Archive for the ‘Dan Doyon’ Category

Feast of Christ the King

Wednesday, November 16th, 2011

Sunday, Novmber 20, 2011

Ezekiel 34: 11-12, 15-17     1 Corinthians 15: 20-26, 28     Matthew 25: 31-46

Everyone who is a follower of Jesus Christ has his or her own image of who He is for them. For myself, I see Jesus as someone who walked in our humanity and showed us how to live the Christian life. He walked in our shoes for 33 years. He grew up poor; his race was hated; he worked alongside his father, Joseph, as a carpenter. He sometimes caused his parents to be anxious. He associated with the poorest of the poor in every aspect. He lived in very difficult times and circumstances. He was a very real person with real feelings. He loved, mourned, rejoiced, laughed, and even got angry. As He died on a cross with the criminals, he expressed the feeling of abandonment. Yet in the end, he trusted God the Father.

The other image of Jesus is one of an exalted king, one who rose from the dead and is seated at the right hand of the Father. In the gospel for this week, we are given a view of Christ as King. “When the Son of man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne, and all the nations will be assembled before him.” While this image of Jesus may provide meaning for some, I see his kingship like no other. In God’s kingdom, real power is about letting go and real kingship is about serving others. Jesus has always led by example. He never asks more of us than he would ask from himself. As a king, he served humbly. For me, one of the best images of Jesus providing that example was at the Last Supper when he got down on his knees and washed the feet of his apostles. We must not forget his supreme sacrifice for us. He laid down his life for us, his friends. A royal sacrifice.

As a follower of Jesus, I not only embrace his humanity, but I also embrace his kingship. As his follower, am I prepared to go the distance? Am I ready to stand up for what I believe? Am I ready to serve others not for my own glory but for the glory of God? How do we follow in the footsteps of Jesus, at D’Youville or St. Mary’s? How do we welcome the stranger in our midst? Feed the hungry? How do we live out our mission? If we live simply, humbly, courageously, we will not only come to know the humanity of Jesus, but also his royal priesthood.

Dan Doyon
Pastoral Care

 

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Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Tuesday, October 4th, 2011

Sunday, October 9, 2011

Have you ever received an invitation to an event and wondered why you were invited? Perhaps you knew the person only casually. Or maybe the event was something you were only somewhat interested in attending. How did you respond? Did you send your regrets? Or maybe you forgot to respond at all. After the event was held, you heard from mutual friends that you had missed a wonderful time. There was terrific food, dancing, and a great time was had by all who attended. Had you not questioned the invitation or neglected it and simply replied, “Yes, will attend,” you would have been part of a wonderful celebration and had the time of your life.

 

In this Sunday’s Gospel reading, Jesus shares a parable on the Kingdom of God. He compares the Kingdom of God to a wedding feast. We are all invited. For some, who share an intimate relationship with God, the response is swift: Will attend. For those who know God as an acquaintance, the response might be: I’ll see who else is going or I’ll think about it. And for others who still don’t know God or who don’t have a good relationship with Him, possible responses might be: Forget it. It’s not for me. I’m not worthy.

 

When we truly love someone, we love unconditionally. That doesn’t mean that we are blind to faults and shortcomings. We love the person and not necessarily their actions. When we fail the person we love, we ask for forgiveness. In the same way those who share a relationship with

God, need to ask for forgiveness when we have failed Him. Would you invite someone to your celebration with whom you have not reconciled? Likewise, we must be reconciled with God in order to answer his invitation.

 

The way we choose to live our lives is our answer to God’s invitation. Do you have a personal relationship with God? Is that relationship in good shape or is it in need of repair? How are our human relationships? Are those in good shape or do they need some forgiveness?

 

Being in relationship with someone is never easy. It is a lot of work and dedication. There are ups and downs. Good times and bad. However, the rewards of being in a good relationship generally outweigh the bad.

 

Bringing it closer to home, how are we in our relationships with one another here at work? How are we in our relationships with our clients, patients, and residents? Are those relationships worthy of an invitation to the banquet that awaits us? Hopefully we all choose to accept Jesus’ invitation every day and respond with an enthusiasm, “Yes, I will attend.”

 

 

Dan Doyon

Pastoral care

 

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Eighteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time

Wednesday, July 27th, 2011

Sunday, July 31, 2011

Isaiah 55: 1-3     Romans 8: 35, 37-39     Matthew 14: 13-21

An Invitation

Recently my wife and I received an invitation to a retirement party out of state for a very good friend of ours. The invitation simply said, “Please come and help us celebrate Jane’s retirement. It is our mom’s wishes that there be no gifts. Your presence is gift enough.” When we arrived, the celebration was in full swing and our friends were so glad to see us. We were given food and beverages while we enjoyed the company of good friends which fed our spirits.

In the first reading this weekend God invites into a personal relationship with him. If we are hungering/thirsting for a meaningful relationship, he says, “Come.” He tells us that it costs nothing. He promises to feed us well. God says that we simply need to come as we are and he promises to renew the everlasting covenant with us. Are we prepared to say, “Yes” to this invitation?

In the second reading, St. Paul asks the question: “What will separate us from the love of Christ?” For each of us, the answer could vary at different times in our lives. Perhaps it could be our inability to say YES to his invitation? It might be that we fall to the temptations of this world. Or perhaps our faith might be shaken during a particularly difficult period in our lives. Being human, there are many personal situations that might drive a wedge between God and us. However, because Jesus died for our sins, redemption is always possible if we desire it. We can always be reunited with the love of Christ.

In the gospel, we again see how Jesus took care of those who followed him. He nourished their spirits with his words. He cured them of their ills. Even late in the day, Jesus made sure that their physical needs were met. Whenever I read this gospel of the five loaves and two fish, it reminds me of times when we received unexpected company and we extended an invitation to our guests to eat with us. The soup or stew was extended with a little more water and a few more ingredients. Or perhaps we added some leftovers and made the meal look like a smorgasbord. We did this gladly so we could spend more time with our visitors. Likewise, Jesus had just spent a wonderful afternoon with all his followers in relationship and he wanted to feed their bodies. In doing so, he was able to spend a little more time with them.

Jesus is the Bread of Life. He will provide for us and give us what we need, which is different than what we want. He will continue to feed us with his word and his

Body and Blood. All we have to do is say, “Yes” to his invitation.

Dan Doyon
Pastoral Care

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Sixth Sunday of Easter

Wednesday, May 25th, 2011

Sunday, May 29, 2011

Acts of the Apostles 8: 5-8, 14-16 1         Peter 3: 15-18         John 14: 15-21

In the gospel of John, Jesus speaks of his intimate relationship with his father and with us. “On that day you will realize that I am in my Father and you are in me and I in you. Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me. And whoever loves me will be loved my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him.”

As I think of my own relationship with my father, I reflect on how it has grown through the years. As a child, there were the rules to follow which I did out of respect and obedience. Then I went through a period in which I tested those rules and I had to accept the consequences of my choices. As I grew into adulthood, my relationship with my dad grew as well. I t was no longer one in which I was simply following rules. I began to get to know my dad as a real person. In knowing him, I discovered his gentleness and compassion. I realized that our bond was based on love. When I began to raise my own family, I began to understand my father even more. He and I have spent a great deal of time together. As we have revealed more of ourselves to each other, our relationship has matured into an adult relationship. He knows me and I know him

In the gospel reading for this week, it speaks of this type of relationship between Jesus and his Father and Jesus and us. When we were young, we learned to follow the commandments (rules). If we kept the commandments, observed them, we showed our love for God. Hopefully as we matured in our faith through prayer, reading, meditation, Mass, and in living in community with each other, we have moved beyond just following the rules and we have developed an intimate relationship with God (Father, Jesus, and Holy Spirit). As we get to know more about Jesus, who lived among us, we get a glimpse of the father. We get to know Him as well. It’s very personal. But as in any relationship, we may fail God through our sinfulness. We may feel distant from Him. This will require asking for forgiveness. Building human relationships is not easy and requires a lot of hard work. And so it is with God. Relationship building takes time and devotion.

Jesus says, “I will not leave you orphan; I will come to you.” He does come to us through his Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is probably the least understood person of the Trinity. The Holy Spirit is present in grace-filled moments. He comes to us through the many people we meet in our lives. We are guided along by those encounters. When we rise above tragedies and difficult times, it because the Holy Spirit is with us to lift us up.

As I continue to work here at d’Youville, I am in awe at the strength and courage of some people who face adversity time and again and their faith sustains them. They don’t lose courage or hope. When I ask them to talk to me about that, they say everyone faces challenges. It’s what we do with those challenges that define us. God is there to help us if we are willing to open up and be in relationship with Him and trust in Him. Let us all take some time and reflect on our personal relationship with God. Is it a relationship that growing and deepening?

Dan Doyon
Pastoral Care

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Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion

Friday, April 15th, 2011

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Isaiah 50:4-7      Philippians 2:6-11      Matthew 26:14-7

Approximately 6 days before the Passover of the Lord came to Jerusalem, Jesus was welcomed by crowds waving palm branches and praising Him. He was being heralded as Messiah and King. Many had come to believe in Him. He was their hope for a better life. After all, did he not cure people? Did he not forgive people’s transgressions? Did he not show them a better way to live?

Though many of the people of that time believed in Him at different levels, there was something about Jesus that called them, that spoke to them, and so they followed Him. Is that not same for us today? Though we believe in Jesus, our faith in Him runs the gamut. Sometimes our faith is stronger than other times. At times we welcome Jesus into our lives as our Messiah and King,

which brings us to the Gospel reading for this week which is the Passion of Christ. What does that really mean? The Passion of Christ is the sufferings he endured between the Last Supper and his death. We tend to immediately focus on the physical sufferings of Jesus, which have been highlighted in movies. However, Jesus also suffered abandonment of friends (His apostles), humiliation (being chided, spat at, degraded by comments), hate, jealousy by others, fear, doubt (“My Father, if it possible that this cup pass without my drinking it, your will be done”). Jesus experienced very human emotions during this time, which we can relate to. Yet through it all, Jesus maintained his faith in his Father, that even through this horrible death, he would be glorified and made new.

As we experience suffering in our midst both personally and in our work environment, can we have the same faith as Jesus did — that God the Father will see us through it even when things seem to be their bleakest? Recently, a patient told me that she wasn’t afraid of death because she knew that there was a better life waiting for her. Do we have that kind of faith? Scripture, as we read it, often brings up more questions than answers. It is up to us to seek out the answers for each of us personally. It’s not an easy road. The road to Calvary wasn’t an easy one for Jesus either. Yet Jesus maintained his faith in the Father and He rose to a new life. As we look at our own lives and the lives of those around us, we see suffering is a part of our journeys. Some may hide it better than others. Some to turn to God, while others turn away from God. “If you love me, you will follow me,” says the Lord. He didn’t mean just in the good times, but through the hard times as well.

On this Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion, we celebrate Jesus – Messiah, King, and Savior. Hopefully today’s readings raise many questions for all of us. Let us have the courage to seek out our own answers. Our journeys continue. May God bless us all!

Dan Doyon
Pastoral Care

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First Sunday of Lent

Monday, March 14th, 2011

Sunday, March 13

Genesis 2:7-9; 3:1-7                           Romans 5:12-19                                 Matthew 4: 1-11

Temptation!

Have you ever been tempted?  Of course you and I have! Tempted to sneak a peek at a wrapped gift? Tempted to have an extra piece of double chocolate cake? Tempted to tell a lie when your assignment isn’t done?  Tempted to look at someone’s diary?  Tempted to lie about your age? Tempted to keep the change (10 cents, $1.00) that isn’t due you? Tempted to buy something you can’t afford?  Tempted to cheat on a test?  The list goes on and on.

In the first reading this week featuring the temptation of Adam and Eve, we see their lusting for food and power, which resulted in their disobedience to God. They could not resist temptation and the false promises of the serpent (Satan), so they fell into sin.  Do we disobey God in our daily lives?  Do we desire (lust for) money, things, relationships more than we desire God? When we fall to temptation, are we strong enough to ask for forgiveness?

The gospel this week also takes a look at the temptation of Jesus. We forget how very human Jesus was while on earth. When he had been fasting in the desert for 40 days and nights, he was very hungry!  Satan tempted Jesus to turn stones into loaves of bread to satisfy his hunger. He resisted, however.  Jesus also resisted the temptation of having to prove who he was/is. In the final temptation, Jesus resisted false power and adoring a false god.  Do we have false gods that we adore (money, possessions, etc.)?

The readings this week raise many questions. Some of those questions are unsettling, and they should be. As we enter the Lenten season, we are being asked to take stock of our lives – to really look at what is important. Are we willing to put aside our own selfish desires for God? During Lent, can we examine one area of our lives in which temptation takes hold of us and say NO to it?  Not just for the 40 days of Lent, but for good?  We are continuously being called to be a better people of God.

Dan Doyon
Pastoral Care

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Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Monday, January 31st, 2011

Zephaniah 2:3; 3: 12-13              1 Corinthians 1: 26-31             Matthew 5: 1-12a

In the first reading, it says “Seek the Lord, all you humble of the earth, who have observed the law.” People have been seeking the Lord from the beginning of time. There is this insatiable curiosity about God, whether conscious or unconscious. In our humility, we recognize that there is a power greater than ourselves. The word “seek” means to try to find or discover by searching or questioning. From the time we were small children, we have asked questions like “Why?” “How Come?” However, when we are humble enough, we recognize that we don’t have all the answers and this calls for us to trust in God.

The second part of the sentence is “who have observed the law.”  No matter where we are, there are rules and regulations to follow. These bring order and also guide us to be on the same page with one another.  And so we were given not only the Commandments, but also the Beatitudes to live by as stated in this week’s Gospel reading in Matthew. While the Commandments are important, the Beatitudes are about virtue and about how someone who believes in Jesus can achieve that virtue.  The Beatitudes are simply stated, yet are profound in their meaning. They are meant to guide us and to teach us.  They show us the values that Jesus cares about; if we follow them they can bring us true peace and happiness and lead us to a closer encounter and relationship with God.

As an example, let’s take a look at the first Beatitude: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”  What does it mean to be “Poor in Spirit”? Simply, it means that we can never achieve salvation on our own and that we must put our complete
faith and trust in God.  Depending where we are on our faith journeys, this might be easier said than done. But if we can put our complete faith and trust in God even in the darkest moments of our lives, we are assured of the kingdom of God.

Finally, I would like to encourage and challenge each of us to not only read the Beatitudes, but to be curious and study the individual meanings of each Beatitude.  As we live out the Beatitudes, may we find true peace and happiness and enjoy a closer relationship with our God.

Dan Doyon
Pastoral Care

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