Ask Deacon Mike

I write to you today from New Orleans, LA. I am here for a technical conference for my work. As we were traveling from the airport to the downtown hotel our shuttle driver described the devastation to the area resulting from Hurricane Katrina back in 2005. We can all still envision the pictures and videos from the television as New Orleans was brought to its knees by this horrible tragedy. However, not until you see the area and the after effects some five years later can one really begin to appreciate what happened here and the miraculous recovery that these people down here brought about by shear determination, hard work and cooperation.

All of this got me to thinking about the general state of affairs in our little corner of the world here in the Upper Perkiomen valley. The economy has hit us hard. I know so many people who are just holding on. As I visit with you on Sunday mornings I become increasingly aware of the issues that confront many families: illnesses, financial uncertainties, job loss, deaths of loved ones, etc.

Yet I cannot help but also reflect on our faith and how great a gift faith is to all of us regardless of our circumstances. This weekend we reach the mid point of Advent. Christmas is just two short weeks away. (I have not even begun to think in that direction yet. Have you?) But we couldn’t ask for a better time to stop and take inventory of our lives, to look at our priorities and to make whatever adjustments are needed to put our lives in their proper perspectives.

Regardless of what is going on – good or bad – we must always remember that Jesus came to be with us in all aspects of our lives. He is with us in good times and He is with us in the bad times. Jesus is Lord of all. He loves us and desires to be with us. Even more importantly He wants us to desire to be with Him.

As we celebrate Christmas this year let us be mindful of God’s love. Sometimes we become so immersed in our lives and troubles that we forget the love and mercy that God offers us. Sometimes when life is difficult we loose sight of what is important and what is not. While we may loose sight of Jesus, He never looses sight of us. Let us take this assurance and apply it to every aspect of our lives. With God’s help we can face our fears and challenges with confidence and hope. Let us welcome our new born King with joy in our hearts. Let His innocence replace our fear. Let His dependency on His Virgin Mother replace our worries and doubts. Let His love for His Father fill us with trust and hope as we place our needs before Him.

I have an update on Fr. John Scarcia. I spent a few hours with Fr. Scarcia last week in Orlando. Father lives there now full time. He is happy and in relatively good health. As long as he follows his doctor’s instructions he does well. His heart condition is holding steady which is good news. He asked me to extend his warmest best wishes to all of you. He had many questions but he also had many observations. He is extremely happy to see that our parish continues to grow and extend God’s love to our community. I have included a picture of Father and me. As you can see he looks well and happy.

As I close I want to wish all of you a very happy and holy Christmas. May the promise of a new born baby fill you with joy and peace. God bless you. I love you all. Deacon Mike.