Tag: faith

Listening to God: Insights from Saint Paul’s Conversion

by Gerry Palermo, posted in Catholic
It’s hard to listen to God when you already know what you want him to say.

Greetings on this the Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul, Apostle
Readings: Acts 22:3-16; Psalm 117:1bc, 2; Mark 16:15-18

Meeting Jesus

Today’s gospel portion is the Conversion of Saint Paul. Paul prayed and preyed (request, devour). Who was he listening to? What was guiding him?

Today is one month since Jesus was born. How has meeting Jesus at Christmas changed your life?

One month since Christmas. Did you hear the Lord’s voice?

In the name of God, Saul was a busy boy:

  1. persecuted this Way to death.
  2. binding both men and women and delivering them to prison.
  3. bring back to Jerusalem in chains for punishment those there as well.
  4. breathing murderous threats.
  5. he was there praying.

All the while he was most sure that he was zealous for and praying to God.

Bears repeating: At the feet of Gamaliel I was educated strictly in our ancestral law and was zealous for God, just as all of you are today.

We might want to take a step back.

Holy Intercessors

There was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias, and the Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” He answered, “Here I am, Lord.” The Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight and ask at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is there praying, and in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him, that he may regain his sight.”

A holy man given an assignment filled with danger… But Ananias replied, “Lord, I have heard from many sources about this man, what evil things he has done to your holy ones in Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to imprison all who call upon your name.”

So Ananias obeyed the Lord and went to see this despicable man Saul. Even to call him brother.

Intercessors in Haiti

So Ananias went and entered the house; laying his hands on him, he said, “Saul, my brother, the Lord has sent me, Jesus who appeared to you on the way by which you came, that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

Because of the hope we have in Jesus.

Jesus appeared to the Eleven and said to them: “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved.

What is it we pray for?

Saul had one prayer. After conversion, Paul had a different prayer. The second prayer was superior. But Saul grew all the stronger and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus, proving that this is the Christ.

It can be said we often tell God what we want, how God is to provide it and when we expect it. You know, like Saul. But once we decide to LISTEN instead, its a whole other story.

Instead, we are asked to give what will help others, provide what is missing and expect only the benefit of the divine love for us and our peoples. Maybe we have to stop telling God what we want and listen to what he offers.

Sacred Readings full text: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/012525.cfm

Peace be with you,
Deacon Gerry

Embrace God’s Reconciliation Today

by Gerry Palermo, posted in Uncategorized

Be Reconciled

Greetings on this the Memorial of Saint Francis de Sales, Bishop and Doctor of the Church
Readings: Hebrews 8:6-13; Psalm 85:8, 10, 11-12, 13-14; Mark 3:13-19

Summons and Reconcile

God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. So we are ambassadors for Christ, as if God were appealing through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. (2 Corinthians 5:19-21)

and again…

Summons

Jesus went up the mountain and summoned those whom he wanted and they came to him. He wants us to participate in the sharing of divine mercy.

Reconcile

  • God reconciles.
  • God calls us to reconcile and share the Good News.
  • God calls us to benefit from the Good News.

Reflection

Brothers and sisters: Now our high priest has obtained so much more excellent a ministry as he is mediator of a better covenant, enacted on better promises.

Psalmist Describes in poetry the Promises of the Lord through this High Priest Jesus

Show us, O LORD, your mercy,
and grant us your salvation.
Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him,
glory dwelling in our land.
Kindness and truth shall meet;
justice and peace shall kiss.
Truth shall spring out of the earth,
and justice shall look down from heaven.
The LORD himself will give his benefits;
our land shall yield its increase.
Justice shall walk before him,
and salvation, along the way of his steps.

Jesus Summons

  • He summons men and women to share the message of reconciliation the best example are the Apostles.
  • He summons men and women to benefit from the saving graces of God the best example is the conversion from evil to good..

AI Overview – search was for ‘define summons theology’

The Theology of God’s Providence – Marvin Williams
Summons theology is the idea that God calls people to live in obedience, love, and service. It’s also known as the divine summons, a call to holiness, and a call to joy and peace.

Sacred Readings full text: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/012425.cfm

Peace be with you,
Deacon Gerry

Hear the Heartbeat of Your Beloved

by Gerry Palermo, posted in Catholic

Hear the heartbeat of your beloved

Greetings on this the Thursday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time
Readings: Hebrews 7:25—8:6; Psalm 40:7-8a, 8b-9, 10, 17; Mark 3:7-12

Personal Note

Sorry no blog post yesterday, crazy day. BTW, any feedback on this new very truncated, brief and staccato writing style for the reflections? Always experimenting….

Central Gospel Message

as presented by our gospel acclamation verse today…

Our Savior Jesus Christ has destroyed death
and brought life to light through the Gospel.

and from the first reading…

Jesus is always able to save those who approach God through him,
since he lives forever to make intercession for them.
It was fitting that we should have such a high priest:
holy, innocent, undefiled.

and from the Gospel portion today (people coming from all over the region, far and wide)…

He had cured many and, as a result, those who had diseases
were pressing upon him to touch him.

Reflection

Confidence. Have confidence in the living God who saves us from all manner of problems. Not just problems, but actual alignment and harmony with the divine love. He had cured many and, as a result, those who had diseases were pressing upon him to touch him. Press upon him.

I often ask couples to relax in a certain way. Taking turns, not to fall asleep, not to be aroused, but to place your ear upon the chest of your beloved to hear, really hear, their heartbeat. The exercise completes when the heart rate is at its slowest. For science buffs, quantum observer effect is a way to describe it. My observing your heartbeat, changes you. It is a certain type of reception. Intimate without Eros. It is the same with the Lord.

Our Promise Back

With all the promises the LORD makes for his human family, we/you/I make a promise back… Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.

Sacred Readings full text: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/012325.cfm

Peace be with you,
Deacon Gerry

Understanding the Meaning of the Sabbath

by Gerry Palermo, posted in Catholic
Making a path, rubbing grain to live

Greetings on this the Memorial of Saint Agnes, Virgin and Martyr
Readings: Hebrews 6:10-20; Psalm 111:1-2, 4-5, 9, 10c; Mark 2:23-28

Picky, Picky, Picky

As Jesus was passing through a field of grain on the sabbath, his disciples began to make a path while picking the heads of grain.

Path and Grain

They made a path while picking the heads of grain. This phraseology is unique to the gospel of Mark even as the story is common between the three Synoptic gospels).

Jesus said of David, David was in need and he and his companions were hungry. Although the Show Bread should only to be consumed by the priests (who lawfully eat), he nevertheless shared it with his companions.

And Jesus didn’t have a problem with it.

Sabbath Chains or Sabbath Freedom

The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath. That is why the Son of Man is lord even of the sabbath.

It is clear this story is as much active today as in the time of Jesus.

In what ways have we turned the Sabbath, the Temple and the Worship into chains of oppression? We do it otherwise the story would not be in sacred scripture.

The disciples picked a path and the grain (in moderation and for good purpose) in a like way to David. And they were justified.

AI Overview – search was “theology unlawful and valid”

I love AI – amazing stuff. The problem the gospel story is expressing is the problem of understanding lawful and unlawful with valid and invalid.

In theology, particularly within the Catholic tradition, “unlawful” and “valid” are distinct concepts, meaning an action can be considered “valid” (producing the intended effect) even if it is performed in an “unlawful” or “illicit” manner, meaning it was done outside of the proper procedures or by an unauthorized person; essentially, the act itself is considered to have taken place, but it may not have been done correctly according to the established rules.

It’s time again to realign our lawful and valid concepts with proper intentions: Sabbath rest.

Caveats

The entirety of the observation is in regards to the rest of the Sabbath. REST. REFRESHMENT. CARE. SAVING BALM. It is not merely a memorial of the creative acts of God and appreciation of His benevolence. Those things are true, yes. It is the SABBATH actions of Jesus that rephrases the question. He goes beyond to describe Sabbath work: love, raising up, giving life, right judgment and honor (see study on the gospel of John here: ).

Gospel of John Outline – FinalDownload

Jesus approves this message.

Sacred Readings full text: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/012125.cfm

Peace be with you,
Deacon Gerry

Discerning Fasting: A Reflection on Relationship with Jesus

by Gerry Palermo, posted in Catholic
Feast or Fast?

Greetings on this the Monday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time
Readings: Hebrews 5:1-10; Psalm 110:1, 2, 3, 4; Mark 2:18-22

Not so Fast

The disciples of John and of the Pharisees were accustomed to fast. Jesus’ disciples did not yet have a fast.

From the gospel of Luke: The disciples of John fast often and offer prayers, and the disciples of the Pharisees do the same; but yours eat and drink.

We always have to be careful and not try and discern the thoughts and motivations of others as sport. Sometimes we must discern as a necessity.

What were they thinking?

Here is the NABRE commentary on this topic of fasting.

Can the wedding guests fast?: the bridal metaphor expresses a new relationship of love between God and his people in the person and mission of Jesus to his disciples. It is the inauguration of the new and joyful messianic time of fulfillment and the passing of the old. Any attempt at assimilating the Pharisaic practice of fasting, or of extending the preparatory discipline of John’s disciples beyond the arrival of the bridegroom, would be as futile as sewing a piece of unshrunken cloth on an old cloak or pouring new wine into old wineskins with the resulting destruction of both cloth and wine (Mk 2:21–22). Fasting is rendered superfluous during the earthly ministry of Jesus; cf. Mk 2:20. See: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/mark/2?22=#49002022

Sorrow

“Why do the disciples of John and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” Jesus answered them, “Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast. But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast on that day.

Presence

When in the presence of Jesus there is cause for Joy. When we are right with God, fasting is superfluous. It is the case that when we prepare to be in Jesus’ presence fasting is in order. This is one of our Season of Lent practices, to fast.

My Inventory Question

Here is how we can take on the question of fasting.

  • How is my life with Jesus? Is it a joyous and peaceful relationship? Then don’t fast.
  • Is my relationship with Jesus and others filled with contention? Then consider fasting and confession.

This is an over-simplification of the question of fasting. But it is quite useful place to start.

Sacred Readings full text: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/012025.cfm

Peace be with you,
Deacon Gerry

Hearing God: Overcoming Selective Hearing

by Gerry Palermo, posted in Catholic

Ephphatha “be opened”

Greetings on this the Thursday of the First Week in Ordinary Time
Readings: Hebrews 3:7-14; Psalm 95:6-7c, 8-9, 10-11; Mark 1:40-45

Hearing the Lord

If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

I’m sure at one point or another you and I have been accused of Selective Hearing. I say that in jest as it is a common complaint at home, work and in the Church. Makes me giggle.

Selective Hearing is wonderful in the right context.

Selective hearing, also known as selective auditory attention, is the ability to focus on a specific sound while ignoring other sounds. It’s a cognitive function that helps people concentrate on what’s important to them, even in noisy environments. Provided by Google’s Generative AI.

Oh, that today you would hear his voice,
“Harden not your hearts as at the rebellion
in the day of testing in the desert,
where your ancestors tested and tried me
and saw my works for forty years.

The days of Meribah, as in the day of Massah in the desert, were noisy days. Meribah: lit., “contention”; the place where the Israelites quarreled with God. Massah: “testing,” the place where they put God to the trial (NABRE Commentary on Ps 95:7).

In that place, water from a rock, the Quail and the Manna. In that place, victory in battle with Amalek. How did we not hear him in these things? Did we listen to our appetite instead?

Does He hear us?

Is the LORD in our midst or not? (Ex 17:7). Yes, he is, always.
The problem is really, why do we listen to everything else? How is it the worries, noise and problems of the world have a higher receptivity in us than the quiet, reassuring and effective love of God? He hears us. Let us hear him. If we must have selective hearing, let us hear his voice.

If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

Hearing Individual Prayer

A leper came to him and kneeling down begged him and said,
“If you wish, you can make me clean.”
Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand,
touched the leper, and said to him,
“I do will it. Be made clean.”

He hears us in community and as nations and each of us as persons.

Sacred Readings full text: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/011625.cfm

Peace be with you,
Deacon Gerry

The Divine in Everyday Life: A Monday Meditation

by Gerry Palermo, posted in Catholic
Deacon Pete (marine veteran) visits the VAMC !! Happy to see my brother Deacon!

Greetings on this the Monday of the First Week in Ordinary Time
Readings: Hebrews 1:1-6; Psalm 97:1 and 2b, 6 and 7c, 9; Mark 1:14-20

The Ordinary

Today is Monday of the First Week in Ordinary Time.

What is ordinary when it comes to the divine life being shared? See the list below. And as is so often the case, the gospel portions for the week start with a calling of disciples and ends with the calling of disciples. Always the call to participate in the salvific acts of Divine Love.

Gospel portions this week – the Ordinary of God

  • Monday – [The Call of the First Disciples] Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the Gospel of God: “This is the time of fulfillment. The Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the Gospel.”
  • Tuesday – A new teaching with authority. He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him.
  • Wednesday – He cured many who were sick with various diseases, and he drove out many demons.
  • Thursday – Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand, touched the leper, and said to him, “I do will it. Be made clean.”
  • Friday – When Jesus saw their faith, he said to him, “Child, your sins are forgiven.” He said to the paralytic, “I say to you, rise, pick up your mat, and go home.”
  • Saturday – [The Call of Levi] Jesus heard this and said to them, “Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.

In parallel we take a continuous reading from the Letter to the Hebrews.

  • Monday – In times past, God spoke in partial and various ways to our ancestors through the prophets; in these last days, he spoke to us through the Son.
  • Tuesday – What is man that you are mindful of him, or the son of man that you care for him?
  • Wednesday – Since the children share in blood and Flesh, Jesus likewise shared in them.
  • Thursday – The Holy Spirit says: Oh, that today you would hear his voice, “Harden not your hearts.
  • Friday – Therefore, let us strive to enter into that rest.
  • Saturday – So let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help.

Reflection on the Ordinary of God

The ordinary of the Divine is amazing to us. Each and every hour of the day the Lord is calling, healing and restoring the human family.

“This is the time of fulfillment.
The Kingdom of God is at hand.
Repent, and believe in the Gospel.”

Ordinary Span

From today until March 5th, 2025 is the ordinary Time. Ordinary for the Lord, amazing gifts for us. As is often the case in life, we can fall into a type of disregard or even despise the ordinary as bland and uninteresting. It is for that very reason we have the special seasons of Advent, Christmas, Lent and Easter. Because we cannot or will not see the good in the ordinary the Lord in his love performs even greater good.

Celebrating Fr John’s birthday on the Baptism of the Lord. Happy to celebrate!

Even scripture describes it that way.

For in fact we have received the Good News just as our ancestors did. But the word that they heard did not profit them, for they were not united in faith with those who listened.

Let’s change it up. Let our hearts be amazed in the ordinary love he has for us.

Sacred Readings full text: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/011325.cfm

Peace be with you,
Deacon Gerry

Understanding the Baptism of the Lord

by Gerry Palermo, posted in Catholic, christmas

Greetings on this the The Baptism of the Lord
Readings: Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7; Psalm 29:1-2, 3-4, 3, 9-10; Acts 10:34-38; Luke 3:15-16, 21-22

Every Nation

Peter proceeded to speak to those gathered
in the house of Cornelius, saying:
“In truth, I see that God shows no partiality.
Rather, in every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly
is acceptable to him.

Baptism of Jesus

After all the people had been baptized
and Jesus also had been baptized and was praying,
heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended upon him
in bodily form like a dove.
And a voice came from heaven,
“You are my beloved Son;
with you I am well pleased.”

Baptized and Praying

This is how Jesus is revealed fully divine and fully human. Jesus modeling our best self: baptized in his love and praying to God. Father, Son and Holy Spirit expressing themselves together. “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” Please to share with you, Brothers and Sisters. With you.

Sacred Readings Full text: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/011225.cfm

Peace be with you,
Deacon Gerry

The Healing Power of Faith in Daily Life

by Gerry Palermo, posted in Catholic, christmas
Deign to reach and touch the divine

Greetings on this the Friday after Epiphany

Readings: 1 John 5:5-13; Psalm 147:12-13, 14-15, 19-20; Luke 5:12-16

Summary

We need the Lord in all aspects of life. Small infections (which can debilitate the course of one’s life) or major bodily damage are all under the Lord’s care. He has given us the disciples (Apostles) to provide for this healing. Chief among all healing is forgiveness.

The Cleansing of a Leper (Scaly Infection)

It happened that there was a man full of leprosy in one of the towns where Jesus was; and when he saw Jesus, he fell prostrate, pleaded with him, and said, “Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.” Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him, and said, “I do will it. Be made clean.” And the leprosy left him immediately.

Earth has no sorrow that Heaven cannot heal

Everyone is looking for you (MK 1:37)

Then he ordered him not to tell anyone, but “Go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them.” Great crowds assembled to listen to him and to be cured of their ailments, but he would withdraw to deserted places to pray.

Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.

One aspect of people with scaly infections is obvious: it is visual. You can see the ailment. He might have had psoriasis, or seborrhoeic dermatitis, or certain mycotic infections, or patchy eczema, and/or pityriasis rosea. Or something more serious. We don’t know. We know that skin ailments are a constant problem, reoccurring often and in need of medical care.

The Lord is always healing us. We need constant healing.

Stages of Healing

  1. Ask to be healed
  2. Receive the healing of mind, body and spirit.
  3. Go to Church (the proof statement: (a) against those who don’t believe ironically enough; (b) to maintain proper order/credit origin of care)
  4. Pray and contemplate

Order of Care in Luke

  1. The Call of Simon the Fisherman.
  2. The Cleansing of a Leper.
  3. The Healing of a Paralytic.
  4. The Call of Levi.

These two important cleansing stories of the Leper (he touched the unclean, minor healing) and the Paralytic (miraculously significant healing and forgives sin), are encapsulated by the calling of the disciples. We can assume by this placement that the disciples are to learn to do the same and are given such authority and power to heal and forgive.

Neither Footnote Nor Final Answer

These healing stories are neither a footnote to the life of Jesus nor the final answer to the divine care through Jesus. They are reminders we need healing repeatedly, significantly and the greatest healing – forgiveness. The medical arts are a gift to be sure. Yet when we look at these stories as our spiritual needs we see: pleading, helping, and forgiving.

Love heals

I write these things to you so that you may know that you have eternal life, you who believe in the name of the Son of God.

Sacred Readings full text: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/011025.cfm

Peace be with you,
Deacon Gerry

The Observer Effect: Love’s Transformation

by Gerry Palermo, posted in Catholic, christmas
Jesus’ Essence and Action

Greetings on this the Thursday after Epiphany
Readings: 1 John 4:19–5:4; Psalm 72:1-2, 14 and 15bc, 17; Luke 4:14-22

Summary

Beloved, we love God because he first loved us. A better translation is We love because he first loved us.

What is love? Love is both a noun and a verb for you English majors so you don’t get annoyed with my reflection.

Love is a person and cannot exist without a person (as essence and action).

  1. There are persons A and B.
  2. A loves B.
  3. And you remove A you do not have “loves B” you simply have B.

Love then describes the nature of the relation between A and B, unidirectional, reciprocity is not assumed, we simply are saying A loves and A loves B. A can also love C and D and E.

Then we can say love is an expression of relation A unto B AND love is an essence of A. A possesses love essentially otherwise it cannot give love. Noun and verb.

What about B?

In quantum physics we talk about the observer effect. Observing is not passive without effect. Observing (measuring) actually changes the object fundamentally. Thus new meaning to the phrase: We love because he first loved us. The very observation (deliberately weak description) of the divine person upon us alters us. And since we are observed from the beginning of time, we can say with confidence, we are made in the image and called to the likeness of God. We are built to love ‘B loves A, too’ but not forced to love.

Receiving Love

If Object B is actively changed by the Subject A, why is there a need for trust (faith)? Because the origin of love by nature desires the nature of love to be reciprocal not consequential. So while it is impossible to be defined without the Subject A (God, if you missed it – B has it’s origin in A), A and A loves B, yet enforces no reciprocity. Or if you prefer, love is the only real response to love.

Extreme Example for contrast

God loves the Evil One. God imprinted love within the Evil One. The Evil One, by choice, rejects both his own essence, and the call of reciprocity of that essence. He is self-tortured by his very nature in contradiction to his own will. He spends his ‘time’ shielding himself from love and attempting to remove the urge to reciprocate. Awful stuff.

Reflection

“Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” And all spoke highly of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. In our gospel portion today, Jesus affirms the love of God for us and the not simply passive observations but the active observer effect. Jesus, as man, experiences (by free will) the Love of God and describes his reciprocity many times in sacred scripture. Here he describes the effects on the person of B (me = B).

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring glad tidings to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.

Personal Reflection

Human love is both simple and complicated, yes? How many people across time and cultures have written, sang, philosophized about love? A Ba-zillion, rough guess. But in faith we do simplify the the reality thus:

We were made by Love (noun), we were made in love (verb) and we are called to reciprocate love (noun – essence and verb – action).
Mic drop. AI says this phrase is good but needs expansion. Really? Literally just borrowing from the current colloquial terms. Eek!

If I had a mic right now…. I’d drop it.

Let this be your prayer today: Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled [in B me] in your [in A me] hearing.

Sacred Readings full text: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/010925.cfm

Peace be with you,
Deacon Gerry