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Deacon's corner, Pine Street, Whiteville, NC (2026)

06/02/2026

Some Pharisees and Herodians were sent
to Jesus to ensnare him in his speech.
They came and said to him,
“Teacher, we know that you are a truthful man
and that you are not concerned with anyone’s opinion.
You do not regard a person’s status
but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.
Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?
Should we pay or should we not pay?”
Knowing their hypocrisy he said to them,
“Why are you testing me?
Bring me a denarius to look at.”
They brought one to him and he said to them,
“Whose image and inscription is this?”
They replied to him, “Caesar’s.”
So Jesus said to them,
“Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar
and to God what belongs to God.”
They were utterly amazed at him.

As we continue our journey through the ninth week of ordinary times, we read of Jesus being tested by the religious leaders about paying taxes. Jesus knowing that either answer of paying or not could be twisted so either the Roman or the Jewish people would find fault with an answer. Jesus asks for the coin and states give to Caesar what is Caesar but give to God what is God's. In today's world I believe this situation happens all the time. People asks question to Christians is this wrong or is that wrong. The questions are tainted so that Christians get ridiculed and then shy away from crucial conversations. I have even observed Christians taking part of the questioning not realizing they are doing the work of the Devil. Jesus' answers allows people to be reliable for the answers and statements. Judgement is for God alone. Do not let man made laws or situations get you trapped. Pray to the Holy Spirit to guide you when you are in such situations.

06/01/2026

Then he began to speak to them in parables. “A man planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a pit for the wine press, and built a watchtower; then he leased it to tenants and went to another country. When the season came, he sent a slave to the tenants to collect from them his share of the produce of the vineyard. But they seized him, and beat him, and sent him away empty-handed. And again he sent another slave to them; this one they beat over the head and insulted. Then he sent another, and that one they killed. And so it was with many others; some they beat, and others they killed. He had still one other, a beloved son. Finally he sent him to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ But those tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ So they seized him, killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard. What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the tenants and give the vineyard to others. Have you not read this scripture:

‘The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
this was the Lord’s doing,
and it is amazing in our eyes’?”

When they realized that he had told this parable against them, they wanted to arrest him, but they feared the crowd. So they left him and went away.

As we continue our journey through the ninth week of ordinary time, we hear the parable of the vineyard. Jesus' parable is concerning the treatment of the prophets that God had sent His people, only to have them abused and even killed. God finally sends His Son, who we know was beaten and crucified. Because of this God took away that salvation would only come through the Jews, rather it will come from Jews and Gentiles, slave and free. He used His Son's death as the corner stone to build His Church. We have been Blessed to have been chosen to work in the vineyard and have been commission to help the vine bear fruits so to fill heaven.

05/31/2026

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.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,
but that the world might be saved through him.
Whoever believes in him will not be condemned,
but whoever does not believe has already been condemned,
because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

As we continue our journey through ordinary time, we take time out to adore our triune God. It is the single hardest mystery of our beliefs and yet it is the central belief. St. Patrick used a shamrock to try to explain the Trinity. I believe when we read the Old Testament we clearly see what God had wanted when He created mankind. He wanted a personal relationship with Adam and Eve, Abraham, Moses, David etc. But no matter how much God showed them, man continue not to be able to understand. God used His Spirit to lead the Israelites through the trials and tribulations. God finally decide He would come down in His Son Jesus to walk in the world with us. Why so we could understand all that God the Father wants from us. Jesus taught us through His words, deeds and finally His death and Resurrection. Finally God's love for us doesn't stop with Jesus ascension rather He sent the Holy Spirit (love of Father/Son) to guide us no longer just on the outside but on the inside as well. God will never leave us and so we must trust that God gave us His only begotten son so we may not perish but have eternal life. Amen

05/30/2026

Jesus and his disciples returned once more to Jerusalem.
As he was walking in the temple area,
the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders
approached him and said to him,
“By what authority are you doing these things?
Or who gave you this authority to do them?”
Jesus said to them, “I shall ask you one question.
Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things.
Was John’s baptism of heavenly or of human origin? Answer me.”
They discussed this among themselves and said,
“If we say, ‘Of heavenly origin,’ he will say,
‘Then why did you not believe him?’
But shall we say, ‘Of human origin’?”–
they feared the crowd,
for they all thought John really was a prophet.
So they said to Jesus in reply, “We do not know.”
Then Jesus said to them,
“Neither shall I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

As we continue our way to the end of the eighth week of ordinary time we hear the chief priest, scribes and elders question Jesus by who's authority does He preach and teach. Like Scribes, chief priest and elders we too can have doubts when God sends someone in our lives to help direct, support even comfort us. We often keep the idea that God is in Heaven and not with us. This is opposite of what Jesus said before He ascended into heaven, when He stated "I will be with you until the end of time!" Know that God is with you in good times and bad times. He sends us all we need to go through life's trials and tribulations. No matter what you have done or will do He is with you.

05/29/2026

Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple area.
He looked around at everything and, since it was already late,
went out to Bethany with the Twelve.

The next day as they were leaving Bethany he was hungry.
Seeing from a distance a fig tree in leaf,
he went over to see if he could find anything on it.
When he reached it he found nothing but leaves;
it was not the time for figs.
And he said to it in reply, “May no one ever eat of your fruit again!”
And his disciples heard it.

They came to Jerusalem,
and on entering the temple area
he began to drive out those selling and buying there.
He overturned the tables of the money changers
and the seats of those who were selling doves.
He did not permit anyone to carry anything through the temple area.
Then he taught them saying, “Is it not written:

My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples?
But you have made it a den of thieves.”

The chief priests and the scribes came to hear of it
and were seeking a way to put him to death,
yet they feared him
because the whole crowd was astonished at his teaching.
When evening came, they went out of the city.

Early in the morning, as they were walking along,
they saw the fig tree withered to its roots.
Peter remembered and said to him, “Rabbi, look!
The fig tree that you cursed has withered.”
Jesus said to them in reply, “Have faith in God.
Amen, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain,
‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’
and does not doubt in his heart
but believes that what he says will happen,
it shall be done for him.
Therefore I tell you, all that you ask for in prayer,
believe that you will receive it and it shall be yours.
When you stand to pray,
forgive anyone against whom you have a grievance,
so that your heavenly Father may in turn
forgive you your transgressions.”

As we continue our journey through the eighth week of ordinary time, we discover Jesus cleaning out the temple in the first part of our Gospel and cleaning out sin in ourselves and others. Jesus gets upset gets upset in the Temple because they have changed the focus from God to material things. He gets upset with a fig tree for it did not bear fruit. What would Jesus ask you remove in yourself so God would not be upset? Is our prayer cleanse of wants and needs of this world? Do we bear the fruits that He has made us for? Do we forgive ourselves and others so God can for us? let us take time today to cleanse our own temple and fertilize our trees and finally forgive others and yourself.

05/28/2026

As Jesus was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a sizable crowd,
Bartimaeus, a blind man, the son of Timaeus,
sat by the roadside begging.
On hearing that it was Jesus of Nazareth,
he began to cry out and say,
“Jesus, son of David, have pity on me.”
And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent.
But he kept calling out all the more, “Son of David, have pity on me.”
Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.”
So they called the blind man, saying to him,
“Take courage; get up, Jesus is calling you.”
He threw aside his cloak, sprang up, and came to Jesus.
Jesus said to him in reply, “What do you want me to do for you?”
The blind man replied to him, “Master, I want to see.”
Jesus told him, “Go your way; your faith has saved you.”
Immediately he received his sight
and followed him on the way.

As we continue our journey through the eighth week of ordinary time, we read of a man Bartimaeus who was blind and calling out to Jesus. Although the others tried to quiet him, he cried out even louder until Jesus finally said "call him" They brought Bartimaeus to Jesus and Jesus asked him "What do you want me to do for you?" He answered I want to see. Jesus told him Go your faith has saved you. What do you cry out to Jesus for? Do you have the faith to keep crying out until He calls for you? Do you believe that your faith has saved you? These are the questions and actions we must have in order for miracles to happen. Jesus told us we would do greater works then these when the advocate comes and are faith is strong. Reflect on Bartimaeus strength not to listen to the crowd and his persistent in crying out. Ask God for that strength.

05/27/2026

The disciples were on the way, going up to Jerusalem,
and Jesus went ahead of them.
They were amazed, and those who followed were afraid.
Taking the Twelve aside again, he began to tell them
what was going to happen to him.
"Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man
will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes,
and they will condemn him to death
and hand him over to the Gentiles who will mock him,
spit upon him, scourge him, and put him to death,
but after three days he will rise."

Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee,
came to Jesus and said to him,
"Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you."
He replied, "What do you wish me to do for you?"
They answered him,
"Grant that in your glory
we may sit one at your right and the other at your left."
Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you are asking.
Can you drink the chalice that I drink
or be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?"
They said to him, "We can."
Jesus said to them, "The chalice that I drink, you will drink,
and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized;
but to sit at my right or at my left is not mine to give
but is for those for whom it has been prepared."
When the ten heard this, they became indignant at James and John.
Jesus summoned them and said to them,
"You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles
lord it over them,
and their great ones make their authority over them felt.
But it shall not be so among you.
Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant;
whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all.
For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve
and to give his life as a ransom for many."

As we continue our journey through the eighth week of ordinary time we hear James and John ask Jesus for positions of authority in Jesus' kingdom. Jesus informs them that they first will have to go through some tough times here on Earth, which will entail going through some of the same hard times that Jesus will go through. Jesus informs them that power and strength come from serving one another. Jesus teaches us as He teaches these two apostles, that we must go to God with the good intentions of others, not for ourselves. When we pray our prayers should be what is best for all mankind not what is good for ourselves. May God grant us a heart full of the service of others. May our prayers and actions be that grant others and ourselves access to Good News of Jesus Christ.

05/26/2026

Peter began to say to Jesus,
"We have given up everything and followed you."
Jesus said, "Amen, I say to you,
there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters
or mother or father or children or lands
for my sake and for the sake of the Gospel
who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age:
houses and brothers and sisters
and mothers and children and lands,
with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come.
But many that are first will be last, and the last will be first."

As we continue our journey through the week after Pentecost we hear state to the Lord "We have given up everything to follow you." It is a true statement that can be considered fact, complaint for of desperation. We must be honest with Jesus with our statements for it shows trust and faith. Jesus informs Peter and the other disciples, that all who follow Him will receive eternal life. Life will try to persuade them otherwise but those who follow Him will be called first and those of the the world will be last.

05/26/2026

DAILY MEDITATION | May 26, 2026

Let Nothing Disturb You
From: Discernment: Reading the Signs of Daily Life
I have found that Saint Teresa's call to focus on the goodness of God when I need to discern helps me fight the demons of despair, self-rejection, and fear, and has overcome the powers of darkness with the power of God many times. I have often prayed the prayer of Saint Teresa, “Solo Dios basta, God alone is enough,” when I have needed to discern whether what I was hearing and experiencing was of God or not. Praying these words slowly and out loud can help me enter into God's presence, where there is peace and certainty that God is always with me and loves me.

Let nothing disturb you
Let nothing frighten you.
Those who cling to God
will lack nothing
Let nothing disturb you
Let nothing frighten you
God alone is enough.

Henri Nouwen
Reflection Question: How might meditating on the prayer, “God alone is enough” shift things for you today?

“Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Be strong and courageous.”
- Joshua 10: 25

Deacon's corner

06/02/2026

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05/31/2026

05/30/2026

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