On a cross country trip many years ago my brother and I drove through the desert somewhere in the southwestern United States during the month of August. After driving for some time in the desert we stopped, got out of the car and looked around. It was hot…really hot. It was bright…no clouds to shield the burning sun and nothing to create shade except the care and our bodies.  There were no smells in the air.  There were no sounds in the air.  The cold bottles of Aquafina in the cooler seemed to be the only water around as far as we could see.  It was, or it seemed to be, a barren wasteland.  We drove off, disappointed that the desert didn’t offer more.  I’m not sure what we were expecting but whatever it was the desert didn’t meet our expectations.  The desert appeared to be a vast, barren, and uncomfortable wasteland not worthy of our time.

Years later I ran across an article in National Geographic Magazine entitled “Songs of the Sonoran” which is a desert in the southwestern United States.   The article began, “A desert can fool the eye.  A sun-blasted plain of death turns suddenly into a landscape of sound, water and life.” It wasn’t until I read the article that I realized that I had not experienced the realities of the desert and all that it had to offer on our cross-country trip.  Continue reading “Deacon Greg Maskarinec’s Homily for the First Sunday of Lent” →

“Rejoice in the Lord always.  I shall say it again: rejoice!”  The readings for this 3rd Sunday of Advent, known as Gaudete Sunday,  Gaudete being the Latin word for Rejoice, prompts us to consider what I think are some very important questions.

First, if we take a look at the world around us the following question immediately comes to mind:  what do we have to rejoice about this Advent?  First, our world is afflicted by a culture of death…terrorism, abortion, euthanasia; over 14,000 people die every day as a result of the lack of clean drinking water.  Second, our Church has been plagued by scandal and attacked by  the new atheists; our Archdiocese is facing serious financial difficulties and has had to close numerous parishes.  Some of you are here because your parish has been closed.  Finally, our families suffer from the effects of divorce and substance abuse, economic difficulties, mental illness, and the death of loved ones.  What do we have to rejoice about? Continue reading “Deacon Greg’s Homily for the Third Sunday of Advent” →

Today we celebrate the Feast of Christ the King.  I’d like to begin with a question.  What would you do if you were “king”?  Think about it for a moment.  What would you do if you were king?  Some of us might use our power to have our brothers and sisters be our servants…bring us snacks while we watch TV and play video games, do our homework and our chores.  Some of us might use our wealth to buy a bigger house equipped with all the latest technological gadgets; hire a chauffeur, a maid, a landscaper…someone to do all the things that would give us more time to enjoy our families and our own interests.   Some of us might direct our efforts  at hunting down the terrorists who have caused so much pain and suffering in the lives of innocent people in order to get revenge.  What would you do if you were king? Continue reading “Deacon Greg Maskarinec’s Homily from the Feast of Christ the King” →

It is a known fact that vocations rise following a papal visit.   Imagine what happened here in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia as a result of the World Meeting of Families and Pope Francis’ visit.    If you are someone you know is feeling the gentle tug to the priesthood, please visit: 

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Homily by Deacon Greg Maskarinec

October 4, 2015

My wife and I attended the World Meeting of Families along with the festivities last Saturday and Sunday in Philadelphia when Pope Francis came to town.  It was a phenomenal experience!  My wife and I were able to spend time together and to visit with some good friends from the Permanent Diaconate who I was ordained with in June.  We heard a number of excellent talks about the family from some great speakers.    I attended Mass celebrated by Pope Francis at the Cathedral on Saturday morning!  I was blessed to be a Deacon of Communion on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway at the Papal Mass on Sunday!   It was quite a week.  One that I will cherish forever!

Continue reading ““Lord, Are You Speaking to Me?”” →