The Lord be with you all!

I just returned from Mass this evening - celebrating the Annunciation. It is a day that seems to focus us on the "will of God" in our lives. Mary is a model of faith. But as I was throwing a few thoughts around I began to think that as Mary is a model of faith so is the Son. In just two weeks we will be in Holy Week. As we reflect upon Jesus in his Agony in the Garden of Gethsemani we must not forget his prayer. Father, if it possible, let this cup pass. But not my will, your will be done. Put in another way, Jesus was praying that if it was at all possible, he didn't want to have to undergo the terrible passion and death. But not what I want but what the Father wants.

There you have it. A dovetailing of the prayers of the Mother and the Son. At the Annunciation Mary responds Let it be done to me as you will. In the Garden of Gethsemani Jesus prays not my will but yours. I never really looked at these two events in this manner. But it is a powerful lesson on being obedient to the will of God in our lives.

The will of God has been on my mind a great deal these last few months. I truly have been wrestling with the whole concept. The idea of being obedient to God's will has never been so concrete to me as in recent days, weeks and months. I keep murmuring, maybe more like muttering: God's will! God's will! God's will!

My reflections border on being serious, maybe even profound, and then I get a little light-hearted and smile at how God gets what he wants.

Well, these are good thoughts to take with us into the final weeks of Lent. Say the "Lord's Prayer" with thoughtfulness: "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." On earth as it is in heaven - think about that for a moment - on earth as it is in heaven!

Make that your prayer and meditation.

Good afternoon on this Monday of the Third Week of Lent. Today is the day of my installation as pastor of St. Martin of Tours Parish. They tell me that it's official after today. Someone remarked to me this morning that since that is the case, I still have the chance to bail out. Don't worry, I 'm not.

This is a good forum to thank those who have worked so tirelessly to make this evening memorable. I know that they often found me somewhat disengaged from the entire affair, so to them, let me offer my sincerest gratitude.

I have never been a good receiver and I need to work harder in that area. I love to give but I remain uncomfortable being the center of attention.

Thank you all.

...and now about this Lenten time and the call to Fast. Did you realize that there was a time in our Catholic Tradition when we abstained from not only meat but all animal products, like eggs, milk, butter and cheese? The Lenten Fast was physically rigorous.

In recent years this has all changed. Fasting has been gradually reduced and therefore, in the minds of practitioners, pretty much minimized. It's all symbolic now.

A reflection I read over the last weekend urged the reader to remember that fasting is not merely about diet. It has an inner significance. It is a call to convert the mind and will. St. John Chrysostom writes, "Fasting and abstaining are just not from food but from sins." St. Basil has an interesting observation, "What good is the fast from food if we indulge in cruel criticism and slander?"

Fasting goes together with prayer and almsgiving. It has no value without prayer and the important outreach through charity.

Peace and all that is good!

Did you ever wonder why the Lord asks us not to judge another?
We have no idea what is in the heart of another or what demons invade their spirit or what crosses they may be carrying. We too often judge the book by the cover. We judge the person by externals. Maybe our Lenten Good Work should be: Lighten up on others. We are all God's children, even with the cracks in the human facade.

Have a good day!

I was finally forced to sit down today and plan some details for my installation Mass on March 16. Frankly, I am not "into it." I find the ceremony rather contrived and more apt for the pompous of heart. This is my fourth time and in each case it has changed and evolved to this, may I say, rather aliturgical hodgpodge that now involves a bishop. The new pastor doesn't even get to preach at his installation Mass.

Anyway, my plan all along was to use the occasion as a "Vocation's Night." I have invited some wonderful seminarians to be part of the Liturgy. I asked them to serve the Mass and be present to our young people that night. I have invited the sixth, seventh and eighth graders and their parents along with our scouts and some high school students together with whatever parishioners feel so moved to attend. It is my purpose to introduce the Sems at the conclusion of the Mass and invite the young people that I hope will attend to meet them in the cafeteria afterward for some refreshment and interesting conversation.

These young guys have been a source of great edification to me as a priest and in some cases as their pastor. I presently work with two of them and I see their dedication to the apostolate and to the Church. They are all just so happy in their discernment as they look forward to the priesthood. I pray for them every day: "Dear God, keep them close to you, keep them ordinary and not above the people for whom they will be ordained, keep them in love with the basics of parish priesthood and not infected in anyway with careerism. Make them holy but never afraid of getting their hands dirty for Christ. Make them prayerful but not unreachable by those of us who have not reached the pinnacle of sanctity."

The installation is not a coronation, but asking God's blessing on the the new pastor that he be a priest after the heart of Christ.

Installation Mass

of

Msgr. Ed Deliman

Monday, March 16, 2009

7:00 P.M.

St. Martin of Tours Church

Oxford Circle.

Did you all know that our church has been called "The Cathedral of Oxford Circle"?

That's all for now...