Showing posts with label Cursillo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cursillo. Show all posts
Monday, June 15, 2015
Sunday, June 7, 2015
The Blind Leading the Blind
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The first person I saw for spiritual direction in Richmond was (and still is) legally blind. I met her when I made my Cursillo weekend back in June 2006 at Mary Mother of the Church Abbey. She was on the spiritual direction team. Her faith and her terrific sense of humor inspired me. Hearing the story about her giving her grandsons a lesson in charity was the clincher we have kindred spirits. She, too, recognizes what great spiritual directors kids can be and is willing to learn from and be challenged by them.
“If you have two of something, you should give one to the person who doesn’t have any,” she told her grandsons.
“How many pairs of sunglasses do you have, Grandma?” one of the young boys asked her.
Since she was and still is a fashionista, she had several pairs. That’s when she realized it would be wise to take the Spiritual Direction Institute (SDI) course developed and offered by Monsignor Chester Michael. If you’re going to talk the talk, then you best walk the walk.
Something that still cracks me up about my friend is that she always looks cute and is very much into fashion. I’m pseudo-blind without my contacts in or glasses on, but most of the time I still choose comfort over cuteness when it comes to fashion. Not this lady. She watches shows like What Not to Wear, and she knows which of her friends to go shopping with or ask for suggestions of what to pair together in her closet.
She’s well-read, well-spoken, loves learning, laughing, and spending time with family and friends. Without ever looking at me, she could really see me. In one of her talks that weekend, she shared a story about knowing you’re loved and cared for even in the dark.
When their firstborn was a baby, her husband went to work when it was light outside. When he returned home in the evening, not a single light was on in the entire house. He was worried something was wrong.
It hadn’t occurred to my friend to turn any lights on. Even though in the dark, their daughter knew she was loved and would be taken care of. After that, my friend got in the habit of turning lights on for her daughter’s benefit. That story and this woman really impressed me.
During dark periods in our lives, we can become almost paralyzed by fear and worry. We’re not sure which way to go. We have no idea who or what is in the room. It’s unsettling to say the very least. Since we are God’s children, we don’t need to be afraid. Even when it seems as though all of the lights are out and only darkness prevails, He is there with us. Just like the Bible says: “In Him there is no darkness at all. The day and the night are both alike.”
In the same way that my friend’s daughter rested in her mother’s arms and knew she was loved and would have her needs met even in the dark, we are invited to trust that God will lead us through difficult circumstances and periods in our lives.
Do you trust your guide?
I remember playing the game with a partner where you each take turns being blindfolded. The person leading had to talk the blindfolded friend through a walk outside, letting them know when to step up or down, move to the right or left, etc. I worried I would get paired up with a jokester who would lead me into a patch of poison ivy or laugh hysterically as I fell down a set of stairs. Fortunately, neither of those things ever happened (while I was blindfolded, anyway).
We need to pick the people we follow and spend time with very carefully. I felt comfortable trusting my friend as a spiritual companion, because she is a life-long learner, humble enough to know she doesn’t know everything and is still growing in the faith herself. Her active prayer life, dedication to family and friends, and love of books made me feel that I could trust her.
During my time meeting with her, she recommended a number of fabulous books for me to read that enhanced my spiritual journey and faith walk. One she hesitated to recommend to me because she is friends with the author. She feared I might suspect she was more interested in plugging her friend’s book than suggesting I read something that would really speak to where I was at that time. She was wrong. I knew I could trust her book recommendations would be authentic and honest.
Sabbath Presence is a beautifully written book based on the theme that was chosen for my Cursillo weekend “Be Still and Know.” I am someone who always feels like I should be doing something. I have often had to fight against the notion that my worth comes from what I have done or am doing rather than from God, who created me (and each one of us) in His image of love.
This book changed my life. It’s one of the very few books I read twice in a row, soaking up the wisdom and allowing it to sink in. My first time through, I skimmed over the reflection questions, but I didn’t spend a lot of time with them. My second time through, I took quiet time to journal and really meditate on each of the questions.
I can’t think of a more perfect book for me to have read at that time. It’s very unlikely I would have come across it if not for a blind woman I saw for spiritual direction. True sight into the soul is in the heart of those open to the Holy Spirit.
Prayer: Lord, please help us become more open to the promptings of the Holy Spirit moving in and through us. Guide us to a deeper awareness of and appreciation for Your Presence in others as well as ourselves. Show us how to see beyond appearances to what truly matters and is of eternal value. Give us the courage to face our own blind spots, accept Your forgiveness, and mercy. Amen.
Sunday, August 10, 2014
Monsignor Chester Michael: Well done good and faithful servant
The funeral Mass was quite beautiful and not surprisingly very well attended for Monsignor Chester P. Michael this past Wednesday, August 6, 2014. The celebration of his life took place on the Feast of the Transformation, a fitting God-incident since he was instrumental in inspiring change, transformation, and true conversion in countless people throughout our Diocese and around the world during his 72 years as a priest.
Most Reverend Bishop Francis Xavier DiLorenzo presided at the funeral Mass held at St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Charlottesville, Virginia. As is customary for our leader and resident history buff, he gave a homily that compared and contrasted what life was like in the world when Monsignor Michael was first ordained a priest in 1942 and the myriad changes he witnessed from World War II until the present.
The bishop posed three very poignant questions about the 97 years God gave Monsignor Chet on Earth.
1.Did his life mean anything at all?
2.Was his life a waste?
3.What was the meaning of his life and ministry?
Bishop DiLorenzo covered a smattering of the ministries and various levels of involvement and influence Fr. Chet had in them. Basically, he responded to the above questions with this summation of answers: 1.Absolutely. 2. Not at all. 3.He did so much it would be hard to mention it all, estimate the number of lives he’s transformed, or how his work to spread the Good News will continue to inspire others.
In closing, Bishop DiLorenzo said: “We thank God for his ministry, and we say well done good and faithful servant.”
After the celebration of the Eucharist, Andy Macfarlan offered some Words of Remembrance about Fr. Chester Michael. He shared some of the stories, themes, passions, quirks, and characteristics of the beloved priest and popular spiritual director. Looking around the church, I saw dozens of people Kevin and I know through Cursillo. I found it a perfect Mass for our seminarians to attend even while on their yearly retreat. What better testimony can you give than that of a good priest who served God’s people in many different ways over the 72 years since he was ordained to serve our Diocese? He’s been an inspiration to priests, deacons, seminarians, consecrated religious, and laity for quite some time.
Kevin and I never formally met Monsignor Michael, but we’ve heard a number of stories about “Fr. Chet” as many of his close friends and spiritual directees called him. We are aware of only some of the countless ways this man has touched our lives. In 1963, he brought the Cursillo Movement to the Diocese of Richmond where it has flourished as a tool for the new evangelization in place long before that term was popular. Over 8,000 individuals have made Cursillo weekends in our Diocese since then. That’s a lot of lives to touch and enflame with the Holy Spirit!
But wait, there’s more. Fr. Chet also created Open Door Ministries and the Spiritual Direction Institute (SDI) to encourage laypeople to grow closer to the Lord, learn about themselves, and how to live the Gospel in new ways through a more intimate walk with Christ. There have been over 600 people who have gone through the SDI program he developed since it first began. Kevin and I just began the SDI program this summer. I read and highly recommend the three books to the left written by Monsignor Chester Michael, and used as some of the primary resources for his two-year course.
It boggles my mind to think of how many souls he’s affected just through Cursillo and SDI. He’s been involved in so many really powerful ministries over the years, ones I don’t know as much about but which are described in detail on his website. Kevin and I have been fascinated to read about his life, humble beginnings, ongoing education, and the numerous ministries which he started and/or brought to the Diocese of Richmond over the years. He has touched the lives of so many different groups of society, I’d venture that when it comes to ministry in Richmond, there could be a game that would probably only show two or three degrees of separation at most between Catholics currently active in our Diocese and their connection to Monsignor Chester Michael and the ministries he’s created and supported. To read a more thorough biography of Monsignor Chet’s life at least up to 1992, click here.
Today is the five year anniversary of my father’s passing which has gotten me thinking about the influence one person’s life can have on so many others. We don’t know how much time we have left to make a difference. Fr. Chet had a lot of years to do all the work God intended for him.
What is God calling us to be or do right now? Are we taking ample time to listen to the whisper of His still small voice? Are we grounded enough in prayer and edified through study so that we are filled with the love of Our Lord, ready to go out and proclaim the Gospel through our lives?
Monday, June 16, 2014
Discerning Our Charisms & How God Wants Us to Share Them
During the month of June, each person is being asked to complete a Ministry Commitment Form for July 2014-June 2015. All of the current ministry rosters are being considered null and void. If you want to participate in a ministry that you have done in the past, you have to register to be part of it again. If you’re ready to take on or at least learn about a new ministry, you’re encouraged to do so. This is a big leap of faith, in my opinion. There are so many different ministries to be involved with and through our parish that it takes more than a full page of legal-size paper just to list them all.
That was then, this is now
I realize it says a great deal about my personality and way of looking at things that reviewing the sheet of all the ministries at our church, I feel bad that I’m not involved in more of them rather than simply grateful that we have so many opportunities for outreach. Processing and praying has helped me move from feeling I’m not doing enough to being grateful for the many gifts we have in our parish that we use to serve others, while being more aware of the specific ministries we’ve been called to focus on at this point in our lives. This has been a period of pretty intense discernment for Kevin and me as we have been praying about what ministries to be involved in and what God’s calling us to in terms of our work and careers. I’m feeling greater peace now that the Lord has shown me the ministries we’re involved in are where He wants us to be devoting our time and energy right now.
For a while, we’ve been serving as Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion. We served regularly at the Sunday 5:30pm Mass and have been filling in as substitutes as needed more recently when our Cursillo commitments have had us at different Masses and sometimes even different parishes from one week to the next. We do miss taking up most of a row at Mass with the three silly sisters and their parents, but fortunately, we got to be together for Mass and dinner afterward on Father’s Day.
Christ Renews His Parish
Kevin and I have both made a Christ Renews His Parish (CRHP) weekend and served on the teams for the next weekends put on at our parish. I still gather pretty regularly with my CRHP sisters, both as a group and individually. I first met a friend who introduced me to a couple of other ministries I hadn’t known about before: the Charismatic Prayer Group and Theophostic Prayer Ministry. This friend has since moved to Chicago to attend pharmacy school, but the connections she created before leaving remain strong.
Theophostic Prayer Ministry
Through that prayer group and because of that friend, I learned about a very powerful type of healing ministry called Theophostic Prayer Ministry (TPM). She invited me to attend a session with her in Chesapeake, Virginia, and that’s how I met the people at our parish and at New Creation Renewal Center who would journey with me as I witnessed and experienced the healing that the Holy Spirit does through this ministry.
When they began a group in Richmond that would study Theophostic Prayer, I eagerly joined. Over the past few years, I’ve been studying and learning everything I can about Theophostic Prayer Ministry through books, workbooks, DVDs, live demonstrations, and by practicing doing the ministry with people who have been doing this for over ten years now. Over this next year, I will be completing the live practicum portion of my training as a TPM facilitator with the hope that in the summer of 2015, I’ll be ready to take part in a three-day intensive workshop with Dr. Edward Smith, the pastor and counselor who developed this ministry and has been teaching it around the world.
Spiritual Direction Institute
Anyone who knows me knows that I devour books, often ones that are spiritual and/or religious in nature, so reading a book each month and doing a book report isn’t intimidating for me at all. The possible challenges posed to me through prayer and when it comes to applying to what I’ve learned from the books is likely to be the most difficult aspect of the process for me. I knew it would be the prompting of the Holy Spirit if Kevin, who doesn’t usually read books and rarely sits down to write much of anything, discerned now is the time for him to go through this program as well.
Cursillo
We learned about the SDI program from active members in another ministry which we have been very involved in over the past eight years: Cursillo. Kevin and I attended our first Ultreya at St. Edward’s the spring of 2006. We walk into the school hall where the Ultreya was being held, and the first two people we meet are Mary, who was pregnant, and Joseph. I kid you not. The married couple who greeted us that evening are actually named Mary and the husband goes by Joey for short. Their son’s name is Isaiah. They are still a wonderful, joyful part of our Cursillo family. We have been members of the Cursillo community since June 2006 when I made my weekend at Mary Mother of the Church Abbey and sat at the table Sea of Conviction, but we renamed ourselves the Spiritual Divas, and that’s how we’re known in the community. Kevin made his in September 2006. We’ve each served on team before and were asked to do so again this year. I served on team for the Women’s Cursillo Weekend that took place April 2014.
Kevin is currently in team formation for the Men’s Cursillo Weekend being held July 24-27, 2014. I have been a contributor and the editor of the Cursillo newsletter, The Rooster Review, for the past seven plus years. I’ve lost track of the number of candidates Kevin and I have sponsored and/or co-sponsored to go on Cursillo weekends, but I’m certain it’s over ten.
Through our involvement in Cursillo, we have met some of the most faithful, dynamic, and dedicated Christians we know. Our close friends, many of whom are already strong people of faith, have been reenergized by making a Cursillo. The Cursillo Movement is an international, proven method of evangelization designed to bring people closer to Christ in all areas of their lives.
Thursday, June 12, 2014
Pentecost Weekend Festivities
Pentecost Weekend was very enjoyable. We spent it with
loved ones, many faith-filled people who are passionate about serving the Lord
and others. Saturday I had some good
prayer, reading, study, and writing time.
In the evening, Kevin and I had dinner with my mom at a delicious
Italian place on the Southside called Angelo’s.
Their stromboli is scrumptious!
From there we
headed over to Church of the Epiphany, where Kevin and I were married on
September 4, 2004. Two of our friends
from Cursillo were doing a concert as part of their Give Me Jesus tour. The band S2K they’re in plays for Kairos retreat weekends.
I knew it would be a blast, because our two friends are characters on
their own, but are even more hilarious together. The concert was awesome, and the banter among
the guys entertaining, as always! We got to sing along to the praise and
worship music they performed, and heard their take a on a few classics that fit
in with the theme of Kairos.
In between sets, one of the men in the band would talk about how, when, and why they became involved in prison ministry. Each of them has gone to one or more Virginia prisons to put on Kairos retreats for the inmates. It was really awesome to hear the stories of how these men from a variety of faith denominations and backgrounds came together to serve men, women, and juveniles who are incarcerated.
One of the most moving testimonies was from a gentleman who had been an inmate on the very first Kairos retreat that ever took place in our area back in 2002. When released from prison, he began studying to become a minister. Now he’s one of the chaplains who serves Kairos. Talk about transformation and metanoia! There you have it!
Sunday morning Kevin and I went to 11:15 Mass at our church because our friend was doing the second reading in Hindi as part of the celebration for Pentecost. It was neat to hear the reading in an unfamiliar language, and the music was beautiful. Afterwards, we headed up the hill for the church picnic that the Knights of Columbus had organized and were preparing for. I ended up sitting with a few friends from Christ Renews His Parish (CRHP), a couple of whom are now also Cursillistas, and we had a good time. Good friends, good food, and good fun!
Then I got to catch up with a dear friend I met through CRHP who has been at pharmacy school in Chicago for the past couple years. We were assigned to be roommates for the overnight portion of the CRHP retreat, and we stayed up half the night talking and have been good friends ever since. We weren’t sitting at the same table when we made our retreat, so we wouldn’t have gotten to know each other as well had we not been assigned to the same room. Another God incident indeed!
Lord, thank you for surrounding us with so many people of faith to inspire us and pray for and with us. We are grateful to have friends who are family steeped in the love of Christ and the dedication to serve His people. Amen.
Thursday, May 29, 2014
Like a Good Neighbor, My Husband is There
I find it tremendously ironic that I was selected to give the Action/Evangelization talk on the Women’s Cursillo Weekend held April 24-27, 2014. Not only was I on team with a number of people who have a great deal more experience in performing the corporal works of mercy than I do, but I’m also married to someone who is naturally not just a good neighbor to the many people who live in our building, but who is often a very Christ-like one.
He goes above and beyond the usual, signing for a package if someone has asked you to hold it for them until they get back or letting someone know they’ve left their headlights on. I can’t tell you how many times
He’s done work on their vehicles or assisted them with repairs, given individuals who are handicapped rides to the store, taken care of cats while their owners are out of town, provided bags of groceries when people were struggling to put food on the table, helped people network who were looking for a new job, let someone borrow his bicycle for several months so they wouldn’t have to buy one to train for a competition, changed light bulbs and did various other household chores too challenging for those who are elderly and/or have disabilities, reported suspicious activity to the police, listened while people tell them about their day or about their whole life story, provided encouragement and support to those who have been struggling in mind, body, or spirit…
He’s the one who knows everyone’s name and asks them how things are going then actually listens to the response. We saw one of our neighbors in a wheelchair, and Kevin found out after a few different attempts (because my husband doesn’t speak Spanish) what had happened to him.
The husband and father of two girls fell 20 feet off of a ladder, breaking both of his ankles. Kevin noticed that the front tire of their car had been slashed. It was completely flat and would need to be replaced, so he offered to go and get a new tire and put it on for them. They agreed to this. When he went to return the car keys, they wanted to pay him, but he refused any compensation for the new tire or the labor. We agreed it was a very practical way that we could offer them assistance during a difficult time.
Kevin is preparing to give the Laity talk on the upcoming Men’s Cursillo Weekend being held July 24-27, 2014, at Sacred Heart, New Bohemia. He’s got a number of wonderful descriptions of the roles of laypeople in the Church. What amuses me is that he hasn’t yet included any of the number of day-to-day things that come naturally to him and count as ways to minister to others. Isn’t that often the way, though? The people who are best at doing something are the ones who question their aptitude, downplay their abilities, or doubt the validity of what they have to offer.
When I see so much everywhere I look that I feel I could or should be doing, it’s refreshing to look at my husband. He reminds me just by being who he is and where he is he’s glorifying the Lord.
Thursday, April 24, 2014
Cursillo Weekend: Great Mercy Living Hope
Please keep the team and candidates in your prayers this Thursday through Sunday (April 24-27, 2014) as we gather to bask in God's love and His Great Mercy, so that we may return to the world as renewed sources of Living Hope!
Don't forget that this Sunday April 27, 2014 is extra special. It's Divine Mercy Sunday as well as the canonization of two popes.
DE COLORES!!
Sunday, April 6, 2014
In Case You Were Wondering Where I've Been
As part of the ongoing discernment I know to be life-long necessity for all who try to be open to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, I have been
prayerfully listening and making some changes I have felt urged to undergo in how I spend my time, energy, etc. It has been a tremendous gift and encouragement that Kevin has decided going to daily Mass several times during the week would be his Lenten devotion, because there are few things that remind me of God's love and ability to change hearts and minds than sitting and holding hands with my dear husband at Mass.
I've been subbing at school pretty often, still reading a lot (mostly in English but also some French), and Kevin's been doing some odd jobs here and there while still looking for a full-time job with benefits. We're both still praying and waiting for whatever will be the next big thing we undertake, but right now we're content to be serving on really wonderful Cursillo teams and growing closer to the Lord and each other.
I realized in hopping from one blog to the next to try and keep up with what’s going on in the world and the blogosphere, attempting to participate in the right link-ups and get the most visitors to my blog with frequent, timely posts was making my prayer time, faith formation, closest relationships, and my vocation to write (particularly: spiritual reflections, personal letters, and prayers) suffer.
This is why I have not been participating in 7 Quick Takes Friday recently or
posting quite as often as I have at other times. I have been getting back to a more regular chunk of time for daily prayer, journaling, writing reflections, letters, and things more often, and it's been good to process things with pen and paper and decide what I will share, if anything, on my blog. Writing because I love to write and am inspired is something I don't want to lose and can too often get away from when I have too many of the how to have a wildly popular blog or what you should be writing about or commenting on things going through my head.
It's more important to me to have an active prayer life, loving relationships in person, and time to listen and reflect on what God is asking of me, than it is to see how much blog traffic I can get. I get caught up in the shoulds and coulds ideas, and suddenly, I find myself stressed out, fragmented, unsettled without enough prayer time, disconnected from loved ones.
Plus, I figure that if I am dedicated to prayer and open to what the Lord wants of me, then what I write will reach the people that would find it helpful to read and ponder whenever and if ever they happen upon my blog.
I stepped back to
look at how I have been spending my time by asking and praying about the following:
1. What goals or motivation have influenced my choices the
most?
2. Does the Lord come first and my relationship with my husband
second before everyone and everything else?
3. What do I need to do differently so that my time, actions,
energy, and on what I spend money reflect that God is first and foremost in my
life and that our marriage comes before all else?
I know it’s not a
coincidence that I’ve been prompted to ask myself these questions when I am
more often around people for whom prayer, faith formation, and acts of service are a way of life. Certainly, when
surrounded by those who do their best to put Christ first, I am more inclined
and challenged to do the same thing. For
those reasons, I am incredibly grateful for the local Cursillo community as
well as the Christ Renews His Parish contingency from our parish.
Earlier this week
I had lunch with my mom, and we had an interesting discussion about how the
decisions we make—both big and small, public or private—affect other people,
especially those closest to us, whether we want them to or not. I was mentioning how apparent it has been to
me that I want and need to be around Christian community who make prayer,
ongoing discernment, and faith formation a priority in their lives. Their example inspires, encourages, and
motivates me.
The other side of
that is also true: the time I spend with the Lord (or don’t) affects every
single one of my interactions with other people—not just in terms of their
faith and prayer lives, but in every aspect of our lives.
The best thing I
can do is God’s Will both for me and for everyone else. To be conformed to God’s Will, I have to
spend time in prayer, take part in the Sacraments, and be aware and respectful
of His Presence in each person and living thing.
In order to do
this, I need to be aware of my own proclivities, downfalls, and sinful
inclinations, so that I draw closer to Christ.
Once I step into the light of Jesus, He then creates in me a new, more
loving, gentle, compassionate, tender, and merciful heart. With a renewed heart and spirit, I am able to
be a better, bigger vessel for the Holy Spirit to work in and through.
The more I am
open to the Lord and fully present to the people He’s put in my life,
especially those physically in my presence, the more God’s love will shine in,
through, and around me.
Lord, so often I
look around and see what others are doing and determine in my own mind the
value of what they’re doing and how they’re doing it, but I’m much more
hesitant to observe and be mindful of my own thoughts and actions. If I spend too much time looking inward, I
easily become discouraged, depressed, doubtful, sorrowful, and afraid. If I remain focused on You, then love, great
mercy, living hope, and compassion will be closer to the surface.
God can and wants
to work in and through me to bring others closer to Him. Am I going to rejoice in that and cooperate
or resist and refuse to go along?
Truthfully, I’ll
likely do some of each. Fortunately, He
can bring about good even from my unwillingness and stubbornness in responding
to His grace.
Friday, February 28, 2014
7 Quick Takes Friday (Vol. 143) Love is Fully Present, Always Miraculous
-1-
Grace is… sharing a meal with another person of faith who
serves as such a tremendous inspiration just by being who he/she is that you
leave feeling more joyful and hopeful than when you arrived, a full-house for
the Charismatic Mass held at a nearby parish, people who never cease to amaze
or amuse you, unexpected answers to prayer, the Holy Spirit working in and
through people in ways they don’t even begin to realize the significance of at
the time…
-2-
Friday, February 21, 2014
7 Quick Takes Friday (Vol. 142) The First Things Left
-1-
Grace is… having a family dinner with some of our
favorite little cuties, faith-inspired discussions, remembering to turn to God again when you realize you’ve
been trying to do things on your own, having talents and abilities which can be
used to help others, finding young adult novels at the library that are
interesting, entertaining, well-written, and touch on topics of faith and
religion, knowing for certain others are praying for you, the healing power of certain songs…
-2-
LOVE
KNOW LIVE This is a reflection I wrote on
the theme “Love Know Live” which is dedicated to the participants of the 463rd
Men's Cursillo taking place at Shalom House
from Thursday evening through Sunday. This article first appeared in the
February issue of The Rooster Review.
Thursday, February 20, 2014
LOVE KNOW LIVE
If we treat love as a verb and a decision
then we tend to view it a bit differently from the way we would the noun,
especially when surrounded by a slew of heart-shaped candies, mushy cards, and
suggestions for romantic overtures around Valentine’s Day. Real love requires sacrifice, selflessness,
and a commitment to the overall wellbeing of another. It’s not always neat, pretty, or easy to love
others. Christ showed us that during His
Passion and death.
“Real love leaves scars” a priest once
told us in his homily. We can’t offer
true love and charity to others without giving something of ourselves. Oftentimes suffering, struggle, and
resistance are necessary elements we face internally or externally when we
commit to being there for and with someone, come what may.
Of course we have the most amazing
examples of love from which to learn: the Father’s love for us, as expressed in
giving up His Only Son for our salvation, and the Blessed Mother’s love for God
the Father, Jesus Christ, and the whole of humanity in saying yes to being the
supreme God-bearer-Theotokos. We can
know love because God loves us first and shows us how to extend that charity,
tenderness, and devotion through serving others.
We know someone loves us when he or she willingly
accepts any challenges, suffering, and/or transformation necessary in mind,
body, and spirit to bring us closer to the Lord. Christ gave up everything out of love for us:
His peace of mind, His healthy body, His power, all of it. Some who many not know Christ can still know
love because they have people in their lives who care deeply for and about
them.
If we make a friend, we’re risking loving
that person. When that outreach is
accepted, the person comes to a greater knowing that he or she is loved. Once we know we are loved by others, but most
importantly, by a merciful, compassionate God, then it is possible for us to go
forth and live in that love.
God is love. We were created out of love and are sustained
by it. Taking time in prayer to listen
to the Lord increases our awareness that God loves us and wants to love others
through us. We need to be plugged in,
recharged, and rejuvenated by the Source of All Love if we are ever going to
know and therefore be able to live out those most important of all
commandments: 1.) Love the Lord God with all your mind, and with all your
heart, and with all your strength 2.) Love your neighbor as yourself.
Note to Readers: This reflection on their theme is dedicated to the participants of the 463rd Men's Cursillo taking place at Shalom House from this evening through Sunday. This article first appeared in the February issue of The Rooster Review.
Friday, August 2, 2013
7 Quick Takes Friday (Vol. 113)
-1-
Navel Gazing at Its Cutest Kids crack me up just
saying what comes into their heads and doing what
comes naturally to them. Scooter has become very much aware of her belly button. She checks numerous times a day to make sure
that it’s still where she left it. Once when Kevin called this week, and I answered: “Hi sweetheart.” Sunshine said, “Hi, sweetheart.” Kevin heard it and
wanted to talk with her. He asked
whether Scooter’s belly button was still there (as I’d sent him a pic of the
little navel gazer at it again), then asked her if her own was still in
place. She answered yes to both
questions without looking.
comes naturally to them. Scooter has become very much aware of her belly button. She checks numerous times a day to make sure
that it’s still where she left it. Once when Kevin called this week, and I answered: “Hi sweetheart.” Sunshine said, “Hi, sweetheart.” Kevin heard it and
wanted to talk with her. He asked
whether Scooter’s belly button was still there (as I’d sent him a pic of the
little navel gazer at it again), then asked her if her own was still in
place. She answered yes to both
questions without looking.
-2-
What’s my name? Just
a sampling of Sunshine's running commentary, alternative lyrics, and such:
"Rain, rain, full of grace, come again another day! Do you see a dragonfly
and a monster? I'm doing princess exercises!" Recently, she’s added commander to the list
of ways she refers to herself and what she calls her sisters and me. I’ve gotten some pretty cool titles from her
including: princess, pirate, cowboy, captain, and ballerina, among others. I’m not quite sure how it is that I resemble Handy
Manny, Captain Hook, or Santa Claus, but she's compared me to them as
well. At least Handy Manny and Santa Claus are kind, helpful, and generous. If you think of a redeeming quality that Captain Hook possesses, let me know.
-3-
Generational Healing It's
truly fascinating how people in a family view things so very differently based
on our personalities, temperaments, life experiences, beliefs about ourselves,
and our perceptions of how others and God see us.
Here's a short video that made me laugh. Not sure if there's an elephant in the room or skeletons in their closet, but it's an amusing reminder that we all have "our little red wagons" as a friend of mine says (whether we acknowledge them or not).
Lord, thank You for being the One Source of perfect, unconditional, limitless Love and Truth we can all turn to when unsure of how to view ourselves and others. Please help us accept the love, kindness, gentleness, and healing You seek to give us. Amen.
Here's a short video that made me laugh. Not sure if there's an elephant in the room or skeletons in their closet, but it's an amusing reminder that we all have "our little red wagons" as a friend of mine says (whether we acknowledge them or not).
Lord, thank You for being the One Source of perfect, unconditional, limitless Love and Truth we can all turn to when unsure of how to view ourselves and others. Please help us accept the love, kindness, gentleness, and healing You seek to give us. Amen.
-4-
A Remarkable Man On Tuesday, I attended the funeral of a gentleman I'd never met, because I'd heard such wonderful things about his family and his son, who is a priest in our diocese. The Lord saw fit to nudge me to go to that funeral Mass for many reasons in between my dad's birthday and the upcoming anniversary of his death. It was a tremendous blessing to be there for the beautiful funeral Mass held for Walter Carlin Barrett, Sr. He was said to be a man of few words who put the Lord and his family before everything else. Monsignor Walter Barrett, one of his three children, presided at the Mass held at Holy Rosary Catholic Church. During his homily, he shared that one of his earliest memories was of his father reading the Bible to him before putting him to bed. 
-5-
Ordination
Celebration This Friday evening Kevin and I will be going to the ordination
of Charles Williams, a friend of ours through Cursillo. When I made my Cursillo weekend back in June
2006, Marie, his lovely wife, was on team.
When Kevin served on team in March 2009, he served with Charles. It’s amazing what the Lord can do in seven
years’ time, and miraculous how deep the bonds are that are centered on a love
of the Lord.
-6-
Upon Entry Michele Morris is in California. She was fitted yesterday for the two dresses
she will wear during her time as a postulant (which I'm certain doesn't resemble the purple dress she bought to wear on the day she enters), and she sent out her last e-mail
before entering, detailing her recent travels with her mom and some more
amusing anecdotes the likes of which are normal only for Michele. Please pray for her during this time of major transition.Please also pray for her mother, Janice, who will soon have to say goodbye to her daughter without knowing the next time she’ll be able to make it out to California to visit. (Only her mom and sister can visit. The rest of us will have to wait six years. Heavy sigh.) Michele can only receive and write letters at Christmas and Easter, but you can send prayer requests to the community at any time, I’m sure. The mailing address is: Carmelite Monastery, 27601 Highway 1 Carmel, CA 93923 To find out more about Michele’s new home, visit The Sisters by the Sea website.
-7-
Miscarriage
& Interment of Angels Friends of ours recently had a miscarriage, and they were
directed to a program called Interment of Angels that is “a cooperative effort
among Richmond area hospitals, Bliley funeral home, and the Catholic Diocese of Richmond." Through this program, their
baby was buried in Mt. Calvary Cemetery at no cost to them. I have had a few close friends who have had
the heart-wrenching experience of having a miscarriage, and I can’t even fathom
how painful that must be. It's one of those times when you know you can't take away the suffering they're going through, that you can only be present with and for them, lifting them up in prayer. Please pray
for all who are mourning the loss of their loved ones.
Check out Jen Fulwiler’s tradition of 7Quick Takes Friday at her tremendously popular blog Conversion Diary.
Thursday, July 25, 2013
Ask, Seek, Knock: My Scripture Reflection on the Gospel of Luke 11:1-13
Sometimes we pray for what we think would be good for us, but, fortunately, we have a most loving, gentle Father who always knows what will be best for us in time and eternity. I’ve read a number of books over the years that talk about how there are some blessings and graces God wants to give us and will if only we will take the time to ask. The Prayer of Jabez is one such book. Bruce Wilkinson talks about the abundant blessings the Lord wishes to give His children each day. All we have to do is ask. He’s ready and waiting to love us in intimate ways far beyond our imagination, but we have to be open to receiving what He gives.
We need to learn to ask with our hearts, minds, and bodies open to the Lord’s Will. Though some people might prefer to have a genie in a bottle to appear whenever they want something and immediately grant their wish, those of us who walk with the Lord become increasingly cognizant that there are many times when we aren’t even aware of whom or what we need most in a particular situation. I’m reminded of this when reading one of my favorite Scripture passages in Romans 8 where it says that “the Spirit itself intercedes with inexpressible groanings” (Romans 8:26). God understands what is in the depths of our hearts even when we are hurting too much to formulate the words to ask, when we lack much of the energy needed to seek, or when we feel almost too weak to knock.
There is a vulnerability and humility in asking. It requires admitting to ourselves and others that we are in some way lacking in mind, body, and/or spirit. We are not complete in and of ourselves and know we must seek out that which we lack. The experience of recognizing and accepting we aren’t self-sufficient is humbling. Coming to the point at which we see this and are able to own it can, in some instances, take years to do.
From a very early age, we try to establish our independence and self-sufficiency. Toddlers who have learned a new skill or reached a new stage of development will often be adamant in reminding those around them: “I do it myself!” Many of us keep this habit long after we have left the teenage years, another stage often marked by a fierce desire for independence. We get into trouble when we use that philosophy when it comes to God. There are spiritual gifts, material things, and emotional strength that we’ll need from God and that He’ll give us through others because we don’t have all we need on our own.
We can sit there in the hallway crying and fussing because we can’t get our bright red galoshes on our feet without assistance, or we can accept help and get outside to splash around in the puddles.
Just as a loving parent anticipates the needs and wants of their children, God knows our needs and delights in granting us the desires He placed in our hearts to begin with. It is through His infinite wisdom and unconditional love that we grow in our trust that the Lord wants us to approach Him, humble ourselves enough to ask Our Father for what He already knows we need, and be willing to seek the Truth that will lead us to the right door on which we are to knock and enter to be warmly received.
Note: This reflection is one I wrote in honor of the participants of the Men's Cursillo Weekend taking place at Shalom House, July 25-28, 2013. It was originally published in the July 2013 edition of The Rooster Review.
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