Jason Allen First, Happy Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadelupe and Happy 3rd Week of Advent! I always thought it was so fitting that Our Lady’s feast day falls during Advent when we Christians await not just Christmas but the second coming of our Lord. Our Lady standing atop the moon, clothed in stars, shining in splendor, always reminds me of the glory we will see when Christ returns, finally to set the world straight. It reminds me of the Old Testament reading for Gaudete Sunday and fills me with hope. “I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my whole being shall exult in my God; for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation, he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels”. (Isaiah 61:10, NRSVCE) I love how Christ so often sends Mary to give a message of hope and comfort. He is always happy to include her, and us, in His plans. Very often, the healing hand of the LORD is the outstretched hand of a friend. Lately, the first part of the above chapter is always on my mind: “The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me; he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn”. (Isaiah 61:1-2, NRSVCE) It has taken years of hearing these Advent readings to really soak up even a fraction of the beauty therein. The apparent meaning of Isaiah prophesy - good and comforting things to come, is there. But on a deeper level, we need to understand that the LORD’s anointed from this passage is not just Jesus Christ, but all of us, who have become one body in Christ. Growing up Baptist, I inherited a very strong sense that my ‘relationship with God’ was strictly between him and me; other people, and my relationships with them, didn’t really figure into it. After becoming Catholic in 2016, journeying and praying with other Catholics has transformed some of those old, very foundational ways of thinking. It’s not just God and me. It’s all of us together--I don’t mean in some nebulous, touchy-feely way, but quite concretely. Our mission here on Earth is to help those we know to stay in friendship with God and get to Heaven! Even now, having just typed that, I’m still a little shocked by it. Surely, it is someone else’s job, the Bishop, Priest or Deacon, someone with more knowledge and authority, not just me. And true, God has given us clergy, as well as the saints in Heaven, to be our help; but the fact remains, having supportive Christian friends is a solid path to Heaven. Consider what Sirach has to say: “Faithful friends are a sturdy shelter: whoever finds one has found a treasure. Faithful friends are beyond price; no amount can balance their worth. Faithful friends are life-saving medicine, and those who fear the Lord will find them. Those who fear the Lord direct their friendship aright, for as they are, so are their neighbors also". (Sirach 6:14-17, NRSVCE) Reflect on how Sirach speaks of having faithful friends, ‘those who fear the LORD will find them,’ seeking out Christian friends, not just hoping to bump into them. Somehow this year, I stumbled backward into actually doing this by maintaining a Bible study through the lockdown. All of a sudden, I couldn’t take for granted that I would bump into my church friends and acquaintances after mass or at a FRAYAM event. There wasn’t anything; if we didn’t reach out, we didn’t have the relationship. Suddenly, I had to be deliberate, and I found out what happens if you approach friendships deliberately. I found out you could schedule text messages to check in on a friend. I found out people will pick up the phone just to chat, even if it’s 8:30pm on a weeknight. I found out most people will go to a Bible study if you invite them five or more times. I found out you can open up to friends, and they will want to help you. Most importantly, I found out that having regular contact with Christian friends was great for my spiritual life; having people to pray for, makes prayer a lot easier. If you want to know God, a great place to start is by getting to know other Christian people, who are made in His image and likeness. It’s what we are supposed to do, as Paul teaches in Ephesians. “We must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body’s growth in building itself up in love". (Eph 4:15-16, NRSVCE) Only by growing and working together are we going to grow in Christ in EVERY way. As the new year approaches, do something different instead of making the same old resolutions. Join a Bible study, make some new Catholic friends. You won’t regret it. Faithful friends are beyond price. Laura Mascari“You duped me, O Lord, and I let myself be duped.” (Jeremiah 20:7, NABRE) I once heard an excellent homily on this passage and felt compelled to pass on what I learned from a wise, holy priest. I have to admit, this is one of my favorite lines from Scripture. It’s so honest, isn’t it? We see the prophet Jeremiah cry out these words to God once he has reached his breaking point. As a prophet, he is not well-liked for delivering the word of God and is very much subject to persecution. In the midst of his crisis, Jeremiah laments that God has deceived or tricked him. He embarked on the mission God had asked of him, and now his life is full of misery and pain. His story started out with so much hope, yet now he feels utterly abandoned and let down by God.
And so he cries out: “You duped me, O Lord, and I let myself be duped.” Imagine a man and woman on their wedding day. They are in love and overjoyed as they head into honeymoon bliss. A few years pass by, and the ecstasy seems to fade. Suddenly, the person they married is no longer a god or an angel, but a human being. Their faults rise to the surface, like oil in water. Love seems to have deceived them. Now, they are tempted to believe they have married the wrong person. You duped me, O Lord, and I let myself be duped. Once eager to begin his ministry, a priest has discovered first-hand that his priestly duties are physically and emotionally demanding. He experiences burnout and unfulfillment. He begins to wonder if God led him to the wrong vocation. You duped me, O Lord, and I let myself be duped. A young person has decided to live out their Catholic faith. They are hopeful and excited about the journey ahead. Instead, they are mocked and ridiculed. They followed God’s will, only to be made a laughing stock. You duped me, O Lord, and I let myself be duped. Haven’t we all been there? In prayer we have cried out, “Lord, you told me this thing was going to be great. And now it’s not. You tricked me!” In many places, there are Christians who are tortured and killed for living out their faith. Perhaps even these present-day martyrs have cried out, “Lord, you have duped me! I didn’t sign up for this. Is this how you repay your servants?” With these cries to heaven, it means that at one point or another, we trusted God. We trusted in His guidance as He pointed us in a particular direction - whether that be a job, a marriage, a vocation, etc. We took a chance on God, and now we are experiencing pain and suffering. Somewhere along the way, God didn’t seem to follow through on His promises. And so we cry out to Him, feeling betrayed and confused. I think God responds to these prayers lovingly. Even Christ spoke these words on the cross: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34). I remember a time I was furious at God. I was in prayer before the crucifix, and in my ignorance, I said, “Lord, you don’t know what it’s like to go through this!” Thankfully, the Lord is good and patient with me. The response that I was given, truly deserved, was, “Really? You think this cross was comfortable?” Instead, He invited me to lift up my head and gaze at the crucifix. There are wounds on His body. I see His arms outstretched, totally abandoning Himself to the will of the Father. He has nothing to take but everything to give. It’s almost as if He said to me, “My daughter, I do know what it’s like to suffer.” The response God gives when we cry out, “You have duped me, O Lord!” is this: “Deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Me” (Luke 9:23). Not really the response we want to hear, I know. The prosperity Gospel sounds a lot more appealing - the idea that God will reward us with riches, good health, worldly happiness, etc., for following His will. But it’s actually a sham. There is no Christianity without the cross. I think of the Presentation of Our Lord when Mary was told, “a sword will pierce your own heart, too.” How powerless and troubled Joseph must have felt knowing he would not be able to protect his wife and child from undergoing such a terrible trial. I think of Mary at the foot of the cross – it seemed she had every right to spit and curse at the people who put her Son to death, but instead, she accepted her sorrow with a quiet, pondering heart. Mary, our Mother, and St. Joseph knew that God loved them. Deep down, we know the same is true for us. Even when Jeremiah accused God of deceiving him, he felt a fire burning in his heart...he knew that he was still loved by God. He knew he must continue the mission God had for him. In all of this, it’s important to note that God doesn’t want us to be miserable, nor does He take pleasure in seeing our despair. He wants us to live life to the full. He isn’t a God of deception or trickery - He’s a loving Father who is sympathetic to our pain. We gain far more than we lose when we dedicate our lives to Him. There is a big difference between joy and happiness. Happiness is often dependent on worldly things; joy is dependent on heavenly things. If you read about the saints, they weren’t full of joy because they were happy. They were full of joy because their eyes were fixated on heaven. God doesn’t always promise us happiness; what He does promise is a true and lasting joy - the kind that the world isn’t able to offer. Our suffering does not have the final word. Christ does. If we allow Him, he transforms our suffering and brings out a greater good. Maybe you are angry with God. Perhaps you have doubts that He is good. Whatever your situation is, God invites you to take another chance on Him. It won’t be easy, but He promises us it’s worth it. Your sister in Christ is cheering you on. You duped me, O Lord. Thanks be to God, I let myself be duped. Amy LanghamWhen I look outside when it rains, I try to find a colorful rainbow. A rainbow is bright, beautiful, and you always think there is something better at the end of that rainbow, possibly even treasure beyond imagining. I have been thinking a lot lately about diversity in the world. I haven’t seen it much, especially since March. My heart is heavy knowing we are not kind to one another. Matthew 22:39 states, “you shall love your neighbor as yourself" (NRSVCE). I don’t see love, all I have seen is hatred amongst our brothers and sisters. Why? Aren’t we all one body in Christ? I was born and raised in Kentucky. A lot of people’s first thought is Kentucky is so backward, especially with their views. But what I remember from living in Kentucky is all the diversity. It was a melting pot of the world, and that is how I look back at my hometown of Elizabethtown. Elizabethtown is next to the Fort Knox military base. I remember seeing people of all shapes, sizes, colors, and religions. This town and the people around me that I encountered while growing up shaped me to be the person, the human being I am. It didn’t matter to my friends (or to me, for that matter) what race they were, their family’s political affiliation, religion, or whether they were cheerleaders, football players, or baseball players. Those were just titles. My mother raised me to see the good in others’ hearts, and not to disregard the differences, but to recognize the differences between us strengthen the whole body of Christ. Titles and other characteristics do not define who we are. What is more important? That you are in a particular political party or that you are a kind and loving person? As Galatians 3:28 states, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free person, there is not male or female; for you are all one in Jesus Christ" (NRSVCE). When I encounter someone, I do not see classifications; I only see Christ in that person. This begs the question: Who do we say that we are? I am Amy - a government employee, a part of a political party, a white woman. But, these titles and characteristics are not who we are. We are children of God, and we all need to be able to look past individual characteristics or group associations and look at their hearts. I recently saw that a journalist told another journalist he had decided to remove people that didn’t go along with his political views from his life. I thought, why? What does politics have to do with who that person really is? I have people in my life with views that are very different from mine, including politics, religion, and other beliefs. I am not going to push anyone away just because their opinions are different from mine. I wouldn’t be the person I am today if it weren’t for all my friends and family’s various backgrounds, religious beliefs, and cultures. I have a multicultural blend of friends from countries such as Ecuador to India, to Japan. My friends and family come from different religious backgrounds as well, from Buddhists to atheists. I have learned so much from all of them. I just wouldn’t be Amy without them. Apart from learning from them, God placed them in my life to serve them, and by serving them, I serve Christ. "Maybe this is why we’re seeing so much hatred and division these days: we’re no longer seeing Jesus when we look at our brothers and sisters." There is a song called “Bleed the Same” by Kirk Franklin, Toby Mac, and Mandisa. The words “we all bleed the same” is in an incredibly moving part of the song. As human beings, we all have different personalities and points of view, based on our cultural backgrounds and life events we’ve experienced, even as Catholics. But seeing fellow Catholics bad-mouthing each other on social media has been heartbreaking. We have to ask ourselves, what really matters? What matters is we are all one body, and we all bleed the same color - the color of love. Jesus shed his blood for us so that we can spread the Gospel of love. When we come together despite our differences, we show (not just tell) the world of this love.
If we didn’t have all kinds of people in our lives, we wouldn’t be who we are. I am who I am because of the people who have shaped me into being Amy. The titles or group affiliations that I have don’t define who I am, it’s the love that people have shown me that I spread to others. As we go into the Advent season, look to Jesus in prayer, and show more kindness and love to others. God knows that each of us has much to pray for. God has called us each by name to spread his message of love. Finding the treasure at the end of the rainbow is the best feeling. At the end of the rainbow, that gift of treasure is the glory of the Child Jesus - given to us at Christmas. May we all find love again in this season of renewal and joy. By grace, may God empower us to follow in the footsteps of our Lord, who walked this earth and showed us how to love by his actions. May we always remember who we are! Children of God. Let us always see the best version of ourselves, see the best in each other, and love even when it hurts - let us truly be the Body of Christ. Stephanie Jeffers
As the very beloved Fr. Savio said to me recently, when you feel the weight of anxieties, all you have to do is reach out to God. When you feel anxious, the devil is trying to weigh you down. You can overcome him by taking that small step and reaching out to God. As Fr. Savio exhibits so well, there is always a positive outlook to our troubles…God is always with you.
So, how? How do we reach out to God? I would like to give you a few ways that the saints and fathers of our church recommend and ones that I find helpful for me when I am feeling the weight of the world: Pray – The beauty of prayer is that it can be done anytime, anywhere. If you don’t know what to say, that’s okay! You can talk to God like you are talking to a friend. He will always have time to listen to you. A simple prayer, found in Matthew 6:9, "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not bring us to the time of trial, but rescue us from the evil one." Also, don’t forget your rosary, as it can be helpful for many scripted prayers. (Mathew 6:9-13, NRSVCE) Read the Bible – We have so many lessons to learn. Even as we get older, our perspectives change, and we view stories differently and ask different questions. I challenge you to look up one of your favorite childhood Bible stories. I bet you think about something differently or ask a question you may not have asked before. By spending time in the Word, we can learn something new, which may help us overcome or, at the very least, bring peace to our current situation. One of my favorites out of Matthew, Mark, or Luke is when Jesus ventures out with the disciples on a lake, when a raging storm overcomes them, and Jesus is fast asleep. The disciples woke him in fear of their lives. Then Jesus replied to them, “Where is your faith?” When Jesus calmed the raging winds and rocky water, the disciples were in amazement. What would you have thought if you were on the boat? Would you have feared the weather or held faith in the Lord? What would have been your reaction to Jesus walking on water!? (Mark 4:35-41, NRSVCE) Write/Journal – I have been told that often people carry around cumbersome burdens as they simply feel like they have no one to talk to. Talk to God. I would also encourage you to reach out to your local parish for spiritual direction or confession. In the meantime, write all your thoughts and feelings down. It can help you process the emotions you are feeling. Often, just writing it down can help you feel some relief. Listen to Songs/Sing – As many before me have said, music can draw us out of difficult emotions…and the beauty of music can bring us closer to God. We are not alone in our feelings. Music can help in expressing what we feel. There are so many songs in which you may feel a connection, and often the genres do not distinctly matter. Whether you are cruising down the road with the radio blaring or finding a quiet place to sit and reflect with soft background music, it can help you relax and clear your mind. A recommendation of mine is Lauren Daigle’s Turn Your Eyes. An old song with a new twist. The song goes a little like this, “Oh soul, are you weary and troubled? No light in the darkness you see?, There’s light for a look at the Savior, And life more abundant and free.” I hope that these recommended opportunities to reach out and connect with God help you find comfort. The last thing I want to leave as an encouragement. The Lord replies to the disciples in John 16:33, “I have said this to you, so that in me you may have peace. In the world you face persecution. But take courage; I have conquered the world! (NRSVCE)” We can turn our grief in to joy, turn that negative into positive, turn the closed door into an open one. May we always find peace in knowing that Christ the King is in control. Many Blessings! Steph Sarah knoblockIntegrity, kindness, humility, and grace are qualities I strive for in my little life. At times, it seems impossible to exhibit such virtues in the face of pride, hatred, and incivility, and, yet as followers of Christ, we are called to do exactly that - the impossible. Emotions have been running high for a nation torn apart by civil unrest, injustice, a virus that has killed hundreds of thousands of people, and a presidential race that affects the world, not just our fifty states. Our common home is most certainly and continuously under attack from our greatest enemy, Satan. Lately, it feels unrelenting as a fire of animosity is lit and stoked by politicians, news anchors, neighbors, coworkers, friends, and family, most egregiously pitting Christian against Christian. A divisive, disoriented, and disconnected Body of Christ cannot function fully, which is precisely what our enemy, the devil, wants. It is sometimes hard for me to wrap my brain around Christians having such different political views. Still, I then remember that God is a lover of variety and our opinions, personalities, and passions provide a balance in the Body of Christ, albeit sometimes a frustrating balance. What do we do when we feel that deep pang of injustice and our zeal for goodness turns sour in our words and hearts? My initial response to this question was not Christ-like. I wish I had the grace, patience, wisdom, and love of St. Paul or St. Teresa of Calcutta. But instead, my blood boiled, and I wanted to reject the world that can be so thoughtless and cruel. The sin that has marred the world since Adam and Eve blooms in mind as I focus on the world’s brokenness and mourn a world that will never come to pass. Even in my yearning for peace, my thoughts are corrupted, and instead of treating others with grace, I become angry. Only in heaven will righteousness truly reign. Injustice will always rule on earth because of the sin that entered the world. That is not to say that we should give up the fight for justice. Just the opposite, we are called to serve and be the hands and feet of Jesus on earth. I often struggle with the following: finding hope and trusting that our sovereign Lord is in control and resigning myself to rely upon and trust in his care of all things. I repeatedly have to remind myself that ultimately all evil will end. Christ has already won. I have to remember that I cannot wage war against unfairness and oppression on my own, as I also pray for the grace to exude kindness and patience to those who would be against me. While waiting for the Second Coming of Christ, Christians are called in for damage control and to demonstrate the love of God through our works and words. As Christians are called to be the hands and feet of Jesus on earth, we are also called to find and hone our own unique skills, which can be used to win others to Christ and show the goodness of our God. “To each individual, the manifestation of the Spirit has been given for some benefit. To one is given through the Spirit the expression of wisdom; to another the expression of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit; to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit”. - (1 Corinthians 12: 7-9, NRSVCE) This verse continues to list many more skills and ways the Spirit works in each of us. If all of us find our unique calling, our extraordinary God-given talents that can be used to support the Church and assist our broken world, the world will be better because of it. One of my favorite populations to work with is senior citizens. I don’t know why, but when I see wrinkly seniors in walkers and wheelchairs, I want to give them a big hug and remind them they are loved. That is God’s Spirit working in me, reminding these individuals they are not unloved or unwanted. If you want a hand finding your unique gifts, I encourage you to take the S.H.A.P.E personality quiz. Designed by Pastor Rick Warren, S.H.A.P.E. stands for skills, heart, ability, personality, and experience and can help you realize your full potential. The gifts the Spirit has given you to make a mark on our broken world. Take the quiz at http://freeshapetest.com. God bless and let’s get to work! “I slept and dreamt that life was joy. I awoke and saw that life was service. I acted and behold, service was joy.” - Rabindranath Tagore Erin Elizabeth ParkI come from a strong Catholic family of 7. Growing up, my sisters and I were always told of the importance of the vocation of marriage. I remember my mother reading from The New Saint Joseph Baltimore Catechism about vocations, specifically holy matrimony. In that book, it talks about the chief duties of a husband and a wife. The primary responsibilities of being faithful to each other and providing in every way for the children God may give them. As a child, hearing this sounded very appealing. I think most children, at some point, think about marriage or at least parenthood. As I got older, my desire for marriage faded and was replaced by a powerful urge to join a religious order. To me, there was no greater form of happiness than to dedicate my entire life to God. In 2016, I had the honor of attending World Youth Day in Krakow, Poland. One of our stops before attending the event was Rome, Italy. Our diocese was blessed enough to be able to celebrate mass in Saint Peter’s Basilica. We were urged to pray about our vocation and holdfast to our callings/awakenings from the trip’s outset. I went on the trip, thinking that my desire to join a religious order would be solidified, but the exact opposite happened. During the celebration of mass at the basilica, I had an awakening. It felt as though someone was speaking to me directly, and a feeling of warmth and intense light came from the altar as the consecration took place. The voice repeatedly said, “You are called to enter into the married life, stay chaste.” This went on until I received Communion. And the Lord came and stood forth, calling as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for thy servant is listening.” - (1 Samuel 3:10, NRSVCE) Not everyone has such stories. Some feel this calling at a young age; others felt they had come to understand their vocation like this over time. It does not matter how you felt the calling or when it happened, but the important thing is to follow it. At the time, I remember feeling directly defeated. I had my heart set on joining the Missionaries of Charity. Though it took many months and dedicated prayer, I finally came to accept my vocation of marriage. Three years and many failed relationships later, I felt like maybe my vocation had changed. It is hard to not fall into a state of disparity when it seems like trying to find your future significant-other is an impossible task. I continued to stay chaste, and I stopped looking for a relationship. Those two things I feel sculpted me into a better woman, not to mention a better wife. You hear people say that when you stop looking for love, you will find it. In my personal experience, this happened to be true. After taking a dating hiatus in 2019, I started dating a man that came from a very different religious background than me. Knowing the difficulties of inter-faith marriages, I went into this relationship with a very pessimistic view. During the first month of dating this man, though he did not have any strong religious beliefs, I found myself reading the Bible quite often, which was not a regular habit. I started praying more and almost felt my relationship with God being strengthened through every interaction I had with this man. I found myself continually thinking about my vocation. My prayers consisted of “God, may Your will be done.” You ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and we shall do this or that.” - (James 4:15, NRSVCE) By the second month of dating, I had a strong feeling that God had finally allowed me to find my husband. That second month, we got engaged. We continued to strengthen our relationship and regularly attended mass together. Even though our relationship with God was becoming closer, we ended up falling into a state of mortal sin. We had started living together due to some financial difficulties of my own. It is definitely not easy to live with your significant other while staying chaste, but definitely not impossible. We ended up conceiving our first child in May of 2020, 6 months before our wedding, and in July, my fiancé was activated in the National Guard. The pregnancy was incredibly hard, not only because he was on active duty, but because of the intense feelings of guilt I had for conceiving a child before wedlock. Having been in a state of mortal sin on and off for about 9 months, I felt the priests were tired of hearing my repetitive confessions of the same sins. Of course, that was not true, but the guilt I felt kept me from going for most of my pregnancy. Three months into my pregnancy, I ended up having a missed miscarriage. A missed miscarriage is often diagnosed at a routine ultrasound scan, whether around 12 weeks or at the 20-week‘ anomaly’ scan. With a missed miscarriage, the scan picture usually shows a pregnancy sac with a baby (or fetus or embryo) inside, but there is no heartbeat, and the pregnancy looks smaller than it should be at this stage. This only strengthened my desire to get out of a state of mortal sin. Though our first child’s death took a piece of us, my fiancé and I’s relationship became deeper than before. I wish we could have shared our first child together through marriage, but I do not regret the life we helped create. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted, Months later, we finally got married. The process of marriage Preparation was extraordinarily insightful and seemed to fly by. The most exciting part was the compatibility test. It helped us see where our views differed and what topics we had not even thought about while dating. Obviously, our journey was far from perfect, but God allows all things to happen for a reason. The beginning of our relationship was a lot different than our relationship now. We have grown to know each other more deeply, incorporated our faith into every aspect of our lives, and have become better versions of ourselves by being together. No one is created to be perfect. In our moments of mistakes and struggles, we can turn towards our Creator and ask for forgiveness with a sincere heart. We are given a “fresh start” option, and all we have to do is ask. A husband and wife are meant to complement each other. They are not two halves that turn into a whole but are two wholes that turn into one. The primary purpose of marriage is to lead your spouse and children to heaven. Through prayer and sacrifice, the family unit will continue to be one of the most efficacious things God created to empower us on the journey of holiness. “Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For every one who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened." anonymousFor my entire adult life, I have been superficially...unlucky. Small things, like getting stopped by trains on my way to class or having to come into work early only for the shift to be canceled right as I arrive. Never anything significant, and certainly not enough for me to ever complain. If I am honest, I've got a blessed life. I have a great relationship with my siblings and parents. I have a wonderful, loving, supportive girlfriend who cares deeply about both myself and my family. I attend a great, albeit difficult school and am receiving a robust education, which has helped form me into the man I am now. I love what I do, and my future seems to be bright. With all of this in mind, you may think my life is all figured out. It is not. Only our God knows the uniqueness of the journey that is set before each of us. I needed to learn how to let God take the lead. Our God is in the heavens; As a young man, I wanted nothing to do with Him or his church. When I was a child, my parents made me come to this house with a blood-covered man at the front, and I wasted an hour of my precious Sunday every week. I felt apathetic towards the church. I couldn't care less what this bloody, broken man nailed to a cross thought about me and stopped going to church as soon as I was old enough to pretend that I was busy. I can pinpoint that I felt the most disconnected from the church, and this moment was when I left for college. I was on my own. I was practically an adult. "I don't need the church. I have my personal code and set of morals. I'll stay true to myself and what I believe. The church is messed up anyway, what with touching altar boys and whatnot. I don't want to be a part of a church that allowed that to happen." These are the things I told myself to justify walking away from God instead of seeking a higher purpose and the road to sanctity. Transgression speaks to the wicked Unluckily, I had a group of friends as a freshman who shared the same sentiment, who disliked the church and had no faith. They nudged me closer and closer to a life of complete rejection of the church. I started dating, which I hadn't until college and tried things I told myself I never would. How rocksteady were those morals when confronted with momentary pleasure? They could never hold up. I was spending all of my energy chasing fleeting happiness and brief experiences of immediately evaporating pleasure. I craved the next buzz, completely content to live my life consumed by sin. I didn't care about anybody. What was the result? My relationships started to crumble. I spent so much time utterly ignoring my conscience, spending zero time in prayer or active discernment, and missing God's purpose for my life. I lost sight of what makes romantic relationships loving, viewing them almost machiavellian, merely a means to an end. The relationship became more and more abusive, and I didn't want to realize that I was the one being abused. I thought I was okay with being used for sexual purposes, as long as I felt that moment of happiness that made it all worth it. I started becoming upset with it but would always just be shut down for it by her. She was often telling me if I kept looking for love and a purpose, she would leave me. She was always disappointed. I was never good enough. Eventually, I was even losing what I thought I needed in the relationship. She would tell me repeatedly that I wasn't good enough sexually, I never lasted long enough, and that I didn't satisfy her. You know the insults I receive, In the lowest of the valleys, the devil comes to you to tell you that you aren't enough. And, we aren't. We must seek Christ to be complete. In the winter of my junior year, I was confronted with a good friend who challenged me to attend our church's retreat, put on twice a year by other college students. He knew I was previously catholic and managed to guilt me into going. It changed my life. I met a community of people focused intensely on one thing alone: get as many people to heaven as they could. On the first night of the retreat, I met a wonderful young woman who helped me relax, open myself up, and just to be myself. I was surrounded by people who loved me in a real way. They loved me because I was their brother in Christ. They showed me how to love to the full. They did this by showing me that the ways I was giving and receiving love in my previous romantic relationship could not functionally lead me to God. My eyes were opened, my spirit and soul awakened. I do believe that retreat saved me. O magnify the Lord with me, We can only know ourselves in the light of Christ. If we put barriers between ourselves and Christ or attempt to separate ourselves from his path, plan, or promises, we will walk from light into darkness. After the retreat had ended, the women that God used to awaken my soul didn't think I'd remember her, but we've now been dating for months. We place Christ first in our relationship. She makes me a complete version of myself. How does she do this? Together, we seek our Lord every day by walking on the path of holiness. On this difficult journey of faith, we can become genuinely ourselves; the people that God desires us to be. As for me and my significant other, we can become more united to each other and by serving God and lovingly seeking our vocation. While I may be pretty unlucky in the smallest of ways, I can say that because Christ loves me and has given me so many blessings and reasons to fight for him, I am the luckiest man in the world. -Lucky Return, O my soul, to your rest, Jared L. WuerzburgerPeace be with you. Franciscan Young Adult Ministry had the luxury of spending October 24th, 25th, and 26th of 2020 at Our Lady of Fatima Retreat House in Indianapolis. I am writing this reflection about our grace-filled retreat that sought to experience Christ in the Chaos of this year. I served as a spiritual companion during this profound weekend, and I plan to write to convince you of the need to spend time uniting ourselves to God via prayer in this chaotic world. Shannon Sonderman and Oscar Henriquez, Young Adult Ministry Coordinator’s for FRAYAM planned and orchestrated an eventful weekend focused on personal prayer. You may have experienced spiritual retreats whose primary goal is to overwhelm you with engaging activities, forced sharing, and community building. Although these can be beautiful encounters, these were not the focuses of this retreat. Instead, activities, sharing, and community were the side-effects of the focused and prayerful rejuvenation that can only occur when resting in Christ Jesus. Father Adrian Burke of Saint Meinrad Archabbey was our presenter for three sessions across three days. The focus on the conferences was simply prayer. How can we communicate with our creator? Why is this beneficial? How does prayer change us? How does the world view prayer in contrast to our sacred Tradition approach? We can, and we must rest in the peace of our Lord and God. It is imperative to do as we were commanded to: 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Mathew 28:16-20, NRSVCE) To dwell or abide in the peace of God, to rest fully in that love of God, is to see as God sees and to love as God loves. We must focus on the needs of the other instead of fixating on the needs of ourselves. This requires the gift of grace, collaborating with the Holy Spirit, and, therefore a developed prayer life. Father Adrian desired to clarify the nature of prayer, but first, disclosing what prayer is not. “Prayer is not a transaction. Prayer is not trying to convince God to fix your problems or the problems of people you love. Prayer is not a Quid Pro Quo. The Eucharist is not a transaction. We are not in it to change God’s mind but instead of understanding God’s mind. It is relational. Prayer nurtures transformation. Prayer is an intimate relationship that is rooted in presence”. We must come to see prayer as a gift that is given to us by God. This gift is given to change us. We must actively choose to be changed in this increasingly busy world. If we allow God to change us through prayer, praise, and worship, we can begin to be engaged with Christ to change the world. This cannot be very comforting! One must let go of self and allow God to change our usual ways of seeing, thinking, and acting in the world. The change is Christological. We become like Christ, through Christ, and with Christ; side by side, we are converted. Prayer is the primary way that we consent to this change. Daily prayer practices become our Fiat allowing God to issues these miraculous changes in us according this his word (Luke 1:38). Why must prayer become a regular practice? Prayer focuses our mind to remember that Christ is with us continuously throughout the day. Our Master and Lord is ready to lead us to the truth in union with the Holy Spirit. We must be conscientiously willing to exercise prayer as a concrete discipline in our daily lives. Father Adrian ended our last conference with guiding words of spiritual direction, “The next time you feel anxious. The next time you feel fearful. Or the next time you feel angry or upset about something. Or stressed out over something that has happened or might happen. Or worry about something that may come along the way. Or shame, resentment, envy, abilities, irritation, fear, or boredom. The next time you feel any of these things. Pay attention. Stop, take a deep breath, and allow yourself to feel what you are feeling. Stop allowing yourself to give in to the temptation to cover up these feelings to make yourself feel better somehow. We don’t like feeling these feelings. Allow yourself to feel these emotions. What does it feel like? I am calling you to be present to yourself. Do not allow yourself to find a lame form a pleasure that comes from an addictive behavior. Scrolling through Tictok or Instagram or whatever you have learned to lean on to feel better. Instead, all this does is make you feel more isolated. Think of yourself as a mountain. A mountain of rock. The weather that comes through or over the mountain is just the weather. It can rain, be foggy, etc. But, the mountain remains the same. And, so do you. You are not your feelings or moods. Be in your feelings without judgment, knowing that they will change.”
Father Adrian also recommends the following: Think of your feelings as messengers from Christ. They are telling you something. Christ is telling you something. Christ is continually communicating with you through presence. What are these feelings trying to tell us? What is Christ attempting to present to us via these feelings? God wants to remind us that in Christ, we have nothing to fear. 23 And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. 24 And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. 25 And they went and woke him, saying, “Save, Lord; we are perishing.” 26 And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O men of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. (Mathew 8 23-27, NRSVCE). Christ is asking us the same question he asked his disciples in Mathew 8. Why do we need to pray? To remind us not to be afraid. To rest in the calming presences of Christ, who is the only solace we have in the Chaos of the world. We must find Christ in the Chaos. Grab him and rest in his peace. Or the Chaos will encompass us, and that unforgettable lack of promised peace will leave us continuously restless. anonymousWhile visiting a church this Fall, my personal moral compass was challenged. The woman making opening remarks stated that “Communion must be received in the palm of one’s hand, with one’s arm fully extended.” As soon as those words exited her mouth, my heart began beating heavily, and my mind started racing. I knew our church’s stance on this issue. The Eucharist may be received in either the hand or on the tongue. In fact, the USCCB recently reiterated this when it announced that: “Those who receive Communion may receive either in hand or on the tongue, and the decision should be that of the individual receiving, not the person distributing Communion.” The GIRM, The General Instruction of the Roman Missal, in its directives for distributing Communion, states: The consecrated host may be received either on the tongue or in the hand, at the discretion of each communicant. . . . The priest raises the host slightly and shows it to each, saying, Corpus Christi (the body of Christ). The communicant replies Amen and receives the sacrament either on the tongue or, where this is allowed and if the communicant so chooses, in the hand. (160–161) However, it is challenging to go against instructions individual parishes have provided to us or go against the social norms imposed for the just purpose of proactively preventing the spread of COVID-19. On this particular day, throughout the Mass, the decision that I was going to make was eating away at me, “should I act in accordance with the instructions to receive our Lord in hand or should I do what feels most reverent in my heart and mind?” Eventually, I came to my senses; of course, the answer was in prayer. I asked the Blessed Virgin Mary to allow me to see what God wished of me at that moment to best please him. The homily was next after this silent prayer. And what do you know, the homily content was about knowing what is right and acting on it. The priest shared how so many individuals know what is right but lack the courage to act on it. Whether they are fearful of others’ opinions, the challenge itself, or even the law in some cases, they choose to ignore what they know to be right in their heart. With this prayer I mind, I also assumed that the individual that accompanied me to Mass would choose to receive by mouth before me in the communion line, and it would be easier for me to do so as well. When it came time to approach the altar for Communion, my friend stepped out… and into the other line. My heart dropped, and I was immediately filled with fear, but I knew what I was being called to do. I reverently walked up to the extraordinary minister and knelt onto the linoleum, waiting to receive our Lord. The gentleman kindly blessed me, most likely assuming my knelling was a personal practice in my home parish. I continued to wait, kneeling on the floor, and the gentleman blessed me a second time. Finally, he realized that I would not go anywhere and lifted up the host, almost asking me a question. I quietly said, “yes, please,” and he hesitantly administered our Lord and Savior on my tongue. While none of this was easy, I knew it was what I was being called to do. I walked back to my pew and was tearful the rest of the Mass. I was incredibly moved by this experience. I knew that no matter what, I must do what the Lord was placing on my heart, even if it is not accepted socially or standard practice. In this monumental moment in my spiritual life, God granted me the courage nessesary to do his will. I hope to continue carrying that courage throughout the rest of my life. As you go about your day-to-day life, I encourage you to consider the opportunities where you can demonstrate the gift of courage that the Lord has granted to you. In these often terrifying moments, I beg you to remember that the only thing we have to fear… is the Lord. Keep strong in your beliefs, and never turn from what is right, even in moments of most challenging adversity. “Be strong and of good courage, do not fear or be in dread of them: for it is the Lord your God who goes with you; he will not fail or forsake you.” Mikayla HudgensAre You Making Enough Time for Jesus in Your Busy Life? I'll be the first to tell you that I'm not. Quite frankly, making time for the Lord has taken a backseat to my schoolwork, school responsibilities, and all of my extra-curricular obligations. I've been noticing that I have felt off, not quite myself, and I finally came to the realization one day that since my schedule has become more taxing, I haven't entirely made time for Jesus. This was oddly troubling to me. I don't think that it should be hard to make time for Jesus in our lives. There really is no cookie-cutter way to spend time with Jesus or to pray, and so this really got me thinking about how I could begin to make more time for that in my life. I will give you a little background on who I am and what my life looks like, my name is Mikayla Hudgens, and I am a junior nursing major at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College. I am a representative of the Student Senate, Director of Marketing in a club called the Student Activities Committee, and the Student Nurse Association president on my campus. Honestly, I'm involved in everything, and you can usually find me at all of the events on our campus. I'm sure that you can imagine that just with all of the things that I'm involved with on-campus, my schedule is pretty tight. The nursing major is pretty taxing with all of its demands just to be successful in it. I simply find that there are not enough hours in the day for all the things I would like to accomplish. It is difficult for me to say no to adding new tasks onto my plate because I want to be involved as much as possible. But at some point, no matter how involved I get, how much time I spend trying to be successful in my major, or how much time I spend with the people I love, I always feel like something is missing. For me, that missing piece of the puzzle is spiritual fulfillment that I get through my relationship with Christ. I simply need to take time for my spiritual needs in order to feel well balanced and like I'm taking care of myself, and in order to do so, I needed to reframe my hierarchy of priorities in my life. At position number one, there should be Jesus, at number two is school, then probably my romantic relationship, then family, and finally friends. The next decisive action that I decided to do was take more time to invite the Lord into my life. Something as simple as this can increase your quality time spent with Jesus, and you are more likely to begin listening to God. We all know that little voice in our head that puts ideas in there randomly. These are the thoughts that keep resonating in our lives, or that push us to pursue something. Yep, that's God if you haven't quite come to that realization yet. Because our conscience is that inner sanctuary in which we listen to the voice of God, we must remember to distinguish between our voice and the voice of God. A good conscience requires lifelong practice and dedication. Each baptized follower of Christ must form his or her conscience according to objective moral standards. That includes maintaining healthy relationships and acting justly as the Lord would have us act. Scripture is a fantastic tool for this process of forming our conscience by study, prayer, and practice. And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offense toward God, and [toward] men. I didn't realize how important this connection to God was until Jared began working at our college and made a point about it, and that's when I noticed that God is in my head all the time. Since then, I have been trying to look out for what He's saying to me. Another way that I'm beginning to incorporate more time for the Lord in my life is simply by sitting down with someone to have a conversation about Jesus and how he is working in our lives. That being with a spiritual director or even just a friend. Something as simple as that is a form of prayer because you are reflecting on all the blessings that have been bestowed on you in your last week or however long it's been since you and that person last talked. Another tip that I have found helpful and easy to integrate into your routine no matter how busy you are is to say a prayer before you go to sleep or whenever you first wake up. Just reflect on some hopes you have for the day, some things you are thankful for, and some things you need some help with. We can't do or handle everything in our lives all the time. We simply aren't made like that. We are created to need God's help and the help of each other. The last thing that I decided to do to encourage me to have more time for Jesus is that I decided I would lead a small group. Jared approached me, asking if I would be willing, and there was really no hesitation in my response as to me wanting to do it. I was in a small group with my friends when we first went online due to the COVID-19 pandemic and into the beginning of summer, but then when that ended, I realized that I have been missing connecting with others and growing closer to others through Jesus. Sometimes, I believe that is the best way to understand myself, serve others, and connect with God. These three things are best done when we gather communally in prayer; the Holy Spirit is right in the midst of all of your interactions with those people. "For true hearts, there is no separating ocean; or, rather, God is their ocean, in whom they meet and are united." No matter if you are in college, some form of graduate school, or an adult with other obligations, you are undoubtedly incredibly busy with a laundry list of things. Here are some parting thoughts and reflection questions that I have for you from this reflection.
What is the hierarchy of the priorities in your life, and is Jesus number one? What are some of the ways that you make time for Jesus in your life? Obviously, I'm not asking you to lead a small group (at this moment), but just something as simple as reflecting on your thoughts, praying in some fashion, or even grabbing coffee with someone sharing your burdens with others. And lastly, are you making enough time for Jesus in your busy life to fill the Jesus shaped hole in your heart? |
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