Find Jesus in the Storms

Deacon Kevin Gingras

Aug 9th, 2026

Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/080926.cfm

1 Kings 19:9a, 11-13a       Psalm 85:9, 10, 11-12, 13-14 

Romans 9:1-5      Matthew 14:22-33   

When I go too long without confession - I start to sink.  When I go too long without time in adoration - I start to sink.  When my prayer life is scattered and not focused - I start to sink. When I focus too much on the storms of the world around me instead of Jesus - I start to sink.  For a moment, think about what, in your life, takes your focus off of Christ and causes you to sink.

Remember, when you go to confession, the priest is in the person of Christ; in the confessional you are reaching out to Christ as Peter did and crying out “Lord, save me!”  That’s just what Jesus does through the priest as he says: “I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”  

Adoration is another life preserver that is at our disposal when we start to sink.  Remember how Elijah found the LORD.  The LORD was not in the strong and heavy wind.  The LORD was not in the earthquake.  The LORD was not in the fire; no, the LORD was in the tiny whispering sound. I find that the quiet of our adoration chapel is where I can hear that tiny whisper.  Where the noise of the world around me subsides in the true presence of Christ, even if just for an hour or so, so that I can hear the voice of the LORD speaking to me as I pray.

My prayer life always needs work; it’s another area that might cause me to sink.  There are times I feel I only give God the last few moments of my day when I’m tired and not really focused.  It’s something that I once confessed to a priest many years ago, and he knew, based on my confession, that I had a wife and kids and a full-time job.  He told me that those things are also my prayer life.  I must bring Jesus into those moments as well.  If all I did was to spend all day in prayer and adoration, I’d lose my job, my kids wouldn’t know me, and my wife would not be too pleased.  He told me to pray about ways to bring Jesus into all the areas of my life.  I needed this advice, especially when I went to work.  A month or so before this confession, a guy in the office was talking about his son getting Confirmed.  My boss said to ask Kevin; he’s “wicked” Catholic.  The man responded, “Oh, I didn’t even know he was religious!”  The words cut to my heart!  At the time, I thought I was very religious, teaching confirmation, helping with youth ministry and VBS and all that.  Clearly, I left Jesus in the car when I went into the office. I was sinking all day long! Fortunately, Jesus was my life preserver, and when I reached out to Him, He saved me.  Now I make sure that everyone in the office knows I’m “wicked religious”!

Correcting these little errors in our lives can make us spiritually strong for the big storms that will come. They will,  because life inevitably brings storms: storms of illness, grief, uncertainty, family struggles, and fear.  It is then that we really have to work hard to focus on Christ.  Back in 2015, just as I was starting the diaconate, I thought for sure it would be smooth sailing in my life as I was answering God’s call.  Alas, that wasn’t to be so!  There was a bad mental health crisis in my family, my father was dying, and my bank account was gasping for help; we were bordering on bankruptcy.  Each week as I went to put gas in my car, I pleaded with God to let my bank card work so I could fill up and drive to work.   There was even one night I went to angry adoration.  I was mad at God!  I was answering a clear calling to become a deacon; why wasn’t it smooth sailing?  I brought all those storms to some quiet time in adoration so I could hear what the Lord had to say. I went in angry with God but was soon at peace.  The peace of knowing that a sailor doesn’t learn how to sail with no wind on a calm lake.  My gaze focused back on Jesus, away from the storm for a while. Jesus calmed that storm inside of me, not the storm outside. It was exactly what I needed; I was assured all would be ok. 

A few days later, I had to pull my brothers aside to tell them why I wasn’t at the hospital by my mom’s side as much while my father was dying because of this other family crisis. They asked me how I was getting through all of this.  Jesus - that was my one-word answer.  Jesus was getting me through this storm.  

  When we hit the storms of life, we are in good company!  Saint Paul lamented to the Romans in our second reading that he had “great sorrow and constant anguish in my heart”.  Paul’s mission did not give him clear skies and calm seas!  Our storms aren’t always taken away, but with Christ and the Sacraments we can better navigate the storms, learn from them, and offer them up in prayer.  

This week, think about where we can focus our eyes better on Jesus in the storms.  Where can we find Him waiting to rescue us?  Confession?  Adoration?  Quiet prayer at home? Here at Mass? 

St Padre Pio reminds us:

The storms that are raging around you will turn out to be for God's glory, your own merit, and the good of many souls.

Well Done My Good And Faithful Servant

 

Deacon Kevin Gingras

November 19, 2023

33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/111923.cfm

Prv 31:10-13, 19-20, 30-31   Ps 128:1-2, 3, 4-5

1 Thes 5:1-6   Mt 25:14-30

It’s a reasonably well-known thing that a talent I have is fishing.  I can get my kayak into the water, read the pond, and quickly know where the fish will be hiding out.  However, there is a problem with my fishing talent.  I’m lazy and I can get complacent.  If the weather changes or the water changes in clarity or temperature the fish will change too and I should change my lure but sometimes I don’t.  I continue to cast over and over but expect different results.  I think Einstein defines insanity that way.

That takes us to today’s homily.  Talents.  When I was looking into biblical footnotes one of them actually said that the phrase God-given talents comes from today’s Gospel.  Our Gospel is a nice reminder NOT to bury our talents but instead, to build up the Kingdom here on Earth with them.

The book of James tells us our talents, or gifts are from God:

all good giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights

How do we keep from becoming complacent in our faith and squandering our talents like I do when I just don’t feel like changing lures in my kayak?  One example that comes to mind is that I pray the rosary on my way to work in the morning.  I commute all the way North to the end of Route 24.  The rosary would help keep me calm.  For a while, I was using an app and just listening.  It was good at first but after a year or so I noticed I wasn’t as calm.  I wasn’t as kind to that guy with his blinker on wanting to come into MY lane.  The app had basically become background noise and I wasn’t praying the rosary anymore, I wasn’t even listening.  I switched it up.  Now I turn off the radio and pray the rosary out loud on my way in.  I count the Hail Marys on my fingers and it has really helped me focus more prayerfully on the rosary.  I’ve noticed I’m both kinder and calmer driving into work.

There are so many things we can do to help our faith life and we have many people in our parish already doing that.  We have folks who are good at knitting and they are members of the prayer shawl ministry.  I  know of one parishioner who is good at woodworking and he helps in that area.  I know of one who is great in IT and he helped us with our new phones and wireless at the Parish Center. We have talented lectors, altar servers, and all the folks in the choir loft. What talents have others noticed in you?  Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you in using them to help out our parish.

Helping the growth of our parish is awesome but we also need to be aware of our spiritual growth too!  We don’t want that to become flat or stale and we can’t be complacent in our spiritual life for sure!  How can we grow in our spiritual life?  A great way is time in adoration, perhaps God is calling us to finally sign up for a weekly hour.  Do we pray the rosary every day?  Maybe it’s time to start!  You could actually pray the rosary while IN adoration!  We could attend a bible study or the men’s group on Thursday nights at 6:30.   We could find a retreat to go on.  

- Quick advertisement for the men, there will be an Acts retreat coming up in January from the 25th to the 28th at La Salette.  I’ve also heard rumors that Fr. John Garabedian will be there as a candidate and Fr. Matt will be our weekend’s Spiritual Director -  

Prayerfully discern if the Holy Spirit is calling you to go on a retreat and then go!

For women, there is also an Advent Day of Reflection at Corpus Christy parish in Sandwich on December 9 from 9 am to 2 pm. Last year’s was awesome!

Remember a few years ago the Church had the Stewardship drive where you were asked about time, talent, and treasure.  In what ways could you use your time and talent together?  One talent I do NOT possess, and a lot of you are aware of this, is singing.  I can’t carry a note in a bucket but I know some of you can, should you join the choir?  It’s something to pray about.

Our treasure is another area we don’t talk about often but should.  Our church relies on the generosity of you, the parishioners, without you we cease to be a parish!  Can you give a little bit more to help with the expenses we have like the heating bill, or the bell tower repairs we just had done?

We had a great example of a good and faithful servant in the first reading: the worthy wife whose value is beyond pearls.  The reading from Proverbs ends:

the woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. Give her a reward for her labors, and let her works praise her at the city gates

I imagine the city gates she stands at are Heaven as she is given her reward of eternal life for being such a worthy wife.  That is our goal, right? St. Paul wrote to the Gentiles:

For all of you are children of the light and children of the day. We are not of the night or of darkness.

Our goal should be Heaven for ourselves and our loved ones so we hear these words when our time on earth has finished:

'Well done, my good and faithful servant … Come, share your master's joy.'"

I’ll leave you with these words from Blessed Jordan of Saxony: 

There are two ways of keeping God’s word, namely, one, whereby we store in our memory what we hear and the other, whereby we put into practice, what we have heard (and none will deny that the latter is more commendable, inasmuch, as it is better to sow grain than to store it in the barn).”

Let's Go, What Are We Waiting For

Kevin Gingras

December 20, 2020 - 4th Sunday of Advent

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/122020.cfm

The other day, I was at a red light, trying to cross Route 44 to get to Church.  There were two cars in front of me and the light turned green - and nobody moved.  Now, I’m not known for the virtue of patience.  My first mildly aggravated thought was “LET’S GO - WHAT ARE WE WAITING FOR!?”  Then, when my agitation subsided, I thought, “that’s a good question to ponder during Advent”, especially for today, the last Sunday of Advent.  

What are we waiting for?  Are we waiting for that perfect gift to arrive from Amazon that we got for Aunt Bethany and Uncle Lewis?  Are we waiting for time to finish decorating?  Are we waiting to be finished wrapping presents? Are we waiting to go get your ingredients for that perfect Christmas dinner? [Not that I’ve ever experienced one of those at home!]  I know that most kids, and some adults too are waiting for PRESENTS!

Christmas is just five days away!  Are we ready for Christmas?  If not - LET’S GO - WHAT ARE WE WAITING FOR!?

Was Mary was ready when the angel appeared to her and proclaimed:

Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus.  He will be great and will be called Son of the Highest.

Mary didn’t need to be told LET’S GO - WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR.  Mary simply replied:

Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.  May it be done to me according to your word

Mary was ready for that first Christmas, even when things didn’t work out exactly as she had planned.  All her preparations revolved around her son and God’s son Jesus.  There is no better way to prepare than to make Jesus our primary focus right now.  

Over 2,022 years ago, this is what a lot of people were waiting for, a savior, Jesus, the Christ.  We hear a preview of what they were waiting for in today’s first reading from Samuel:

And when your time comes and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your heir after you, sprung from your loins, and I will make his kingdom firm. I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me. Your house and your kingdom shall endure forever before me; your throne shall stand firm forever.'

Paul is trying to explain this to the Romans as he writes to them:

...according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret for long ages but now manifested through the prophetic writings and, according to the command of the eternal God, made known to all nations to bring about the obedience of faith, to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ.

There’s the key for us - all of this was “through Jesus Christ”.  Some of the Jews missed this even though it was right under their noses.  

With all of our hectic preparations are we missing it too? If that is true for us then, LET’S GO, WHAT ARE WE WAITING FOR? We shouldn’t miss who Jesus is and even though this Advent season is almost over it isn’t too late to take some quiet time with Jesus. We are given extra Advent time this year my friends, use it wisely. Spend it in Adoration if you can.  If not, spend some quiet time at home, tell Alexa to stop playing Bing Crosby Christmas playlist, turn off the Hallmark channel, turn down the lights, silence your phones, turn on the Christmas tree and spend some time in prayer pondering Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, the Holy Family, after whom are Church is so aptly named.  

If it helps read the Gospel of Luke, Chapters 1 through 3 or Matthew, Chapters 1 and 2.  Pay close attention to the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew.  Remember, Matthew was writing in Hebrew for a Jewish-Christian audience and Luke was writing for a Greek-speaking audience of Gentiles and Jews.  This is why the genealogies are different, they were for different audiences but either way, they are there to illustrate that Jesus was the savior promised in the Old Testament from the very beginning.  He’s our savior today as well.

Sure, this Christmas probably won’t be like any other we have experienced in our lifetime but try and count that as a blessing and not a curse.  Try to find that silver lining. Remember what Paul told the Romans:

We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose

Usually, I end with a quote from a Saint but this time I will leave you with this quote from our very own Bishop of Fall River - Bishop da Cunha, who recently said:

But maybe because there will be less [family holiday gatherings] there will be more celebrating what Christmas is about. “That could be a source of joy and hope and peace for all of us.

Faith in Adversity

March 22, 4th Sunday in Lent - Year A http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/032220.cfm

Today, especially since we cannot gather together for mass in most places, please take the time to read the readings ahead of time.  Gather the family, do it together prayerfully.  Let's all keep holy the Sabbath as best we can!

If you wish you can watch a VLOG of this instead by clicking HERE!


Now onto the homily...

"I wish it need not have happened in my time," said Frodo.
"So do I," said Gandalf, "and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.” - J.R.R Tolkien - The Fellowship of the Ring.

I’ve had this quote on my desk at work for many years.  Recently I’ve seen it crop up a lot on social media.  It’s very timely and an excellent quote to ponder now.

What will we do with this time that has been given to us?  Will we stress and argue over the minute things because of this crisis we are all facing or will we spend it with the ones we love and grow closer?  Will we compile a mass of food and paper products we couldn’t use in a normal lifetime or will we instead look for ways to assist our neighbors?

In the first reading, Samuel anointed young King David, the youngest of Jesse’s children who wasn’t even presented because Jesse assumed there was no way he would be the one chosen, he was too young.  I love this line from 1 Samuel:

“Do not judge from his appearance or from his lofty stature, because I have rejected him. Not as man sees does God see, because man sees the appearance but the LORD looks into the heart.”

King David faced many trials in his career as King and even failed miserably in some of those trials.  Just read 2 Samuel 11 to see one of his biggest failures!

All of us are facing adversity right now with what is going on worldwide because of the Coronavirus.  Some have this adversity added to others that they have already been dealing with. Some far more difficult than others.  We are all having one very interesting Lent indeed, that’s for sure.  All of our fasts have become so much more extreme than expected!  It’s hard but we must try to remember Matthew 6:16-18:

“When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites. They neglect their appearance, so that they may appear to others to be fasting. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you may not appear to others to be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.

If you can live in such a way now, to still be filled with such joy, that's more of a proclamation of who Jesus Christ is than any homily given of who you have put your trust in!

Our psalm today says:

He guides me in right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side With your rod and your staff that give me courage.

I have seen this faith in our own incredible parish of Holy Family.  We have had “drive-in adoration” via a window at the rectory, live streams of adoration and benediction, the rosary as well as Stations of the Cross.  Our worship hasn’t ended, it’s just been modified for the time being until this current crisis has run its course.  Once it does run its course we will come out on the other side that much stronger!

If you are one of the baptized then you too have been anointed like King David.  The Catechism of the Catholic Church states:

The anointing with sacred chrism, perfumed oil consecrated by the bishop, signifies the gift of the Holy Spirit to the newly baptized, who has become a Christian, that is, one "anointed" by the Holy Spirit, incorporated into Christ who is anointed priest, prophet, and king.

We have been incorporated into Christ with our anointing and baptism.  No amount of sheltering in place can take that away from us as we are all being forced to give up so much more this Lent than we ever could have imagined.  As the practice of “Social Distancing” should be growing let us please pray that our practice of “Spiritual Distancing” is shrinking.  May this be a time we all grow closer to Christ as we face this adversity together. Even if we cannot physically attend Mass or other church services, we are still grafted onto the vine that is Jesus Christ.

“Pain and suffering have come into your life, but remember pain, sorrow, suffering are but the kiss of Jesus — a sign that you have come so close to Him that He can kiss you.” St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta

Lost and Found

Homily for September 15, 2019, Twenty Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/091519.cfm As Saint Paul said in his letter to Timothy:

Indeed the grace of our Lord has been abundant, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.

At this point in my life, I want to stay inside that circle of faith and love that Christ Jesus radiates but it wasn’t always so. The Gospel today presents three different ways that we might stray from that circle of faith and love. First, we hear of the lost coin. To me, this represents when we strayed only a little, maybe momentarily turning away from God but our sorrow for that comes soon and we repent quickly. Perhaps it’s partaking in the water cooler gossip at work or losing your temper at others while driving. Whatever the occasion for sin, our return to Christ is fast, we are a lost coin quickly found. Next up is the lost sheep. The lost sheep strayed for a bit longer, days or even weeks. Some become the lost sheep every week, right after Mass ends while leaving the parking lot up until the next Mass. We must remember God has given us everything we have during the week as well, our houses, our cars, our jobs, and our families, not just the Church where we attend Mass each weekend. When we wonder how we can separate ourselves from God so quickly all we need to do is read the first reading from Exodus. The people have witnessed first-hand many miracles that God provided for them yet when Moses goes up to the mountain for a while the people decide to become depraved, make a golden calf, and worship that instead of the one true God. Moses intercedes for the people, just as Jesus has done for us, and God’s mercy shows through. He relents in his punishment. They had become the lost sheep while Moses was on the mountain. Finally, we hear of the Prodigal son. This parable represents when we have strayed for a long time, years or even decades! I was the prodigal son once myself. I left the faith for about 7 years through college and into my young adulthood so I can echo what St. Paul tells Timothy in his letter:

Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. I was mercifully treated so that in me, Christ Jesus might display all his patience as an example for those who would come to believe in Him for everlasting life.

I paraphrased here, leaving out the parts that make me look like I a complete heretic but you get the idea! I was separated from God but even then God still loved me and sought me out. I was totally ignorant of the fact that God was looking for me, well, I should say us because my wife was a prodigal daughter as well. Even though we were still newly married with new careers and a bit of money in our pockets our lives felt empty and we weren’t able to fill that void with what society was teaching us. With a nudge from the Holy Spirit, and also the nudge of my wife, we decided to go back to Church. A few weeks, later the nudge came again, and we decided to go to Confession so we could return to receiving the Eucharist. Once that happened there was no looking back, God wrapped us in the finest robe of his love and there we have stayed and grown in our faith to this very day. We are still far from perfect but our aim is perfection and as long as we grow closer to the target each day we are headed in the right direction. We all have somebody we know as a 'Prodigal Son or Daughter'. They must know that no matter how far away from God they are He will look for them but when He finds them, they must play an active role in their salvation, it is up to them to follow Him back regardless of how far or long they have strayed. If a lost sheep hides in a crag in a cliff silently you won’t find it, but that’s not what a lost sheep does. It will fearfully bleat until the shepherd finds it. The prodigal son needed to hit rock bottom, desiring to eat the food fed to the pigs to finally allow the nudge of the Holy Spirit to work in him. Only then did he return home to his loving father who was constantly on the lookout for his return. It’s so easy today to stray from God when we are not within the walls of a sacred Church building. Much of what society teaches is contrary to our faith. We need the tools that our Catholic Church gives us. We need the sacraments first and foremost. Receive the Eucharist as often as possible and when you do be in a state of grace! The Catechism of the Catholic Church stresses this in Paragraph 1415:

Anyone who desires to receive Christ in Eucharistic communion must be in the state of grace.

To get back in that state we need to receive the graces that the sacrament of Confession gives us. Personally, I find this the sacrament I dislike the most before receiving it but love it the most once the prayer of absolution is said. The more you go the easier it gets! When I’m preparing to go I contemplate Psalm 65:

To you, all flesh will come, with its burden of sin. Too heavy for us, our offenses, but you wipe them away

I imagine all my sins, written on a big...a very big whiteboard. The priest, who represents Jesus in persona Christi, that is, in the person of Christ, takes a big eraser and clears the whiteboard, all that sin is gone just like that. It’s a very refreshing feeling! We can also use the tools that our very own Church offers us. For the men look to see if your parish has TMIY, for the women some parishes offer WINE - Women In the New Evangelization. Check to see if you have a Bible study. Faith is important for your children too, make your children's Religious Education classes a priority. Look to see if the is a local adoration chapel, and that’s for all ages, children too. Try bringing your kids and go for only 15 minutes to start, you don’t need to sign up, just show up. Take the time to pray, in the presence of Jesus, for all those who have strayed. While there, ask Jesus for the guidance of the Holy Spirit and the words to say to those who have strayed to invite them back into the Church where they can find healing and a home. Tell those you know the good news of these stories; that no matter how far away from God we may go, He cares about each and every one of us VERY intensely whether you are a lost coin, a lost sheep, or a prodigal son. God will search for you. All we need to do is let God find us. What better saint to quote then probably the most famous prodigal son of them all, St. Augustine, who said:

Forgiveness is the remission of sins. For it is by this that what has been lost, and was found, is saved from being lost again.

Where are the adoration fireworks?

In adoration the other night I kept waiting for God's fireworks to hit me.  I prayed that God would put on a huge show for me.  Then I'd be one hundred percent sure that God is God and I am not! I wanted a bog old Eucharistic miracle right there in front of me, you know, for it to start bleeding or turn to actual flesh or something like that!

My brain knows that the Eucharist is the true presence of Jesus, I have read John 6:32-66 over and over and have even blogged about the Eucharist right here on this blog.  What I wanted was to know it's true presence in my heart.  My faith is a knowledge based faith and I am in the process of turning that knowledge into love for the faith that I know.  I need to make my brain faith become my heart faith as well.  I was waiting for my Thomas moment where I could declare "My Lord and my God" and have all doubt washed away for good.  

I bowed my head and prayed.  I prayed for forgiveness for my doubt, for understanding and wisdom and knowledge and God hit me upside the head with several verses. 


John 20:27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.”Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”


Those last words, "Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed" really struck me.  I clearly have doubt and am looking for something supernatural to see before my heart will believe!  God shouldn't have to put on a display for us, it is us who should believe regardless.  


The next verse that popped into my head took care of why God doesn't work in fireworks and showmanship.


1 Kings 19:11-13  Then the LORD said: Go out and stand on the mountain before the LORD; the LORD will pass by. There was a strong and violent wind rending the mountains and crushing rocks before the LORD—but the LORD was not in the wind; after the wind, an earthquake—but the LORD was not in the earthquake; after the earthquake, fire—but the LORD was not in the fire; after the fire, a light silent sound. When he heard this, Elijah hid his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. 


God isn't a God of fireworks and explosions and all that.  He isn't an action movie just waiting to play out in front of us.  God is in the quiet, the peaceful, the serene.  It's in quiet places like adoration, a walk in the woods and at Mass (although sometimes that isn't a very quiet place at all) that we will find God.  It's when our phones are off, our technology has been put aside and our brains are at rest.  God will be found when, after receiving the Eucharist we go back to our pews, bow our heads and truly thank God for the gift he has just given us.


It is there we will find God.  My brain knows he is there, my heart is slowly coming along.