12/30/24-Find Your Hill

Everyone dies.  The battle of with earthly death is one none of us can win.  Over our life we should find our personal hill.  We need to find a purpose for our lives so we don't die without reason.

There are a number of hills out there for us to climb and take a stand for.  Maybe over our lives those hills may change.  I know my personal hill has adjusted over the course of my life.

At one point my reason for life might have been personal achievement.  I know when I was young I wanted to achieve athletic or academic success.  That hill was personal, so I guess it wasn't a very big hill.

Later my reason was to represent my country.  I thought I joined the Navy because I needed a direction in life since I had failed in college and was going nowhere. But I really joined the Navy because I felt that that the USA, while it has faults, is still the greatest nation in the history of the world.  It was a pleasure to represent it and defend it.  I would have died for it.

When Cindy and I started having kids a new hill developed.  My reason for life was to provide for and pass on my knowledge to my family.  Decisions I made were made to make sure my kids had the best opportunities.  Some of those choices were made for financial reasons, others were for social growth.  But whatever I did was for Cindy and the kids.

As time has passed and my family has been firmly established my purpose has again evolved.  Now my personal hill, the one I plan to die on, is my faith in Jesus.  The best part of this hill is that it is not a hill I am on by myself.  This hill has been around for nearly 2000 years.  I am joining many others on this hill.  A lot of people have died as martyrs on this hill.  I don't know what my job is on this hill, but I'm working on finding my purpose through prayer.

So here is my advice for today.  As we get ready for 2025 find your hill, your purpose.  Maybe you are at a stage in your life where your hill is a personal one.  Maybe it is a social one like your family or friends.  Maybe it is a hill that has already there that you are joining, like my hill with my faith.  Whatever it is, the most important thing is to find your hill, and do everything you can on that hill.  Try to change that hill to a strong mountain.  Someday we will all be gone from this Earth.  People's memory of us will fade.  But our hill can remain long after we are gone as part of our legacy, we just need to make it as robust and indestructible as a hill can be.

The Feast of the Holy Innocents

Today is celebrated as the Feast of the Holy Innocents in the Catholic Church.  What does that mean to me?

In Ancient Egypt, Pharaoh feared the Israelites were becoming to numerous and he might lose his control over them.  He ordered that all male Hebrews be killed as babies by being thrown into the Nile.  Many children must have died.  Moses was spared by his mother and the charity of Pharaoh's daughter.  He would eventually lead the Israelites from Egypt.  

Years later King Herod heard of the birth of the King of the Jews in Bethlehem.  Fearing he might lose his control, King Herod ordered the massacre of all boys in the area under the age of 2.  Many innocent children must have died.  They are considered the first Christian Martyrs.  Jesus escaped with his parents to Egypt and stayed there until it was safe to return.  Jesus would eventually lead the Jews and become the Savior of the World.

Today our society fears losing control in their own life.  We allow the killing of many innocent children on the womb.  Who knows how many of those children could have led us to making the world a better place by advancing medicine or technology.  I hope we haven't murdered our times Moses before we even get a chance to spare him or her.

I pray for all the innocent children who have perished at the hands of those who fear they will lose control.  I hope they reside in Heaven with Jesus.

That's What Christmas is All About, Charlie Brown

 In 1965, Charlie Brown asked what Christmas was all about.  Linus quoted the Bible to explain what Christmas really meant.

That scene is my favorite of all the Peanuts holiday specials.

It makes me sad that not only have we as a society forgotten what Christmas was all about-focusing on trees and presents and vacations-but this special would never be made today.  Quoting the Bible would be difficult to get any producer of mainstream media to allow.  It would be looked at as not inclusive enough.

We, as a world, seem to have forgotten today is the day that:

"God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life."

Maybe through all the hustle and bustle of Christmas we can take a moment to remember that. 

12/25/24-"Isn't there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?"

"Sure, Charlie Brown, I can tell you what Christmas is all about," said Linus.

"Lights, please."

"And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.

And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."

"That's what Christmas is all about Charlie Brown."

12/24/24-Frank Thornton

This is probably the last in my series of role models, but for someone who I only knew for a short time Frank Thornton made a big impact on my life.

Mr. Thornton was born in 1916 and served in Europe in WW2, where he lost his leg in combat.  Following the war he eventually ended up in San Diego, becoming the principal at Patrick Henry High School in the 1970's.

Our paths crossed when I was receiving the sacrament of Confirmation in my late teens.  It is the custom when getting Confirmed in the Catholic Church you have a sponsor, who guides you through the process of preparing to receive the Holy Spirit.  Usually a sponsor is an Aunt or Uncle or family friend who is active in the Church.  I didn't have a natural sponsor, but through the Church Mr. Thornton was asked to be my sponsor.  I couldn't have asked for a better guide.  Naturally, I respected him as a war hero, and he knew exactly how to deal with a teenager to keep me engaged and excited about being Confirmed.

We would meet at least weekly and discuss the Church's teachings and what the expectations were for a young man getting ready to receive the Holy Spirit in Confirmation.  The day that truly means more to me than almost any moment in my life is the day we were sitting in Burger King across from the Church and he used the term "transubstantiation."  To this moment I think I understood that the bread and wine we received at Communion were only a symbol of the body and blood of Jesus.  That all changed over a hamburger.

I was just enamored over that term.  And the fact that we believe that the Eucharist, when it is in the Priest's hands, becomes the actual Body and Blood of Christ.  I know that is one of the things that separates Catholics from some of our Protestant brothers and sisters, but from that moment on The Eucharist meant something extra to me.  To this day receiving the moment of transubstantiation at mass and receiving the actual Body and Blood of Christ in Communion are some of the highlights of the week.

My relationship with the Eucharist continues to this day.  I was able to lead Eucharistic Services and distribute the Eucharist when I was in the Navy and we were underway.  As a civilian I continue to distribute the Eucharist at mass, a responsibility I am honored to do and take very seriously.

I owe my life long relationship with the Eucharist to that moment in a fast food restaurant and to Frank Thornton. 

Mr. Thornton passed away in 2006.  I hope to be able to look him up in heaven someday to thank him for truly introducing me to Jesus. 

My Relationship with the Eucharist

I'm not sure if this is actually true, but I remember receiving my first Communion on Christmas Eve.  So today is the the anniversary of the day I started my relationship with the Eucharist.

Since then, every time I need to be reminded about my faith it is through my Communion with Jesus in the Eucharist.

1978?-Received my first Communion.

1988?-During my preparation for Confirmation learned about the miracle of transubstantiation, where the bread and wine truly become the body and blood of Jesus.

1996-Became an Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist in the Navy.  When we were deployed and at sea there was no Priest on board.  I was allowed to possess the consecrated hosts and held communion services at sea.

2004-After my Navy time was over I returned back to the Church where I first received Communion and became an Eucharistic Minister.  Over the years I must have given communion to thousands of the faithful.  I continue to do this, and look at it as one of the most important things I do.

Now, I look forward to the moment every week when I am reminded that God gave his begotten Son for us so we can live on in eternal life.  It is through the Eucharist that I become closer to Jesus.

Why I Feel So Close to Mary

I think I might have already talked about the reverence that The Catholic Church has for Mary the Mother of God is one of the things that separates us from other Christian religions. 

My personal admiration towards Mary is rooted in the fact that she has the closest human relationship to God.  When she was chosen to become the mother of God, Jesus grew in her womb.  Her flesh and blood supported the Baby Jesus.  Eventually, Jesus was born from and of her flesh.

So when we celebrate the Eucharist at Mass and partake in the union of the body and blood of Christ, we are in some way celebrating the woman who agreed to let Jesus grow in her body and become man.

If not for her giving her body to do God's will, we would have no Christ to give his life for our redemption.  Mary is not God, but definitely is someone God favored, so why shouldn't we also honor her?