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Dear Friends, Welcome to my website! |
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January 14, 2006 Dear friends in life and in ministry, Wow. what a change in weather we've experienced over the past few days in the Southern Tier of New York State. Our temperatures have dropped from nearly 60 degrees to snow and icy, windy cold. I usually do not even notice weather (Since its beyond our control, either enjoy it or get over it) but the wind was so gusty last evening - the heavy church doors actually blew open during our Saturday afternoon Mass. I've been pretty good at keeping to my resolutions to pray daily, eat less and exercise more but its a daily challenge. Thanks to all who wrote to wish me well in these efforts. You are loved. Ray
January 14, 2006 - Our Journey Begins This weekend we begin a long walk together, through the Sundays of Ordinary Time. In the weeks to come we who have decided to be “seekers” have an opportunity to become more acquainted with the person of Jesus and His style of living. We’ll do this through the Scriptures of Ordinary Time. Because we can not love what we do not know, God begins a courtship with us. Like the Great Lover that God is, God pursues us, searching for ways to win our hearts. Because many of us are either already in love (with who we are, what we own or what we like to do) or believe that we are incapable of being loved at all, God sometimes faces great obstacles in pursuing us. Because each of us are very different, God uses a variety of approaches to get our attention. Regardless, God invites our love—never demands it. In today’s First Reading, God gently interrupts the sleep of a young person. Samuel is a servant-boy for Eli. The lad hears a voice and believes it is from Eli. After several more voice-visits, Eli instructs Samuel on just how to respond. When Samuel finally realizes what he is hearing, he makes his profession of faith, “Here I am.” The Gospel is John’s account of Jesus’ beginning His public life of calling to follow His way, His truth and His life. As we have seen during the Advent Gospels, John’s Gospel begins with John the Baptist making clear that he, the Baptist, is not the Messiah. In the opening verses, John points out to his disciples that the One Who is passing by, He is the “Lamb of God.” Two of John’s disciples follow Jesus who turns and asks them about what are they seeking. Because they don’t know exactly what they are seeking - so they ask Jesus where He is staying. Jesus does not tell them, but shows them by inviting them to come and see. Like Andrew and Simon, we too are invited to come and see and stay a while with Jesus so we might grow to know him better and experience the depth of God’s love for us. Jesus has come as the Christ, the Anointed, the Messiah but perhaps more so — as the image of the lover God with skin on. He has overcome the obstacles of time and even earthly death just to be part of our lives. He has heard even our secret cries and responded. He has heard deeply our incompleteness and our longing to be invited out of our self-centeredness and the “troubles” into which our self-spirit has led us. That is why we must decide to move from the perhaps too comfortable place into which we have settled and become a seeker. Like the magi of last week’s Gospel, we must be prepared to spiritually hit the road and seek to know personally, the loving God who has gently or perhaps noisily called our name. Vocations Sunday Recently my friend Charlotte Bruney cited in her bulletin this report by Bryan Froehle, Director of the Siena Center of Dominican University that I think is worth reflecting upon: “A major new study on teenagers and the life of faith led by Christian Smith of the University of North Carolina suggests that, in general, Catholic teens are less connected to their faith than teens of most other faith traditions. He suggests that this is the case because teens reflect their parents’ level of commitment. We get what we want. If we want to predict the faith life of our young people, look at the generation that is raising them and the way the faith community of which they are a part lays out its lived expectations. Excluding statistically inevitable exceptions such as deeply practicing and highly committed families whose children leave the practice of the faith, consider instead the more representative statistical average: children whose parents sporadically attend and who themselves sporadically attend or not at all. Or children of parents who attend out of a somewhat resented habit but cannot express or share faith with their children in a credible way. Trends in religious practice reflect who we are, and what we want. Think of the young person who feels a vocation to be a priest, sister, or brother, or who wants to work for a service or justice organization and accept low wages rather than pursue a high-paying position. How many parents would discourage the former and encourage the latter?” This Sunday concludes National Vocations Week. Did you know that when most seminarians are asked what was the most important factor for them in choosing to follow this vocation path, their response is that someone asked or invited them to answer the call? We often don’t appreciate the influence we have on our young people, many of whom are genuinely searching for meaning in their lives. When was the last time we made the suggestion to consider a church vocation? As we pray that there will be priests and parish ministers to serve our faith communities in the years that lie ahead, let us also be pro-active about encouraging, inviting and holding up this life of service as an important gift to the Church and the world. If we value the Eucharist, let us not be shy to call forth from among us those whose lives reflect something of Jesus to the rest of us. Is there a young person in your midst who might consider exploring the possibility of a church vocation? Please direct him or her to the Vocations link on our diocesan website: http://www.dor.org/vocations/index.htm . In so doing, you might be the gently prodding voice of God that called Samuel in today’s first reading or the inviting voice of Jesus calling Andrew and Peter to discipleship. Ken Anderson Concert Have a good week. Serve one another well! Deacon Ray Defendorf |
Over the years, God has blessed me with many wonderful opportunites to minister. As a Roman Catholic permanent deacon of the Diocese of Rochester, New York, (ordained 1982), I have served in a wide variety of ministries. Whether I am ministering to my parish, hospitals, nursing homes, prisons, travel or retreat groups (e.g. Cursillo, Walk to Emmaus, Koiniania, Pre Cana, Youth) - music has played an important role in opening doors and hearts.
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This website is an extension of that ministry. Here you'll find the lyrics to many of my prayer-songs and, if you like, purchase from a collection of CDs I've recorded. There's also information about tours and pilgrimages that my wife Pat and I occasionally host and links to web sites I've found interesting. |
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I pray that you will enjoy this visit,
and if you like, . |
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