Feast of the Immaculate Conception - Happy Mother's Day Mary!

Today is meaningful day for me, not just because it is a Holy Day of Obligation ,but as a Catholic Mother I a take time to reflect on my motherhood. The readings remind us today of the beginning of God’s relationship with us through the story of Eve in Genesis.  The story of Adam and Eve is one that tells us of our human condition and always reminds us that we are not as trusting of God as we were created to be. Not that we do not have the power to trust, because at times in life we amaze ourselves with the ability to trust God, but that we fall over and over again in believing that God has our best in mind. The serpent was able to convince Eve that God was not telling her the truth about the tree of knowledge and that somehow God was keeping something from her. And so trust was broken and life became hard outside the promises of God. It was especially hard because Adam and Eve would struggle to see themselves as God sees them, and we would begin the long hard struggle of gaining that vision back. We tend to see ourselves, thousands of years later, being naked, exposed and concentrating on that fact instead of all the things that God has given us, all of which are freely given.

As a young woman I too struggled with only seeing what I wasn’t instead of who I was, and this belief of not being enough led me to never really expecting the best for myself.  What I wanted in life, all the good things, a good husband and children, somehow seemed to be out of my grasp; instead of looking into myself for the answers I looked outward and became discouraged. As I think of Mary’s journey today, I see how she was the one who broke the chains of fear and Eve’s inability to trust God. Mary trusted God with all that she was, and agreed to be a part of something that would change the world forever, never asking to know the outcome before she agreed.  I was tired of waiting for “the one”, and he was not coming, I felt that I had to get that through my head. I know now that it was the same serpent of Eve, telling me that God didn’t really hear my prayers.  I didn’t want to believe it, I was a good person, why wouldn’t it come to me? To seal the deal, the person I loved more than anything, was taken from my life when he took his own life. I couldn’t understand how a loving God could do this! And so like Eve, I took it upon myself to find knowledge, left the church and went about getting my own dreams. I gave myself to the first person that came along and used love as the reason. But from the beginning I knew that this did not fit with who I was. The problem was that I did not know who I was anymore, because I had taken God out of the equation. I just wanted to feel loved.  I found myself pregnant, pretty quickly, and in today’s reading I am reminded of how I felt that day. We hear Mary saying, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man? Not that I didn’t have sexual relations but I had no “relationship” with a man, because in order to have a relationship I would have had to be present, and I wasn’t present to anything except physically. I wonder today, of how many women find themselves in the same situation, knowing that they are physical with a man, but really are not in relationship to them. There are so many of us women, seeking love, and we just can’t find the love that will satisfy our inner soul, because that place is reserved for God. At this point, I had some “choices”--  I could have had an abortion and my reputation would not have been stained, but my soul would have been stained forever; I could have stood in a church, proclaiming my vows, knowing that I would not be able to fulfill them; or I could have confessed my sin, taken the consequences and sin no more, asking for help to make this situation (which felt horrible) into something that glorified God. I choose the later. I chose to get busy in making a life with this small child and finally trusting in God that all would be well. Through this event, God (and me) brought me to a place that I was forced to trust in Him, because there was nothing else to trust. From that moment on I was at peace and luckily for me it was in the beginning of my pregnancy. This baby who was growing inside me was not a “mistake” it was hope that God and I were growing together.  I wish that for every woman that finds themselves in this place would believe that God has great things for you and for that child, no matter the circumstances.  Think of the fear that Mary must have felt because she could be stoned to death, and if she can say yes to life, what are we afraid of … tarnished reputations or financial struggles? Take on the fight! That small child inside of us wants to be born, wants to receive God’s promises.  This small little boy inside me, was the answer to my prayer, I wanted to be a Mom, maybe not in these circumstances, but I know that God used it to bring me ever closer to him and ultimately give me the answer to who I was.  In the Book of Revelation, we see Mary, triumph over the serpent, with 12 gold stars around her head, the Queen of Heaven and earth, she shows us how to trust in a way that Eve before her failed. She shows us how every day, trusting God wins over evil, even when you have to watch your child being placed on the cross!

When I gave birth to Noah, there were some medical complications that were pretty serious, so within just a few minutes we went from delivering to C-section to emergency surgery, and as they placed the mask on my face, I heard God ask, “will you die for him?” and my answer was “Yes” and never in my life was I in a position to give my life for someone else and God gave me this gift.  Now I can approach life in a whole new way, understanding love. The gift I was given that day is knowing, really knowing, what Jesus gave for me in taking up the cross. What Noah has taught me, is what Mary teaches all of us, to trust God with all our heart, with all of soul and with all of our minds. And when we can really trust, than we can understand the words, “all things are possible with God”.

Happy Mother’s Day to Mary and the Church, help us to believe in the coming of your Son.

Feast Day of St. Nicholas

Today we celebrate the Feast Day of St. Nicholas, the patron Saint of Russia and an Arch Bishop. There are many stories of St. Nicholas and if you ask most children, it is a Saint that they have heard of, almost taking the throne of Christmas, despite the fact that Christmas really is the birth of our Savior. I wonder what St. Nicholas would think about the adaptation of his role in Christmas. As I researched St. Nicholas I was struck by one particular story.

Throughout his life St. Nicholas retained the bright and guileless manners of his early years, and showed himself to be the special protector of the innocent and the wronged. Nicholas once heard that a person who had fallen into poverty intended to abandon his three daughters for a life of sin. Determined that this would not happen, he went out during the night, and taking with him a bag of gold, flung it into the window of the sleeping father and hurried off. He, on awakening, deemed the gift a godsend, and with it dowered his eldest child.  It seemed that St. Nicholas was pleased at how this went, and returned to help with the next daughter, but this time the father was watching and waiting and saw where the bag of gold came from. The father, in such gratitude, fell at the feet of St. Nicholas and asked him why he had concealed himself from the man and thanked him for delivering himself and his daughters from hell.

The stories of St. Nicholas, as varied as they are, show us that we must work for justice; but what is justice when the word is used more about revenge and “getting even”. Justice for all people is really about making sure that the person standing next to us, or across the globe receives exactly what God would want for them. Do we ever think of what God would want to the person we are dealing with? This time of year, in 2011, giving poses quite a problem. Yes, we are in the giving and receiving mode, or at least we think we are. We struggle and sometimes even get into debt or ignore responsibilities because we want to get someone some “thing”, but when we think of what God would want for the person that we are exchanging gifts with, does it equal out to a new iPod or iPhone, or some other material item? St. Nicholas was the one who would stand up for those who are innocent and wronged, haven’t we all been wronged by the incessant message this time of year that “things” will make us happy, or “things” will make our children happy? We all know that most of us need nothing, and we long for the time when the spirit of Christmas was different. Recently I was speaking with someone and they were handed a “wish list” from their parents!!  There is something wrong about that to me. While we are in need of no-thing, we are desperately in need of meaning, of love and understanding, none of which can be bought at your local Wal-mart!

This time of year, we should be thinking of how to get our lives in prospective. While we are in the dark, we can only see shadows and so we make up our own reality. Let us commit to awaiting the light that only Jesus can bring, and then we will see life as it truly is; with the bright light we will be able to see ourselves and others as God sees us.  Like St. Nicholas, let us take on the role of protector of the innocent and the wronged and allow Jesus to be seen this Christmas. Let us put down the credit card, and give of ourselves to one another this Christmas.

Thankful for the Beginning of Metanoia

Usually the writings of this blog are inspired by the readings for the upcoming week, but this week I plan to do something a little different. I am coming back from a few days off, celebrating the Thanksgiving week with my family, which has truly left me feeling humbled and blessed. Although we don’t have the numbers that other families are blessed with, as we sat around our small table (in our pajamas this year) we realized that we had so much to be Thankful for. Among those things, is the opportunity to be the Director of Young Adult Ministry and a family that is as dedicated as I am. A mother who jumps in and takes care of so much so that my dream can be realized to work for the church, while maintaining a job that also is very fulfilling is enough to be thankful for. And thankful for such a good son who understands why sometimes I have to be away, and already at the age of 12 understands that people need to stand up for what we believe in, even if that means he goes to bed without my kiss or hugs some nights. A am humbled to be a single mother and somehow can keep our life going, when I am well aware that in other countries the plight of single mothers is to beg on the street for any morsel of food, or to even sell your child in hopes that this little one will have a better life somewhere outside your arms. “Only by the grace of God go I” is my mantra.

I am grateful for the beautiful women I met on our first Metanoia retreat and the wonderful people, especially Fr. Al Hauser, who jumped in and made it happen as I was wrestling with the devil. Without him, or the Kilians, the retreat would not have been possible. I want to talk too, about the power of God, when two or three gathered there He is in our midst and it has never been so powerful for me as it was during the Metanoia retreat. So much so, that when it was over, I, like the first disciples, found myself wanting to hide in the upper room -- in awe and wondering of what the real meaning of the experience meant; not only to me but to the future of our church.  I want to make it clear, that it had nothing to do with me, it was purely God.  It wasn’t an experience of something that will change everything in itself, but it was a seed of something that could grow so powerful. In so many ways, in the experiencing of the retreat, it became something different than I even dreamed about when the planning of this event began. For me, the power of God’s presence and the insistent presence of the devil within me left me in a place in which I will forever be changed.  There were so many factors that could have stopped this retreat from happening that when I list them all I wonder how it actually got off the ground, but it did. I knew it before but I am even more convinced than ever, that God will always win over evil if we merely help the fight. It is by no coincidence, though I didn’t put it all together, that the first Metanoia retreat was held the weekend of Christ the King. But I also know how weak we are, even when we don’t want to be.  The most beautiful element of the retreat is that the participants were able to just “be” with God, one of the things that we often forget to do. We spoke of the demands of the world, how we get our appreciation and self worth from what we “do” and in God’s eyes, He loves us simply because we “are”. If only we could see ourselves as God sees us!! Thank you to Jamie, Samantha, Carmel, Jen and Kelley for saying "yes" to the unknown, and for sharing of yourselves to our first small group.

As we anticipate the birth of the Christ-child, we are reminded to envelope ourselves in “silent nights” – to simply just meditate on our lives, that are often lived in darkness and in a state of loneliness. If we can reach deep down into ourselves and be honest, how we could get to the end of Advent with such a yearning for Christ to enter our lives in a whole new way, with both hands wanting to hold that Christ baby in loving embrace – and oh how he would love to share his wondrous joy with us, no more darkness, no more loneliness and a promise to walk beside us, all the days of our lives.

This week as we prepare for the Solemnity of Christ the King, we are reminded that it is through our dealings with those who are hungry, who are thirsty and who are held captive that reflects how we deal with God Himself. For the last couple of weeks we have been reflecting on the light and the darkness, how Jesus has taken us out of the darkness and brought us into light, into a new life; and with that new life, it is up to us to go and do God’s work, to feed the hungry and give drink to the thirsty. I think though, we often take this literally, as in some ways we should; it is our responsibility to change the lives of the poor, and to feed those who literally do not have food. But as I once again hear this reading I am reminded of my early days in youth and campus ministry.  When I decided to commit myself to church ministry as my career, I envisioned myself working with the poor. I was in fact, hoping to go to a country like El Salvador to work with the poor and to even risk my life for the message of Christ. However, God seemed to have different plans for me, and I became a Youth Minister in Kentucky and then a Campus Minister in Mississippi and in my entire ministry found myself ministering to children and families that were not poor at all. It was a big shock for me, as I began my ministry career because the parishioners seemed to have lives bigger than I had ever experienced. The youth in my ministry lived in very large houses, in beautiful sub-divisions and had all of the latest gadgets at the time. You were invited to big parties and parishes were new and beautiful. They seemed like the last people who needed food and drink. But as I reflect back on the experience, I was reminded over and over again of just how hungry, thirsty and lost so many of them were. As part of my Campus Ministry at Ole Miss we brought college age students to the missions in Saltillo, Mexico. The people there needed the basics of life, and yet they had so much that we did not have. The experience would make everyone of us who participated in this trip question who exactly is hungry and thirsty.  Sometimes it is much more glamorous for us to sell everything and move to Africa than to see the needs in our own backyard and begin ministering there. We cannot let ourselves be fooled by not hearing the inner cries of those who seem to have everything on the outside and are starving and dying of thirst inside.  

 With the decline of participation in our parishes, especially by Young Adults, we are a missionary church. The need for our church today, I believe, is the conversion of hearts, one heart at a time; being transformed by a personal connection with Jesus. In a world in which our basics are not in question, we are less likely to turn to God, because , let’s face it, it is in hardships and struggles that we move ourselves closer to God, crying for his assistance, His mercy and / or His forgiveness.  We are a people in great spiritual need, and we are so thirsty and so hungry for the living God within our lives that we do not know how to satisfy that need. We grasp at everything we think may satisfy us, but we never are.

We must ask ourselves, am I spiritually feeding others around me; do I move others in the direction of the living waters?  Do I wrap people in the warmth of God when I interact with them? Do I show them the consolation that God offers each one of us?  This is a much more difficult task than handing someone a bottle of water.  So this week, work to stop poverty, but do not overlook the poverty that may be within the person’s life next to you.  Watch how you interact with others so that you will leave God with them when you walk away. 

So it is 11 days until the Young Adult Retreat “Metanoia” will be held.  I continue to pray for those who may be hearing God’s call to get a hold of a registration form. I think I have invited everyone that has come across my path, and have begged those around me to do the same, and so now we wait.  Like the girls in the last Sunday’s readings, I am making sure that the lamps are burning bright and that there is plenty of oil in case we wait a long time and the lamps need to be refilled. We are ready! 

And then I read the readings for this coming Sunday . . . Mt 25; 14-30 The Parable of the Talents.  I find comfort in this reading after a few hours of meditating on it, but not at first. I tend to be like the third worker, if you give me something to hold on to, I will take good care of it -- but I am not so sure that I would go and gamble it away hoping to be able to give you more when you get back. I am probably going to hope that you are happy with me that whatever it is, is returned in the same condition you gave it to me. But in this parable it is easy to see that God expects more from us than that. God has given us all of our talents, everything we have, especially our faith, and I suppose that God, as told to us through Jesus, expects us to spread the Good News. In spreading the news, we will work with God in the conversion of souls.  I suppose that is why we should not be content with merely our own salvation. Since God gives us everything, even our reputation, the fact that people think we are good, trustworthy, etc. I risk that mainstream reputation when I take on a further call to spread the Good News as it is lived out in my own gospel, the experience of Jesus Christ within my own life. How will others see me; a Jesus freak? (Oh and by the way we will not even mention the fear that people will uncover that I am really a phony, full of air, and able to pop with the slightest touch; who am I to speak on God’s behalf.) But I am reminded over and over again, that if I hear the call and do not respond, it is not only me that suffers, but my friends, my neighbors and the world. If I am given words to say, a life of joy and enthusiasm for Jesus, and I repress it, than no one gets the benefit of the message. And when we, collectively, decide we will not take up our call, than that is compounded a million times! What kind of world will we then have? Should we be surprised of the world we live in now? Lately I have been looking for a bumper sticker that says, “If not you, then who?” And so in the Parable this week, I have often wondered what would happen if at least one of them would have come back saying, “Um, I tried to make you some more and well, it didn’t go so good, so I actually have nothing to give back.” But I suppose that this is not even an option. That when one takes what they have been given, whatever the talent, and believe that it really, ultimately belongs to the Master, and takes care of that talent with passion and respect, there is no way that it will not multiply. That is part of this lesson, to believe, to live a life of passion for what you are hearing God say to you, and know that we are fertile ground and we will be more than we were at the beginning of this journey. As I close this day, I remember the words from the writings of Julian of Norwich, " ... All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well". And I hear God's gentle voice in my head saying, "Of course it will be."

Our Time is Limited

With all this talk about Saints and Souls, and then the readings of today, we are reminded that we have to be awake as we live this life. How we live our lives, and to what we deem as important is the very thing that God will judge us on. As we celebrated All Saints day we are reminded that Saints were people who somehow figured out how to be themselves, the person that God intended them to be despite their frailties and sins, and lived a good life, so much so that God intermingled with their lives so much that others around them were affected - healed by miracles. They certainly were not perfect, and a recurring theme throughout the lives of the saints is that they too believed that they were not worthy. How many times do we tell ourselves that we are not Saints, that we don't have what it takes to be one, and so we go back to sleep accepting what the world will give us and turn away from what God offers us. All we have to do is look around and we can see how we are not accepting blessings from God, the condition of the world, our towns, our neighborhoods and our families are a reflection of what we deem as important, and God does not want for us what we are living. He has something so much better in mind.

But then the question comes, what can I do about it? The task at hand seems so overwhelming, we sometimes feel that all we can do is try to be a good person and hope that this is enough. But God tells us over and over again that it is NOT enough. That if we want to be one of the chosen ones, if we really do want to live all of eternity in His presence, than we have to quiet the voices that want to convince us that we can't make a change, take a deep breath and get to work on building the Kingdom of God today. The Kingdom is available if we just get busy bringing it about. But the Devil is a cunning one, and he is hard at work making us feel that we are not good enough. The more we try to do good, the harder the Deciever works to make us feel like we are nothing. But we must listen to God who tells us that we are everything!

Today on All Souls Day, we are reminded not only that there is no separation from us and those that have gone before us, but also that our time is limited, and we must ask ourselves of what we want to be remembered for? What mark will we leave on this world? Don't let the Deceiver get the best part of you! The Devil's job is to drown out the voice of God in our lives, and he is doing his job very well. Pray to hear God's voice, and that voice, we are reminded by Saints and Souls, is saying how GOOD you are and that YOU can make a difference. Fill your lamps with God's oil, by doing what is right, by speaking when you need to, by commanding that the Devil's voice be quieted in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord who paid the price for our freedom; freedom from the oppression of evil. But we have to do our part, because as Paul asks the early followers in today's 2nd reading, "Are you unaware that we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?" We are intermingled with suffering and resurrection, we are called to be uncomfortable in the truth, and it is only by our death that we too may share in the resurrection. Can you imagine a morning of such bright light? The day that we embrace this fact and live a fearless life.

Humility is a strange thing; once you think you got it, you've lost it!

This week it is important for us church workers to hear the words of Jesus. Jesus says, “ They preach but they do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they will not lift a finger to move them. All their works are performed to be seen… they love places of honor…”  Church work tends to, if being honest, connect us to our humble side. When we are honest with ourselves, we know that the power comes from God, that left alone we can really muck things up. When we have an awesome meeting, or encounter, when we are inspired and are able to somehow bring that inspiration to life, we must understand that the power is from God and that He is working through us to touch the people that have been placed in our care. But Church workers are human, and like everyone else we want to be recognized for the hard work that we put into it, the long hours and the sacrifices in our personal lives in order to do God’s work. But we have to be careful, because even though we are doing “God’s work” we have to know that we are more than the actions that we do, and that God loves us, no matter what we do or don’t do, the successes and the failures, even in the moments when we feel defeated and discouraged. We have to watch that we don’t see ourselves different than those we serve, our common denominator is that we are all broken in some ways and all glorious in others. We have a lot to learn from those we serve. Jesus also reminds us that we have to be living this Christian life as well as spreading the Good News. This week at Religious Ed classes, the children and I talked about what a Christian should look like … and we all decided that a Christian who is really living out the Good News should look happy and joyful, not all depressed and down, after all our actions maybe the only Gospel someone encounters. We should be showing people how awesome life can be with God, not that life is easy but that our lives show hope for something more. 

We work hard to help others experience a conversion,(Metanoia) but sometimes we have to slow down a little bit, and not place heavy burdens on the shoulders of others, especially if we are not going to “lift a finger to move them”, as Jesus says. We continually have to be mindful that conversion is hard, and scary and sometimes almost impossible in a world like ours, but we have to help people see that they are not alone. After all, we know from the readings the past few weeks, that the key is love, to love as Jesus did, in the role of the patient, self sacrificing servant. “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted”.

As I was writing this, another thought drifted in. Perhaps it is important for us to pat our church workers on the back, not because the event or class went perfectly, perhaps it is simply so that person will not be starved for recognition and begin to work in a way that satisfies that need instead of the needs of parishioners.  Perhaps it is important for us to stop our church volunteers and staff, and say thank you and give them a little love, perhaps it will make all the difference in the world. This upcoming week the North Country Catholic will be publishing the Priest Appreciation Issue, take time to thank those that keep our Church going, in an imperfect world, that is dying to know God.

It’s All About Love

When Jesus replied that this Commandment was the greatest, he did sure challenge those around him and everyone else to come after. What does it mean to Love God with ALL our heart? Have you ever really thought  about it? If we love God above all else, there really is no need for the rest of the Commandments, because if I love God I will always be honest, I will always treat my neighbor with the upmost respect, I will respect my parents and all elderly, even if they haven’t always respected me, I will not live in a world that is an eye for an eye. I will do what is right, not because of some rule, but because I am totally in love with Abba – the God in which I have this unbelievable close relationship with.

When we love someone, really love them, their interest is always first and foremost on our mind. And so it is with our relationship with God. To live in justice means that I will offer to others what I know God would want for them, therefore putting God’s and his people’s interests first. With experience of living this way I will know that I live in real joy and happiness, and that doesn’t mean that life will be easy and abundant of the things of the world (remember last week’s reading?)

But Jesus doesn’t just say that this is a nice thing to do, it is the #1 Commandment, and so there is more of an emphasis that choosing to put God’s best interest first is all wrapped up in our salvation. I wonder what that means for the world in the year 2011. So many times people believe that as long as you are a “nice” person you will get to Heaven.  If I walked into a closet today, and stayed there until my death, I could say that I lived a life without hurting anyone, without saying anything that offended anyone, I was not involved in political arguments, and I did not lie, cheat, murder, covet, nor take the Lord’s name in vain – will I then go to Heaven? Or will I be asked why I didn’t feel responsible to make the world better, to bring God’s word to the hopeless or comfort the sick? While God is a loving God, I believe that he is a just God – and that while I was not a problem on earth, I did nothing to help in the creation of the Kingdom of God here on earth, now. Would I go to heaven? Or perhaps, I spent my life, continually putting myself out there, wanting to serve God, but sometimes failed and had to pick myself back up. Maybe sometimes within my zeal to speak God’s word I offended someone, or didn’t say something just right, but could make up for it with an apology – would I go to Heaven?

Do we really believe in the prospect of living with God for all eternity? Many times in this age, people don’t live with the hope of salvation primarily in their mind.  I think many people, myself included, go throughout our day, not really aware of how our actions will get us to -- or keep us from Heaven.  I believe there is life after this one with God, in which we will be reunited with those we love, and not only will we be reunited but we will see them for who they truly are and we will be seen by others for all that we truly all – we will shine with the brightness that God intended for us.

This week, let’s pay attention of our love for God, let it surround us and let us pray that we may experience God in every thought, word and deed. Let us truly - Go, and serve the Lord.

The Problem with Conversion

Lately I have been thinking about conversion, (can’t imagine why? Check out the Metanoia Movement) and I think that God has graciously given me some new insights. What is the problem with conversion? Why is it that when God promises us a new life, we hesitate and swim in the familiar misery that we call our life?

While God calls us to something different, and for sure more fulfilling that what we have going on now, we tend to be afraid of that which we do not know. I think that when we talk about creating a new spark in the church of today, we can’t help but ask ourselves, what is the problem, who wouldn’t want in on this thing? But then I got a hint of why we wouldn’t. In today’s world we see ourselves so much different than God, our creator sees us. We immerse ourselves in what the world deems as success. We work hard, we try to give our kids everything that they need to “keep up” and we judge ourselves, on a standard that we will never achieve.  We allow our “ego” to tell us what is good and bad about us, but we should realize that the ego is never satisfied, it has an insatiable hunger for everything. More, more, more is the mantra of the ego. And when we look ourselves through the lens of the ego, we tell ourselves that we are not enough. There is always something missing. And so, how can we really believe that God would love me with such an immense love? How can I really feel that love, and live my life from that place? It seems like something that I could never achieve, at least for any sustained time that it would actually change my life. In these times, love is elusive, and with everyone working on the greater of good of the “I”, when do we get to learn the meaning of real love, there just isn’t very many opportunities to have some concrete experience of anything that may resemble the love God has for us.

And then there is a problem with meeting God in the core of my being, if I ever do get a chance to meet God there, because then I will really have to move to something else in my life. I will have to clear out the cobwebs of all the places within myself that I have been avoiding for a long time, and it might hurt. It will, at the very least, require me to change things about how I am living my life, with no guarantee that I won’t be standing here alone, holding up a real mess. I think that it is scary to have a real conversion experience, its kind of like shopping at Wal-Mart. I remember reading all the terrible things that Wal-Mart does to its employees, and how they really take advantage of those who manufacture or produce certain items. For Wal-Mart it is the bottom line, no matter what. How many of us have thought that it probably isn’t the best to shop at Wal-Mart. In my rural town, Wal-Mart has been a part of shutting down local businesses because they couldn’t compete with the prices of buying in bulk. But what happens if you decide that you will no longer shop at Wal-Mart, you will pay more money for some items, shopping may not be as convenient, and for some towns, Wal-Mart is the only game in town! So we find ourselves shopping at Wal-Mart. Conversion I think is similar. If we were to look at the teachings of the Church (which I believe are more right than wrong), we might find that we married the wrong person, or that we are parenting in a way that hurts our children more than helps them; we might feel that our conversations with our co-workers or our friends aren’t worth having, we might even lose friends; perhaps our job is in conflict with the teachings of the Church, maybe our family members won’t support us, etc. When we shift our thinking, let alone our actions, there are consequences, and sometimes those consequences can be overwhelming. Sometimes we find that in this world, with so much hurting, and inequality it is just easier to shut our eyes, it just gets too much …we are afraid that we will be alone, that people will think that we are “high and mighty”, that our kids will be laughed at, and on and on, (plug in your own fears here) that beginning the change, even just going to church can be a daunting task. But we seldom think, that if I don’t jump off this ledge I am living on, I could lose my soul! I could lose my children’s soul! I could lose my place in heaven! That is the real consequence by not taking this invitation to conversion, this invitation to love God and to allow Him to love me, just the way I am. But my ego keeps reminding me that I am not enough. How then, do we commit ourselves to God, every moment of everyday?

This week Jesus tells us to give Caesar what is Caesar’s and to give God what is God’s. We have to remind one another that we belong to God. It is only through LOVE that we will know that love, without judgments, with a sense of community; we have to be here for each other when we decide to open the gate of the one we have fenced in, deep within ourselves that we decided was not worthy to be loved, not really loved. Today, so many people settle for all the empty promises of the world, those things that will never satisfy.  I think that we find the love of God in the commitment to one another that we will not be alone when we open our can of worms, because all of our lives are holy messes, and it is in the courage of sharing our messes that we will be set straight. Let us pray for one another, and for our conversion because God needs us to be light for one another, He has faith in us, and He is very patient.

"Death is the Destination We All Share"

Yesterday, the world lost Steve Jobs, as he quietly drifted into the next dimension in life, and yet, life goes on today, -- we continue to use our I-Phones, and our I-Pads to share information and to gain knowledge. Perhaps today we reflect on how no matter our accomplishments in life - we all still end up at the same place. It is a moment we can we can use to re-evaluate our lives and reflect on how we are using our short, and borrowed, time on this earth.

In his commencement speech in 2005, Steve Jobs may have been a bit prophetic, he talked about how, death was the destination that we all had in common. (I recommend you read the entire address at http://news.stanford.edu/news/2005/june15/jobs-061505.html ) Are we spending our time, living our own lives, spending it immersed in what we love? It is an age old question, asked by most people, especially when the news of a terminal illness is at hand. But it is also the question that Jesus prompted us to ask, and something that Jesus was very concerned with for all - Are we living the life, that not only would we be proud of, but would God be smiling on our return to Him?  In the last few weeks we have been hearing about the vineyard parables of Jesus, discussions about our responsibility of taking care of the vineyard, of knowing that we are merely tenants, and that all the blessings of good crops, are to be used for the greater good of all people and returned to the Master. Jesus was very concerned for our souls, as we should be, even in 2011, amidst a world that is very concerned with the "me".  I think we have gotten out of the habit of asking ourselves how we are doing following the 10 Commandments, that somehow they are "old fashioned" and our "new" idea of God is that he will know what is in my heart -- after all I am a good person. We forget, or perhaps, specifically leave out, the fact that God is a just God, and even the fairest judge in a court, would feel sorry for the murderer, who was the nice guy, but was at the wrong place at the wrong time, and would still have to give out a prison sentence that fit with the crime. We water down everything that speaks badly of our own judgment, but look at others differently; we hope that God will give us lots of exceptions and perhaps secretly hope that we will be able to use the excuse of "I didn't know".  Perhaps it is too darn scary to look at ourselves naked in the truth of who we have become, for a plethora of reasons, and on the other hand it is as scary to figure out how to change what we do and what has come a habit of living for us. Even when we know the results would be a transformation in Light.

It is interesting that Steve Jobs teaches us of the amazing thing a human is capable of in this world when he or she has focus and a vision. He made much money and fame on being focused in producing a product that is probably the most distracting for all its users. We are plugged into the world 24/7 with the help of the computer age and yet we have somehow unplugged ourselves from the real source of life that has been present all along. As I am writing this blog today, I also have to admit that this thing in which I type on can also be used to bring about the message of God to all those who actively seek it. It is the "actively seek it" part that we all seem to struggle with, since distractions just somehow "pop" up.

It would be great if Mr. Jobs could have devised an "after life web cam" before he left us, so that the important part of the message, the part that was still hidden to him on the day of that commencement speech, could be revealed to us. What is the consequence of a life well lived, how far can we push things, what effect does our life's work have on our final destination?  How much is enough to give to others and still get to heaven? It is something that we have in common, that we will all one day pass through the doors of death, and it is also our common ground that while on earth we run from this fact.

180 The Movie

The Messy Vineyard

OH, another week with so much in the reading that jumps out from the page to my heart…don’t you just love it when it does that? (To tell the truth I begin to feel a bit overwhelmed to get all my thoughts out there) so today I will try to spread it out over a few days. As always I praise God who is alive in my life and in the world!

This weeks upcoming readings: Is 5:1-7, Phil 4:6-9 and Mt 21:33-43

First reading -- I love how it begins, kind of like the beginning of the Beverly Hill Billies, go ahead and read the first lines, with the tune in the back of your mind! Did you see the comparison? Lol  But enough musings ...

Here is a picture of vineyard, who when so guarded, all that grew were “wild grapes”! And so, the owner of the vineyard is going to let whatever happen, happen to the vineyard, in hopes of getting something different. Now I am no theologian or scripture scholar, I really only go by what I hear in my head and heart about the readings at hand. But boy did this strike me. When I grew up, so many things about the church were “guarded”, parishioners it seemed, knew their place and pretty much remained there. The “jobs” of the church were taken care of by “special” people, and somehow things got done, Church was there on Sunday and you didn’t really have to worry about it. But, even with so much given us, and I am referring to those now in their 30s and 40s, it seems that we have grown “wild” that we do not have a deep appreciation for this Catholic faith and are, for the most part, doing a horrible job in passing that faith to the next generation. So many young adults (and not so young adults) don’t know much about the teachings of the faith (and I am talking about the REAL teachings, not what you learn on the “streets”) and so are luke warm about not only the Catholic faith, but are luke warm about God in general. Take a look at families, schools, governments, etc., and we can see how the watering down of commitments to God has affected our whole world.  And so the result is a Church in great need of love and caretaking, falling and being left for dead. But ohhhh, the opportunity God is giving us!!! Yes, this, in a way is a GOOD thing! In the past few weeks we have heard about a man’s son who says he will work in the vineyard but doesn’t go and a son who says no but then changes his mind, of people who work in the vineyard for different amounts of time, but all get the same pay, don’t we see, for so many of us, who said (and say) that we are bringing Christ into the world, but didn’t when given an opportunity, or we say that we know our faith, but don’t when it is time to teach the lessons to our children, we have an opportunity to change our minds AND to get the same pay – heaven.  It is when the walls of the Church have fallen, when She needs our attention and care, that we are invited, with all of our gifts into this messy vineyard, that we can have a change of mind and heart, and to roll up our sleeves and get to work living and proclaiming the message of Jesus Christ. We have a second chance, and we can be the small, vulnerable sprouts of the good grapes because through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ we have been made new again. The time is now, and not to settle for less than what Jesus death on the cross provides for us.  It is not a time to blame and to find excuses, we ALL got here together, and together we will rise!

Metanoia Retreat Coming November 18th

I have been thinking a lot about what young adult Catholics may need from the church and the experiences of the past few days have been rather enlightening. First of all, I attended the Christopher West presentation in Massena. All I can say is WOW -- for so many reasons.  Christopher West is really a prophet of our day. The way he explains and puts the teachings of the Catholic Church would make anyone want to be Catholic or at least think about it. For me, the best line was, “we have always had the right words, but they were put to the wrong music”.  How many of us have grown up with the teachings of the Catholic Church, but they never pulled at our heart strings. We have to care about something deeply in order to change or adopt ways that may not always be the easiest to do. This has proven, I think to be a Big, BIG problem with the younger generation of the Church. As a DRE of my parish, I see that the kids are sitting in class, but do the words we teach pull their heart strings, do we teach our faith with the right music; the kind of music that touches the inner core of who they are? How should we know how to do that when we didn’t have the experience? We all have to take a second (or third, fourth, etc) and look at to what music we put our faith to, so that it can touch our inner heart, the place that has the capacity to really fall in love with Jesus. Once we are in love with Jesus, there would be no stopping us in what we would sacrifice for Him, I know that. But the difficult part is getting out of the head, throwing out our Catholic checklist of actions that would make me a good person, and simply love. Love, Love, Love.  Sounds so simple.  As we all gathered there on Saturday, we found ourselves all in the same boat, and I think, like me, people were awakened to the real hunger that we have for the truth of God’s teaching and I think as we walked out at the end of the day, there was nothing better than to be Catholic.  I think so many of us felt fed, but so wanting more.  I know I wanted to kidnap Christopher West, bring him to my parish so that everyone could hear this message. I don’t think I was the only one. It was easy to see God working through Chris and us wanting to be somehow connected to that.

So what happens to us when Christopher West goes back home to his family and we go back to ours and to our parishes? How on earth do we get experiences like that to keep us moving and thriving to be our best? How do we continue with that sense that I want to really fall in love with Jesus? How do you “fall in love” with someone you can’t see? How do I experience that burning desire to be one with God? Does anyone have these desires? I think it is about getting real with ourselves and presenting ourselves before God (and really ourselves) naked and humble and scared and vulnerable and we need a place to do that. I want to invite you to that place.

A few months ago, I wish that I could say I was meditating, but really I was sleeping. I had been in that sleep state in which you can kind of think about a problem; though in all respects you would classify yourself as sleeping. My problem was that I didn’t know how to meet the needs of the Young Adult Catholics that were placed in my care. I didn’t even know really how to meet all those around the Diocese who fit into the age category. To say the least I was a bit overwhelmed. And so I went to prayer with the issue and gave it to Jesus, knowing that somehow, He would help me figure it out.  That early morning, I heard a voice in my head, telling me to work on a retreat, not a retreat where people would get lost in the crowd, but invite 12 people for 24 hours every 12 weeks to do some serious praying, asking them to be the working force of rebuilding this church. 12 Disciples – 12 young adults, 12 nations that needed to rise again, every 12 weeks. I woke up with a sense that these 12 had to be personally asked to come on this journey, a journey that was just a beginning of something bigger. I woke up with this renewed excitement, and for days following ideas came from everything I touched and saw. I knew that while it was my own voice I heard (no I am not crazy) this came from God. As I began to work on the details, I also came to realize that this was not just another event, it was the culmination of my life, and that it was going to be personal. I think that this is what is scary but necessary. Invitation, invitation.  I was also instructed to contact Fr. Al Hauser, my spiritual director when I was at Wadhams Hall. When I explained this experience to Fr. Hauser, he said yes, without hesitation. I knew I was on the right track. And so the Metanoia Retreat was born, and while it is still an infant the first will be held the weekend of November 18^th, 2011.

Metanoia, the Greek word for Conversion, is an attempt to put all those words to the right music; to give people an opportunity to hear the music that God is putting into our hearts and support to make a commitment to falling in love with Jesus and with the faith. But in order to do that, we have to strip ourselves down to what God made us, taking away all the “stuff” that we hide behind. The Metanoia Retreat takes 12 people, personally invited, into a place with God that converts their heart, so that their mind can be ready to evangelize to the whole world.  We are the lost sheep, and God wants to bring us back to Him, he wants to rejoice in our conversion of heart, in which we come back to his loving arms. We come back because the music and the words come together in such a way that we can’t help but know the joy of being close to God and we can’t hold it back from others.

The retreat will begin on Friday evening at 8pm and go until Saturday evening at 8pm. We want to make sure that those who are working have time to travel to the retreat site, which will be Wadhams Hall in Ogdensburg. Participants have an option to stay a second night if you have traveled far and would rather travel back home on Sunday.  The retreat will have prayer, reflection, Adoration, faith sharing, quiet reflection time, among other things. It will be time to get out of the world, get back to your center and hear what God is saying to you.

A person will only be able to make 1 Metanoia retreat, because once your Metanoia has occurred you will move to another group called Manthano, (Greek word meaning “to learn” but is also used as “to learn through experience or discipleship”) the Manthano Group will gather again every 12 weeks for Catholic teaching, fellowship, prayer and worship. The idea of the retreat experience, with both the Metanoia and the Manthano is that Young Adults will have the tools and support to return to their home parish and become a committed leader and full participant of the Church. Quite ambitious for a 24 hour simple retreat, but with God ALL things are possible.

If you stumbled across this, and are interested in being the first of the 12 to be invited, please contact me at 315-323-4989. I would love to give you more information regarding this event.

God is Near...Every Moment

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It seems that I have missed a step or two the last couple of weeks. Fall has seemed to put more deadlines into my life, and it has come apparent that I need to learn, and learn again, a sense of balance in my life. This week we hear in the first reading, (Is 55 6-9) “Seek the Lord where He may be found, call Him while He is near.” So much of our life is filled with appointments and deadlines, things that we want to do because people are depending on us, and so hours go quickly by, then days and then weeks. We begin to realize that perhaps those things that are MOST important are the things that go onto the back burner. It is in these times that the Devil finds his opportunity to sneak into our lives and create his destruction. The destruction of our relationship with our Father makes the Devil very happy.

God is with us, He is right here next to me, right next to you, calling us to a relationship with Him. Not a relationship that is superficial, but one that is filled with love, truth and hope. How many times do we fail to recognize that call? How many times do we take a moment to slow things down and realize our true reason for being and ponder on our true calling? I would dare say, not enough.

As we enter into the Fall season, as the parish DRE I am very busy putting together a program that will teach the members of our parish the faith. In my mind the Spirit is close, keeping me creative and excited despite the obstacles. As we look for volunteers and parent participation, it becomes clear where God falls on the priority list of many families. It is amazing that even in this world, where we should be scared to death to send our kids outside the door in the morning because of the unbelievable strength of the world’s negative influence, parents are not “seeking the Lord where He may be found”!  Why does it feel that for so many in the world God seems hidden and for others the love of God seems as close and real as the computer that I am typing on? It makes me realize that a relationship with God is such a gift and for those of us who have a sense of that relationship, no matter how new the relationship may be, or that we don’t get it right 100% of the time, it is a gift; it is hard to articulate where it comes from, what keeps it strong and why God reaches out to us every moment of the day. It is a gift that, I know, I wish that everyone had.

“…call Him when He is near” … reminds me that in the moments in which we feel God’s presence, no matter how small and quiet, we have to hang on and believe, calling to Him like a trusting child, not being able to explain it but trusting that He is hearing us and caring about us. Does God weep for the moments in which people do not want to touch Him when he is near? There is nothing closer in which we experience Christ than in the Eucharist, and how many people in today’s world truly believe that Jesus is present in this Sacrament? I can’t answer that question because I am not in the hearts of those around me, but one can see through body language what is being said about God. Folded arms, slouching, young people who do not join in the recitation of prayers, half hearted signs of the cross … are we bringing our best to God when we have opportunity to be close to Him? In the second reading, Paul writes to his people in the Letter to the Philippians, while he is in prison, “Christ will be magnified in my body, whether in life or in death.” He tells Jesus’ followers, that he would like to depart from this life, to spend his time with Jesus in heaven, but he also knows that he has work to do and a purpose in this life. Even Paul doesn’t know which he would choose if given a choice.  We are here on earth, and are we using our bodies, our language when we do not speak, as something that magnifies God. Do we present ourselves, not only at church, but in the world as someone who is a Christian, do we attend Mass as someone who is a Catholic? For we Catholics are the few who believe in transubstantiation, the real presence in the Eucharist. Do we posture ourselves with reverence and dignity toward the Divine?  Or do we go to church like any other social function, checking some obligation off of our checklist? It is not always easy to know that as good Christian Catholics, we must be the vehicle in which God travels through the world, do people recognize our love, and our respect for God? Do we exude the Spirit into the world?

This week, we respond, “The Lord is near to all who call upon Him”, He is here, He is next to you as you read this, He wants to share His love with you, he wants to quench that thirst that you have that nothing in this world will satisfy. Reach out, listen to the quiet voice, He is there, and allow that God who dwells within you transform you so that you will have the courage and strength, as Paul did, to transform the world.

Related articles

• Pope Presents Eucharist As Solution to Social Woes (onecatholicnews.wordpress.com)
• WYD 2011: Cardinal Varela's Homily 'You are the Generation of Benedict XVI' (onecatholicnews.wordpress.com)
• Welcoming the new Mass translation (deaconjohnspace.wordpress.com)
• The Sinner's Prayer (catholicunveiled.wordpress.com)

...here I am in your midst...

It has been a crazy couple of weeks in the north country. First, as I am sitting at my desk, I feel the earth tremble, and then realize that we are experiencing an earthquake. Then about a week later, the north country is hit with a hurricane! And once again we find our communities flooded and many people in dire need of assistance. For me I have been truly blessed, no downed trees, no flooded basement in my home, no one hurt, no damage, no nothing. But I look around, and so many people have been negatively affected by Mother Nature, it just makes you wonder what is going on in the world.

This weeks readings are jammed packed. And I must admit that before I was committed to writing this blog each week, I was not as acutely aware of just how much were in the readings each week. Unless we really commit to studying and examining the readings we are loosing out. My hope is that this blog will help people peel away the layers of God's Word each week.

Now back to the surrounding disasters... why is all this happening, why must God's people suffer? My son asked me this week, that if God was all powerful, why would all these things happen? Why would people have to suffer? This is an age old question, but coming from my son, in wanting to give him an answer that he could carry in his pocket for the rest of his life, I really had to think about it, more seriously than ever before. Here was some of my answer to him...

God created this beautiful earth for us to enjoy, he gave us the summer for those who enjoy swimming in the local lakes and pools, camping, feeling the grass under our bare feet; he created winter for those who love to zip down the slopes with ski's or snowboards, he gave us snow to make snowmen, to pour maple syrup on to make maple taffy; in spring we get to experience the growth of new life, the smell of wet mud and fresh earth, and an annual happiness to see new flowers in bloom; and in the fall, we can enjoy the harvest, bright orange pumpkins, cool days on hikes with the beauty of changing leaves, the moments of sitting on the porch wrapped in a blanket inhaling fresh crisp air. He gave us all these things, ever changing, ever beautiful and no matter how old you get, you can't help but feel blessed in each season. For these things to happen, and I am no scientist, but I think that the earth has to go through things in order for us to enjoy all this beauty and perhaps that is why the weather gives us problems sometimes, so much is asked of the earth and so much is taken for granted. But I also think that in these times, we are given the opportunity to be the exact human being that God created us to be. To share our food, our blankets, our homes or our money with those that are not so lucky or blessed as we are, or if we are the ones in need, it gives us a knowledge of what it feels like to depend on others and know that what we have here on earth is fleeting. Moments like these, when we are at our best, makes us remember the important things in life and opens us up to see God all around us. Moments like this also tests us in a way, to praise God even when the winds are blowing, and the rain is pouring down. When we are at our best, we praise God in all weather, in all circumstances, whether we are having difficulty or triumph. Without misfortune we would never truly know how wonderful God made us in giving and receiving, we would not have moments to be extra-ordinary.

This week Jesus says to us, "where two or more are gathered in my name I am there in their midst", without sounding too simple, I think as we trudge along in the next few weeks, cleaning up messes and helping others rebuild their lives, it is important for us to look at each other in the eyes, and see Jesus and know that He is in our midst. He calls us to community, and in community we find our strength and the beauty that is the Christian life.

We have the power to heal a broken world.

How can you help your neighbor? Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Ogdensburg has established a fund to assist flood victims in the North Country. Donations may be sent to Catholic Charities, 6866 State Highway 37, Ogdensburg, NY 13669

National Catholic Collegiate Conference: November 17 - 19th 2011

National Catholic
Collegiate Conference

November 17-19, 2011 - Indianapolis, IN

"Called to Glory"

The National Catholic Collegiate Conference (NCCC), held simultaneously with the National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC), is a NEW way for young adults (ages 18 to 25) to gather, to celebrate, and to pray.

In a world marked by continuous change, stress, overburdened schedules, and a culture that often discourages the Christian message, this is a time to be defined, inspired, engaged, renewed, and to look forward; to once again hear the voice of God calling us to holiness and glory!

Join other college-age and post-graduate young adults from around the country for three days of inspiring keynotes, engaging workshops, dynamic prayer and worship, exceptional music and entertainment, networking with peers, and hundreds of resource exhibits.

For more information: http://www.ntlccc.org/

Upcoming Workshop in the Diocese of Ogdensburg

Soon we will have the previledge of reflecting on the Theology of the Body, not from a workshop facilitator but from the real deal, Christopher West himself. I wanted to post a bit of his speaking to perhaps inspire people to sign up and take advantage of this opportunity given to us by the Diocese through the 

Department of Education in collaboration with the Offices of Evangelization and Family Life. What an opportunity! If you plan on being in a relationship...of any kind, this is for you. Sign up through the Diocesan website at http://www.dioogdensburg.org/ . Hope to see you there.

Date Set for CreationFest 2012!

I wanted to post some of the videos that came out of CreationFest 2011 this  year, in hopes that it would inspire Young Adults and their families to consider coming with us to CreationFest 2012. It is an amazing experience to be with so many people of different faiths, all coming together to worship the Creator! Amazing bands, amazing vistas, awesome Christian speakers who inspire. This year at CreationFest Northeast, Justin Fatica, a Catholic speaker and founder of Hard As Nails Ministry was the first, yes the first, Catholic speaker to take the main stage. He was awesome, and inspiring! Check out the videos, and put the date, June 27 to 30th in your calendar for next year. If you have teen kids, they will LOVE it! It is the Christian Woodstock!

We Haven't Been Duped!

I love it when I look to the next Sunday’s reading and find one that I LOVE and that history with me, touching my ears and heart at one point through my life. This Sunday, has to be one of my favorite Old Testament Readings from Jeremiah.  “You duped me, O Lord, and I let myself be duped!”  Wow, can I relate!

First of all it is important to know at least a little about Jeremiah.  He was born into a priestly family and he was called to be a prophet at around the age of 18. Jeremiah’s job was to prophesy about the destruction that was to come. Jeremiah lived in a very tumultuous time, his writing go all the way up to the destruction of the temple. But Jeremiah was not quick to take his calling from God, he didn’t really want to do this job and knew that his words were not going to be well received from those around him. It wasn’t like he was there to paint a pretty picture of Judah’s future. But God gave him some pretty specific instructions on how to get ready for his mission. The character traits and practices Jeremiah was to acquire in order to be ready are specified in Jeremiah 1 and include not being afraid, standing up to speak, speaking as told, and going where sent.  Sound familiar?? As you read the beginning of Jeremiah, God not only tells him how to prepare, but assures him that when ready, God will give him the words to say, and that He (God) would not abandon him. Reminds me of when parents bring children to the doctor for a shot. How many parents say, “Yes this is really going to hurt, gosh, this is going to be hard, well here is the doctor.”? Never, I hope. We know what is best for our children, and while we know something’s in life are hard, we talk to our kids in a way that makes them less afraid, or more confident. Even if it is just the tone of our voice, we often can get our kids to do things that wouldn’t do it on our own. Some people call that, “sugar coating”. I have to wonder in what tone God was speaking to Jeremiah. So, Jeremiah takes the challenge and goes out to prophesy.  In the meantime, he loses everything, even his family turns against him. If that is not enough, God, Himself, reveals to Jeremiah that …oh by the way…a group is plotting to kill you. Can you imagine Jeremiah’s response, “What?” and to console him God says, “Well it is only going to get worse!”. And so what would your response be, if you were Jeremiah?  I can just see Jeremiah, pacing around the room, “this is so not good. I didn’t even want this mission in the first place, I told you I wasn’t the guy for you, and now they are going to kill me? Great!”  Now, the next part is great, have you ever been offered an opportunity, and you just so really wanted to do it that you didn’t look at all the angles, and when you realized it wasn’t going to be as easy as you would have hoped you kind of blame the person who offered it to you in the first place? Perhaps saying that they didn’t really reveal all the information and somehow, your predicament was more their fault than yours, after all you were well intended.

God calls all of us, sometimes the task is easier than others, sometimes we are more inclined to say yes than at other times, but either way God is calling us to make His Kingdom on earth. I especially love when Jeremiah says that he will never again utter the name of God, and yet he finds himself with this burning desire to speak of God, he just can’t help himself.  For many us this is also the case, when we are totally frustrated with our ministry we are tempted to quit, but when it comes right down to it, we can’t help but figure it out, and bring Jesus’ message to the world.  How is your calling going? Are you feeling like Jeremiah, a bit hesitant to take on what God is asking of you? Let that desire move you forward, the rewards will be great, because for all of us who have loved, we just do what we do because we love. And that is all God is asking of us.

If you keep on reading in Jeremiah, God gives him such awesome words of reassurance, in Chapter 29 God says to Jeremiah..."For I know the plans I have for you, ... plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." God isn't trying to trick us, He sees the big picture, and in that we have to trust.

The Greatest Question Ever Asked...

Lately I have been reflecting on just what it means to be Catholic. It’s not an easy religious choice when you really think about it. Everything about being Catholic, when done fully and with conviction touches every part of your life. Being Catholic calls us not only in relationship with this Jesus that we profess, but it calls us into a relationship with the world that is very often against the teachings of Christ. This week, Jesus asks his disciples and each one of us, “Who do you say that I am?”. We know that our actions speak louder than words, and when you really come down to it, it is so easy to say what we know is right, and yet another to actually move our actions to align with our speech. When we read about the Saints and holy people, this is one common factor that they all possess, they were actually able to live their lives according to their beliefs and live what they preached, even in persecution and for many death.

As I reflect on this passage, it becomes clear to me that when Jesus asks me, “Who, Lorraine, do you say that I am? He is in part asking me what Jesus am I reflecting to the world. What Jesus am I bringing to the people in whom I meet each day? This then becomes much more a personal question to me than it ever had before. Do I proclaim my love for God without reservation? Do I work for justice without fear? Do I love my neighbor as myself?  When people meet me do they instantly know that I proclaim Jesus as my Lord? Unfortunately, and probably commonly, I have to admit that it is not 100%. Being Catholic calls me to proclaim not only Jesus message in speech, but it calls me to do so in action. All the world’s problems become my problems … daunting! I am my brother’s keeper.  

As I work to implement a Religious Education program in my parish, or begin my ministry for the Young Adults of the Diocese, I am reminded that all the people I will encounter need love and understanding. As much as I just want people to get in line and follow the program, it rarely happens that way. Each person we encounter has their own issues going on, and when you ask someone to go to church, or become involved, I have to realize that this asks much more from them than to be present. At least if it all works right. When someone walks into church, and participates in Communion with the Lord, they are asked to change. And that change is often HARD! Recently I had a conversation with coworkers about kid’s sports and what parents give up or compromise on so that their children will be part of the “team”. When someone takes the message of Jesus and the Church, we realize that the first “team” that we and our children belong to is God’s team, and being on that team asks you to go against so much of what the world holds true and important. We all have a need to belong, and in so many ways, being part of things like sports teams, is a tangible, quick fix to that need. Often, those of us in the Church do not portray our “team” to be one worth joining, as we say one thing and do another. But with the decline of people realizing that we are on God’s team, our families weaken, our churches weaken and shortly thereafter our society as a whole weakens; isn’t it evident?

Who are we saying Jesus is in our everyday life? Do we share the amazing things that He does in our lives with those around us? Can people look at us and see a person of faith and integrity? Do we allow Jesus to go before us in all we do, with amazing fearless faith in which he has given us? (Remember the reading a couple weeks ago in which Jesus tells us that if we believe we can actually walk on water?) Jesus asked Peter this question, and Peter replied, "You are the Christ!" And with that answer, Jesus builds His church on him. First and foremost we must proclaim Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God, calling us to deeper, more holy lives.

Today Jesus is asking…”Who do YOU say that I am?” What is your answer?