Deacons Insights

Matthew 26:26-30

Abiding in Jesus
While they were eating, Jesus took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and giving it to his disciples said, “Take and eat; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, from now on I shall not drink this fruit of the vine until the day when I drink it with you anew in the kingdom of my Father.” Then, after singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Coming Down from the Mountaintop
Once we come to know Jesus, and to love Him, everything changes. And the things of this world start to fade in importance. Everything begins and ends with Jesus, the source of our greatest joy and our more perfect peace. And much like Peter, James, and John on the Mount of Transfiguration, we want to remain in that state of perfect peace. But the world doesn’t work that way, and neither does our faith. We need to come down from the mountain and back into the everyday of our lives, with all of its ups and downs, triumphs and struggles, joys and sorrows. Jesus promised that He would never leave us or forsake us and would be with us always, to the end of the age. But how do we abide in Him in a world that is largely indifferent, if not openly hostile to Jesus’ countercultural message of selfless, self-giving love?

Abiding in Jesus through the Eucharist
The answer is in the sacraments, and most especially in the Eucharist, where Jesus gave us His Body and Blood to dwell within us. It is truly bread for the journey of faith and life, that strengthens us and helps us to be the people we were created to be – people of unconditional love, mercy, and service to one another. So when we come to the Eucharist, either at Mass or for Adoration, we are coming into the very presence of Jesus, and then go forth with His life and His love dwelling in our hearts. That is true no matter where we are on our faith journey.

The Power of the Eucharist: the Cross and the Spirit
But what is it about the Eucharist that can affect us so powerfully? It comes from two places, the blood shed by Jesus on the Cross, and the power of the Holy Spirit. Remember what Jesus said at the Last Supper: that He was leaving, but that He would send an Advocate, the Holy Spirit, to dwell within and among us to help, guide, and strengthen us. And it is the Holy Spirit that comes upon us at our Baptism, to wipe us clean from original sin through the Precious Blood of Jesus, to allow us to be born again and embark upon our journey of faith. And it is the Holy Spirit who transforms the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Jesus, so that we have food for that journey of faith, to strengthen and encourage us.

Tabernacles of the Holy Spirit
But it’s not just a source of strength and encouragement. It’s so much more because the Eucharist is actually the means whereby Jesus dwells within us. I remember a street preacher in downtown Boston asking me if I had a personal relationship with Christ. I told him yes, and in fact it was so personal that I was headed to Mass at Arch Street to receive Jesus Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity in the Eucharist. He didn’t understand what I meant, but I know you all do. When we receive Jesus in the Eucharist, or even when we come into His presence, it changes us. Much like how the bread and wine transform into the Body and Blood of Jesus, when we receive the Eucharist, we are transformed once again into temples of the Holy Spirit and vessels of His love, grace, and mercy for the world.

Go Forth and Rejoice in the Knowledge and Abiding Love of Jesus
So as you leave this Church tonight, go home by a different way. You can take the same road, but be transformed by this moment, rejoicing that we have all drawn a little deeper together into the knowledge and love of Jesus, who is truly love incarnate, and let us go forth and abide in His love, not just this Lent, but always. If we do that, we can bring His light and His love into the world, and perhaps help others come to know, love, and abide in Jesus as well.

Deacon Matt Porter

February 18, 2024

1st Sunday of Lent
Genesis 9:8-15; Psalms 25; 1 Peter 3:18-22; Mark 1:12-15

Closing In On the Kingdom
As we begin Lent, today’s Gospel records the words that launch Jesus’ public ministry: “Repent and believe in the Gospel.” It’s no coincidence we hear those same words on Ash Wednesday when we receive ashes on our forehead. We need to repent, Jesus tells us, because “the Kingdom of God is at hand.” That is a phrase we hear frequently in the Gospels, but what exactly is the Kingdom of God, and what does repentance have to do with it?

Down to Basics
The answer to the first question is found later in Mark’s Gospel, when a scribe asks Jesus which commandment in the Mosaic law was the most important. There are 613 rules and regulations in the Torah, so the scribe wanted to know what to focus on to ensure he was right with God. Jesus explained that it all comes down to the two greatest commandments, loving God with all of our heart, mind, soul and strength, and loving our neighbor as ourselves. Everything else flows from those two commandments, which we know as the “law of love.” When the scribe agreed that being a person of love was far more important than mindlessly keeping a bunch of rules, Jesus told him, “you are not far from the Kingdom of God.”

The Kingdom of God is Within You
So the Kingdom of God is where we truly become who God created us to be: people who love the Lord with everything we have, then go forth and love and serve everyone we meet. It is where we become like Jesus, who loved perfectly and completely. Jesus revealed that love most powerfully on the Cross, where Jesus laid down His very life so that our sins might be forgiven, and we could be restored to friendship with God. And the Kingdom of God comes to fruition inside each one of us when our hearts are completely united with the Cross of Jesus, which is why Jesus taught us in Luke’s Gospel that “the Kingdom of God is within you.”

Metanoia
So how do we get to that place inside ourselves? The key is in today’s Gospel: repentance, which actually comes from a Greek word, metanoia, meaning a change of mind and heart. It is a turning from something toward something else. It is a total reorientation of our lives. It is deciding to live in a different way, in our thoughts, our words, and our deeds. So to repent, we turn away from something – our sin and selfishness and hyper-focus on ourselves – and toward something – total love of God and neighbor.

Brutally Honest
Please understand that repentance is not some guilt trip designed to make you feel worthless. After all, the Lord knows your sins already and loves you anyway. No, it is about making an honest self-assessment of our sins and shortcomings and asking the Lord for forgiveness and the strength to begin again. Not perfect, but striving in that direction, while still recognizing our very real limitations and need for continual growth. But most of all, acknowledging our powerlessness to do it on our own, and humbly asking for God’s help. When we approach the Lord in that way, with sincerity and humility, we can be sure that He will help us to become the people we were created to be, people of selfless love for God and one another, and the Kingdom of God will begin to manifest itself in our hearts and in our lives.

The Genius of Lent
While we can, and should, begin that process every day, Lent is a special time when we can re-focus on our need for repentance and grace if we are going to truly experience the miracle of Easter, when the Kingdom of God reaches its zenith. And Lent gives us three essential tools for that journey: prayer, almsgiving, and fasting, which actually tie in perfectly with the two great commandments.

Prayer Draws Us Close to God
Prayer is all about loving the Lord with all of our heart, mind, and soul. Whatever form it takes and wherever we do it, prayer is a conversation with God, as we pour out our hearts to the Lord, and allow Him to fill us with His love in return. It is a place of encounter, between each of us and the Lord, which I think is why Jesus tells us to go to a quiet place, by ourselves, and just be in God’s presence and experience His love.

Almsgiving Draws Us Close to Our Neighbor
Almsgiving is the fruit of prayer, where we take the love the Lord has poured into our hearts and go forth and love others. For sure we start by caring for the materially and spiritually poor, to those at the margins of life. But really almsgiving means giving of ourselves to everyone we encounter, all day, every day. There are so many needs everywhere around us. We just need to keep our eyes and our hearts open, and we will have an infinite number of opportunities to love and serve the world in Jesus’ Name.

Fasting Gives Us Time and Space to Love
Finally, the Church invites us to fast. Again, there is a danger that we just go through the motions of giving up this food or that activity. But what we do is far less important than why we do it. Whatever we do, fasting is really an opportunity to step back from those things that occupy our minds and hearts and give ourselves more space to pray and to serve. In other words, to help us focus on what’s most important: drawing closer to Jesus and our neighbor in love.

A Kingdom of Love
Like that scribe, it is so tempting to get bogged down in rules and regulations, because it gives us a false sense of control. But when we do that, we can miss the forest for the trees. Maybe St. Paul’s formula makes more sense: the only thing that matters is faith working itself out in love. So this Lent, keep it simple. Let’s turn away from our everyday tendency to focus on ourselves, and turn toward the Lord in humble repentance, and toward our neighbor in loving service. If we do that, we will come just a little bit closer to having the Kingdom of God come to fruition within us and those around us, not just this Lent but always.

 Deacon Matt Porter

February 4, 2024

5th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Job 7:1-7; Ps. 147; 1 Cor. 9:16-23; Mark 1:29-39

Total Transformation
Last week saw the passing of Jim Orcutt, a legendary figure in the Catholic charitable community. Jim and his wife Terry founded My Brother’s Keeper in South Easton, which has given away high-quality furniture, nutritious food, and Christmas presents to hundreds of thousands of families over the past 35 years. They started with nothing, other than the most important thing, faith in God and love for people, and by the time of Jim’s passing MBK had two massive warehouses, thousands of volunteers, and a multimillion-dollar budget, all designed to help the neediest among us.

But what is even more amazing is the story behind the story. Jim ended up a living saint, but he was the first to admit he had more than his fair share of challenges growing up. Everything changed for him after he went on a Cursillo retreat, where he finally encountered Jesus for the first time and experienced true conversion and healing. From that point forward, Jim and his lovely wife Terry were motivated by a deep desire to love and serve everyone in need, no questions asked, in the Name of Jesus. He beautifully manifested the maxim that “every saint has a past, every sinner a future.”

An Age-Old Story
While Jim’s story is remarkable in terms of its massive impact, it is hardly unique. Indeed, we see it in today’s Gospel, where Jesus heals St. Peter’s mother-in-law. We don’t know her name, or what was wrong with her, other than that she was “sick with a fever.” But the details are beside the point. Jesus saw that she was sick, and Jesus healed her. Because that is what the Lord does.

Healing Broken Hearts
Now, some folks might wonder about that, because in many instances people have tremendous physical suffering, and pray for a cure that never comes. And it is a mystery why sometimes people experience miraculous healings, while others don’t. But while the Lord doesn’t always heal us physically, if we open our hearts to His love, Jesus will give us what we need most of all: the strength and the courage to face the trials of our lives, whatever they are, whether they are physical, emotional, or spiritual. As the Psalmist prays, “the Lord heals the brokenhearted.”

That is true no matter who we are, or what we’ve done. For God doesn’t look at us the way the world does, with a critical spirit focused on finding fault and reasons to exclude. No, Jesus looks at us with love, looking for reasons to excuse whatever bad decisions we’ve made. If that sounds too good to be true, think about Jesus’ prayer for the men who nailed Him to the Cross: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” As the late Fr. Leo Clifford used to say, in God’s eyes we are all foolish children, and He loves us no matter what we’ve done. We just need to come to Jesus, just as we are, no matter how broken we are or how unworthy we might feel, to experience true healing and peace from whatever ails us.

When I Am Weak, I Am Strong
While that might sound like a comforting message, and it is, it should also be the impetus to action. First, of course, to allow the Lord to heal us. That takes real humility, since we have to acknowledge our limitations and powerlessness, and place our lives in His hands. It is a total surrender, something we hear so often as the first step in recovery from addiction, because it opens us up to God’s love. That is the key, because when we finally admit our powerlessness, and get out of our own way, we allow God’s power to finally work in our lives. Then, we can truly be healed, and our lives can be radically changed for the better. That is why St. Paul says, “when I am weak, then I am strong.”

The Love of God Compels Us
But we can only fully access this amazing gift of God’s love when we pay it forward. We need to share it with others. That is actually a command from the Lord. Jesus tells us we must love one another as He has loved us. But even if Jesus hadn’t commanded it, the love of God compels us to love and serve one another, as St. Paul teaches. For when we truly love the Lord, His love is like an overflowing fountain, or to use Jesus’ words, a river of living water, flowing out from us into the lives of those around us. And when that happens, we experience even deeper healing because when we love our neighbor, it actually draws us closer to Jesus.

To the Ends of the Earth
But that begs the question: who are we called to heal? Put simply: everyone, everywhere. For when we get right down to it, we are all in need of healing. Certainly the materially poor, the infirm, or those at the margins of society, but not just those folks. Even the people who seem to have it all together are experiencing struggles in their lives, or in the lives of their families. It might be problems at work, an illness of some kind, addiction, a mental health crisis, a struggling child, or a broken relationship. Whatever it is, what they need from us is kindness, empathy, and love. While that might sound daunting, we don’t have to do it alone. We can do it in Jesus’ Name and with His love. We can be, as St. Francis famously said, instruments of His peace, both with our words and with our deeds.

Tikkum Olam
Our Jewish brothers and sisters have a saying, tikkum olam, which means to heal the world. That is such a beautiful idea, but it’s not just wishful thinking. It can be a reality, if we just surrender our wounded hearts to Jesus, allow Him to heal us of whatever is weighing us down, and then go forth in love to bring that healing to everyone we encounter, no matter who they are or what is ailing them. There is no greater work we could possibly do, and what a wonderful gift that would be for ourselves, for our families, and for a world that is so broken, and so in need of the Lord’s healing touch.
Here is a link to Jim Orcutt's obituary. Well worth reading and so inspirational. Proof that with God all things are possible.

 Deacon Matt Porter

Read about Jim Orcutt

January 7, 2024
Is. 60:1-6; Ps. 72; Eph. 3:2-6; Matt. 2:1-12

Parental Devotion
One of the greatest blessings of being a deacon is that I get to baptize so many children. On Saturday, I celebrated my 200th baptism! While our baptism families come in all shapes and sizes, the one thing they all have in common is their incredible love for their children. Half the time during the service they are barely paying attention to me, as they are totally focused on their babies, attending to their needs and just loving on them. Their kids are their whole world, and it is beautiful to see.

Right Side Up
It is simply amazing how having a child changes your entire life. One minute you are carefree, doing whatever you want whenever you want, and essentially living for yourselves. Then, from the moment you find out you’re going to be parents, everything is about your child. Your whole life is totally turned upside down.

Actually, what happens is your life is turned right side up. Because you are finally living as you were meant to be, as a person for others. For while we spend so much of our lives focused on ourselves, we were actually created to look upward, to God, and outward, to one another. While the world might tell us that is foolish and naïve, and that we need to get ours before the other guy gets his, always come in first, and make sure folks notice us and our accomplishments, that is not the Lord’s desire for us.

Made For Love
No, we were created in His image and likeness to be people of selfless, self-giving, self-sacrificing love, who, as St. Paul teaches, “consider others better than ourselves.” In other words, we are called to be like Jesus, who laid down His life every day for everyone, friend and foe alike, and calls us to do the same. We see that so beautifully displayed in all the sacrifices parents make for their children, working so hard and giving up so much so their kids can have a better life than them. It is awesome to behold, and really does reflect the image of the Holy Family, and ultimately, of God’s love for each one of us.

The Magi: Lives Turned Upside Down By the Encounter
We see this radical change of heart so clearly in the spiritual life as we look at today’s Gospel for the Feast of the Epiphany. The word “epiphany” means a sudden revelation of something previously hidden, which is precisely what the Magi experienced when they encountered Jesus in that Bethlehem stable. These three kings, or astrologers, or wise men “from the east,” follow the Star of David to Bethlehem to bring the Baby Jesus gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, because they have received a mysterious prophecy about a newborn king. Again, we might be tempted to write it off as another quaint children’s story, but there are actually two very important lessons we can draw from this Gospel.

When We Finally Encounter Jesus, We Are Changed Forever
First, we see that an encounter with Jesus will turn our lives completely upside down – or, more accurately, right side up. Look again at the Magi: prior to meeting Jesus, they were open to Herod’s request that they tell him where to find the child, but once they had met Jesus, everything changed. They went back home by “a different way,” bypassing Herod’s palace and its privileges. Why? Because after encountering Jesus, they were different people, and the things that previously seemed so important suddenly faded into insignificance, and they saw the world as it truly is.

The same is true for us. No matter how we come to Jesus, when we truly encounter Him for the first time, we come away totally changed. As St. Paul explains, we are “new creations,” in Christ. Because Jesus allows us to see ourselves as we truly are, with all of our successes and failures, joys and sorrows. But far from condemning us, Jesus shows us how we can become the people we were meant to be. Not perfect, to be sure, but perfectly blessed. Why? Because we are loved, always and unconditionally, and all we need to do is return that love, to God and one another, as best we can with the gifts and limitations we have.

An Open Invitation
The other lesson we can draw from the Magi is that this life-changing encounter with Jesus is for everyone. When the Gospels were written, the debate was over whether Jesus came to bring salvation to all the nations, or just the people of Israel, and the visit of the Magi from the mysterious “east” demonstrated that God’s love is open to all people of goodwill.

But in our time and place there is perhaps a more important truth: that the Gospel is for everyone, no matter who you are or what you’ve done. That message is crucial, because so many folks feel excluded from the Church these days because they sense, rightly or wrongly, that they are judged, condemned, and rejected. Perhaps it is because of choices they’ve made in their life, the things they’ve done, or failed to do, or maybe they’ve just been away from the Lord so long they think there isn’t any way back for them. Or perhaps we just don’t make folks feel very welcome. And so they just walk away. After all, if you think you aren’t worthy, why would you come, and if you didn’t feel welcome or loved, why would you stay?

All Are Welcome
But I am here to tell you that everyone is welcome in God’s eyes. Not just the super holy, or the ones who know all the religious rules and jargon, but everyone. It doesn’t matter who you are or what you’ve done, God loves you. That doesn’t mean He loves everything we do, because we have all sinned and fallen short of His glory, but He loves us nevertheless and wants nothing but the best for us.

So as we start this new year, which is traditionally a time of fresh starts and new beginnings, turn your life upside down, or rather, right side up. Draw close to Jesus, by spending time in prayer, reading the Gospels, and receiving the Eucharist, and let Jesus transform you into the person you were meant to be: a person who loves selflessly, gives generously, and forgives readily. If you do that, you will know a peace and joy that transcends all imagining or understanding. And that, without doubt, will be the best New Year’s resolution you will ever make, for yourself, your family, and for the world.

 Deacon Matt Porter

On Jan. 1, we celebrate the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, whose entire life was a "yes" to Jesus, no matter the cost. God bless you all, always.

Today we celebrate one of my favorite days of the year, the Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God. Now before some of my friends roll their eyes and think, there go the Catholics again with their obsession of Mary, bear with me for a moment. For like all things Mary, this day is ultimately about her Son, Jesus, and Our Lady would be the first one to tell us that.

The title “Mother of God” goes all the way back to the Council of Ephesus in 431 A.D, which rejected the heretical teaching of Nestorius, who argued that Jesus was not actually the Son of God. The Council explaining that Jesus actually had 2 natures, human and divine, that were indivisible in His one person, and therefore Jesus was both fully God and fully Man. To emphasize that truth, Mary was given the title “Theotokos” or God-bearer (a title used frequently in the Eastern Orthodox Church). So we are right to celebrate Mary as the Mother of God, because that points us to the ultimate truth, that Jesus is not just a great moral teacher or inspirational figure, He is truly the Son of God and Savior of the world.

Mary the First Evangelist
But that is how it always is with Mary, because she always brings us to her Son, and brings Jesus to us. We see that so clearly at the Annunciation, when the Archangel Gabriel announced to Mary that she would be with child by the power of the Holy Spirit. After that receiving that mind-boggling news, Mary didn’t keep it to herself, she “went in haste” to her cousin Elizabeth, who was pregnant with John the Baptist.

Mary’s first instinct was to bring Jesus to others, and she has never stopped doing so since, particularly during her miraculous appearances at Guadalupe, Lourdes, Fatima, Kibeho, and Medjugorje, among others. And just like when she came to Elizabeth, and John the Baptist leapt in his mother’s womb, whenever we encounter Mary, we also encounter Jesus, and we experience the peace and joy that only Christ can give us.

Mary the Greatest Disciple
But Mary doesn’t simply lead us to Jesus, she shows us what it means to be His disciple. Think about her response to Gabriel’s pronouncement that she would be the Mother of God: she didn’t object, or refuse, but said simply, “may it be done to me according to your word.” Mary’s entire life was a “yes” to Jesus, which was ultimately what it means to be full of grace.

And even more than that, Mary encourages each one of us to follow Jesus in precisely the same way, with every fiber of our being. Remember what she said to the servants at the wedding in Cana: “do whatever He tells you to do.” That, in a nutshell, is what it means to follow Jesus: to come to Christ in prayer, ask Jesus what He would have you do, and then do it wholeheartedly, without delay. When we do that, we join our hearts to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, in much the same way that his heart beat in unison with Mary’s while she carried Jesus in her womb.

Mary Our Partner In Prayer
For all of that, I think Mary’s most important role is to lead us in prayer. Again, some folks may wonder why we pray the Rosary. After all, isn’t it just the mindless repetition of words that Jesus condemned in His Sermon on the Mount? Far from it. For the Rosary is actual a meditation on the main events of Jesus’ life, including His Birth, His public ministry, His Passion and Death, and His Resurrection and Ascension. If we are honest with ourselves, most folks who don’t pray the Rosary probably don’t meditate intensely on those mysteries from Jesus’ life on a daily basis. But with Mary as our prayer partner as we pray the Rosary, we can enter into those mysteries, ponder their meaning in our own lives, and draw deeper into God’s infinite love.

And there is one other thing. Remember when Jesus promised that wherever 2 or more are gathered in His Name, Jesus would be among them? When we pray with Mary, we never pray alone, and Jesus is very much present in our midst. That isn’t to say that we shouldn’t speak directly to Jesus – we absolutely should, and Mary would be the first one to tell us that (and in fact she did just that at Cana). But there is something comforting about having a consistent partner in prayer like Mary who, even when we feel very much alone, or feel that are prayers are a bit hollow for whatever reason, is right there with us, bringing our hopes and dreams, joys and sorrows, to Her Son.

Personal Testimony: There’s Something About Mary
I expect some folks might remain unconvinced, and that’s OK. For several years after my own conversion, I was a bit skeptical, and worried that drawing close to Mary might take the focus off my relationship with Jesus. But as it turns out, it had the opposite effect. As my devotion to Mary gradually grew, my love for Her Son grew even more intense, and the peace and joy in my heart grew exponentially. Millions of other people have had a similar experience, because Mary wants nothing more than to draw us close to the ultimate source of peace and joy, Jesus.

A Different New Year’s Resolution
New Year’s is often a time when folks turn inward, taking stock of their lives and vowing to make changes in the hope of making their lives better and being better people, and that’s wonderful. But perhaps this is the year to try something different. Instead, turn upward and outward, focusing on your relationship with Jesus and with others. And there is no better guide in that endeavor than His Mother, who brought Our Lord into this world for one reason and one reason only – so that He might be the source of our hope and our salvation, in this life and in the life to come.

This image is from the Perpetual Adoration Chapel of St. Maximilian Kolbe in Niepokalanow, Poland. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us poor sinners, now and at the hour of our death, and bring us, and our loved ones, to the glorious throne of your Son Jesus.

 Deacon Matt Porter

December 12, 2023

An Unlikely Conquest
Today is the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, one of the most important days on the Church calendar. It marks the turning point in the introduction of Christianity into the Americas, in 1531. At that time, the Spanish had just conquered the Aztecs, but like most colonial incursions, the overall impact of Spanish rule was not positive. As such, there was great resistance among the people to Christianity, which was seen as the religion of their conquerors.

Then, on December 9, 1531, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to an indigenous peasant, Saint Juan Diego, who was a recent convert to Christ. She instructed Juan Diego to tell the Bishop to build a church on the spot where she had appeared. Not surprisingly, he refused, being skeptical that the Mother of God would appear to this lowly peasant (even though the Lord always seems to use the most unlikely, powerless people). The Bishop told Juan Diego to ask for a sign, and on December 12, 1531, Our Lady appeared again. This time, she gave the Bishop a sign, causing beautiful Castilian roses to bloom even though it was winter and they were out of season. Juan Diego put them in his tilma, or poncho, and brought them to the Bishop. When he opened his tilma, the Bishop was shocked, not because of the roses but because of the image imprinted on the garment, which we now know as Our Lady of Guadalupe. The Bishop was convinced, the church was built, and today 20 million of people visit the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City every year, far, far more than come to Mecca for the great pilgrimage.

The Proof is in the Pudding, or the Tilma
It sounds like a nice story, and you might be able to chalk it to old wives' tales or religious superstition, except for one thing: Juan Diego's tilma. It was made of cactus fiber, and by any natural measure should have disintegrated within 20 years or so, but it has been almost 500 years now and the tilma is still completely intact and you can see it in the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe today. Even more amazing, the image on the tilma has no scientific explanation -- it's not painted on, it is part of the cactus fiber somehow. It is, simply put, a miracle, which should make us pause for a moment, and realize that there is more to this world than what we can experience with our senses.

The Deeper Meaning
The deeper meaning of Our Lady's appearance to Juan Diego is found in the image itself. Mary appears in the form of an indigenous peasant woman, pregnant with child, in native garb. In other words, she doesn't identify with the Spanish conquistadors, who sought wealth and power and cared nothing for the people they were exploiting. No, Mary, as she always does, identified with the ordinary people, the lowly, the powerless, and the afflicted. Just like Her Son Jesus, who taught that when we minister to the least of His brothers and sisters, we minister to Him. As Mary sings in Her Magnificat, God "has cast down the mighty from their thrones and lifted up the lowly."

For that is the true message of Jesus: it doesn't matter who you are, you are loved by God always and unconditionally. The world might think little of you, but God thinks the world of you. And all Jesus desires is that you come home to Him, no matter what you life has been like up until this point. There is such power in that message, which is why after Mary appeared to Juan Diego, it is estimated that over 3,000 people converted to Christ every day for 10 years straight.

And that message is as true now as it was for those indigenous people 500 years ago. So if you've been away from the Lord for while, perhaps a very long while, I would just invite you to open the doors of your heart to Christ this day. It will be the greatest Christmas present you ever receive.

Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, pray for us!

 Deacon Matt Porter

Click here to learn more about Our Lady of Guadalupe

December 8, 2023

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This might be one of the most confusing holidays on the Church calendar. Even most Catholics think it celebrates the day Jesus was conceived in the womb of Mary through the power of the Holy Spirit. But that is actually March 25 – 9 months before the birth of Jesus, of course – when the Archangel Gabriel announced to Mary that she would be the Mother of the Son of God and Savior of the world, the One we know as Jesus Christ. That is the Feast of the Annunciation. The Immaculate Conception, on the other hand, celebrates the great gift that God bestowed on Mary, that she was conceived without original sin. In other words, as Gabriel would say to her at the Annunciation, from the very first moment of her existence, Mary was “full of grace” and without sin.

What It Means to be Full of Grace
But what does that mean and how did it happen? What it means is that Mary was saved from the stain of original sin and was essentially in the same form as Adam and Eve before the Fall. She bore the image and likeness of God perfectly, without any blemish caused by sin, and therefore Mary’s will was perfectly in harmony with God’s will. In other words, Mary desired what God desired, nothing more and nothing less. That was why, when Gabriel revealed God’s plan for her life, that she would be a mother even though she had not had marital relations, Mary gave her “fiat” or “yes,” saying simply, “may it be done to me according to your word.” While she didn’t totally understand what was happening to her – how could she? – Mary surrendered herself, and her will, completely to God. It is very much a foreshadowing of what we hear from her Son Jesus in the Garden, when He prays, “not my will but thy will be done.” It is also what each of us is called to pray each day, particularly when we recite the Lord’s Prayer. That is why Mary is our model for perfect discipleship.

Prevenient Grace
But while that sounds beautiful, how could Mary be saved, even before she was born, from original sin? As with everything, it all comes back to Jesus, and to His Cross, which is the means of salvation for all of us, including Mary. And because God stands outside of space and time, the events of Jesus’ life – including His birth which we celebrate in just a few weeks, as well as His Passion, Death, and Resurrection – occurred not only at a specific time and a specific place in human history – 2,000 years ago in the Holy Land but have impacts that stretch into the past and future, even to our present age.
That is why we can look to the Cross as the means of salvation for those who lived before Jesus, such as Abraham and Moses, and to each of us today. Every sin ever committed, or that will be committed, is capable of being forgiven by the Blood shed by Jesus on the Cross, if only we would accept His mercy. His love is that limitless. But in the case of Mary, she was given a special grace as she was preserved from sin through “prevenient grace,” which is a fancy way of saying that she was saved by Jesus’ Death on the Cross from the very moment of Her conception, even though His Passion would not occur until around 50 years later. That, ultimately, is the meaning of Mary’s Immaculate Conception.

To Jesus Through Mary
So while some folks might worry that Catholics (and our Orthodox brothers and sisters) are too preoccupied with the Virgin Mary, understand that Her entire life, from the moment of Her Immaculate Conception until Her Assumption into Heaven, is all about bringing us to Jesus. Remember what Mary does right after the Annunciation – she leaves Nazareth “in haste” and goes to her cousin Elizabeth, who is pregnant with John the Baptist, to bring Jesus to them. And what is the response? Utter joy. That is why we call Mary the first and greatest evangelist. For she wants just one thing above all else: to introduce each and every one of us to Jesus. And because no one knows Jesus better than His Mother, Mary is the perfect guide for each of us, as we have seen so powerfully through her appearances at Guadalupe, Lourdes, Fatima, Knock, Medjugorje, Kibeho, and elsewhere, because whenever and wherever Our Lady appears, people come to saving faith in Her Son Jesus.

A Visible Sign of God’s Amazing Grace and Limitless Love
Through Her Immaculate Conception, Mary is a visible sign of the amazing grace and limitless love God has for the world. That He would take a seemingly lowly peasant girl, free her from the very first moment of her existence from the stain of original and actual sin, and then give her the highest honor ever bestowed on a human being: to be the Mother of God and the one who brings the Savior of mankind into the world. So we are right to celebrate the Immaculate Conception this day, as it reminds of the greatest of all truths, that there is no limit to how far God will go to save us and restore us to His friendship, because His love for us knows no bounds.

 Deacon Matt Porter

December 3, 2023

Preparing for True Christmas Joy

Advent calls us to prepare for the joyous celebration of Jesus' birth. Despite occurring over 2,000 years ago, the impact of that humble event in Bethlehem echoes through history. Christmas, often viewed as a time of peace and joy, transcends religious boundaries, bringing people together in light, music, and festive gatherings.

The Distraction Dilemma

However, amidst the festivities, it's easy to lose sight of the true meaning of Christmas. Our secular celebrations are wonderful, but we mustn't forget that Christmas exists because God sent His Son, Jesus, to show us the path of love.

Maintaining Focus

Hebrews 12:2 advises us to fix our eyes on Jesus. To do this during Advent, engage in spiritual "self-care" through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Dedicate time to prayer, disconnect from distractions, and find ways to support charitable causes.

Giving the Greatest Gift

Remember, the purpose is not just a personal relationship with Jesus but sharing His love with others. Be a reflection of Jesus by loving sincerely, without judgment. In subtle ways, share God's love through words and actions. When the opportunity arises, share the story of Christ's birth and its impact on your life.

In doing so, you contribute to the true essence of Christmas—restoring the world to friendship with God and teaching us to love one another. This, indeed, is a beautiful gift for a truly meaningful Christmas.

Deacon Matt Porter