Merry Christmas, everyone! As we know, society has seemed to shut down Christmas already, but thankfully, our Christmas season in the Church is just beginning. As the mystery of the Christmas season continues, we will celebrate a few important feasts within the next twelve days. Today (Dec. 28th) is the Feast of the Holy Innocents. This feast, while sad in nature because it honors the baby boys that King Herod killed out of fear of Jesus, encourages us to see the purity and power that children have to unite people together. I believe this unifying ability is the reason why God entered into the world as a child.
Rather than elaborate further on this feast, myself, I encourage you to read an article by a friend of mine, Daniel Horan, o.f.m., connecting the Feast of the Holy Innocents with the Newtown, CT, shootings of two weeks ago and other similar losses. He really helps us understand how relevant this feast still is in our world today. Enjoy.
Daniel Horan's Huffington Post Article
May we be ever-faithful, ever-mindful, and ever-joyful.
Friday, December 28, 2012
Monday, December 17, 2012
Where is the Spirit?
Rejoice!
This is the command that we receive from the Third Sunday of Advent. The Church refers to this Sunday as Gaudete Sunday. Under "normal" circumstances, this may be easy to do this time of year. However, in light of the tragic events in Newtown, CT, recently, finding anything rejoice-worthy becomes extremely difficult. I can only imagine the challenge that the priests, ministers, and rabbis had this weekend trying to proclaim hope to their congregations. This Sunday at the Catholic Center at UGA, Fr. David challenged all of us to be "Advent people." I had never heard things phrased this way, but I really like it. He urged us to recognize that the season of Advent is not simply one of waiting and hoping on the Lord, but it is a season of action! What are we doing to help bring Jesus into the lives of others so that they can fully rejoice at Christmas? As we wonder what we can do to help the people in Newtown, CT, we need look no further than the gospel from Sunday (Luke 3:10-18). The people, tax collectors, and soldiers asked John the Baptist, "What should we do?" He tells them that they should do that which they are supposed to do. He does not tell them to do anything extraordinary, but rather, they should just treat people justly and fairly. We can do this, can't we? I think so. By taking action in just and fair ways (i.e. raising political awareness, protesting injustice, creating avenues for dialogue), we are, in essence, showing that God is ever-present.
This is the command that we receive from the Third Sunday of Advent. The Church refers to this Sunday as Gaudete Sunday. Under "normal" circumstances, this may be easy to do this time of year. However, in light of the tragic events in Newtown, CT, recently, finding anything rejoice-worthy becomes extremely difficult. I can only imagine the challenge that the priests, ministers, and rabbis had this weekend trying to proclaim hope to their congregations. This Sunday at the Catholic Center at UGA, Fr. David challenged all of us to be "Advent people." I had never heard things phrased this way, but I really like it. He urged us to recognize that the season of Advent is not simply one of waiting and hoping on the Lord, but it is a season of action! What are we doing to help bring Jesus into the lives of others so that they can fully rejoice at Christmas? As we wonder what we can do to help the people in Newtown, CT, we need look no further than the gospel from Sunday (Luke 3:10-18). The people, tax collectors, and soldiers asked John the Baptist, "What should we do?" He tells them that they should do that which they are supposed to do. He does not tell them to do anything extraordinary, but rather, they should just treat people justly and fairly. We can do this, can't we? I think so. By taking action in just and fair ways (i.e. raising political awareness, protesting injustice, creating avenues for dialogue), we are, in essence, showing that God is ever-present.
Now, whenever we become aware of tragedy and violence in our world, people wonder, "Where was God in the midst of these horrible things?" Some even go as far as to say that God is bringing punishment upon people for their wrongdoing. Let's be clear, though, that God does not pick and choose when and where to show up. God is ALWAYS present in ALL situations. Only that which is good comes from God because we know that God is love (1 John 4:8), and love is a very good thing. Let me use a classic Christmas movie to expand on this a bit further.
It's a Wonderful Life (1946) tells the story of George Bailey, a compassionate, driven, young man, who gives up his dreams of travelling the world in order to be an "Advent person." George chooses first to stand up for what is right and treats people justly and fairly before pursuing his own goals and dreams. Along the way, George leaves a wake of positive influences on others that ultimately transforms his local and national communities. However, at some point, George faces his own tragedy when it seems that he will lose everything in his life. Here, George wonders where God is and if God will help him. Well, God sends an angel to help George realize that God had been present in his life every moment up to that point through the love he gave and received so many times and God would continue to be there every moment from then on. When we learn to recognize God in everything and everywhere through lenses of love, we more effectively prepare ourselves to face major tragedy if and when it comes. So, rather than waiting to call on God when we need God, let us be people of continued faith, hope, and love. Let us be "Advent people!"
I leave you with a couple of songs that pose the question "Where is Love?"
Be the answer.
Be the answer.
Where is the Love? - Black Eyed Peas - 2003 (Lyrics)
May we be ever-faithful, every-mindful, and ever-joyful.
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
"Advent"urous Spirit
While the world or commercialism and consumerism has been telling us it's Christmas time, it's not. Not yet, anyway. Let's remember that the Church has designated a time for us to get ready for the Lord. We call this time Advent. Recently, a couple of different sources reminded me that the word "advent" comes from the Latin words ad (meaning "to" or "toward") and venio (meaning "come" or "coming"). By simply combining the two words we create a word implying that which is "to come" or "coming towards." So, naturally, we understand that this four week season in the church year is a very special time we should spend preparing, reflecting, and waiting on the coming of God into the world as a baby (because God was already active in the world as we know from the Old Testament).
However, I have not heard anyone really use another English word that looks very similar to advent: adventure. This may be because we have come to associate adventures with grand journeys full of challenges and obstacles ultimately culminating in some kind of triumph. We may see this as inappropriate for such a joyful and peaceful time of the year. Well, I'd like to think that viewing Advent as a time of adventure is not far from what we should attempt to experience during this season. By virtue of being alive, we are constantly on a journey as it is, so Advent, then, challenges us to continue to faithfully work our way through the "wilderness" of our journey as both the prophet Isaiah and John the Baptist mention. This wilderness includes all of the challenges and obstacles that may prevent us from preparing ourselves fully for the coming of Lord at Christmas. Then, as we begin to come out of the wilderness, we should be better prepared to receive the joy and peace that is Emmanuel (God with us).
As I reflected more on this season of preparation, I thought about a story that is very popular this time of year: The Christmas Carol. Now, I know it's not Christmas yet, but this story is a prime example of someone (Ebeneezer Scrooge) forced to acknowledge the wilderness he lives in and has created for himself so that he may fully receive the joy of Christmas. I'll leave you with a song from my favorite version of this story: The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992). This song represents the triumphant culmination of Scrooge's journey and the "Thankful Heart" he receives as a result. Enjoy!
"A Thankful Heart"
May we be ever-faithful, ever-mindful, and ever-joyful.
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
A Thankful Spirit
Last week, we experienced two great celebrations. On Thursday, many of us gathered with friends and family to celebrate Thanksgiving, and on Sunday, at mass, we celebrated the feast of Christ the King. In today's post, I'd like to look at the meaning of these two feasts from a bit of an "unconventional" view.
As we all know, Thanksgiving Day is a great time for us to call to mind that which we are thankful for in our lives. Whether we believe in God or not, we can all at least recognize areas of our lives in which we are fortunate. Over the Thanksgiving break, I found myself sitting with my brother on the couch enjoying some time to relax. At one point, he was checking out the website of his beloved Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles (To the Top!). On the home page was a video sequence of several student-athletes sharing what they are thankful for and what sports team they represent. I thought this was nice, but after listening to five or six athletes say the almost the exact same thing (that they were thankful for their friends, family, and opportunities to compete for USM), I became a bit jaded in the repetitiveness of these responses.
In reflecting upon this further, I realized that just like the student-athletes, we are easily thankful for the things in our lives that are positive contributors (i.e. family, friends, talents, opportunities, etc.). However, in light of Jesus' message that we are to love our enemies (Matthew 5:43-48), I asked myself if maybe I should try to find gratitude in my life from more negative contributors (i.e. rivals, people I don't like, weaknesses, failures, missed opportunities, etc.). After all, if I can thank God for my enemies, I am in essence finding a way to love them as Christ does. So, why should we be thankful for such negative people and things? Well, these negative factors challenge us to reflect upon how we can become better loving people in the midst of them. We can not afford to allow ourselves to become complacent with the status quo of things being "good" in our lives. Complacency can limit our perspective on bigger and more important issues on which we can potentially have a positive influence. Not to mention, by being thankful for the negatives in our lives, we are hopefully able to look inward at ourselves to see where we may be contributing negatively to others and try to be better there, too.
On the feast of Christ the King, we get a chance to see Jesus defy the traditional role of a king. Jesus' "kingship" consisted of looking at the negatives in his life (as well as the positives) and ultimately dying for them in order to positively affect them in the best possible way. If this "positive-negative" paradox is not reflective of "the mystery of faith," I'm not sure what is. Keeping this in mind, I'd like to challenge us to redefine what a king is based on the life of Jesus. The "King of Kings" and the "Lord of Lords" whom we sing about and laud so much this time of year "did not come to be served, but to serve" (Mark 10:45). So, the next time we enter a large church with ornate designs, expensive furnishings, grand chalices and candles, and other "glorious" pedestals on which we put Christ the King, let us remember that Jesus did not call himself a king. Rather, we have given him that title throughout history (and for good reason), but I think Jesus wanted nothing more than to show us a kingdom made of servants not masters.
So, as we enter into this Advent and Christmas season, let us strive to be more humble, more thankful (for our allies and our enemies), and more king-like as servants of others.
May we be ever-faithful, ever-mindful, and ever-joyful.
As we all know, Thanksgiving Day is a great time for us to call to mind that which we are thankful for in our lives. Whether we believe in God or not, we can all at least recognize areas of our lives in which we are fortunate. Over the Thanksgiving break, I found myself sitting with my brother on the couch enjoying some time to relax. At one point, he was checking out the website of his beloved Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles (To the Top!). On the home page was a video sequence of several student-athletes sharing what they are thankful for and what sports team they represent. I thought this was nice, but after listening to five or six athletes say the almost the exact same thing (that they were thankful for their friends, family, and opportunities to compete for USM), I became a bit jaded in the repetitiveness of these responses.
In reflecting upon this further, I realized that just like the student-athletes, we are easily thankful for the things in our lives that are positive contributors (i.e. family, friends, talents, opportunities, etc.). However, in light of Jesus' message that we are to love our enemies (Matthew 5:43-48), I asked myself if maybe I should try to find gratitude in my life from more negative contributors (i.e. rivals, people I don't like, weaknesses, failures, missed opportunities, etc.). After all, if I can thank God for my enemies, I am in essence finding a way to love them as Christ does. So, why should we be thankful for such negative people and things? Well, these negative factors challenge us to reflect upon how we can become better loving people in the midst of them. We can not afford to allow ourselves to become complacent with the status quo of things being "good" in our lives. Complacency can limit our perspective on bigger and more important issues on which we can potentially have a positive influence. Not to mention, by being thankful for the negatives in our lives, we are hopefully able to look inward at ourselves to see where we may be contributing negatively to others and try to be better there, too.
On the feast of Christ the King, we get a chance to see Jesus defy the traditional role of a king. Jesus' "kingship" consisted of looking at the negatives in his life (as well as the positives) and ultimately dying for them in order to positively affect them in the best possible way. If this "positive-negative" paradox is not reflective of "the mystery of faith," I'm not sure what is. Keeping this in mind, I'd like to challenge us to redefine what a king is based on the life of Jesus. The "King of Kings" and the "Lord of Lords" whom we sing about and laud so much this time of year "did not come to be served, but to serve" (Mark 10:45). So, the next time we enter a large church with ornate designs, expensive furnishings, grand chalices and candles, and other "glorious" pedestals on which we put Christ the King, let us remember that Jesus did not call himself a king. Rather, we have given him that title throughout history (and for good reason), but I think Jesus wanted nothing more than to show us a kingdom made of servants not masters.
So, as we enter into this Advent and Christmas season, let us strive to be more humble, more thankful (for our allies and our enemies), and more king-like as servants of others.
May we be ever-faithful, ever-mindful, and ever-joyful.
Monday, November 12, 2012
Championship Spirit
While I have spent much time talking about football, I'd like to devote this post to the other great fall sport in our nation: cross country. Right now, we are fully engulfed in the championship part of this fall distance running culture. Many teams are vying for their local, state, and national titles. But for the average sports fan, cross country may not be the most popular sport, but anyone who has spent a fair amount of time around this heart, mind, body, and spirit-draining sport could confirm just how powerful and inspiring it is for all involved Cross country is arguably the most team-oriented sport that exists. In most other sports, one could make arguments toward how one athlete could single-handily influence the outcome of a competition. In cross country, this is not the case. In order for a team to achieve success, five runners must hold their own within a given race to ensure the best possible score for their team. While a team may have one or two stellar individuals, the team score is not complete without the efforts of the three other runners. Team success requires an understanding, chemistry, dependence, energy, and spirit among its members that transcends physical preparation. Runners discover these things each day in practice along the "Trial of Miles" and the "Miles of Trials" as John L. Parker, Jr. says in his novel Once a Runner. Cross country teams are only as good as the collective identity of its individuals.
In an earlier August post entitled "The Spirit's Comfort Zone," I referred to the athletes whom I coach at Clarke Central High School in Athens, GA. In that post, I recognized the early success and chemistry of my athletes as we began our season. I commented that "The spirit of their positive efforts [was] contagious." This indeed proved true throughout the season. In the past couple of weeks, I've watched the boys and girls in our cross country program accomplish things that have not happened at Clarke Central in nearly a decade. Both the boys and the girls qualified for the State Championships. While the girls qualified last year (with almost an entirely different team), the boys had not qualified since 2007 and both teams together had not reached the State Championship since 2005. These teams, while very different (the boys were led by 5 seniors; the girls were led by 5 freshmen), both exhibited a type of drive, grit, and compassion that I'd suggest could only come from God. This season was not the seamless wonder it looked like it might be from the start. We reached a part of the season where things seemed to be falling apart when we needed them to unite the most. Our goals appeared to be in jeopardy as we faced untimely injuries, poor decision-making, and other unfortunate circumstances. However, the resilient spirit of our athletes somehow transcended these imperfections. I realized that this is exactly where I could expect the Spirit to show up, and it did. The Spirit seems to always meet us at our worst in order to bring us to our best!
In looking back over our successful season, I truly believe that the Championship Spirit, through the wonderful sport of cross country, has empowered another group of young people to become better versions of themselves. I hope we can all find that which challenges us in the same way to find our Championship Spirit.
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May we be ever-faithful, ever-mindful, and ever-joyful.
In an earlier August post entitled "The Spirit's Comfort Zone," I referred to the athletes whom I coach at Clarke Central High School in Athens, GA. In that post, I recognized the early success and chemistry of my athletes as we began our season. I commented that "The spirit of their positive efforts [was] contagious." This indeed proved true throughout the season. In the past couple of weeks, I've watched the boys and girls in our cross country program accomplish things that have not happened at Clarke Central in nearly a decade. Both the boys and the girls qualified for the State Championships. While the girls qualified last year (with almost an entirely different team), the boys had not qualified since 2007 and both teams together had not reached the State Championship since 2005. These teams, while very different (the boys were led by 5 seniors; the girls were led by 5 freshmen), both exhibited a type of drive, grit, and compassion that I'd suggest could only come from God. This season was not the seamless wonder it looked like it might be from the start. We reached a part of the season where things seemed to be falling apart when we needed them to unite the most. Our goals appeared to be in jeopardy as we faced untimely injuries, poor decision-making, and other unfortunate circumstances. However, the resilient spirit of our athletes somehow transcended these imperfections. I realized that this is exactly where I could expect the Spirit to show up, and it did. The Spirit seems to always meet us at our worst in order to bring us to our best!
In looking back over our successful season, I truly believe that the Championship Spirit, through the wonderful sport of cross country, has empowered another group of young people to become better versions of themselves. I hope we can all find that which challenges us in the same way to find our Championship Spirit.
Thank you to all of my friends, family, coaches, teammates, and athletes who have inspired me and continued to inspire me to believe so much in the power of cross country!
May we be ever-faithful, ever-mindful, and ever-joyful.
Monday, November 5, 2012
Tailgating with the Spirit - Part 4
Over the last few posts, I have tried to draw connections between our country's football culture and one's faith culture. In Part 1, I compared a football stadium and a church building. In Part 2, I tried to connect tailgating activities with church ministries, and in Part 3, I looked at the similarities between an active "fanhood" and an active prayer life. I hope that these connections have enabled all of us to re-examine our priorities this fall season and hopefully re-commit ourselves to things that are much bigger than ourselves (relationships, church activities, school activities, community service, etc.). As a result of this re-examination, I pray that we are able to recognize that having an unhealthy obsession with our favorite teams and developing a healthy passion for our faith lives and church communities require different levels of attention. This being said, I'll leave us with a few questions for reflection:
1. Do we take sufficient time each day to recognize that God uses our everyday activities and interests (such as football) to teach us the power of God's remarkable love?
2. Do we make a conscious effort to be mindful of the things in our lives that are truly fruit-bearing?
3. Have we dismissed things or people in our lives that were positive gifts from God because we found ourselves too engulfed in other things? If so, how can we reconnect with them?
4. Are we willing to re-prioritize our lives in an effort to help ourselves see the beauty of God in all things?
As you reflect on these questions, let me add one more item for thought. In light of the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, there have been football players and their families housed in hotels, basketball games postponed, and a marathon cancelled. Regardless of personal opinions on these matters, one thing is consistent: life finds a way to transcend sports. Does yours?
May we be ever-faithful, ever-mindful, and ever-joyful.
1. Do we take sufficient time each day to recognize that God uses our everyday activities and interests (such as football) to teach us the power of God's remarkable love?
2. Do we make a conscious effort to be mindful of the things in our lives that are truly fruit-bearing?
3. Have we dismissed things or people in our lives that were positive gifts from God because we found ourselves too engulfed in other things? If so, how can we reconnect with them?
4. Are we willing to re-prioritize our lives in an effort to help ourselves see the beauty of God in all things?
As you reflect on these questions, let me add one more item for thought. In light of the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, there have been football players and their families housed in hotels, basketball games postponed, and a marathon cancelled. Regardless of personal opinions on these matters, one thing is consistent: life finds a way to transcend sports. Does yours?
May we be ever-faithful, ever-mindful, and ever-joyful.
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Tailgating with the Spirit - Part 3
Well, here we are reaching the mid-point of football season. By this point, we probably have a fairly good sense of how successful our teams will be this year. For those of us with good teams, we are probably just as excited about each game as we were prior to the start of the season. Others of us who are witnessing our teams struggle may find it hard to support our team each week because we are not finding as much joy in watching our team struggle. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not condoning "fair weather fanhood" by any means. I'm simply acknowledging the ease and difficulty of being a fan depending on how our teams perform. In my last post, I drew similarities between tailgating activities and church ministries. This week, I'd like to take an even closer look at the life of a consistent football fan compared to the life of a consistent Christian.
First, I'd like to suggest that "true" football fans support their teams by utilizing whatever means necessary in order to be "in the know" with their teams. Such means might be watching the daily sports news, reading the daily sports page, checking other forums of information, playing fantasy football, etc. Needless to say, there are countless avenues for a fan to stay connected to the goings-on of his or her team. Why do fans do this, though? I might argue that this connectivity to the team gives the fan a deeper sense of belonging to the team and more credibility in his or her fanhood. Another reason fans might do this because they find a sense of joy in being a part of something bigger than themselves. Given the scope of football in this country, I'd certainly agree that it is certainly bigger than any one person. Both of these reasons (deeper sense of belonging and being part of something bigger than one's self) are quite transferable to being a committed Christian.
If we, as football fans, can spend time doing all of these different things outside of simply watching our teams play, shouldn't we be able to do things outside of simply showing up for church on Sunday? I'd like to think so. With this in mind, I'd like to suggest the following as possible ways for us to be "fans" of Christ between church services. We may do things as simple as morning and/or night prayer and saying grace before meals. We may also look to do more formal praying such as the rosary, reading the daily scriptures, Eucharistic adoration, receiving the sacrament of Reconciliation, or attending daily mass. Lastly, we can always utilize the technological world we live in and follow good Christian new sources on Facebook, Twitter, etc. in order to stay connected to what's happening in our global Christian community. All of these are simply suggestions, and I am not saying that we jump in to trying to do all of them at once. However, I think that if we can become routine in doing a couple of them earnestly, we will find that we gain a deeper sense of belonging to God as well as recognizing that we are a small but vital part of something so much bigger than ourselves.
So, in conclusion, just like being a football fan, we will go through periods of our Christian lives where we find it both easy and difficult to live out and practice our faith. However, we have enormous comfort in knowing that God instilled in each of us a longing for love because God is love, and we were all created in God's image and likeness. Because of this, God will never cease to be "fans" of us, so how could we ever cease to be "fans" of God? Always remember, with God we NEVER lose.
May we be ever-faithful, ever-mindful, and ever-joyful.
First, I'd like to suggest that "true" football fans support their teams by utilizing whatever means necessary in order to be "in the know" with their teams. Such means might be watching the daily sports news, reading the daily sports page, checking other forums of information, playing fantasy football, etc. Needless to say, there are countless avenues for a fan to stay connected to the goings-on of his or her team. Why do fans do this, though? I might argue that this connectivity to the team gives the fan a deeper sense of belonging to the team and more credibility in his or her fanhood. Another reason fans might do this because they find a sense of joy in being a part of something bigger than themselves. Given the scope of football in this country, I'd certainly agree that it is certainly bigger than any one person. Both of these reasons (deeper sense of belonging and being part of something bigger than one's self) are quite transferable to being a committed Christian.
If we, as football fans, can spend time doing all of these different things outside of simply watching our teams play, shouldn't we be able to do things outside of simply showing up for church on Sunday? I'd like to think so. With this in mind, I'd like to suggest the following as possible ways for us to be "fans" of Christ between church services. We may do things as simple as morning and/or night prayer and saying grace before meals. We may also look to do more formal praying such as the rosary, reading the daily scriptures, Eucharistic adoration, receiving the sacrament of Reconciliation, or attending daily mass. Lastly, we can always utilize the technological world we live in and follow good Christian new sources on Facebook, Twitter, etc. in order to stay connected to what's happening in our global Christian community. All of these are simply suggestions, and I am not saying that we jump in to trying to do all of them at once. However, I think that if we can become routine in doing a couple of them earnestly, we will find that we gain a deeper sense of belonging to God as well as recognizing that we are a small but vital part of something so much bigger than ourselves.
So, in conclusion, just like being a football fan, we will go through periods of our Christian lives where we find it both easy and difficult to live out and practice our faith. However, we have enormous comfort in knowing that God instilled in each of us a longing for love because God is love, and we were all created in God's image and likeness. Because of this, God will never cease to be "fans" of us, so how could we ever cease to be "fans" of God? Always remember, with God we NEVER lose.
May we be ever-faithful, ever-mindful, and ever-joyful.
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Tailgating with the Spirit - Part 2
If you missed Part 1 of my "Tailgating with the Spirit" series, I encourage you to give it a glance before reading Part 2 just so you have a frame of reference for what I will talk about in this post. As a quick reminder, in Part 1, I began building the bridge between the gathering of fans in a football stadium and the gathering of disciples in a church building. This week, I will look a little bit closer at the similarities between groups of fans and groups of disciples.
When we think of groups of fans tailgating for a game, what are some of the images that come to mind? For me, I think first of the visuals (tents, colors, flags). Then, I think of sounds ("pump up" music, cheers, even vulgarities sometimes). Lastly, though, I picture interactive events such as games like corn hole, washers, ladder golf, football tossing, etc., as well as people gathering around large spreads of food and beverage that cover an array of tastes and flavors. What is the point of all of this? Why do many people consider these things necessary when pulling for their team? I think the simple answer is because these things seem to increase our excitement for our team as well as make us feel like we are a vital part of what goes on inside the stadium. Let's face it, while sitting and watching a game in the quiet of our own home can be quite enjoyable, rarely do we feel as connected to the outcome than when we share it with others. This, too, is the same for our connection to what happens at church each week.
As mentioned above, individual game watching is nice, but it is not nearly as rewarding as experiencing the outcome of the game with a larger group. Similarly, if we simply attend church each week as individuals with no connection to the larger group of disciples, which I have been guilty of in the past, then often we are not as energized by the outcome of church as we would otherwise be when sharing that experience with the larger church community. So, how do we enhance our experience of church? Tailgate more! No, I don't mean stand outside of church and play games while eating and drinking to your heart's content. I mean get involved in the different "tailgating" opportunities that your church offers. A more appropriate word for tailgating opportunities would be church ministries. These ministries might include but are certainly not limited to Bible studies, men's and/or women's groups, proclaiming the Word of God as a lector, Eucharistic ministering, altar serving, singing and/or playing liturgical music, service opportunities outside of church, teaching religious education, etc. The list goes on and on. If your church does not have something that you are interested in, then look into bringing that interest to public view. As we "tailgate" more with our church communities, we will find that our energy for church will increase, and as a result, our love for God and others will increase as well. Don't we see that our love for our respective teams increases the more we spend time tailgating with others? The same is true, and I'd argue, even more important when we give ourselves the same opportunity with our churches and their ministries.
Remember that when we experience church as an individual we put ourselves at risk of receiving more than we are giving, and we know that God calls us to unending service. As the Prayer of St. Francis so eloquently states:
"[...]For it is in giving that we receive. It is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life."
Because at the end of the day, though our teams may win or lose, we know that in God, we NEVER lose.
Because at the end of the day, though our teams may win or lose, we know that in God, we NEVER lose.
May we be ever-faithful, ever-mindful, and ever-joyful.
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Tailgating with the Spirit - Part 1
Well, here we are in what many people consider to be the best season of the year: American football season. This season brings with it much excitement as the heat of summer moves into the more pleasant air of fall. Several years ago, I started noticing certain nuances about the football environment that should translate well into our respective church environments. I'd like to look at these nuances in a series of posts that will take us deeper into football season but hopefully even deeper still into the heart of the Spirit of God. These nuances will also attempt to build a bridge between this secular season of excitement into the sacred perpetual season of joy. In this week's post, I will look at the nuance of the stadium gathering.
Each week across the country, thousands upon thousands of people come together to rally around their teams (Who Dat! and Geaux Tigers!). This is remarkable when we stop to think about it. Large stadiums across the country hold anywhere from 75,000 to over 100,000 people at a time. There are cities where these stadiums reside whose populations explode when these stadiums reach full capacity on game days. This increase in size brings amazing energy, enthusiasm, and excitement (not to mention traffic) to these towns each week. However, what amazes me the most about these large gatherings is the overall ability of people from different socioeconomic backgrounds, political backgrounds, and faith backgrounds to put aside their differences (whether directly or indirectly) to focus on one common factor: cheering on their teams hopefully to victory. This ability of people to lay aside their differences for a common purpose gives me great hope for the human race. I do, however, recognize that each fan base has its fair share of instigators who divert from the positive goal of the group. These instigators simply remind me that we live in an imperfect world that continues to need our help and compassion. Yet, if we can rally around our football teams in this way, how much better might it be if we gathered around our churches in similar ways?
Now, how does this secular gathering build a bridge to the sacred gathering we call church? Well, we can start by drawing the similarities between a stadium and a church. Both are built to accommodate a large group of people. Both a stadium and a church contain seating that surrounds a central focus (i.e. the field and the altar). [Note: Since the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s, many churches were built in a more circular fashion as opposed to the previous more rectangular design.] Both, when filled, contain people who contribute to the activity at hand in uniform ways such as participating in cheers or prayers; band songs or choir refrains; and standing, sitting, or kneeling. This being said, though, maybe we should next ask the following question: if the common factor at a football game is to rally people together in support of their team, then, what is the common factor that should draw people to church? As a Catholic Christian, I might suggest that our common factor is to rally around the Eucharistic table of God where we celebrate the mystery of the Incarnation (God becoming human) and humbly give thanks with one another for God's blessings and forgiveness in our lives. I like to think that this common factor should only increase our ability to put aside our differences so that we might love God with all our being and love our neighbor as we love ourselves. So, as we prepare to celebrate next week with our fellow fans, let's remember that the celebration in church should be even more rewarding than our football games. Why? Because with God, we never lose.
Next week, I'll attempt to look at the participation in tailgating vs. the participation in ministries.
May we be ever-faithful, ever-mindful, and ever-joyful.
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Stompin' toward the Spirit!
"We are doctors, lawyers, professionals, laborers, students, teachers, and parents. We are different but we’re the same, and we’re brought together..." (from the "About Us" page on 610stompers.com) When I read this quote for the first time, I thought it sounded very Catholic. The word "catholic" means universal, so we know that our Christian faith includes everyone. No exceptions. As I have come to learn, a wonderful motto of the Catholic Church is "Unity in Diversity." Think about it.
Ok, so over the weekend I had the opportunity to get home to New Orleans for Labor Day weekend. I had a great time visiting with family and friends in the days following Hurricane Isaac. Though many of the New Orleans homes and businesses were still without power, the priest at St. Dominic's said it well when he reminded us at the end of mass on Saturday evening saying, "We may not have electricity, but we still have the power of the Holy Spirit!" This was certainly true. In reflecting on this power of the Holy Spirit, I tried to recognize where else I felt this power over the weekend. Then it hit me: the 610 Stomper tryouts!
For those of you who are not familiar with the 610 Stompers, please see the below video and website to get a better idea. My words will not do justice to the remarkable energy that this group conveys in its mission, its performances, and its community service.
610 Stompers Video
610 Stompers Website
While at the 610 Stomper tryouts (my brother is auditioning), I watched 20-30 grown men take their shot at a making the group by performing a dance in front of three judges and a large crowd of spectators. These men ranged in age from 20-65 or even older. Each of these men risked public humiliation just to show that they have the energy and enthusiasm to be a part of such a unique organization. One man who was probably around sixty years old said in his post-performance interview that he hadn't felt that alive and energized since he was twenty-five. Upon hearing that, I realized that this seemed to be a theme in many of the interviews. Men were reinvigorated to let themselves be free to dance as if they were children again.-- After all, Jesus did say that we must be like children in order to enter the kingdom of God! --These men, who come from so many different backgrounds, cultures, and professions, just wanted a chance to be unified with other men in a group that tries to make a difference in their community through dance, laughter, and general elation. Is this not the whole point of being Christian?! If we truly sense the Spirit in our lives, we, too, would feel just as energized to make a difference in both our church and civil communities like these men aim to do as 610 Stompers. As I hope you have begun to realize from this and my other posts, the Spirit is equally if not more present outside of our church doors as it is inside!
Below is a video that shows a little bit of what the auditions look like each year. Enjoy.
610 Stomper Auditions
Let the Spirit it move us to action!
May we be ever-faithful, ever-mindful, and ever-joyful.
Ok, so over the weekend I had the opportunity to get home to New Orleans for Labor Day weekend. I had a great time visiting with family and friends in the days following Hurricane Isaac. Though many of the New Orleans homes and businesses were still without power, the priest at St. Dominic's said it well when he reminded us at the end of mass on Saturday evening saying, "We may not have electricity, but we still have the power of the Holy Spirit!" This was certainly true. In reflecting on this power of the Holy Spirit, I tried to recognize where else I felt this power over the weekend. Then it hit me: the 610 Stomper tryouts!
For those of you who are not familiar with the 610 Stompers, please see the below video and website to get a better idea. My words will not do justice to the remarkable energy that this group conveys in its mission, its performances, and its community service.
610 Stompers Video
610 Stompers Website
While at the 610 Stomper tryouts (my brother is auditioning), I watched 20-30 grown men take their shot at a making the group by performing a dance in front of three judges and a large crowd of spectators. These men ranged in age from 20-65 or even older. Each of these men risked public humiliation just to show that they have the energy and enthusiasm to be a part of such a unique organization. One man who was probably around sixty years old said in his post-performance interview that he hadn't felt that alive and energized since he was twenty-five. Upon hearing that, I realized that this seemed to be a theme in many of the interviews. Men were reinvigorated to let themselves be free to dance as if they were children again.-- After all, Jesus did say that we must be like children in order to enter the kingdom of God! --These men, who come from so many different backgrounds, cultures, and professions, just wanted a chance to be unified with other men in a group that tries to make a difference in their community through dance, laughter, and general elation. Is this not the whole point of being Christian?! If we truly sense the Spirit in our lives, we, too, would feel just as energized to make a difference in both our church and civil communities like these men aim to do as 610 Stompers. As I hope you have begun to realize from this and my other posts, the Spirit is equally if not more present outside of our church doors as it is inside!
Below is a video that shows a little bit of what the auditions look like each year. Enjoy.
610 Stomper Auditions
Let the Spirit it move us to action!
May we be ever-faithful, ever-mindful, and ever-joyful.
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
The Spirit's Comfort Zone
"Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of everlasting life." - John 6:68
The apostle, Peter, spoke the above words when Jesus confronted him amid the vacating of many people who had just heard Jesus' call to eat his body and drink his blood as a spiritual necessity for everlasting life. This was and is a tough call for us to answer because it challenges us outside of our spiritual comfort zones. As a friend reminded me recently, the act of eating is actually a very intimate and personal action, so when Jesus calls us to receive him in the Eucharist, he is calling us to an intimacy that transcends physical nourishment and enters into our spiritual nourishment.
In light of Jesus' Eucharistic call for us to get out of our comfort zones, I thought about times recently where I have witnessed people stepping out of their comfort zones in ways that have helped them become better in some aspect of their lives. This weekend, I saw glimpses of this as the cross country season began here in Georgia. The athletes with whom I work at Clarke Central High School have never really tasted "success" in terms of team championships in recent years, but they have certainly felt some individual success. This year, however, our coaching staff has tried to challenge the athletes to get out of their comfort zones in ways that they have not done so over the last few years. The athletes have responded so far to this challenge in the last few weeks as they continue to work hard each day at practice with a more cohesive mindset. This translated well into our first race of the year as our team had the best season-opening cross country meet that I have witnessed in the last few years. Our kids seem to have a bit more pride in themselves and their team. The spirit of their positive efforts is contagious. I believe that this spirit is the same Spirit that should energize us to move out of our comfort zones in all areas of our lives.
A second story emulating a reach out of a comfort zone is one that I saw on ESPN this morning. This story follows an 11-year-old boy with cerebral palsy as he tries to push himself each day to do new things. Please take a few minutes to watch the video below. Note the intimacy and communion that Matthew has around him. Are we that blessed?
http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=8296170
So, next time we doubt our ability to pursue life outside of our natural comfort zones, remember to ask yourself, "Lord, to shom shall I go?" Hopefully, our answer will affirm what we truly believe in the depths of our spirits.
May we be ever-faithful, ever-mindful, and ever-joyful.
The apostle, Peter, spoke the above words when Jesus confronted him amid the vacating of many people who had just heard Jesus' call to eat his body and drink his blood as a spiritual necessity for everlasting life. This was and is a tough call for us to answer because it challenges us outside of our spiritual comfort zones. As a friend reminded me recently, the act of eating is actually a very intimate and personal action, so when Jesus calls us to receive him in the Eucharist, he is calling us to an intimacy that transcends physical nourishment and enters into our spiritual nourishment.
In light of Jesus' Eucharistic call for us to get out of our comfort zones, I thought about times recently where I have witnessed people stepping out of their comfort zones in ways that have helped them become better in some aspect of their lives. This weekend, I saw glimpses of this as the cross country season began here in Georgia. The athletes with whom I work at Clarke Central High School have never really tasted "success" in terms of team championships in recent years, but they have certainly felt some individual success. This year, however, our coaching staff has tried to challenge the athletes to get out of their comfort zones in ways that they have not done so over the last few years. The athletes have responded so far to this challenge in the last few weeks as they continue to work hard each day at practice with a more cohesive mindset. This translated well into our first race of the year as our team had the best season-opening cross country meet that I have witnessed in the last few years. Our kids seem to have a bit more pride in themselves and their team. The spirit of their positive efforts is contagious. I believe that this spirit is the same Spirit that should energize us to move out of our comfort zones in all areas of our lives.
A second story emulating a reach out of a comfort zone is one that I saw on ESPN this morning. This story follows an 11-year-old boy with cerebral palsy as he tries to push himself each day to do new things. Please take a few minutes to watch the video below. Note the intimacy and communion that Matthew has around him. Are we that blessed?
http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=8296170
So, next time we doubt our ability to pursue life outside of our natural comfort zones, remember to ask yourself, "Lord, to shom shall I go?" Hopefully, our answer will affirm what we truly believe in the depths of our spirits.
May we be ever-faithful, ever-mindful, and ever-joyful.
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Eucharistic Reunion
"Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him." - John 6: 56.
Last week, I spent some time talking about the idea of our presence in God's life and God's presence in our lives. This week, I'd like to continue reflecting on the "Bread of Life" chapter in John's Gospel we have been getting at mass over the last few Sundays. The above verse provides us with great insight into the role God calls us to play in the world. I'd like to "flesh" out that role by drawing a comparison between what we Catholics call the Eucharist and a family reunion that I attended this past weekend.
For those who may not know this, the word Eucharist means "thanksgiving." If we use the English translation to enhance our meaning of mass, then each time we gather, we do so not just to fulfil a doctrinal obligation, but more importantly, we do so to publicly thank God for the blessings in our lives. This is why we should sing and respond frequently and energetically throughout the Liturgy (which means "work of the people"). So, between the words Liturgy and Eucharist, we can see just how important our role as community members is to carrying out the message of Christ to one another. This being said, when we gather each Sunday we are not simply gathering as individuals occupying the same space next to strangers at the same time in the same pew every week. Rather, we are gathering as diverse yet unified parts of the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12: 12-31). On top of this, though, we have the privilege of receiving the True Presence of Christ through the bread and wine at communion. If our eating of Christ's body as "true food" and his blood as "true drink" (John 6: 55) does not transform us into more Christlike versions of ourselves, then sadly, I'd say we may be receiving communion in vain. Similarly though, if we are not aiming to become better functioning parts of the Body of Christ, then receiving Christ in the form of Holy Communion is much less likely to transform us. As I've learned from Fr. Tom here at the UGA Catholic Center over the last few years, our lives are a "both/and" not an "either/or." We must both be Christ and receive Christ.
Now, how does this correlate to the Lambert family reunion from this past weekend? Well, this reunion brought together nearly 50 people who all shared ties to my grandfather and grandmother on my mom's side. When I was younger, we used to gather several times each year to celebrate the holidays and other special occasions. Then, as children got older and started families of their own, the net of our family grew larger and larger making it hard to bring everyone together as often. The widening of this family net, though, is a beautiful thing because this is exactly how living the Christian life is supposed to work. -- This is probably why some of Jesus' first disciples were fishermen. They knew how to effectively use their nets for their designed purpose. -- We all share family ties to Christ, and as we grow older, we become capable of casting our own nets farther out. As a result, we wind up connecting more people to the net of God's kingdom. Mind you, no net is perfect, though. We all have breaks in our nets that once joined us to others but now those nets may be in need of much repair. We all have kept our nets to ourselves at times when we should have been casting them out. We all have "thrown back" people who we did not care to keep in our net for whatever reasons. The list could continue on for each of us. Because of these reasons, though, we must continually reunite ourselves with each other through the mass, through prayer, and through communion both with each other and with Christ. When this is done well, they work beautifully together as one in the same Body.
To all my family with whom I gathered this weekend: I love you, and I'm proud to be part of your family net in Christ!
May we be ever-faithful, ever-mindful, and ever-joyful.
Last week, I spent some time talking about the idea of our presence in God's life and God's presence in our lives. This week, I'd like to continue reflecting on the "Bread of Life" chapter in John's Gospel we have been getting at mass over the last few Sundays. The above verse provides us with great insight into the role God calls us to play in the world. I'd like to "flesh" out that role by drawing a comparison between what we Catholics call the Eucharist and a family reunion that I attended this past weekend.
For those who may not know this, the word Eucharist means "thanksgiving." If we use the English translation to enhance our meaning of mass, then each time we gather, we do so not just to fulfil a doctrinal obligation, but more importantly, we do so to publicly thank God for the blessings in our lives. This is why we should sing and respond frequently and energetically throughout the Liturgy (which means "work of the people"). So, between the words Liturgy and Eucharist, we can see just how important our role as community members is to carrying out the message of Christ to one another. This being said, when we gather each Sunday we are not simply gathering as individuals occupying the same space next to strangers at the same time in the same pew every week. Rather, we are gathering as diverse yet unified parts of the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12: 12-31). On top of this, though, we have the privilege of receiving the True Presence of Christ through the bread and wine at communion. If our eating of Christ's body as "true food" and his blood as "true drink" (John 6: 55) does not transform us into more Christlike versions of ourselves, then sadly, I'd say we may be receiving communion in vain. Similarly though, if we are not aiming to become better functioning parts of the Body of Christ, then receiving Christ in the form of Holy Communion is much less likely to transform us. As I've learned from Fr. Tom here at the UGA Catholic Center over the last few years, our lives are a "both/and" not an "either/or." We must both be Christ and receive Christ.
Now, how does this correlate to the Lambert family reunion from this past weekend? Well, this reunion brought together nearly 50 people who all shared ties to my grandfather and grandmother on my mom's side. When I was younger, we used to gather several times each year to celebrate the holidays and other special occasions. Then, as children got older and started families of their own, the net of our family grew larger and larger making it hard to bring everyone together as often. The widening of this family net, though, is a beautiful thing because this is exactly how living the Christian life is supposed to work. -- This is probably why some of Jesus' first disciples were fishermen. They knew how to effectively use their nets for their designed purpose. -- We all share family ties to Christ, and as we grow older, we become capable of casting our own nets farther out. As a result, we wind up connecting more people to the net of God's kingdom. Mind you, no net is perfect, though. We all have breaks in our nets that once joined us to others but now those nets may be in need of much repair. We all have kept our nets to ourselves at times when we should have been casting them out. We all have "thrown back" people who we did not care to keep in our net for whatever reasons. The list could continue on for each of us. Because of these reasons, though, we must continually reunite ourselves with each other through the mass, through prayer, and through communion both with each other and with Christ. When this is done well, they work beautifully together as one in the same Body.
To all my family with whom I gathered this weekend: I love you, and I'm proud to be part of your family net in Christ!
May we be ever-faithful, ever-mindful, and ever-joyful.
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
A Thought on Presence
Well, folks, the Olympics are over. That's okay, though. For just
as inspiring as the Olympics were over the last couple of weeks, we
know that the Spirit continues to provide us with inspiration and
presence in all of our goings-on. This week, I've tried to give a little insight into a thought I've had recently
on the word "presence." This presence refers to
God's presence, our presence, and just generally being present in life.
Each night before I go to sleep, I ask God about presence. -- By the way, thank you, Mom and Dad, for teaching me to pray before going to bed! -- My usual prayer asks God that I might always feel God's presence in my life. I enjoy this prayer as it helps me remember that I am a small piece of a much greater work. However, the other night I mistakenly switched the prayer around asking God to always feel my presence in God's life. I quickly realized the error of my words and resorted back to my usual prayer because I did not want to entertain words that might put myself on the same level with the presence of God. But, upon reflecting on the mistaken word order of my prayer, I realized that asking God to feel my presence could be just as powerful a prayer as my wanting to always feel God's presence. But how?
How could my presence in God's life be equally as important as God's presence in my life? Well, I believe in a living God. This living God is not just a supreme being that dishes out miracles and blessings whenever we ask. A living God is a mutual participant in our joys, sorrows, successes, and failures. A living God is a savior, a companion, a friend, a confidant, a teacher, a healer, a teammate, etc. As a result, I think it is okay to want God to feel my presence because if God does feel my presence, then maybe it is a sign that I'm striving to be an equal living part of our relationship. This is not unlike the bonds we have with family and friends where we want to be present in their lives just as much as we want them to be present in ours.
In the Catholic tradition, we believe that the communion which we receive each time we go to mass is the True Presence of Christ. Does receiving the True Presence of Christ in our bodies and spirits empower us to be "truly present" to those we encounter on our life journey? If not, what can we do to become a more recognizable presence of that which we receive through the Body of Christ?
In short, claiming that God is our everything only works if we are also trying to be everything possible for God.
May we be ever-faithful, ever-mindful, and ever-joyful.
Each night before I go to sleep, I ask God about presence. -- By the way, thank you, Mom and Dad, for teaching me to pray before going to bed! -- My usual prayer asks God that I might always feel God's presence in my life. I enjoy this prayer as it helps me remember that I am a small piece of a much greater work. However, the other night I mistakenly switched the prayer around asking God to always feel my presence in God's life. I quickly realized the error of my words and resorted back to my usual prayer because I did not want to entertain words that might put myself on the same level with the presence of God. But, upon reflecting on the mistaken word order of my prayer, I realized that asking God to feel my presence could be just as powerful a prayer as my wanting to always feel God's presence. But how?
How could my presence in God's life be equally as important as God's presence in my life? Well, I believe in a living God. This living God is not just a supreme being that dishes out miracles and blessings whenever we ask. A living God is a mutual participant in our joys, sorrows, successes, and failures. A living God is a savior, a companion, a friend, a confidant, a teacher, a healer, a teammate, etc. As a result, I think it is okay to want God to feel my presence because if God does feel my presence, then maybe it is a sign that I'm striving to be an equal living part of our relationship. This is not unlike the bonds we have with family and friends where we want to be present in their lives just as much as we want them to be present in ours.
In the Catholic tradition, we believe that the communion which we receive each time we go to mass is the True Presence of Christ. Does receiving the True Presence of Christ in our bodies and spirits empower us to be "truly present" to those we encounter on our life journey? If not, what can we do to become a more recognizable presence of that which we receive through the Body of Christ?
In short, claiming that God is our everything only works if we are also trying to be everything possible for God.
May we be ever-faithful, ever-mindful, and ever-joyful.
Monday, August 6, 2012
Bread of Life in the Olympics
"For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world" (John 6: 33).
We heard this gospel passage in mass yesterday. In listening to the homily and conversing with people about this gospel, I gathered two main points I think are worth sharing. The first point is actually a question: Where do we find the "bread of God" in our midst on a daily basis? The second point is a response to that question. We find the bread of God in the pains, joys, depressions, and motivations of our fellow human beings. These points affirm for me our need for God's bread from heaven for nourishment regardless of our current state of being.
As I mentioned last week, the Olympic Games reflect the gospel, but more specifically, the athletes, through their examples of fortitude, courage, and sportsmanship, have the ability to be the bread of God in our midst and give life to the world. Anyone who wins a medal in the Olympic Games has withstood the physical and mental tests that come with training hard to be one of the greatest in the world. However, many more athletes do not win medals, and their stories of passion and motivation are just as capable of "giving life to the world" as those of the medalists.
One such story comes from a group of women. This year three countries participating in the Olympics (Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Brunei) allowed a combined total of four women to represent their countries for the first time in the history of the Olympics. Not only are these women bravely venturing outside the gender restrictions on women in their countries, but they are also representing primarily Muslim countries that often face unjust scrutiny based on others' religious ignorance. These women, regardless of the outcomes of their athletic performances, are giving life to the world through their actions and presence in the Olympic Games.
Another story you may have followed up to this point in the Olympics is the story of Oscar Pistorious who is a double-amputee 400 meter runner from South Africa. Pistorious has faced much praise and criticism for his efforts to compete on the same level as his "able-bodied" competitors. Pistorious, who credits his mother as his major influence on his life, was not a "one and done" competitor this week. He defied the odds and advanced to the semi-finals in the 400m, but the turn around between races seemed a bit too much for him as he did not qualify for the final. His efforts, though, to succeed not only for himself but for all those who doubt their capabilities, truly exemplifies the bread of God that gives life to the world. According to Wikipedia, Pistorious' "sporting motto is: "' You're not disabled by the disabilities you have, you are able by the abilities you have." I hope we can all appreciate our own abilities to leave our mark on others in this world.
Below are a few resources for extra reading/listening. I heard the song "Hall of Fame" this morning on the Today show, and I think it is a fitting source of encouragement for us to strive to be great so that we are truly giving the kind of life to the world that only comes from God.
New York Times articles:
Countries sending women to the Olympics for the first time
Oscar Pistorious
Youtube song and lyrics:
The Script - "Hall of Fame"
"Hall of Fame" Lyrics
May we be ever-faithful, ever-mindful, and ever-joyful.
We heard this gospel passage in mass yesterday. In listening to the homily and conversing with people about this gospel, I gathered two main points I think are worth sharing. The first point is actually a question: Where do we find the "bread of God" in our midst on a daily basis? The second point is a response to that question. We find the bread of God in the pains, joys, depressions, and motivations of our fellow human beings. These points affirm for me our need for God's bread from heaven for nourishment regardless of our current state of being.
As I mentioned last week, the Olympic Games reflect the gospel, but more specifically, the athletes, through their examples of fortitude, courage, and sportsmanship, have the ability to be the bread of God in our midst and give life to the world. Anyone who wins a medal in the Olympic Games has withstood the physical and mental tests that come with training hard to be one of the greatest in the world. However, many more athletes do not win medals, and their stories of passion and motivation are just as capable of "giving life to the world" as those of the medalists.
One such story comes from a group of women. This year three countries participating in the Olympics (Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Brunei) allowed a combined total of four women to represent their countries for the first time in the history of the Olympics. Not only are these women bravely venturing outside the gender restrictions on women in their countries, but they are also representing primarily Muslim countries that often face unjust scrutiny based on others' religious ignorance. These women, regardless of the outcomes of their athletic performances, are giving life to the world through their actions and presence in the Olympic Games.
Another story you may have followed up to this point in the Olympics is the story of Oscar Pistorious who is a double-amputee 400 meter runner from South Africa. Pistorious has faced much praise and criticism for his efforts to compete on the same level as his "able-bodied" competitors. Pistorious, who credits his mother as his major influence on his life, was not a "one and done" competitor this week. He defied the odds and advanced to the semi-finals in the 400m, but the turn around between races seemed a bit too much for him as he did not qualify for the final. His efforts, though, to succeed not only for himself but for all those who doubt their capabilities, truly exemplifies the bread of God that gives life to the world. According to Wikipedia, Pistorious' "sporting motto is: "' You're not disabled by the disabilities you have, you are able by the abilities you have." I hope we can all appreciate our own abilities to leave our mark on others in this world.
Below are a few resources for extra reading/listening. I heard the song "Hall of Fame" this morning on the Today show, and I think it is a fitting source of encouragement for us to strive to be great so that we are truly giving the kind of life to the world that only comes from God.
New York Times articles:
Countries sending women to the Olympics for the first time
Oscar Pistorious
Youtube song and lyrics:
The Script - "Hall of Fame"
"Hall of Fame" Lyrics
May we be ever-faithful, ever-mindful, and ever-joyful.
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
The Gospel of the Games
In light of the summer Olympic games , I'd like to draw some comparisons between this past Sunday's Gospel, John 6: 1-15 (the multiplication of the five loaves and two fish), and the spirit of determination found throughout the Olympic games. In the Gospel story, Jesus asks his disciples to help him gather food for the crowd so they will not go hungry. The disciples are doubtful that this could happen, but one boy gives the five loaves and two fish that he has to help. As a result of his giving, the people are fed, and there are enough leftovers to fill twelve baskets.
Keeping in mind the primary characters of that story (Jesus, his disciples, and the boy), see how the Gospel comes to life through the "characters" found in the Olympic games. Jesus represents the coaches who work hard to teach their athletes and mold them into great competitors. The disciples, then, represent the people who have trouble believing in the coaches' ability to help those athletes succeed as well as those who may even question the athletes' reasons for training in the first place. Lastly, the boy represents the athletes who give their talents and efforts or "loaves and fishes" so that their coach can help them and their team mates blossom. When athletes trust and believe in their coaches, they tend to get more out of their sport than they ever could have imagined in the first place. This is where their "twelve baskets of leftovers" come in to play. In light of this, I would say that these athletes then have an obligation to share their "leftovers" with others so that the Spirit of the Olympic Games, which is one of humility, honor, pride, and unity, continue onward.
The similarities between the Gospel and the Games can be quite inspiring if we allow our spiritual imaginations to embrace the beauty of this Gospel story that we continue to watch unfold throughout the remainder of the 2012 Summer Olympic Games. Remember, the Spirit moves where it will and can be found anywhere in which we take the time to look.
May we be ever-faithful, ever-mindful, and ever-joyful.
Keeping in mind the primary characters of that story (Jesus, his disciples, and the boy), see how the Gospel comes to life through the "characters" found in the Olympic games. Jesus represents the coaches who work hard to teach their athletes and mold them into great competitors. The disciples, then, represent the people who have trouble believing in the coaches' ability to help those athletes succeed as well as those who may even question the athletes' reasons for training in the first place. Lastly, the boy represents the athletes who give their talents and efforts or "loaves and fishes" so that their coach can help them and their team mates blossom. When athletes trust and believe in their coaches, they tend to get more out of their sport than they ever could have imagined in the first place. This is where their "twelve baskets of leftovers" come in to play. In light of this, I would say that these athletes then have an obligation to share their "leftovers" with others so that the Spirit of the Olympic Games, which is one of humility, honor, pride, and unity, continue onward.
The similarities between the Gospel and the Games can be quite inspiring if we allow our spiritual imaginations to embrace the beauty of this Gospel story that we continue to watch unfold throughout the remainder of the 2012 Summer Olympic Games. Remember, the Spirit moves where it will and can be found anywhere in which we take the time to look.
May we be ever-faithful, ever-mindful, and ever-joyful.
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Flock of Runners
"For they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things." Mark 6:34
This past Sunday at mass we heard the above passage in the Gospel. I reflected on this passage in light of last week.
Last week, I was in St. Benedict, LA, working the Gulf States Distance Running Camp for high school cross country runners. This was the 20th year of camp, and it was my 8th year working the camp as a camp coach. Each year is just as exciting as my first year. At camp, we provide young runners with a close-knit community of athletes, coaches, and mentors. This environment enables us to "teach them many things" about distance running. We do so, first of all, by running with the athletes twice a day. This takes a determination and a toughness that many campers didn't realize they had before coming to camp. Secondly, we give informational and motivational talks to the athletes to help sharpen their minds about what it takes to be successful in training and racing. Thirdly, and most importantly, we try to help the athletes understand how what they experience from their running directly relates to what they experience in life. I firmly believe that those of us who go back to camp each year do so because we are attempting to answer the call to be "shepherds" to the the flock of young runners who come to us searching for strength and guidance.
Do you answer the call to be a good shepherd to others in your life?
Do you seek strength and guidance from others?
The Spirit moves us to be shepherds for others just as much as it moves us to seek out our own shepherds.
May we be ever-faithful, ever-mindful, and ever-joyful.
This past Sunday at mass we heard the above passage in the Gospel. I reflected on this passage in light of last week.
Last week, I was in St. Benedict, LA, working the Gulf States Distance Running Camp for high school cross country runners. This was the 20th year of camp, and it was my 8th year working the camp as a camp coach. Each year is just as exciting as my first year. At camp, we provide young runners with a close-knit community of athletes, coaches, and mentors. This environment enables us to "teach them many things" about distance running. We do so, first of all, by running with the athletes twice a day. This takes a determination and a toughness that many campers didn't realize they had before coming to camp. Secondly, we give informational and motivational talks to the athletes to help sharpen their minds about what it takes to be successful in training and racing. Thirdly, and most importantly, we try to help the athletes understand how what they experience from their running directly relates to what they experience in life. I firmly believe that those of us who go back to camp each year do so because we are attempting to answer the call to be "shepherds" to the the flock of young runners who come to us searching for strength and guidance.
Do you answer the call to be a good shepherd to others in your life?
Do you seek strength and guidance from others?
The Spirit moves us to be shepherds for others just as much as it moves us to seek out our own shepherds.
May we be ever-faithful, ever-mindful, and ever-joyful.
Monday, July 9, 2012
The Faith to Compete
"I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith" (2 Timothy 4:7).
In the last couple of weeks, I have travelled to Eugene, OR, (aka Tracktown, USA) to watch the U.S. Track and Field Olympic Trials, and I have spent great family time in Bay St. Louis, MS. Both environments were great testaments to the power of having good people in your life.
While in Eugene, I had the privilege of watching our country's finest athletes compete at one of the highest levels of competition. Each of the athletes were competing with his or her sights set on representing the United States in the Olympics. Coincidentally, the above scripture verse just happened to be part of the Gospel for the sixth day of competition at the Trials. How fitting! St. Paul wrote this verse acknowledging the faith that he had in the Lord to help him through all of his trials. Like St. Paul and the athletes at the Olympic Trials, we must have faith in our own "training" so that we may be confident yet humble in our pursuit of our life goals. Also, let us remember that though we may "toe the line" as individuals, we can trust that the Spirit has worked and will continue to work on our behalf through our families, friends, coaches, and team mates to put us in the best position to compete well, to finish the race, and to keep the faith.
Below are a few pictures of the people, venue, and athletes with whom I soaked in the wonder of good competition at its best.
May we be ever-faithful, ever-mindful, and ever-joyful.
In the last couple of weeks, I have travelled to Eugene, OR, (aka Tracktown, USA) to watch the U.S. Track and Field Olympic Trials, and I have spent great family time in Bay St. Louis, MS. Both environments were great testaments to the power of having good people in your life.
While in Eugene, I had the privilege of watching our country's finest athletes compete at one of the highest levels of competition. Each of the athletes were competing with his or her sights set on representing the United States in the Olympics. Coincidentally, the above scripture verse just happened to be part of the Gospel for the sixth day of competition at the Trials. How fitting! St. Paul wrote this verse acknowledging the faith that he had in the Lord to help him through all of his trials. Like St. Paul and the athletes at the Olympic Trials, we must have faith in our own "training" so that we may be confident yet humble in our pursuit of our life goals. Also, let us remember that though we may "toe the line" as individuals, we can trust that the Spirit has worked and will continue to work on our behalf through our families, friends, coaches, and team mates to put us in the best position to compete well, to finish the race, and to keep the faith.
Below are a few pictures of the people, venue, and athletes with whom I soaked in the wonder of good competition at its best.
May we be ever-faithful, ever-mindful, and ever-joyful.
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
We Gather Together
"How about grabbing a drink sometime?" "Would you like to get a little bite to eat?"
How many times have we gathered for meals or drinks with friends, family members, co-workers, team mates, colleagues, or even strangers? Why do we do this? I'd say it's not simply to satisfy our hunger, but because we are a communal people. What does this mean, though? Communal people? Well, a shorter answer would be that we are people who long to gather close to others with whom we can share common ground. More often than not these gatherings give us the opportunity to step outside of our individual selves and re-invigorate our lives through our interactions with each other.
What are some examples of these communal gatherings? Well, perhaps the most ideal example is in church on Sundays. In the Catholic tradition, we "grab drinks" and "a bite to eat" with each other once a week at mass in the Eucharistic meal of Christ. This communal gathering offers us invigoration for our spiritual lives. However, if we go there simply to "feed" ourselves without participating fully and without recognizing that we are there with each other, then we are severely missing the point. We wouldn't show up to a dinner party and eat the food and leave without mingling or making conversation with the host and other guests, would we? Well, sharing the Eucharist with each other on Sundays is the best expression we have of God inviting us to the ultimate "dinner party."
But, church is not the only place where we experience our communal nature. For example, we experience our longing for community with our families on days such as our recent Father's day. When we show up at a run group or exercise class, we immerse ourselves in those nourishing communities. Also, our "day jobs" connect us to people in ways that help us function well in society. The list could go on and on. Though we may gather in these communities for different reasons, we should remember that we are nonetheless equally important working parts in those communities.
To bring things together, here are a couple of final thoughts:
1. By gathering in community, we connect ourselves not just with those in that community, but also with each other's subsequent communities. Think of how many people that ultimately may include!
2. By gathering in community, we must understand that communities are not perfect. Therefore, we should never exclude anyone from our communities as a result of that imperfection because we are all imperfect and sinful.
3. In light of this past Sunday's gospel, by gathering in community, we become the product of the tiny mustard seed that has bloomed into a great plant (Mark 4: 26-34).
Remember, the Spirit moves where it will.
May we be ever-faithful, ever-mindful, and ever-joyful.
How many times have we gathered for meals or drinks with friends, family members, co-workers, team mates, colleagues, or even strangers? Why do we do this? I'd say it's not simply to satisfy our hunger, but because we are a communal people. What does this mean, though? Communal people? Well, a shorter answer would be that we are people who long to gather close to others with whom we can share common ground. More often than not these gatherings give us the opportunity to step outside of our individual selves and re-invigorate our lives through our interactions with each other.
What are some examples of these communal gatherings? Well, perhaps the most ideal example is in church on Sundays. In the Catholic tradition, we "grab drinks" and "a bite to eat" with each other once a week at mass in the Eucharistic meal of Christ. This communal gathering offers us invigoration for our spiritual lives. However, if we go there simply to "feed" ourselves without participating fully and without recognizing that we are there with each other, then we are severely missing the point. We wouldn't show up to a dinner party and eat the food and leave without mingling or making conversation with the host and other guests, would we? Well, sharing the Eucharist with each other on Sundays is the best expression we have of God inviting us to the ultimate "dinner party."
But, church is not the only place where we experience our communal nature. For example, we experience our longing for community with our families on days such as our recent Father's day. When we show up at a run group or exercise class, we immerse ourselves in those nourishing communities. Also, our "day jobs" connect us to people in ways that help us function well in society. The list could go on and on. Though we may gather in these communities for different reasons, we should remember that we are nonetheless equally important working parts in those communities.
To bring things together, here are a couple of final thoughts:
1. By gathering in community, we connect ourselves not just with those in that community, but also with each other's subsequent communities. Think of how many people that ultimately may include!
2. By gathering in community, we must understand that communities are not perfect. Therefore, we should never exclude anyone from our communities as a result of that imperfection because we are all imperfect and sinful.
3. In light of this past Sunday's gospel, by gathering in community, we become the product of the tiny mustard seed that has bloomed into a great plant (Mark 4: 26-34).
Remember, the Spirit moves where it will.
May we be ever-faithful, ever-mindful, and ever-joyful.
Monday, June 11, 2012
Love, Unity, and Birds
Over the last two weeks, the Catholic Church has celebrated two wonderful feast days: the feast of the Holy Trinity (June 3) and the feast of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ or Corpus Christi (June 10). At their core, these feasts remind us of how our personal faith in God is at its best when it is relational with one another. The Holy Trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit shows us the importance of our individual roles in life while also being eternally joined to others for one sacred purpose: to love. Similarly, through the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, we become united to God and one another not just in our sharing of communion, but also in our sharing of community. We often here the language at church calling us to be "one with God," but do we actually stop to think about the power and responsibility that comes from such language? Taken seriously, it is nothing short of a radical challenge for us bring real love and real peace to everyone.
A couple of days ago, I had the privilege of being in my friend's wedding. As I think about this wonderful experience, I realize that this celebration took the aforementioned feasts and united them together as one. The bride and the groom, through their love for one another, joined together with God as a wonderful sign of the Trinity. Also, as all of us at the wedding celebrated the love of the couple, we also joined them in the celebration of the Eucharist (Body of Christ) which only strengthened the bond we have with God and with one another (Trinity, yet again). This celebration brought people together from many different faith and cultural backgrounds, but in our mutual love for the bride and groom, God united us all together regardless of our differences. I believe this was the Spirit working at its best.
As we continue to sense the Spirit in our lives, I conclude today's post with a short video of "startling birds" from Britain in what is called a murmuration pattern. I think the movement of the birds in the video very much resembles the movement of the Spirit in our lives: seemingly unpredictable at times but clearly present (if we take the time to look).
http://vimeo.com/31158841
May we be ever-faithful, ever-mindful, and ever-joyful.
A couple of days ago, I had the privilege of being in my friend's wedding. As I think about this wonderful experience, I realize that this celebration took the aforementioned feasts and united them together as one. The bride and the groom, through their love for one another, joined together with God as a wonderful sign of the Trinity. Also, as all of us at the wedding celebrated the love of the couple, we also joined them in the celebration of the Eucharist (Body of Christ) which only strengthened the bond we have with God and with one another (Trinity, yet again). This celebration brought people together from many different faith and cultural backgrounds, but in our mutual love for the bride and groom, God united us all together regardless of our differences. I believe this was the Spirit working at its best.
As we continue to sense the Spirit in our lives, I conclude today's post with a short video of "startling birds" from Britain in what is called a murmuration pattern. I think the movement of the birds in the video very much resembles the movement of the Spirit in our lives: seemingly unpredictable at times but clearly present (if we take the time to look).
http://vimeo.com/31158841
May we be ever-faithful, ever-mindful, and ever-joyful.
Monday, June 4, 2012
Presence of Power
Over the last few days, I have heard
people talking about a very common word: power. Below are those
references I've noticed lately as well as a link to a true story
about a “powerful” soccer team from ESPN's Outside the Lines.
The first references comes from my good
friend, Fr. Thomas Vigliotta. He has referred recently to power in
terms of the abuse that it receives in many avenues of life
(businesses, schools, families, churches, etc.). He was raising the
concern that many if not all of the injustices in the world are a
result of an abuse of power. His message did not attempt to condemn
anyone, but it did invite us to ask ourselves when have we perhaps
abused power given to us and likewise when have we fallen victim to
others in their abuse of power. In answering those questions, we
widen our perspective of what it means to be “powerful.”
Secondly, my yoga instructor the other
day referred to power as a source of energy that allows us to
function each day. She said that concentrating on our yoga practice
was a great way to reconnect with a personal power that comes from
within us. She said that in life our power can seep out of us as we
share our power with others like water seeps out of a bucket with
holes in it. However, in order to sustain our ability to share that
power, we must recharge the source of that power whether through
yoga, prayer, or other self-serving modes of nourishment.
Lastly, in my June 2012 Living with
Christ daily guide to the mass,
Rev. George M. Smiga wrote about how “God's power is universal.”
What he meant by this is that the every single individual person in
the world is able to convey God's power. He suggests that we access
this power not so much through pride wealth, might, or extraordinary
people or events, but rather, we find God's power more so in the
humble, the poor, the weak, and the ordinary (as we'll see in the
story of the mustard seed at mass in two weeks). He says, “[God's
power] displays itself in common things: in faithful marriages, in
honest friendships, in simple sacrifice.”
All
three of these references to power share great insight into how the
Spirit acts in our daily lives. If we can recognize ourselves as
weak, poor, humble, and ordinary, then the power of God begins to
fill us up. When the power of God fills up our spiritual water
buckets, we begin to understand the need to refill ourselves with
God's Spirit on a regular basis. And, if we refill ourselves with
God's Spirit regularly, then we are much less likely to abuse that
power which we received as a gift from God in the first place.
I believe the below video is a great example the Spirit working within a group of men who decided to stand up to an abuse of power. The video is twenty minutes long, but very much worth it.
May we be ever-faithful, ever-mindful, and ever-joyful.
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Personal Restoration
"Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth." In light of the celebration of Pentecost on Sunday, here are a few thoughts about the idea of "renewal."
On a lazy Saturday morning recently, I found myself enjoying one of my favorite pass-times: watching TV. As I began channel surfing, I came upon a show on the History Channel called American Restoration. This show is about a crew of guys from Las Vegas who spend their time restoring old things to the way they were when they were first created. Some of the items I watched them restore were a 1940s red Sav-Way toy wagon, a 1950s Matchless motorcycle, two 1920s gas pumps, and a 1930s horse track casino wheel. What struck me as interesting, though, was the stories that some of the customers brought with them as they sought restoration for their items. Many of the customers sought restoration as a way to connect them to events or people from their past. Upon picking up their items, these customers were overjoyed with contentment over their fully restored items as they remembered such wonderful symbols of their upbringings.
Are their times in our lives when we long for our own personal restoration? If so, we can be sure that that longing is the Spirit at work in our lives. After all, God created us in his image, so, like the items in American Restoration, we were once brand new. But, throughout our lives we experience dents, chips, broken parts, and malfunctions that need restoring. Thankfully, we have a loving and merciful God that we can bring ourselves to every time to receive total restoration. In the Catholic tradition, we may choose to receive restoration through the sacrament of Reconciliation. This is a tangible sign of God's forgiveness in our lives. As a result of receiving this sacrament, we can confidently restore our place within our faith community ready to be living examples of God's divine restoration.
By frequently seeking our own restoration, we draw closer to the ultimate total restoration: The resurrection of Jesus.
May we be ever-faithful, ever-mindful, and ever-joyful.
On a lazy Saturday morning recently, I found myself enjoying one of my favorite pass-times: watching TV. As I began channel surfing, I came upon a show on the History Channel called American Restoration. This show is about a crew of guys from Las Vegas who spend their time restoring old things to the way they were when they were first created. Some of the items I watched them restore were a 1940s red Sav-Way toy wagon, a 1950s Matchless motorcycle, two 1920s gas pumps, and a 1930s horse track casino wheel. What struck me as interesting, though, was the stories that some of the customers brought with them as they sought restoration for their items. Many of the customers sought restoration as a way to connect them to events or people from their past. Upon picking up their items, these customers were overjoyed with contentment over their fully restored items as they remembered such wonderful symbols of their upbringings.
Are their times in our lives when we long for our own personal restoration? If so, we can be sure that that longing is the Spirit at work in our lives. After all, God created us in his image, so, like the items in American Restoration, we were once brand new. But, throughout our lives we experience dents, chips, broken parts, and malfunctions that need restoring. Thankfully, we have a loving and merciful God that we can bring ourselves to every time to receive total restoration. In the Catholic tradition, we may choose to receive restoration through the sacrament of Reconciliation. This is a tangible sign of God's forgiveness in our lives. As a result of receiving this sacrament, we can confidently restore our place within our faith community ready to be living examples of God's divine restoration.
By frequently seeking our own restoration, we draw closer to the ultimate total restoration: The resurrection of Jesus.
May we be ever-faithful, ever-mindful, and ever-joyful.
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
A Rift in Perspective
The best perspective only comes from making a conscious effort to view the whole picture.
I've often wondered if my perspective on life is fair. Do I acknowledge the good and the bad of a situation? For the sake of clarity do I encourage myself to listen to people that I may be inclined to oppose? Do I always try to keep the betterment of humanity in mind in my decision-making?
These questions came to mind as I've been reading a novel by Naomi Benaron called Running the Rift. This novel follows a young runner in Rwanda as he tries to succeed in his sport amid the growing tensions between the Tutsi and Hutu tribes which ultimately results in the Rwandan genocide of 1994. The protagonist, Jean Patrck Nkuba, a young college student, experiences the struggle between believing what he hears on the radio and from other "trusted" sources or believing what he discovers to be right and just for humanity. Ultimately, he must run the rift that is forming in his country and find out on what side he will end up. Jean Patrick gathers perspectives from many people. One such person is his younger brother, Zachary. In one scene, Zachary brings Jean Patrick to an old hut near their home. This hut was a fun play spot for Jean Patrick when he was a boy, and now, Zachary has his chance to make it his own.
An excerpt:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Zachary] had transformed the hut into a shrine. The bookshelf served as an altar, an image of the sacred Virgin flanked by two candles. A painting hung on the wall [. . .]. Two lambs, one black and one white, drank from a stream. Orchids and lilies grew along the banks, and creatures -- birds or angels -- floated in an amethyst sky. In the blocky, primitive shapes, Jean Patrick saw a child's view of heaven.
"Did you paint this? It looks like paradise."
"It is." Zachary's countenance took on the innocence of a child. [. . .] Zachary talks in low tones, as if speech would disturb some sleeping spirit. "It's the best place for me to worship, the place I feel closest to God."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Do we use everyday settings like Zachary's hut to help us sense the Spirit in our everyday lives?
In a time of growing unrest, Jean Patrick found calm in the perspective of faith from his brother. Good and genuine perspectives like this should give us the encouragement to enter our own places where we feel "closest to God."
May we be every-faithful, ever-mindful, and ever-joyful.
I've often wondered if my perspective on life is fair. Do I acknowledge the good and the bad of a situation? For the sake of clarity do I encourage myself to listen to people that I may be inclined to oppose? Do I always try to keep the betterment of humanity in mind in my decision-making?
These questions came to mind as I've been reading a novel by Naomi Benaron called Running the Rift. This novel follows a young runner in Rwanda as he tries to succeed in his sport amid the growing tensions between the Tutsi and Hutu tribes which ultimately results in the Rwandan genocide of 1994. The protagonist, Jean Patrck Nkuba, a young college student, experiences the struggle between believing what he hears on the radio and from other "trusted" sources or believing what he discovers to be right and just for humanity. Ultimately, he must run the rift that is forming in his country and find out on what side he will end up. Jean Patrick gathers perspectives from many people. One such person is his younger brother, Zachary. In one scene, Zachary brings Jean Patrick to an old hut near their home. This hut was a fun play spot for Jean Patrick when he was a boy, and now, Zachary has his chance to make it his own.
An excerpt:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Zachary] had transformed the hut into a shrine. The bookshelf served as an altar, an image of the sacred Virgin flanked by two candles. A painting hung on the wall [. . .]. Two lambs, one black and one white, drank from a stream. Orchids and lilies grew along the banks, and creatures -- birds or angels -- floated in an amethyst sky. In the blocky, primitive shapes, Jean Patrick saw a child's view of heaven.
"Did you paint this? It looks like paradise."
"It is." Zachary's countenance took on the innocence of a child. [. . .] Zachary talks in low tones, as if speech would disturb some sleeping spirit. "It's the best place for me to worship, the place I feel closest to God."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Do we use everyday settings like Zachary's hut to help us sense the Spirit in our everyday lives?
In a time of growing unrest, Jean Patrick found calm in the perspective of faith from his brother. Good and genuine perspectives like this should give us the encouragement to enter our own places where we feel "closest to God."
May we be every-faithful, ever-mindful, and ever-joyful.
Monday, May 14, 2012
Pelaton of Silence
Earlier this month, I had the privilege of joining my dad for his annual retreat to Manresa House of Retreats in Convent, LA. This retreat is all-men's 3-day silent retreat. On this retreat, I learned the wonderful value of sharing faith with others without speaking. This idea is reflective of St. Francis of Assisi's saying that we should preach the gospel always and only used words when necessary.
This morning, while watching ESPN, I saw a nice piece on Bo Jackson (a former great football and baseball player). For the anniversary of the terrible tornadoes that swept through Alabama last year, Bo decided to raise money to help those communities who are still trying to recover. Bo was not going to raise the money by campaigning with his words, but by bicycling across Alabama. Though this was not a silent ride, the symbolism of the ride is reflective of the Spirit working in one's actions more so than in one's words. Along the way, Bo created a "tornado" of cyclists that mimicked the wave and path of the tornadoes. However, instead of the tornadoes wreaking havoc this time, the cyclists brought faith, hope, love to others in the form of community and support. I imagine that the ride gave the riders a chance to internalize all that they saw along the way and allowed them to share community with one another not so much by speaking but by riding side by side with each other.
Can the Spirit be as present to us as pelaton of cyclists? I'd like to think so.
Bo Bikes Bama
May we be ever-faithful, ever-mindful, and ever-joyful.
This morning, while watching ESPN, I saw a nice piece on Bo Jackson (a former great football and baseball player). For the anniversary of the terrible tornadoes that swept through Alabama last year, Bo decided to raise money to help those communities who are still trying to recover. Bo was not going to raise the money by campaigning with his words, but by bicycling across Alabama. Though this was not a silent ride, the symbolism of the ride is reflective of the Spirit working in one's actions more so than in one's words. Along the way, Bo created a "tornado" of cyclists that mimicked the wave and path of the tornadoes. However, instead of the tornadoes wreaking havoc this time, the cyclists brought faith, hope, love to others in the form of community and support. I imagine that the ride gave the riders a chance to internalize all that they saw along the way and allowed them to share community with one another not so much by speaking but by riding side by side with each other.
Can the Spirit be as present to us as pelaton of cyclists? I'd like to think so.
Bo Bikes Bama
May we be ever-faithful, ever-mindful, and ever-joyful.
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Play your cards
As many of you know, training and coaching are two things very dear to me. From these two, I have come to sense the Spirit at work in so many different ways in my own life and the lives of others with whom I've worked. As this blog progresses, the influence of running on my life will probably become a common theme in my posts. This influences stems from the "Trial of miles and the miles of trials" as John L. Parker, Jr. puts it in his book, Once a Runner.
With this in mind, I came across the story of a man who experienced the liberating power of running. His story is one of learning to "play the cards you're dealt." I believe that the Spirit is clearly present in his heart, mind, and legs as he journeys on in his life. Enjoy.
http://www.kentucky.com/2012/05/05/2177449/at-40-nicholasville-based-runner.html
May we be ever-faithful, ever-mindful, and ever-joyful.
With this in mind, I came across the story of a man who experienced the liberating power of running. His story is one of learning to "play the cards you're dealt." I believe that the Spirit is clearly present in his heart, mind, and legs as he journeys on in his life. Enjoy.
http://www.kentucky.com/2012/05/05/2177449/at-40-nicholasville-based-runner.html
May we be ever-faithful, ever-mindful, and ever-joyful.
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Getting started...
As the Dew Fall- What is this? Well, if you are Catholic, you might recognize it as a similar phrase to that which we hear in one of the Eucharistic prayers in our mass these days. If you aren't Catholic, don't worry, I'll explain. As the dew fall is a phrase designated to show how the Holy Spirit comes down to bless the sacrificial gifts of bread and wine at the altar.
So, there I was, mass after mass, hearing the Eucharistic prayer time and time again when finally this phrase jumped out at me. When it did, I begin to think about the physical properties morning dew. How does it fall? Why does it fall? From where does it fall? Does it even really "fall"? We can not tell from where it comes or to where it is going. We only know that it does indeed come and go. This, too, is true of the Holy Spirit in the world, and more specifically, in our lives. I know we all have experiences of the Spirit in our lives, and I'm hoping that this blog will become a forum for our experiences. I will share Spiritual experiences and stories of my own, but I welcome yours, too. Please feel free to send me any pictures, stories, or other incidents from which others may gain new perspectives on life. After all, we are all living in this beautiful, messy world together. Remember, though, that our Spiritual experiences more often than not originate from things that happen to us outside of church.
May we all be ever-faithful, ever-mindful, and ever-joyful.
So, there I was, mass after mass, hearing the Eucharistic prayer time and time again when finally this phrase jumped out at me. When it did, I begin to think about the physical properties morning dew. How does it fall? Why does it fall? From where does it fall? Does it even really "fall"? We can not tell from where it comes or to where it is going. We only know that it does indeed come and go. This, too, is true of the Holy Spirit in the world, and more specifically, in our lives. I know we all have experiences of the Spirit in our lives, and I'm hoping that this blog will become a forum for our experiences. I will share Spiritual experiences and stories of my own, but I welcome yours, too. Please feel free to send me any pictures, stories, or other incidents from which others may gain new perspectives on life. After all, we are all living in this beautiful, messy world together. Remember, though, that our Spiritual experiences more often than not originate from things that happen to us outside of church.
May we all be ever-faithful, ever-mindful, and ever-joyful.
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