"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.
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)