? Deacon Ordination 2015 Simple Question!   What are we celebrating today? Yes, of course, the Feast of the Ascension!   The moment, 40 days after Easter, when Jesus ascended bodily up to heaven after His final earthly ministry – His final instructions to the disciples, His promise of the Holy Spirit and His command to go forth and teach all nations. But, on a personal level, we are also celebrating a couple of other special events. If he were still with us, today would have been Ginger’s Dad 98 th birthday!   Sadly he passed away 2 years ago!   Happy Birthday, Dad! 11 years ago today, I knelt before Bishop Kane in Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago and was ordained a Permanent Deacon! And finally, in just a couple of hours, our oldest grandson, Tyler, will graduate from the University of Tennessee with Honors, majoring in Psychology and minoring in Child/Family Development a...
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  Saturday - 6 th Week of Easter Gospel – John 16:23b-28 I’ve Got a Better Idea Praying at the Wailing Wall My favorite sci-fi show of all time is Doctor Who.   It’s been around since 1963 and follows the adventures of an alien who travels throughout time and space in a British police box that he calls the ‘Tardis’.   Many times it is more a mis-adventure than an adventure.   And from time to time, he complains that the Tardis never takes him where he WANTS to go.   And the Tardis wisely responded to him “Yes, but I always take you where you NEED to go.”  Those words certainly ring true for Ginger and myself these past couple of years! Jesus reminds us today that God truly is Our Father; He is the one we pray to when we need comfort, help or support. But since He is God, He does already know what we will ask Him.   Isn’t that just like a parent?   How often have we run to our parents to ask for something and they already knew what we were...
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  Friday - 6 th Week of Easter Gospel – John16:20 - 23 I’ve Got Joy, Joy, Joy Down in My Heart Outside the Old City of Jerusalem   This is a rather short Gospel today but it actually has 2 different threads running through it. The first is a continuation of yesterday’s theme – in the midst of our pain, there will come joy.   Jesus uses the image of a woman going through the pain of giving birth which transforms into the joy of a new life.   While I was there right by Ginger’s side for the entire process of bringing our daughter Jaime into the world, my only remembrance of pain was Ginger’s crushing grip as I held her hand throughout the contractions.   But the emotion of holding Jaime in my arms for the first time – indescribably joyful and beyond words!   And the joy that awaits us in the Kingdom?   Way beyond anything we can imagine! The second thread reminds us of the importance of prayer.   “Whatever you ask of the Father in My name...