Deacon C.J. Donarski - June 14

St. Philip Catholic Church: I beg pardon for getting carried away. Because things that I say I have to remember the fingers are pointing back at me. These are not just words. They are God's love for us. And that drives me politely crazy. It inspires me. It makes me nervous. I know that for every word I say, for every hand shape and eye-to-eye look, I will be judged. How am I treating my fellow man? Jesus says, Drive out the demons. What demons do we carry? What fears? Cause us not to say hello to someone. I'm one of the guys that likes Gregorian chant and quiet churches. I'm one of the guys that when after Mass is over, I hear all kinds of talk. I go, God, please. I do. And at the same time, my heart is saying, Isn't that wonderful, God? That people are looking at each other and talking to each other, sharing your love by saying, I'm glad your baby was baptized. What was her name? Charlotte, was that after Charlotte the Webb? Not quite. When we look at the gospels today, when we look at all the readings today, there's a single word that should just strike our hearts. I won't do a Mel Gibson on you. Freedom. Freedom. We and I'm gonna pick on America, we in America take freedom in part for granted and in part that we're free to do whatever we darn well please. Ten Commandments, that's for somebody else. That's that's old stuff. We don't have to worry about that anymore. We don't have to go to mass on Sunday. We don't have to go to church on Sunday. That's that's old stuff back there someplace. We don't have to go to confession to be reconciled. I can go straight to God and say, Dear God, forgive me, I am a sinner. Pardon me, but I'm not that publican that's standing in the back of the church. Jesus has said, go out to all the world. Proclaim the good news. Whose sins you hold bound are bound. sins you forgive they are forgiven them. That's freedom. Periodically, certainly during the Lenten season and advent, the freedom line is standing there. Should it not be at least every Saturday? Or sometimes We pigeonhole the priest and say, Father, before mass you got five minutes. Only five, CJ. Freedom. Freedom to come here and Jesus says, This is my body. Take and eat. This is my blood given for you. Given. He takes it on himself and he gives us himself. I don't know about you, but that makes me shake. I've been a deacon for more than 20 years. When I lift the chalice, that tin cup, I am so afraid that I will spill a drop of his precious blood. Come to me all you who who are heavily laden and I will give you rest. Is that not freedom? That's what the gospel is bringing us. Then if we come here, and I'm going to guess there's 400 people here. Then we four hundred at the end of Mass are told, Go proclaim the good news of the Lord. Go proclaim the gospel of the Lord. We all by baptism, just like what Miss Charlotte is going to have, are called by name and then sent out there. I had a gentleman before mass say to me that every week his wife is spiritually high because she goes to the hospital to bring communion to those who cannot be there. I can resonate with that real well because I work in a hospital and for the Catholic patients that are there, I bring them the Eucharist. On more than one occasion, I've encountered someone who has said, you brought me Jesus. 'Cause they see the burst w on my shirt. They know. How much more would they love to see you come and visit them? How much more? Because it is our calling to go and proclaim the good news of the Lord, to go and proclaim his freedom. May the sacred heart of Jesus have mercy on us. And the Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us.