Tag: #stpaul

It’s the Journey, Not the Destination…Or Is It?

Have you ever heard the maxim, it’s not the destination, it’s the journey? Or as T.S. Eliot indicated “The journey, Not the destination matters…” Well, I am not sure that is entirely accurate.

Our entire life is a journey, every single day. Each day, each hour, each minute, and each breath of our entire lives is part of our journey. And every person’s path is as unique and original as each individual. Nobody will have the same exact trek as you. Nobody. Just like nobody will have the exact same experiences or relationships as you will have throughout your life.

The journey is inevitably filled with ups and downs, peaks and valleys, highs and lows. There are seasons of drought and seasons of growth. There are challenges and successes, births and deaths, gains and losses. Your journey will take you to some beautiful places, it will also take you to some places that you might not want to go. But throughout this wonderful expedition called life, you will meet some amazing people who support you on this excursion. They will help you through those rough patches and maybe even light the way for you when there is darkness. They are the blessings that I referred to in my last entry. And they will celebrate with you, help you find joy, and provide aid when you need help.

My best friend from high school and I had an epic adventure on the AT last year. She is one of the blessings in my life.

The journey is significant. It is important to appreciate each day that you are given, to see the value of every opportunity that comes to you, to live in each and every moment, to seize the day, and to not wish your life away. It is our individual journeys that form us. It is the culmination of those experiences that make us exactly who we are. It is the influence of those relationships that help build us or break us.

So yes, the journey is critical. It is most definitely a truly beautiful thing. However, as Christians, the destination is really what matters in the end. Where, exactly, are we going? Are we living a life and following a path that will get us to our intended destination?

You see, we should all be striving for heaven, to spend eternity with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. That should be our goal, our end destination. Our earthly journey is just how we get there. Are we living lives that glorify God? Are we being a light, a blessing, to others? Are we exemplifying the love of Christ? Paul says in Ephesians 5:1-2 “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.”

And if we take a look at Paul, he had quite an incredible journey, from a guy who persecuted Christians, to a man to preached the good news, shared the gospel, and died for Jesus Christ. If Paul can experience that kind of change, then there is definitely hope for me.

So today, enjoy the journey, with all of its beauty and pitfalls. And be a light and a blessing to those around you. But remember it is the final destination that really matters, so make sure you are on the right path. And today please pray for me and I will continue to pray for you.

Worthy

“Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.” These are the words of Peter from the Thursday morning gospel and they likely ring true for each one of us. How many times have you not felt worthy of a relationship with God, not worthy of the love that He has for you? It is easy to feel that way, we are human. We struggle, we fail, we sin, we repent. And then, if you are anything like me, you do it all over again (and again, and again). How could God possibly love me, why would He want a relationship with me, a repeat sinner. How many times have I said, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am sinful.”? How many times have I pushed God away because of my transgressions?

But who were Jesus’ closest friends– outcasts, thieves, lawbreakers, delinquents, wrongdoers, in a word – sinners. These people were far from perfect, but that is exactly who God uses to build His kingdom, to spread the gospel and to share His love. I mean, Jesus chose Peter to be the founder of the modern church. Peter who was a married fisherman, who at times lacked faith, and who even denied knowing Christ – not once, not twice, but three times – in the moments prior to Jesus’ crucifixion. Yes, Peter was a sinner and Peter was the first Pope of the Catholic Church. Peter certainly didn’t feel worthy, but that didn’t matter. Christ chose Peter. God had greater plans for Peter than he could have ever imagined.

The reading from Thursday’s mass was from one of Paul’s letters to the Colossians. So let’s look at Paul, another sinner who was called by God for greater service. Prior to hearing God’s call, Paul persecuted the early followers of Christ. Paul sought out Christians. He encouraged the punishment of those who followed Jesus Christ and believed he was the Messiah. It is believed that he even supported the death penalty for Christians. Then he had his conversion on the road to Damascus. Talk about a sinful man, talk about not feeling worthy. This man decried Christ, denounced Christianity and persecuted those who followed Jesus. And God called him, God chose him. God had a greater plan for Paul.

I find it amazing, in the Bible alone, how God calls to sinners and makes them saints. How God uses people where they are to share His word, to spread His message, to build His kingdom. But I also find it amazing how God uses people today – everyday – to do the very same thing. Think about the people with whom you interact every day. Then think about the interactions that you have with them. Think about the little ways in which they are spreading the word of God. I bet it is in ways in which they don’t even realize. But if you take time to look at those interactions, I bet you will see God’s love for you and for others.

For example, I work in the Catholic Schools. When I tell you that our teachers and staff are selfless, I truly mean it. These are people to walking examples of Christ’s love. They don’t only teach the gospel, they live it. From taking time to help a student who is struggling with a particular subject, to checking up on co-workers, to spending time coaching, tutoring, and volunteering, to participating in mass, leading bible studies, or just sharing their faith with others. They are spreading the word of God with the Love of Christ.

And it is not limited to those who work in faith-based environments. It’s the server in the restaurant who makes that extra effort to make you feel special, or your son pouring a glass of juice for you when you wake up groggy in the middle of the night (yes, that is a real life experience, right there), or your spouse doing the dishes because you’re not feeling great (another real life experience), or your friend sending a text just to see how you are doing, or you Mom calling to tell you she loves you, or the neighbor bringing over fresh vegetables from their garden. It is all those random acts of kindness, those little moments where you can see Christ through the action of others, when others are being Christ to you.

While none of us may feel worthy of a relationship with God, or to be called by Christ, we are. God chose each of us. He sent his son to die for us. It is through Christ’s suffering and death that we are made worthy. God calls each of us to love (a direct quote from Fr. Tom’s homily), despite our sinfulness, or maybe because of our sinfulness. He has a greater plan for each of us. God wants us to share in the building of His kingdom, in spreading the gospel, in sharing His love. How are we going share and show that love to others? How are we going to be Christ for another person? Please pray for me and I will continue to pray for you.

Thank God First

I attended mass on Wednesday morning at the chapel with in the school building. It was the first morning service of the year. A 7:15am mass is held on Monday’s and Wednesday’s in chapel; the celebrant is the school’s chaplain. It was wonderful to see the small chapel packed with attendees that morning; teachers, students and parents. Fr. Michael, the school’s chaplain, is also an alum of the high school, so listening to his homilies (which I always love) inside the school from which I also graduated (although more than a decade before he did), is really edifying.

A line from today’s gospel read, “At daybreak, Jesus went out to a deserted place”. Father focused on this statement, talking about how Jesus, being the Son of God and the second person in the Trinity, even had to make time for God and would go off alone to pray. He reminded us of how important it is for us to make time for God.

So after mass, I sat quietly in the chapel (something I rarely do), and made time for God. I read the reflection for the day as I didn’t have time to read it before mass like I normally would. The reflection focused on the first reading from Colossians, with emphasis on the following line, “We always give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you.” (Colossians 1:3). It then talks about all of the struggles and issues of the Colossians, but indicates how Paul doesn’t immediately point out those problems, short comings or misunderstanding. Paul begins his letter with praise and thanksgiving for all of those things that Christ’s followers are getting right. He praises them for their faith, their love, their hope and trust in the Lord. Paul focuses on being thankful and recognizing all of the blessings that God has bestowed on the Colossians. He doesn’t begin by pointing out all the things they are doing wrong or all of the ways they need to improve.

This really is beautiful, because I think a lot of times we focus on the negative, on all the things that are going wrong. We all tend to overlook the blessings in our lives and take those “everyday” good things in life for granted. But concentrating on gratitude changes all that, it changes our focus and our outlook. If we begin with gratitude, we start with hope. And as Andy Dufresne tells Red in Shawshank Redemption, “hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies.”

I know I tend to get caught up in everything that is going wrong, and I miss the blessing. I forget about hope. I forget about all of the good things, particularly when facing a challenge. There are a lot of things that I take for granted. Like being able to attend morning mass twice a week with students, parents, faculty, staff and alumni at my alma mater. Although it has just begun and has only happened once, it is one thing I absolutely love about my job.

Let us remember to look for the blessings in the midst of the struggle and to thank God for all of the good things in our lives. In fact, let us take the advice of Blessed Solanus Casey and remember to “Thank God ahead of time.” So today, make time for God, find a quiet place to spend time with Him, and remember to thank Him ahead of time for all the blessing that he will bestow upon you, and recognize all of the blessings that you have already received. Please pray for me and I will continue to pray for you.

Pray without Ceasing

Pray without ceasing.   That seems like a pretty tall order, especially today.  With work and family commitments, time for friends, volunteer opportunities,  meetings, parties, social engagements, errands, chores, appointments, vacations, life in general; who really has time to pray without ceasing.  If fact, in today’s world, people rarely have time for occasional prayer let alone time for continuous prayer.

Here is my week day at a glance: wake up before 5am and take the dogs for a 2 mile walk.  Return home, make coffee, pack my lunch (or lunches for the family during the school year), take a shower, get ready for work. Leave at 6:30am for work.  Spend my work day involved in all things advancement related; meetings, phone calls, appointments, proposal, grants, etc.  Leave for home at the end of the work day.  Workout.  Make dinner, clean up, take the dogs on their 2nd walk, run errands, do chores – laundry, ironing, etc., shower, read a little and go to bed.  So where does prayer fit in, let alone praying without ceasing?  It seems almost impossible, doesn’t it? But in his letter to the Thessalonians 5:16-18; Paul indicates that we should “Rejoice at all times. Pray without ceasing. Give thanks in every circumstance, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

So we need to make time for prayer; we need to carve out time for God.  Too often, God is afterthought.  Or we pray only when things are bleak, when we are in distress or when we need something.  Wow, talk about fickle. But I will admit, I have been guilty of only coming to God only when I need something, when I want Him to intercede for me.  I am also guilty of turning my back on my relationship with God when things don’t turn out the way I expect or when I don’t get my way.  I know that I am fickle. I know that I am self-centered.  I know that I am selfish.  Those are also things that I am trying to change, the areas in which I am trying to improve. 

How do we make time not only for God and for prayer; but how do we pray without ceasing?  Personally for me, I have finally worked prayer into several of my daily routines.  Inspired by the Franciscan Sisters, TOR who often pray their rosary during an afternoon walk, I have adopted the habit of praying both a rosary and a Divine Mercy Chaplet on my morning walks with the dogs.  That walk is just long enough for those devotional prayers.  I typically offer them up for a friend.  After the walk (while my coffee brews), I read the daily reflection from the book Jesus Calling, as well as the corresponding bible verses.  Before work, I attend a daily mass.  Before mass I pray Morning Prayer.  I began attending daily mass and praying Morning Prayer because of those same sisters.  You see, I worked for them at one time and began to share in certain aspects of their way of life.  Morning Prayer, daily mass and the daily rosary are part of their 5+ hours of prayer each day.  Before mass begins, I read a few brief daily reflections – one from the Word Among Us, one from Living Faith, and  one from the Laudate App.  For some reason, I always wait until mass concludes to read Bishop Barron’s daily reflection. And that is how I start my day…with God.  But that is a long way from praying without ceasing.

There is a great piece in the July/August issue of the Word Among Us, entitled “Ceaseless Prayer, Seriously?” It is an article by Deacon Greg Kandra and contains excerpts from his book The Busy Person’s Guide to Prayer.  Deacon Greg shares his reflections on reading The Practice of the Presence of God by Nicolas Herman aka Brother Lawrence.  And while I haven’t read that particular book, I just ordered a copy from Amazon.  I am anxious to read it because according to Deacon Greg, “practicing the presence of God transforms the very act of living into an enduring, ongoing prayer – a way to pray without ceasing.”

Saying that I like to work out would be an understatement.  Working out is a part of my daily routine and helps me maintain my sunny disposition.  My husband calls my gym, aka our garage (I work out at home), the torture chamber.  I take work outs pretty seriously.  On cardio days, I don a sauna suit covered in sweat pants and a hoodie with a weighted vest, wrist and ankle weights, and typically pray another rosary and Divine Mercy Chaplet during that work out.  On weight days, I hit the weights pretty hard, pyramiding sets, increasing weight and decreasing reps.  But what I am realizing, those work outs can be a form of prayer in and of themselves.  So I have been offering the exertion, sweat and fatigue for special intentions or for deceased family and friends. 

I am realizing it could be the same with household chores, errands, etc.  All of those things that fill up our day can be offered as a prayer if we perform them with Christ in mind.  If we focus more on seeing God present in all of the aspects of our daily lives, it will grow our relationship with Him. Thus, in our daily routines we are “practicing the presence of God”. 

God is with us always, but we don’t really take that to heart or realize that as we go through our day.  We get caught up in the minutia of our daily lives, struggles and responsibilities.  God is always present to us, but we aren’t always present to Him.  We forget about God and we don’t make time for Him. 

I am anxious to dive into Brother Lawrence’s book.  I am hopeful that I can better learn how to put God at the center of my life, keep Him in mind in all that do and “practice the presence of God”.  By recognizing each chore, task, or action as a prayer, I will endeavor to be more present to God and build a stronger relationship with Him.  How will you grow your relationship with God?  How will you make time for Him?  How will you be present to God?

Today, “Rejoice at all times. Pray without ceasing. Give thanks in every circumstance, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” Please pray for me and I will continue to pray for you.