I have a vivid memory of a time when I was a young boy, and my grandmother gave me a stuffed animal for my birthday. When I opened the present, I discovered a stuffed raccoon. I returned a look of disgust and handed it back to my grandmother essentially saying, “nice try, but no thanks.” My parents were horrified by my response as you would expect. Naturally, they were trying to instill manners and how to graciously receive gifts, which all quickly went out the window. So, why I am sharing this story with you today? Not to show you that I was an ungrateful child, although my parents may answer differently. The real reason is to reflect on the gifts that God offers to us on this Divine Mercy Sunday.

What’s Divine Mercy Sunday about anyhow? In the year 2000, St. Faustina was canonized a saint by then Pope John Paul II, and at the same moment he declared every second Sunday of Easter to be Divine Mercy Sunday. He felt the message was needed more than ever in the new millennium. And what is the message of Divine Mercy?

The Feast of Divine Mercy celebrates the merciful love and forgiveness Christ wants to bestow on us “for the sake of his sorrowful Passion.” Jesus’ side and heart were pierced, and blood and water flowed out for the salvation of souls. Through our Baptism we receive the life-giving waters of the Holy Spirit because of the water that flowed from His side on Good Friday. God wants us to foster a deeper relationship with Him and graciously receive His endless “ocean of mercy.” He also wants us to be nourished by His body and blood in the Sacrament of Holy Eucharist represented by the blood that came from His pierced heart.

While ultimately God’s grace through the Sacraments is total self-gift, we need to do our part in preparing our hearts to be thankful to receive these gifts. It is easy for us to fill our souls with self-centeredness and attachment to the things of the world while rejecting God’s free offer of love and mercy. We need to create space interiorly so we can align our will with His. How easy it is for us to get caught up in what others are doing and how much more they may seem to have going for them. Why do we get so concerned about having a car we can’t afford or endless followers on social media? These things do not define us. Instead of adding to our identity, we confuse their importance with the person God created us to be. When we forget this lesson, we can go to God in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. He is there waiting to give us His mercy and forgiveness so we can start anew.

There are two easy prayers to remind of us of this special Feast day and that can also be used any time: first, the fourth century Jesus Prayer: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner,” and second, the simple message of St. Faustina: “Jesus, I trust in You.” Simply repeat them in a meditative way. They come in handy when you are experiencing dryness in your prayer life.

A funny thing happened in the end. That stuffed racoon I spoke of earlier . . . later became known as Rocky and became my most beloved stuffed animal. Believe it or not I still have him saved in my belongings to this day.

In Christ’s peace,

Steve Dyer

Dear Friends,

Happy Easter! Jesus Christ is risen today Alleluia! You are allowed to sing Alleluia again, and sing it with all your heart, mind, and soul. For if Jesus Christ is not risen from the dead, we are stuck in our sins, and we will not live forever!

We are not stuck in our sins, and we will live forever. How grateful we are that our faith brought us here today to worship Him in the wonderous Sacrament, the Eucharist. Jesus is REALLY present in our midst. He is the real deal. The same risen Christ who appeared to his apostles on that first Easter Sunday night is here for us. Easter for us Catholics is not a day, but the season of Easter will last for 50 days, and it will conclude with the great feast of Pentecost.

Today most of us received an Easter Basket.  My favorite part of my Easter basket was the jellybeans. Mother told us later in life that she counted each one of those jellybeans so there would be the same number of jellybeans in each of our baskets – all five of us. She always wanted to make sure that she never played favorites. 

God does not play favorites. God loves us all equally.  He gave every drop of His blood for you and me.

Another part of the Easter basket I always loved was the kite.  It was the perfect time to get a kite with the strong winds of April.  I used to think that the kite would fly higher if I let go of the string, but the minute I let go of the string, the kite came crashing down to the earth.  I like to use that image for our lives.  As long as we hold tight to the Lord, we continue to fly, to thrive, to have joy, to have hope, and to have peace, but when we let go of Him, our lives can come crashing down.

So, let’s keep holding onto the Lord, and no matter what happens in life, we are going to make it because the Lord will never abandon us.

Have a Blessed Easter!

God love you all,

Fr. Dave

P.S.  Many thanks to all who came to the services of Holy Week. It was an inspiration to see so many of you. Thank you to all our Music Ministers, Altar Servers, Lectors, Ushers, and Eucharistic Ministers. Congratulations to our newly baptized and confirmed at the Easter Vigil Mass. We welcome Kayla Ross, Todd Bauknecht, Ian Dunn, and Nicole Reifsnyder.

About two thousand years ago in the sleepy village of Bethany, there lived a young donkey, still a colt actually, whose name was Lucky. Lucky was the baby in the family; he had many older brothers. From the day he was born, Lucky’s mother told him that he was destined to do great things. But from Lucky’s perspective the opposite seemed true. You see, Lucky was the runt in the family, not the most intelligent and certainly was not the best looking. Unlike Lucky, his brothers had important jobs to do each day. One was extremely strong and plowed the rich man’s fields and then brought in the crops at harvest time. Another was gifted with sure-footedness and thus lead many of the townsfolk on the narrow and dangerous paths up the steep slopes of the Mount of Olives. Still another was intelligent and could lead the other work animals wherever their master needed them.

Day after day Lucky would stand tethered to the gate while his stronger and more talented brothers went off for their important work. At times, seeing the forlorn look in Lucky’s eyes, his mother would again reassure him that she knew in her heart that he was destined for great things. Lucky wanted to believe this, but instead he often felt shame when the citizens of the village would look his way and just shake their heads. Even his brothers looked down upon him since he had never been ridden nor did a day’s work in his entire life.

One day, since it was the Sabbath, Lucky and his mother and brothers were together, tied to their usual places. Something however seemed different. Many of the people who walked by were excited and used words that Lucky had never heard before – words like “prophecy” and “king.” A short while later, two men who Lucky did not recognize, approached. They seemed a bit confused – seemingly not knowing what they were looking for. Suddenly, one of the men exclaimed, “That’s the one…the colt tethered to the gate!” And what do you know? The men untied Lucky and began to lead him away.

Lucky and his brothers were dumbfounded; what could these men want from him? Then Lucky turned and looked deeply into his mother’s loving eyes. And without a word from his mother – just a wink from her knowing eye – Lucky began to understand her prediction that he was indeed destined to do great things. Soon people put cloaks on Lucky’s back and a man with the most beautiful eyes approached and looked at him lovingly – this man was a King most certainly! And then the King sat on him and off they went on a road strewn with palm branches to a place called Jerusalem.

On this Palm Sunday, the day of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, Lucky’s story should remind us of our amazing destiny as children of God. Scripture tells us that “No eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him.” Do we truly believe this? We have a God of hope – of new life and resurrection! If we become one with Jesus and journey with him, just as Jesus and Lucky did on that first Palm Sunday, then we too are certainly destined to do great things in the Kingdom.

May God be always our only love and destiny!

Deacon Steve

Dear Friends,

How is your Lent going now? Try not to slack off on your fervor and persevering in forming good habits of Prayer, Fasting, and Almsgiving.

The other day one of our parishioners, whose wife is Serbian Orthodox, shared a message from her Pastor that he published in his bulletin for his parishioners for Lent. I would like to share it now with you. I think you will agree with me…they are definitely “Good Habits”.

A Blessed Lent for All,

Father Dave

(Borrowed from St. George Serbian Orthodox Church – Cultivating Good Habits, Who Borrowed from St. George Serbian Orthodox Church – San Diego.)

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

If you are a football fan, then you likely are familiar with the name Tim Tebow. Tim made headlines a few years back when he put his Christian faith on display during a College Championship game. Football players often wear eye black to improve their vision during a game. The concept is that eye black grease can absorb bright lights and sun glare away from their cheekbone and eye, which makes seeing the ball easier. Now, Tim did something that went viral. Under his right eye he wrote the word, John, and under his left eye, 3:16. What resulted during the game was 94 million people googling the well-known Bible verse. “For 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.”

Most of us will not make the headlines with our display of steadfast faith and self-less service; it is astounding in our culture that Tebow did. Rather, it is the people in our lives who keep belief in God alive for us day to day that we owe our gratitude: a grandmother or grandfather, who by their example show their grandchildren what it means to have faith by attending Mass regularly; a humble catechist who teaches PSR every Sunday morning; the quiet volunteer who takes time out of their week to prepare a hot meal to serve the homeless; a Mass offered for the loved one of a friend. We can think of many more examples of faith lived and it is good for us to see sacrificial examples so we can learn from them.

Finally, Lent is our reminder that we are being drawn away from darkness toward the light of the Resurrection. Think of a candle that slowly burns and gives itself away to provide light. It is not always easy to “burn” ourselves, but this is the way of dying to self and living in Christ. Let us be candles for others, not forgetting how small our example may seem—God and others are watching.

In Christ Peace,

Steven Dyer

Dear Friends,

I hope your Lent is going well. The challenge of these 40 days is to follow Jesus into the desert and to follow His example of Praying, Fasting, and Almsgiving. I want to thank all of you for your example to me of your efforts you are making.

We thank our Blessed Lord every day for His Love and His Grace that sustains us every step of our journey. Our journey these days of the Pandemic has not been easy. Masking, social distancing, etc. is a sacrifice.

Jesus tells us: Whoever loses his life finds it…It is in giving we receive…Sacrifice is the language of love.

With all that said, I want to say thank you for your generous giving to the recent Catholic Charities Appeal. Your gift will be such a blessing to those who are in need. Over 400,000 people are served every year through the help of your donations.

Of other things…

The first week of Lent for me this year has been one of my most difficult. I had to give Sailor, my Chocolate Lab, back to God. Every day I had her was such a blessing…such a loyal dog. I am so glad God gave her to me for at least 6-1/2 years, to add so much joy to my life, and I hope yours as well, seeing her at the many Masses, indoor and out, and other activities. She truly was a loyal friend. Maybe that is why dog is God spelled backwards. I will miss her deeply. I thank you for your comfort and support you have given me in my grieving, especially your prayers. I give you my prayers and support as well, for I feel you all will miss her too.

This past Sunday, in the Liturgy of the Hours for Morning Prayers, one line truly stood out, “All you beasts wild and tame, Bless the Lord!” Thank you, Lord, for giving us our furry friends, and all our family and friends, and you, the good people of this parish.

Have a Blessed Lent. I love you.

Father Dave

Anyone remember Walter Cronkite? Well, I grew up listening to his reporting of the national news. When good old Walter said that there was a train wreck in Tulsa or that the Russians shot off a satellite into space, his listeners could believe what he said. In fact, he would end his newscast each evening with a sincere and believable, “And that’s the way it is!” Fast forward fifty-plus years and factual “news” is not always the case. Oftentimes in our age of skepticism, with our current media that is prone to sensationalism, we are left confused and wondering if what was spoken is completely true.

So, with all this angst swirling around us, where can we turn to hear the truth? Well, today’s Gospel narrative about the Transfiguration of our Lord gives us some very clear direction. In it we hear the Father speaking to us, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.” Praise be to God we have Jesus the Christ – the Way, the Truth and the Life – to provide us with all the truths we need to fully live as beloved children of our heavenly Father.

We all have an unquenchable hunger for truth. We long for answers and for meaning in life. We are hard-wired for truth because we’re made in the image of God. Thus, by our very nature as human beings, we have a moral obligation to seek what is true.

But what is truth? Are we able to recognize it when we hear it? Without getting too philosophical, the most straight-forward answer comes from St. Thomas Aquinas: “Truth is conformity of the intellect to reality, whether of the physical or spiritual world.” In other words, reality exists independently of our knowledge or opinion of it. To the extent that our idea of reality matches reality itself we can be confident that we know the truth.

Jesus came into the world to reveal to all who were lost and separated from God the reality of the only thing that matters – our Father in heaven. Jesus himself is the Truth, a truth that comes from outside the world yet gives meaning to the world, a truth that is absolute and unchanging yet transforming for the better all He touches. The more we seek Christ – the Truth – and the sooner we conform ourselves to his holy will the sooner we will find meaning, happiness, and the fulfillment for which we were created. We “shall know the truth, and the truth will make us free.”

So, the more we know the Lord, the more we know the truth. For truth is not merely a set of facts but a personal relationship with God. Unlike the current worldview that builds its house on the sand of subjective opinions, Christ calls us to build our lives on him. To do this, we need to hunger for what He teaches, to study it with deep desire and then to build our lives on this solid foundation. The season of Lent is a great time to do just that – to renew our quest for the Truth.

We do not hear much in Scripture from the mouth of our Father God. So, when he does speak, we best pay attention. Two-thousand years ago He offered us his Son – the Truth – and He makes it clear to us, his children, that we are to “Listen to him.”

And that’s the way it is!

May Jesus Christ – the Truth – be in the midst of your hearts,
Deacon Steve

Dear Friends,

This weekend we celebrate the first Sunday of Lent. The call is out to follow Jesus into the desert in prayer, fasting and almsgiving. It is 40 days that we go on a retreat to get ready for Easter. I hope and pray that all of us will take advantage of the graces of this season.

The traditional ways of growing in the spiritual life are three: prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. There are many opportunities to grow in our PRAYER life this Lent. Check the bulletin for the additional Mass times, devotional prayers such as Stations of the Cross, Rosary, and Benediction. All are encouraged to make a visit to our Adoration Chapel which is available 24/7. Call the office if you do not know the code. The church is open for visits during the day as well.

This is the year of St. Joseph. In lieu of a Lenten Mission this year, there will be a nine-day novena beginning Thursday, March 11th through Friday, March 19th at 7:00 p.m. each night, with a speaker on St. Joseph, some devotional prayers, and Benediction. Mark your calendar now. Each night will be live-streamed and social-distanced in-person.

Another opportunity to grow in our PRAYER life is to use the book we gave you last weekend Do Something Beautiful for God, Daily Quotes of Mother Teresa. I hope you enjoy it.

Our Lenten opportunity for ALMSGIVING is knocking at the door this weekend - our Annual Catholic Charities Appeal. Catholic Charities serves more than 400,000 people each year through 150 services and 60 locations in the eight counties of our Diocese. Especially during this pandemic, your help for the vulnerable and needy is most appreciated.

As always, this year we will participate in Operation Rice Bowl. Your donations go toward Catholic Relief Services which are helping throughout the world in the most desperate of cases.

There are many opportunities for FASTING here at Queen of Heaven – no doughnut socials, no desserts served at the Fish Fry, because there are no Fish Fry Dinners this year. FASTING opportunities at home include less time spent looking at television and other electronic devices, giving up chocolate, desserts, seconds at the table, and giving up gossip and negative thinking. One thing not to give up is your joy, your peace, your hope, or your sense of humor. Reminder: the Fridays of Lent are meatless; those who are 14 years to 100+ are bound by the church to not eat meat on Fridays of Lent, and those 18 to 59 are to observe the days of FASTING, with one normal meal and two lighter meals to maintain strength, and nothing in-between. FASTING days are Ash Wednesday and Good Friday but try to practice it more than just those two days.

Thank you to all who have volunteered and supported the Fish Fry Dinners in the past. We are looking forward to celebrating Fish Fry Dinners, Doughnut Socials, and our Fun Days with renewed vigor once this pandemic is in the rearview mirror. Look at the positive, during this year’s pandemic, we will have more time to focus on PRAYER. Notice on Fridays we will have 5:30 p.m. Mass, followed by Stations of the Cross (Stations will also be prayed after Wednesday morning Masses during Lent at 9:05 am). We will also have a Novena to St. Joseph from the 11th to 19th of March. Get ready to come on down and pray.

A Blessed Lent for All,

Father David Durkee

This Wednesday we begin the annual journey of Lent. This liturgical season is characterized by the three pillars of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. When I hear these three words it sounds like it is time to get ready to do some spiritual weightlifting. Because these things do not exactly suit my tastes, it probably means I need to practice them that much more.

St. Catherine of Siena, 14th century Mystic and Doctor of the Church, said “nothing great is ever achieved without much enduring.” She knew this as well as anyone. She was the Mother Teresa of her time. She took the lesson from today’s Gospel to heart and helped many people during the plague of Europe. Now, it is often a snare of the evil one to compare ourselves to others in terms of how we are measuring up spiritually. I am using Catherine as an example to inspire us! We can all use some extra encouragement as we head into this penitential season. That brings me to my next idea.
Pope Francis designated this year as “The Year of St. Joseph”. He did this to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Pope Pius IX naming St. Joseph the patron of the Universal Church. In a year where many of us have had to act courageously and give of ourselves more than ever, what better saint to turn to for spiritual protection and continued guidance in the ways of holiness.

Fr. Donald Calloway recently wrote a book titled, Consecration to St. Joseph – much like the Marian consecration of St. Louis De Montfort. This devotional book is one way to help foster the pillar of prayer this Lent. What does it mean to be consecrated to St. Joseph? It simply means we acknowledge and dedicate ourselves to him as our spiritual father. You are encouraged to get the book and follow the 33-day program that contains daily litanies and reflections about St. Joseph’s life. If you begin the book tomorrow, February 15th, it will end exactly on St. Joseph’s feast day. If you do not have the book right away, you can catch up as you go.

On the Feast of St. Joseph, March 19th, in the newly renovated and renamed St. Joseph Hall (church basement), Father Durkee will have a special consecration for those following Fr. Calloway’s book. We are very excited about the graces that will come from growing spiritually with St. Joseph this Lent and encourage you to participate with us as an individual or family. Please read the flyer insert inside this bulletin for more information on the book study.

In Christ’s Peace,
Steve Dyer

For my letter today, I thought I would share an inspiring meditation from the Avilas of the Diocese of Cleveland.

HOPE NEVER FAILS

“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access [by faith] to this grace in which we stand, and we boast in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we even boast of our afflictions, knowing that affliction produces endurance, and endurance, proven character, and proven character, hope, and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us” (Romans 5:1-5).
No one can deny that 2020 was marked by social upheaval, political unrest, dramatic changes in weather and, of course, the Covid pandemic. But it is our task to look to the Lord when we struggle to hold His hope. He meets us in our moments of need and floods us with His love. We know that we must reallly place our hope in the Lord and trust that He has that perfect plan for us. The assurance that God is in control even when we are not gives us hope that His good, pleasing and perfect plan will come to fruition as long as we surrender to His ways and His will. We can either have our own way or look to the hope that is in Christ and trust that He is in control even when we are not. No matter what, we must remind ourselves that we are loved, that He holds us in the palm of His hand. God will carry us, regardless of the outcome. We should be confident in the knowledge that He will grant us whatever graces we need to get through our trials. When we hope in the Lord, we will never be disappointed. His love never fails.
“You are my hope, Lord; my trust, GOD, from my youth. On you I have depended since birth; from my mother’s womb you are my strength; my hope in you never wavers” (Psalm 71:5-6).
Hope in other people can easily fail. Hope in your personal dreams may become an illusion. Is there any hope that cannot fail? Yes, is the certain answer, if God alone is your hope.
Hope can trust God when all others fail. Hope finds security or the future in God alone. He cannot fail. Hope in God Almighty is sure and certain. He who sustains life and holds the stars in space is hope secure. Those without faith in God will eventually become hopeless. Hope in God alone will not disappoint. When God is your hope, disappointment has no opportunity.
“They that hope in the LORD will renew their strength, they will soar on eagles’ wings; they will run and not grow weary, walk and not grow faint” (Isaiah 40:31).
Humans fail. God never fails. May we place our trust in Him and allow the Lord to hold our heart and our hope as we go forward into this New Year.

Continued blessings in JMJ,
Father Dave