Rousing Rambling

  Reflection on “The Joy of Being a Deacon” by John P. Flanagan Several years ago, while presenting at another parish’s Lenten retreat, I finished my talk on holiness by asking the retreatants the question, “At the end of your life, how do you hope to be remembered by others?” I shared with the retreatants that I hope to be remembered as a man of joy.  I confessed that I know that I have a long way to go to achieve that goal, but that I continue to try to live a life of joy by attempting to love others as God loves them.  Small group discussions followed.  As each table reported back to the full group, people reported wanting to be remembered for charity, love, compassion, faithfulness, generosity, and so many other positive attributes.  I thought the sharing was going extremely well, until a woman stood up and emphatically declared, “there were a lot of good answers at our table, but I don’t think any of them matter.  I don’t care what anyone thinks about me, as God’s judgement is the

  April 21, 2022 St. Anthony’s Shrine, Boston, MA      I have developed quite a love for St. Anthony’s Shrine in downtown Boston, MA as a place where I have experienced the merciful presence of Jesus on more than one occasion.  It is known to many as “the worker’s chapel.”  I first came to know them while working in the financial district as a place to attend Mass on holy days, but also as a place to seek mercy in the sacrament of reconciliation.      It was there several years ago that I confessed to a priest that I wasn’t honoring my father.  I told him that long periods of time could pass without me making an effort to reach out to my father and speak with him.  My penance was to pray for my father, and to begin to offer small acts of kindness toward my father.  As a result of that confession, I spent years making Monday nights my designated time to spend with my father.  It brought me more graces and blessings than I could ever even imagine.  Today, I went to confession at the shri