The Big C -

Being a Deacon – a servant of God – does not make you immune to the BIG C!
Tom and I have begun a journey we have traveled with many other people – both family and friends. We received the news last week from Tom’s doctor – he has prostate cancer. In deep recesses of our mind we knew this day would come but knowing that it is a real possibility does not lessen the blow when you receive the news. Processing the information received becomes a full time job – it is mentally, physically, spiritually and emotionally draining. Trying to educate yourself about test results and possible treatment is a daunting task. This is the rest of your life you’re making a decision about and you don’t want to make a mistake.
Trying to pray for God’s guidance instead of shaking your fist at Him and screaming “WHY” is difficult. Oh, yeah me and the Big Guy have had words over this – but ultimately I know He will be there by our side as we walk this path and we will need all the grace He has to offer.
My only hope is that I can be the strong support that Tom needs. Tom is the only person in the world that I have ever leaned on completely and never had to worry about let me fall. Everyone talks about how strong I am – how I take charge and make things happen – have to say I have been told more than once that I can be a bit intimidating. Well, I am able to be all of those things because I know that Tom has my back, that no matter how bad the day has been he will be there when I get home to just let me be me. He is truly the Wind Beneath my Wings and there have been times when he has had to work hard to keep me up in the air. He has never complained and in all the years we have been married he has never raised his voice to me. Hey, he cooks and goes grocery shopping too – yes, yes I know how lucky I am.
When I count my blessings I count Tom twice. That is why I do not want to have my time with him shortened by even one day. The good news is that they doctors seem to think they have caught the cancer in the early stages. We will know more once the surgery is complete and all biopsies returned.
Please, keep us in your prayers.

Quiz about deacons - How much do you know about being a Catholic Deacon

A Quiz About Deacons

How much do you know about the permanent diaconate? Here's a special challenge for you: Take the following quiz about deacons and their role. The answers just might surprise you!

TRUE OR FALSE:

1. Deacons are ordained clergy.

2. There have always been permanent deacons in the Roman Catholic Church.

3. A married deacon is expected to place the Church as a priority above his wife and family.

4. The wife of a deacon is called a deaconess.

5. A single or widowed deacon is expected to remain celibate the rest of his life.

6. The deacon works for the bishop of the diocese he serves, not the priest of the local parish.

7. Deacons serve the Catholic Church primarily through the liturgy of the Mass.

8. Lay ministries are not needed in parishes with a deacon.

9. Deacons do not have the same formation as priests.

10. There are more deacons in the United States than in all other countries combined.


Here are the answers to the quiz:

1. TRUE. There are three levels of holy orders in the Catholic Church. The diaconate is the first level; it functions as the service ministry of Christ. In other words, deacons are servants, called to embody the work of Christ in service of justice, the Word and the altar. There are as many ways of serving as there are deacons. All deacons can baptize, witness marriages, bring the viaticum to the dying, and preside at
funerals. They proclaim the gospel and may serve as the homilist at mass. Like John the Baptist, they lead a prophetic life of service for the benefit of the Church.

The priesthood is the second level of holy orders. A priest is ordained a deacon prior to being ordained a priest. Priests stand in the place of Christ himself as they celebrate the sacraments of Eucharist, Reconciliation, and Anointing of the Sick. They carry a spiritual responsibility for the community of faith they serve. Through the sacraments and ministries of the Church, priests manifest the presence of Christ in the world.

Bishops are ordained to the fullness of holy orders. They fully convey the leadership of Christ as Prophet, Priest and King. They shepherd the churches entrusted to their care (with the help of priests and deacons), and safeguard the gospel that has been passed down to us from the Apostles themselves. They lead their dioceses in communion with the Pope and all the other bishops of the world.

2. FALSE. To be fair, this is a trick question! There have always been deacons in the Church. In Acts of the Apostles, the apostles assign the service ministries of the Church to seven deacons. Several saints in the early Church were deacons, some of whom later became bishops, like St. Athanasius. In general, up until 500-600 A.D., their duties were similar to those of today's deacons. They were especially instrumental in helping the Church spread across Europe.

The permanent diaconate gradually disappeared during the Middle Ages. Monasteries and convents were providing charity originally associated with the service of deacons. The liturgical role of the deacon received greater emphasis over works of charity. Gradually, the diaconate became a transitional step to priesthood.

Vatican II restored the office of the permanent diaconate. There were three main reasons for this action. The restoration would return to the Church the full complement of ordained ministries handed down from the Apostles. The new deacons would confirm and highlight the work of the Holy Spirit already present in the Church. Finally, deacons would bring sacramental service to areas where priests are scarce.

3. FALSE. A married man who is ordained a deacon in the Catholic Church is expected to honor his first commitment in the sacrament of marriage, with the Church's blessing. The Church will not ordain the man unless his wife gives her consent in writing. A married deacon often must juggle a secular job, his family responsibilities and his service as deacon. This is not a vocation for the faint of heart!

The relationship between marriage and holy orders is an interesting one. In Eph 5:22-32, the marriage between a man and a woman is compared to the marriage between Christ and his Church. The passage, in effect, says that each one must serve the other in love. Christ came to serve rather than be served. The man has already been a deacon (Greek diakonia means "to serve") to his wife, and she to him. Thus, his ordination to the diaconate is an affirmation of the Christian service evidenced in his marriage.

The unity of the deacon and his wife is a sign to the entire parish of the unity of Christ with his Church. Often, the deacon's wife serves the parish or local community in a concrete way herself. After ordination, the deacon and his wife may work together in various ways to build up the Kingdom of God. The beauty of the diaconate is that the question of exercising "power" is replaced with the solid emphasis upon service. Those who would see the wife of a deacon as "used" and not appreciated are missing the point. Christ humbled himself to union with us. In a very real way, the deacon and his wife both embody this divine humility.

4. FALSE. (But it was true at one time.) The wife of a deacon today is not called a deaconess. She should be referred to as "Mrs. Jones", or "Louise", if you are on familiar terms. She remains a lay member of the parish. Some deacons' wives lament that people treated them differently after their husbands were ordained. This need not be so.

In the early church, the wife of a deacon was referred to as a deaconess. (Deaconesses, single or married, were responsible for preserving modesty during female baptisms.) However, married deacons (and married priests in the eastern rites) were expected to practice celibacy. Canon 13 of the Council of Tours (567 AD) states:

"If a presbyter be found with his presbytera or a deacon with his deaconess, or a subdeacon with his subdeaconess, he must be considered excommunicated for a full year and deposed from every clerical office, and know that he is considered among the laity."

5. TRUE. Single men ordained to the diaconate, whether preparing for the priesthood or not, must take a vow of celibacy. They are not allowed to marry. Deacons who are widowed must also observe the norm of celibacy. However, the widow of a deacon may marry with the Church's blessings.

The reason for this is simple. Those ordained to the service of Christ and His Church are called to consecrate themselves to this work with an undivided heart. The sacrament of matrimony and the sacrament of holy orders must not be in competition. A married man is ordained a deacon with his wife's consent. The wife usually participates in the formation and discernment process. This is meant to safeguard against possible friction after ordination.

The virtue of chastity is expected in both married and unmarried deacons. Chastity refers to pure, self-giving love between a man and his spouse. This pure love brings forth physical and spiritual fruit. Married deacons usually have children, the physical fruit of chastity. Bishops, priests and single deacons are celibate in order to devote their fruitfulness to the Kingdom of God. Their spouse is the Church. The Catechism puts it nicely: "accepted with a joyous heart, celibacy radiantly proclaims the reign of God." (1579)

6. TRUE. Only the bishop is allowed to ordain a priest or a deacon. Thus, the deacon has a direct relationship to the bishop. It is the responsibility of the bishop to ensure that deacons are placed in parishes and ministries where their talents and special charisms will bear fruit. In the economy of sacramental order, bishops and priests were first deacons. Their knowledge of the needs of the diocese are crucial to the success of the diaconate.

Placement of deacons should reflect the needs of the faith community.

At the same time, deacons who are placed within a local parish will obviously want to work harmoniously with the pastor and the bishop. Priests, and bishops, do not stop being deacons when they are ordained to the next level of holy orders. They still serve. A deacon is not a mini-priest, nor a glorified altar-boy. By serving the servant, the bishops, priests and deacons will ground their relationship within the humble love of Christ.

7. FALSE. It may be that you only see the deacon serving the Church on Sunday during the Mass. Most deacons serve the Church throughout the week in a variety of challenging and wonderful ways. Many deacons are involved in the pastoral care of the ill and dying. Other deacons are spreading the good news of Jesus concretely in soup kitchens, homeless shelters and other social service agencies. Still others reach out to addicts and convicts in prisons and mental health clinics.

Parish-based deacons help to encourage lay ministry within the parish, and actively promote service to the world. Indeed, a deacon is expected to help a parish encounter and address the needs of the local community. In many dioceses, priests who request a deacon to be appointed to their parish are on a waiting list. We can only expect this trend to continue, with the shortage of priests growing yearly.

8. FALSE. The main function of the deacon is to imitate Christ as a sign and sacrament of service. Parishes, and deacons, are called to be Christ's hands, feet and mouth in the world. Most people will acknowledge that often our parishes fall far short of this goal. The focus of the deacon is to serve in such a way that encourages each and every Christian to imitate Christ.

Lectors, lay eucharistic ministers, acolytes, and other lay persons need not feel threatened by the presence of a deacon. The deacon is not a lay person, he is a member of the clergy. His primary focus is to highlight needs that are not being met within the life of the community. Strong lay participation in a parish may negate the need for a deacon. (And this would delight the deacon, you can be sure!) The exception to this may be parishes with no priest. There have been deacons assigned to such parishes in recent years.

9. TRUE. The formation programs are separate. Deacons undergo a formation that takes approximately three - five years; formation for a priest is generally a year or two longer. Deacons and priests learn many of the same things, such as the study of the bible, church history, interpersonal dynamics, liturgics, and theology. However, deacons and priests are preparing for distinctly different forms of service. Also, the deacon must learn to balance the demands of family, secular job and formation.

The sacrament of holy orders is irrevocable. It is extremely important that the discernment of a call be confirmed prior to ordination. In most dioceses, the number of deacon candidates accepted for ordination is a small percentage of those who apply for admission to the program.

10. TRUE. There are over 11,000 deacons in the United States, and about 20,000 deacons world-wide. When the permanent diaconate was restored, it was expected to grow fastest in third world countries. However, the most notable growth has been in the United States and Germany.

There are several reasons for this growth. The Church in America is blessed with excellent educational and financial resources. The enthusiastic reception of Vatican II reforms in the United States gave added impetus to the proliferation of vocations to the diaconate. The spiritual need of the Church in America has never been greater. I like to think that God has raised up deacons in America to remind us that the power of the Holy Spirit is stronger than the forces of evil in our midst.


How did you do? Here's the grading scale:

10 out of 10 correct: Wow! You must be a deacon or the wife of one!

At least 8 correct: Very good. Your knowledge of the diaconate needs to be shared with friends and family!

At least 5 correct: Not bad-- some of the questions were tricks, anyway! You might have learned a thing or two from this test.

Less than 4 correct: Maybe those trick questions were too unfair! In any case, you might be interested in the following books: The Deacon in the Church, by Lynn Swanson (Alba House (800) 343-ALBA); Permanent Deacons: Who They Are and What They Do by Henry Libersat (booklet from Liguori Publications available in most Catholic bookstores); Permanent Deacons: Guidelines on their Formation and Ministry (Publication 974-2, USCC, (800) 235-8722.)

Taken from the May 14, 1995 issue of "Catholic Twin Circle." For subscriptions contact: Catholic Twin Circle, P.O. Box 260380, Encino, CA 91426-0380, (800) 421-3230.

Have you ever lied aked the Lord - Yes, Lord - I forgive you

One day, a man, his heart heavy with grief, was walking in the woods. As he thought about his life this day, he knew many things were not right. He thought about those who had lied about him back when he had a job.

His thoughts turned to those who had stolen his things and cheated him. He remembered family that had passed on. His mind turned to the illness he had, that no one could cure. His very soul was filled with anger, resentment, and frustration.

Standing there this day, searching for answers he could not find, knowing all else had failed him, he knelt at the base of an old oak tree to seek the one he knew would always be there. And with tears in his eyes, he prayed:

"Lord- You have done wonderful things for me in this life. You have told me to do many things for you, and I happily obeyed. Today, you have told me to forgive. I am sad, Lord, because I cannot, I don't know how. It is not fair Lord, I didn't deserve these wrongs that were done against me and I shouldn't have to forgive. As perfect as your way is Lord, this one thing I cannot do, for I don't know how to forgive. My anger is so deep Lord, I fear I may not hear you, but I pray you teach me to do the one thing I cannot do:
Teach me to forgive ."

As he knelt there in the quiet shade of that old oak tree, he felt something fall onto his shoulder. He opened his eyes. Out of the corner of one eye, he saw something red on his shirt. He could not turn to see what it was because where the oak tree had been was a large square piece of wood in the ground. He raised his head and saw two feet held to the wood with a large spike through them.

He raised his head more, and tears came to his eyes as he saw Jesus hanging on a cross. He saw spikes in His hands, a gash in His side, a torn and battered body, deep thorns sunk into His head. Finally he saw the suffering and pain on His precious face. As their eyes met, the man's tears turned to sobbing, and Jesus began to speak.

"Have you ever told a lie?" He asked?

The man answered - "Yes, Lord."

"Have you ever been given too much change and kept it?"

The man answered - "Yes. Lord." And the man sobbed more and more.

"Have you ever taken something from work that wasn't yours?" Jesus asked?

And the man answered, "Yes, Lord."

"Have you ever sworn, using my Father's name in vain?"

The man, crying now, answered - "Yes, Lord."

As Jesus asked many more times, "Have you ever"? The man's crying became uncontrollable, for he could only answer - "Yes, Lord".

Then Jesus turned His head from one side to the other, and the man felt something fall on his other shoulder He looked and saw that it was the blood of Jesus. When he looked back up, his eyes met those of Jesus, and there was a look of love the man had never seen or known before.

Jesus said, "I didn't deserve this either, but I forgive you."

It may be hard to see how you're going to get through something, but when you look back in life, you realize how true this statement is.

Read the following first line slowly and let it sink in.


If God brings you to it - He will bring you through it.

I have had a rough couple of weeks - due to the death of several wonderful and much loved people in my life and the news that a few more now suffer from health problems - this showed up in my mailbox right on time - Jesus has been reading my emails again.

Letter from Satan - HELL

A LETTER TO YOU FROM
SATAN

I saw you yesterday as you began your daily
chores.

You awoke without kneeling to pray. As a matter
of Fact, you didn't even bless your meals,
Or Pray before going to bed
Last night.

You are so unthankful, I like that about you.

I cannot tell you how glad I am that you have not
changed your way of living,you are mine.

Remember, you and I have been going steady for
Years, and I still don't love you, Yet.
As a matter of fact, I hate you, because I hate
God.


He Kicked me out of heaven, and I'm
Going to use you as long
As possible to pay Him back.

You see, GOD LOVES YOU and HE has great plans in store for you.

But you have yielded your life
To me, and I'm going to make your life a living
Hell.
That way, we'll be together twice. This will
Really hurt God.

Thanks to you, I'm really showing Him who's boss in your
life with all of the good times we've had.

We have Been watching dirty movies,
Cursing people out,
Stealing,
Lying,
Being
Hypocritical,
Fornicating,
Overeating,
Telling dirty jokes,
Gossiping,
Being judgmental,
Back stabbing people,
Disrespecting adults,
And those in
Leadership positions.
No Respect for the Church,
Bad attitudes.

SURELY you don't want to give
All this up.

Come on, Fool, let's burn together forever. I've
Got some hot plans for us.
This is just a letter
Of appreciation from me to you.
I'd like to say "THANKS" for
Letting me use you for most
Of Your Foolish Life.

You are so gullible, I laugh at you. When you are
Tempted To Sin, you give In.

HA HA HA, you make me sick.
Sin is beginning to take its toll on your life.
You look 20 years older, and now, I need new blood.
So go ahead and teach some children how to
Sin.
All you have to do is smoke, get drunk or drink
Cheat, gamble, gossip,
Fornicate, and live
Being as selfish as possible.
Do all of this in the presence
Of children and they will do it too.
Kids are like that.

Well, I have to let you go for now. I'll be
Back in a couple of seconds to tempt you again.
If you were smart, you would run
somewhere, confess your sins,
And live for God with what little bit
of life that you have left.

It's not my nature to warn
Anyone, but to be your age and
Still sinning, it's becoming a bit
ridiculous. Don't get me wrong, I still hate you.

See you soon - Satan

IF you live your life like there is no HELL - you better be right!

Lent is ending - Are you changed?

Catholic’s are an Easter People – yes we love Christmas and the birth of Christ signals the beginning of all that will form our beliefs. But if there was no Easter – the resurrection – Christmas would simply be a beautiful story. It is only through His death and resurrection that our salvation is possible.

So, tonight we will celebrate the Easter Vigil and those that have been attending RCIA classes for the pasted year will be welcomed into the Church. Some will be baptized and others will enter the Church by their profession of faith – having been baptized prior into other religions. It will be a night for much celebration throughout the Catholic community. In Atlanta alone we will be welcoming almost 2,000 New Catholic’s into the Church. As adults they will receive 3 of the 7 sacraments tonight – Baptism, Conformation and Eucharist. Needless to say Lent has changed these New Catholic’s. They have been attending classes for many months – studying the Catholic doctrine. Preparing themselves through scripture reading and prayer.

Has Lent changed you?

Many of us have observed Lent through the three traditional pillars of Lenten observance which are prayer, fasting and almsgiving.

Prayer: More time given to prayer during Lent should draw us closer to the Lord.

Fasting:Fasting can help us realize the suffering that so many people in our world experience every day, and it should lead us to greater efforts to alleviate that suffering.

Abstaining from meat traditionally also linked us to the poor, who could seldom afford meat for their meals. It can do the same today if we remember the purpose of abstinence and embrace it as a spiritual link to those whose diets are sparse and simple. That should be the goal we set for ourselves—a sparse and simple meal. Avoiding meat while eating lobster misses the whole point!

Almsgiving: It is a sign of our care for those in need and an expression of our gratitude for all that God has given to us. Works of charity and the promotion of justice are integral elements of the Christian way of life we began when we were baptized.

Now we come to the night that we ask ourselves – Did Lent change me – Have I grown closer to the Lord or have I simply spent the pasted 40 days going through life as usual?

My prayer for you is that in some way the celebration of Lent has made a difference in your life and that you will continue to live out your Lent all year.

Thanks my friend - look for the gem

A man was exploring caves by the seashore. In one of the caves he found a canvas bag with a bunch of hardened clay balls. It was like someone had rolled clay balls and left them out in the sun to bake. They didn't look lik e much, but they intrigued the man, so he took the clay balls bag out of the cave with him. As he strolled along the beach, he would throw the clay balls one at a time out into the ocean as far as he could.

He thought little about it, until he dropped one of the clay balls and it cracked open on a rock. Inside was a beautiful, precious stone!

Excited, the man started breaking open the remaining clay balls. Each contained a similar treasure. He found thousands of dollars worth of jewels in the 20 or so clay balls he had left. Then it struck him.

He had been on the beach a long time. He had thrown maybe 50 or 60 of the clay balls with their hidden treasure into the ocean waves. Instead of thousands of dollars in treasure, he could have taken home tens of thousands, but he had just thrown it away!

It's like that with people. We look at someone, maybe even ourselves, and we see the external clay vessel. It doesn't look like much from the outside. It isn't always beautiful or sparkling, so we discount it.

We see that person as less important than someone more beautifu l or stylish or well known or wealthy. But we have not taken the time to find the treasure hidden inside that person.

There is a treasure in each one of us. If we take the time to get to know that person, and if we ask God to show us that person the way He sees them, then the clay begins to peel away and the brilliant gem begins to shine forth.

May we not come to the end of our lives and find out that we have thrown away a fortune in friendships be cause the gems were hidden in bits of clay. May we see the people in our world as God sees them.

I am so blessed by the gems of friendship I have. Thank you for looking beyond my clay vessel.

Stations of the cross -

Christ Speaks: These fourteen steps that you are now about to walk.
I walk with you.
Though you are you and I am I, yet we are truly one – one Christ
And therefore my way of the cross two thousand years ago and your “way” now are also one.
But note this difference. My Life was incomplete until I crowned it by my death. Your fourteen steps will only be complete when you have crowned them by your life.

1 Jesus Is Condemned

Christ Speaks: In Pilate’s hands, your other self, I see my Father’s will. Though Pilate is unjust, he is the lawful governor and he has power over me.
And so the Son of God obeys.
If I can bow to Pilate’s rule because this is my Father’s will, can you refuse obedience to those whom I place over you?

I reply: My Jesus, Lord, obedience cost you your life. For me it costs an act of will – no more – and yet how hard it is for me to bend.
Remove the blinders from my eyes that I may see that it is you whom I obey in all who govern me.
Lord, it is your.

2 Jesus Takes His Cross

Christ Speaks: This cross, this chunk of three, is what my Father chose for me.
The crosses you must bear are largely products of your daily life. And yet my Father chose them, too, for your.
Receive them from his hands.
Take heart, my other self, I will not let your burdens grow one ounce too heavy for your strength.

I reply: My Jesus, Lord, I take my daily cross. I welcome the monotony that often marks my day, discomforts of all kinds, the summer’s heat, the winter’s cold, my disappointments, tensions, cares.
Remind me often that in carrying my cross, I carry yours with you. And though I bear a sliver only of your cross, You carry all of mine, except a sliver in return.

3 Jesus Falls

Christ Speaks: The God who made the universe, and holds it in existence by his will alone, becomes a man, too weak to bear a piece of timber’s weight.
How human in his weakness is the Son of God. My Father willed it thus. I could not be your model otherwise.
If you would be my other self, you also must accept without complaint your human frailties.

I reply: Lord Jesus, how can I refuse?
I willingly accept my weaknesses, my irritations and my moods, my headaches and fatigue, all my defects of body, mind and soul.
Because they are your will for me, these “handicaps” of my humanity, I gladly suffer them.
Make me content with all my discontents, but give me strength to struggle after you.




4 Jesus Meets His Mother

Christ Speaks: My mother see me whipped. She sees me kicked and driven like a beast. She counts my every wound. But though her soul cries out in agony, no protest or complaint escapes her lips or even enters her thoughts.
She shares my martyrdom – and I share hers. We hide no pains, no sorrow, from each other’s eyes. This is my Father’s will.

I reply: My Jesus, Lord, I know what you are telling me. To watch the pain of those we love is harder than to bear our own.
To carry my cross after you, the sufferings of my dear ones – the heartaches, sicknesses, and grief of those I love.
And I must let them watch mine, too.
I do believe – for those who love you all things work together unto good.

5 Simon helps Jesus

Christ Speaks: My strength is gone; I can no longer bear the cross alone, and so the legionnaries make Simon give me aid.
This Simon is like you, my other self. Give me your strength.
Each time you lift some burden from another’s back, you lift as with your very hand the cross’ awful weight that crushes me.

I reply: Lord, make me realize that every time I wipe a dish, pick up an object off the floor, assist a child in some small task, or gibe another preference in traffic or the store; clothe the naked, teach the ignorant, or lend my hand in any way – it matters not to whom – my name is Simon. And the kindness I extend to them I really give to you.





6 Veronica Helps Jesus

Christ Speaks: Can you be brave enough, my other self, to wipe my bloody face?
Where is my face, you ask?
At home whenever eyes fill up with tears, at work when tensions rise, on playgrounds, in the slums, the courts, the hospital, the jails – where suffering exists – my face is there. And there I look for you t wipe away my blood and tears.

I reply : Lord, what you ask is hard. It calls for courage and self-sacrifice, and I am weak. Please, give me strength. Don’t let me run away because of fear.
Lord, live in me, act in me, love in me. And not in me alone – in all of us – so that we may reveal no more your bloody but your glorious face on earth.


7 Jesus Falls Again

Christ Speaks: This seventh step, my other self, is one that tests your will. From this fall learn to persevere in doing good.
The time will come when all your efforts seem to fail and you will think, “I can’t go on”.
Then turn to me, my heavy-laden one, and I will give you rest.
Trust me and carry on.

I reply: Give me your courage, Lord. When failure presses heavily on me and I am desolate, stretch out your hand to lift me up.
I know I must not cease, but persevere in doing good.
But help me, Lord. Alone there’s nothing I can do. With you , I can do anything you ask.
I will.

8 Jesus Consoles the Women

Christ Speaks: How often had I longed to take the children of Jerusalem and gather them to me. But they refused.
But now theses women weep for me and my heart mourns for them – mourns for their sorrows that will come.
I comfort those who seek to solace me.
How gentle can you be, my other self? How kind?

I reply: My Jesus, your compassion in your passion is beyond compare.
Lord, teach me, help me learn. When I would snap at those who hurt me with their ridicule, those who misunderstand, or hinder me with some misguided helpfulness, those who intrude upon my privacy – then help me curb my tongue.
May gentleness become my cloak.
Lord, make me kind like you.



9 The Third Fall

Christ Speaks: Completely drained of strength I lie, collapsed, upon the cobblestones. My body cannot move. No blows, no kicks, can rouse it up.
And yet my will is mine. And so is yours.
Know this, my other self, your body may be broken, but no force on earth or in hell can take away your will.
Your will is yours.

I reply: My Lord, I see you take a moment’s rest then rise and stagger on. So I can do because my will is mine.
When all my strength is gone and guilt and self-reproach press me to earth and seem to hold me fast, protect me from the sin of Judas – save me from despair!
Lord, never let me feel that any sin of mine is greather than your love. No matter what my past has been I can begin anew.


10 Jesus Is Stripped

Christ speaks: Behold, my other self, the poorest king who ever lived. Before my creatures I stand stripped. The cross – my death bed – even this is not my own.
Yet who has ever been so rich?
Posessing nothing, I own all – my Father’s love.
If you, too, would own everything, be not solicitous about your food, your clothes, your life.

I reply: My Lord, I offer you my all – whatever I possess, and more, my self.
Detach me from the craving for prestige, position, wealth.
Root out of me all trace of envy of my neighbor who has more than I. Release me from the vice of pride, my longing to exalt myself, and lead me to the lowest place.
May I be poor in spirit, Lord, so that I can be rich in you.



11 Jesus Is Crucified

Christ Speaks: Can you imagine what a crucifixion is?
My executioners stretch my arms; they hold my hand and wrist against the wood and press the nail until it stabs my flesh. Then, with on heavy hammer smash, they drive through – and pain bursts lika a bomb of fire in my brain.
They seize the other arm; and agony again explodes.
Then raising up my knees so that my feet are flat against the wood, they hammer them fast, too.

I reply: My God, I look at you and think: Is my soul worth this much?
What can I give you in return?
I here and now accept for all my life whatever sickness, torment, agony may come. To every cross I touch my lips.
O blessed cross that lets me be – with you – a co-redeemer of humanity.


12 Jesus Dies

Christ Speaks: The cross becomes a pulpit now – “Forgive them Father . . . . .
You will be with me in Paradise . . . . . .
There is your Mother . . . . . . There . . . . . . your son . . . . .I thirst . . . . .
It is complete.”
To speak I have to raise myself by pressing on my wristis and feet, and every move engulfs me in new waves of agony.
And then, when I have borne enough, have emptied my humanity, I let my mortal life deptart.

I reply: My Jesus, God, what can I say or do?
I offer you my death with all its pains, accepting now the time and kind of death in store for me. Not by a single instant would I lengthen my life’s span.
I offer you my death for my own sins and for those of all humanity.
My God! My God! Forsake us not. We know not what we do.



13 Jesus Is Taken Down

Christ Speaks: The sacrifice is done. Yes, my Mass is complete; but not my mothers’s and not yours, my other self.
My Mother still must cradle in her arms the lifeless body of the son she bore. You, too, must part from those you love, and grief will come to you.
In your bereavements think of this: A multitude of souls were saved by Mary’s sharing in my Calvary. Your grief can also be the price of souls.

I reply: I beg you, Lord, help me accept the partings that much come – from friends who go away, my children leaving home, and most of all, my dear ones when you shall call them to yourself.
Then give me grace to say: “As it has pleased you, Lord, to take them home, I bow to your most holy will. And if by just one word I might restore their lives against your will, I would not speak.” Grant them eternal joy.


14 Jesus is Buried

Christ speaks: So ends my mortal life.
But now another life begins for Mary, and for Magdalen, for Peter and for John and for you.
My life’s work is done. My work within and through my church must now commence.
I look to you, my other self.
Day in, day out, from this time forth, by my apostle – victim – saint.

I reply: My Jesus, Lord, you know my spirit is as willing as my flesh is weak.
The teaching you could not impart, the sufferings you could not bear, the works of love you could not do in your short life on earth, let me impart, and bear, and do through you.
But, I am nothing Lord. Help me!




Christ Speaks: I told you at the start, my other self, my life was not complete until I crowned it by my death. Your “way” is not complete unless you crown it by your life.
Accept each moment as it comes to you, with faith and trust that all that happens has my mark on it. A simple fiat, this is all it takes; a breathing in your hear, “I will it, Lord.”
So seek me not in far off places, I am lose at hand. Your workbench, office, kitchen, these are altars where you offer love. And I am with you there.

Go now! Take up your cross and with your life complete your way.

Clarence Enzler