Why Can't We Be Friends

       This week has been a whirlwind!  I have spent the week getting up early and spending the day working with the Catholic Terps.  UMD is welcoming students back this week and we are in full-fledged outreach mode.  Before we got started talking to the new students the leaders at the Catholic Student Center got together and shared a day of learning and planning.

picture via eborg3
(a sweet webiste full of Jesus pics)

       During this “Leadership Day” we went over many Bible stories and verses.  A lot of the verses made an impression on me but one kept returning to my thoughts over and over again.  John 5:6 says, “When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be made well?”.  What really struck me about this verse is that Jesus approaches a man who has been paralyzed for over 30 years and doesn't just heal him, he asks if the man wants to be healed.  God doesn't go where he is not welcome. 

      I don’t know about you, but that kind of scares me.  I mean, I know that God is there for everyone and he want to heal us all, but we have to be the one to open the door.  That is a lot of responsibility.  I think that as Catholics we get so comfortable in routine that we forget we are called to be in relationship.  We can’t just expect God to take part in our life, we have to invite him, and in order to invite him we need become his friend. 

      How?  1^st things first talk to him, this is how we get to know everyone, God included.  You can’t become best friends with someone you never talk to.  Read the Bible, this is similar to Facebook stalking your crush; you can get to know his (Jesus’) likes, dislikes, friends, and relatives.  Finally, hang out as his place for a meal, go to church and share in the Eucharist!  There is not better way to become friends with someone than to hang out together.

      What do you think about John 5:6?  Do you invite God to heal you?  How do you strengthen your friendship with Jesus?  Comments? Questions? Suggestions?  Drop me a line in the comments below!

You Are My Song

my parents and I at my brother's wedding

       Today is my parent’s 30^th wedding anniversary! Congratulations Mom and Dad I wish you many more years together!  I feel strongly called to the Vocation of married life and I am so blessed to have been given such a beautiful example.   So while I am single right now, I still feel like I have learned a lot of valuable lessons about relationships from my parents (some of which have contributed to my prolonged singlehood).

       Lesson #1: There are still good men out there.  My dad has set and incredibly high bar for any man in my life (a good reason to be single).  The good news is that he has shown me that there are men out there who are willing to show love and respect to one woman forever.  I appreciate this lesson and know that I deserve a man like him because he taught me what I am worth as a daughter of God. (Thank you Dad for being great, thank you Mom for being super great and letting him marry you)

      Lesson #2: Love is not a feeling it is a choice.  Love wants the best for the other person.  My parents once told me that if you constantly try to outdo one another with generosity you will be happy.  They didn't mean that a couple should turn love into a competition they just meant that love is selfless.  I have seen this over and again in their relationship and I hope to one day be blessed with a man I can try to outdo in generosity.

       Lesson #3: The key to a lasting relationship is Christ.  This is the lesson I am most grateful for.  My parents have taught me that marriage is a commitment not only to your spouse but to God.  When you take vows you are promising God to love your spouse as he loves the Church.  A vow to God is not something that should be taken lightly.  In order to make a relationship last you have to put Christ at the center, you need to know that another human can never fulfill you, only God can give you all you need. 

       Thank you, mom and dad for showing me a beautiful reflection of love between the Father and the Son, and Christ and his Church.  Love is a many splendored thing, but it requires hard work and commitment.  Thank you LORD for my parents! 

       What life lessons has marriage taught you?  Do you think these lessons are true?  Comments? Questions? Suggestions? Drop me a line in the comments below! 

School Of Hard Knocks

       Recently I watched a video of 50 scientists talking about God.  All of these people of science were discussing why they don’t believe in God or religion.  I was honestly heartbroken.  It is hard to see people living lives that they see ultimately as pointless.  One of the reasons that some of these individuals cited as disproof of God is the suffering that takes place in the world.  This is not an uncommon argument and I will admit it is hard to accept, but suffering is not proof that there is not an all-powerful and loving God.

picture via Take On Torah

       I have certainly noticed that pain and suffering is a go-to argument against God.  In the past I have always responded with the cheesy line from AWalk To Remember, “without suffering there can be no compassion.”  Yes, I do think that this is a valid reason for suffering to exist but I have recently come to the conclusion that it is not the only reason.

       As I was praying the rosary yesterday morning (sorry I keep talking about the rosary this week but I have been learning so much from it!) I was meditating on the sorrowful mysteries.  As I meditated on Jesus’ agony in the garden, it hit me.  God is our father, that is the ultimate love, and as our father he is responsible for teaching us.  So, here are a few important lessons I think God teaches us through suffering.

       1) God shows us that there are consequences for bad behavior.  When we are children our parents give us rules to follow and if we don’t follow those rules they give us consequences.  Why is it that parents spend the time and energy to give children consequences?  It is because they want us to learn our actions affect us and others, we have to be more thoughtful in what we do.  God wants us to make good choices because when we choose to sin it affects not only ourselves but others.  Without the pain and suffering that results from a bad decision how would we learn to make better choices?

       2) A wise man once told me that anything uncomfortable builds character.  That wise man may or may not have been my brother, and he may or may not have said it whilst giving me a noogie (I don’t remember).  Regardless, that statement has stayed with me because I truly believe it.  The way that we react to hardship molds our character.  If we dodge responsibility and think only of ourselves through our suffering than we are building ourselves to be weak, lazy, and selfish.  If we take responsibility for our action and try to make amends to those we have wronged (or pray for those who are doing wrong to us) than we are building ourselves to be honest, strong, and compassionate.

       3) We can’t do anything by ourselves.  Do you remember teachers and parents telling you it is ok to ask for help when you are struggling?  God says the same thing; he wants us to ask for his help.  We so often try to rely on ourselves and what does that lead to?  Pain and suffering.  When we place our burdens on God he carries us. God wants us to know that we have nothing and are nothing without him.

        “Now, discipline always seems painful rather than pleasant at the time, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” Hebrews 12:11

       Do I think God wants us to suffer?  No, absolutely not.  Do I think he allows suffering for our ultimate good? Yes, I do.  God, like any parent watches the pain of his children with grief but knows that allowing us to learn from it is for the best.  God wants us to succeed.

      Why do you think that God allows suffering?  Do you have any examples of what God has taught you through your own pain?  Comments? Questions? Suggestions?  Drop me a line in the comments below! 

Before I Cheat

       Yesterday I celebrated what I called the “grand finale” of my summer.  Holly (my BFF) and I met up with Anna, one of our closest friends from high school (and later Biz and the MacLeods).  This get-together was extra special because it was our last chance to see each other before Anna leaves for 6 months of mission work in Taiwan.  What I love about my high school friends is that even though our faith wasn't what initially drew us together it is now something that most of us have a deep passion for and can share. 

All of these are of me, Holly, and Anna from high school. Clockwise:
Trying on the latest fashions in Walgreen's,
walking in the homecoming parade with the Patrons in Pink,
field trip to the big city a.k.a DC 

       As we browsed around local shops and stopped in Dunkin’ Donuts so Holly and Anna could get Pumpkin ice lattes (or whatever it is they got), we chatted, made jokes, and goofed off in general.  Once we were done with the approximately three things there are to do in our town we decided to go see a movie.  We rolled up to the theater around 3:30 only to discover it was closed… we live in a really small town.  We weren't ready to part ways yet, so we did what every group of self-respecting young women would do in our situation, we watched One Direction videos on our phones and talked about God.

       Something that Anna said during our conversation struck me so much that I wrote it down to share with you!  As we were talking about our imperfection in relationship with God Anna said, “Yeah, it’s like, imagine you got married and your husband told you he still wanted to see other people.  That is what we do to God when we put other things before him.”  WHOA!  If you know me or if you have been a regular reader you know that my dream in life is to be a wife and mother, so this hit me really hard. 

       All God wants is all of us.  The Church is the bride of Christ and we are the Church, therefore we are the bride of Christ.  As the bride of Christ we are supposed to be completely faithful to him.  Every time we sin, we are putting something ahead of Christ, we are cheating on God.  Think about that! 

       Think about it this way, if someone cheated on our favorite celebrity we would probably say, “What was that person thinking?  Don’t they know that they have the perfect man?! What is their problem?”  We would be outraged and think that they didn't know how lucky they were, yet we have literally the perfect husband and we are unfaithful to him daily.  I know that I was embarrassed when I thought of it that way.  I mean, I would never dream of cheating on a boyfriend or a husband so why do I allow myself to turn from Christ so easily?

       I don’t know if you will connect as much as I did with what Anna had to say, but I had to share.  I think that it has added a new level to my understanding of the destructive nature of sin.  Maybe next time I’ll think before I cheat.

       What do you think about Anna’s comment?  Have you ever been on a missions trip overseas?  Comments? Questions? Suggestions? Drop me a line in the comments below! PS happy 65th post! 

New Perspectives

       As you know I began praying my first novena this week!  Today’s rosary focused on the Sorrowful Mysteries.  I thought I was going to hate focusing on all the sad parts of the Gospel but I actually liked the reminder of Jesus’ great sacrifice. My concentration on Jesus' sufferings reminded me how much I take for granted. What I particularly found interesting in my meditation is that I had never really considered how God the Father felt during Jesus’ Passion.

picture via UTNE

       Usually while reflecting on the Passion I think about how Jesus loved us and was willing to sacrifice himself anyway.  In recent years (mostly after Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ) I have thought a lot more about the actual pain and anguish Jesus experienced and the sorrow Mary went through.  It has really added to my gratitude when I consider just how awful the Passion really was.  Jesus was not hanging on the cross with a loincloth and one little mark where they pierced his side.  No, Jesus was hanging up there naked covered with cuts, bruises, whip marks, dirt, and blood. 

       The rosary allowed me to meditate in a focused manner on the Passion.  While I was praying I thought about how each mystery looked and felt from many different perspectives (Jesus, Mary, God, those persecuting Jesus, myself).  One that I had never really thought of before was how God was feeling during his Son’s Passion.  During Lent I think about God telling Jesus, “this is what is going to happen”, and then he kind of disappears from the story until Jesus asks him to “forgive them, they know not what they do.”  Upon reflection, I realized that God (as always) didn't go anywhere.  He had to watch his Son go through all of the suffering that the entire rest of the world deserved.

       So, how did God feel?  Did he look down stoically, knowing that this was what had to be done?  Did he cringe with every crack of the whip and every pound of the hammer?  Did he cry?  Can God even cry?  Did he want to reach down and stop it all?  Was he proud of Jesus?  Was he angry for what our sins had led him to do?  Was he happy that through Jesus’ suffering we would all be restored to him?  Was it maybe a combination of these?

       I am not sure what God was feeling during this time.  We can never really know.  I imagine he felt something similar to how I feel on Good Friday, sad for what happened but overjoyed for what it means to sinners.  No matter how He felt, I am impossibly and eternally grateful to Him for the sacrifice. 

       

       What do you think of the Sorrowful Mysteries?  Have you ever thought about how the Father was feeling?  What do you think God was doing during the Passion?  Comments? Questions?  Suggestions?  Drop me a line in the comments below!

My Diet Starts on Monday

       This is my last week of summer.  I feel like the end of summer is similar to New Year’s Eve, I look back and realize I haven’t accomplished anything I intended to.  I had meant for this summer to be a season of growth spiritually, physically, and domestically.  I wanted to strengthen my faith, body, and homemaking skills.  Unfortunately, I allowed myself to slip into the mindset of putting off ‘til tomorrow.  However, last night I stayed up until about 3:30 am watching videos from the Steubenville conferences on YouTube and my enthusiasm for my faith was rekindled.

picture via shh fit happens

       I had for the most part wasted my vacation in a fog of sleeping til 2 in the afternoon, pinning crock-pot recipes, and watching every episode of King of the Hill, The Office, and Downton Abbey I could find.  Well, last night my web surfing led me to crash land on the hard shore of reality.  As I watched the women’s sessions given by Jackie Francois (now Jackie Angel), Leah Darrow, and Mary Bielski I saw with clarity that I needed to get my relationship with God back on track.  I had drifted away, become complacent, and allowed our relationship to be pushed to the back burner. 

       I have been living a lukewarm lifestyle.  I stopped going to daily mass, I haven’t been to confession all summer, and I haven’t been investing in my prayer life.  I was putting off my faith and doing just the bare minimum.  These videos, these women, reawakened me.  I realized that we have to continually feed our souls with the LORD or we become sluggish and lazy in our faith.  It’s like exercising, when you are in the zone working out everyday you feel great but if you skip one day at the gym it becomes infinitely more difficult to go back.

       The beauty is that it is never too late or too early to start.  It is really tempting to put off the responsibilities of growing my faith until I get back to school (and the Catholic Terps), like a diet that “starts on Monday”.  Instead, I decided to harness my current excitement and start today. I bought the 54 day novena book that Jackie talked about for my kindle.  I began praying the novena this morning for the intentions of my future husband, as well as prudence and wisdom in my relationships.  I have never prayed a novena before (Mama Mary and I are still getting to know each other) so I figured go big or go home, right? 

       I am really excited to get back into the swing of things and really focus my attentions on Christ.  I feel like a lot of my life has been going through the motions and I am ready to put genuine love into my actions.  I can’t wait to experience this novena and to share those experiences with you!

       How has summer affected your faith life?  Have you ever been to a Steubenville conference?  Have you ever prayed a novena?  Let me know about your experiences!  Comments? Questions? Suggestions?  Drop me a line in the comments below! 

Mama Mia!

       In case you didn't know, today was the feast of the Assumption.  This is one of those days that Catholics have set aside to honor and celebrate the Blessed Virgin.  This is one of those days that I always thought was bogus.

picture via CANYOUHELPME

       Throughout my life I have fought with the Church’s teachings about Mary.  I saw her as merely a woman that gave birth to a child who happened to be God.  I figured, this was God’s plan so she didn't really have a choice.  She just happened to be the one through which the Word would become Flesh.

       In these past few years, as I have rediscovered my faith, I have challenged myself to work on my relationship with Mary.  As I was leaving the vigil mass last night I thought to myself, I have failed.  I still don’t fully grasp the Immaculate Conception or Mary’s perpetual virginity.  I struggle with believing those things; I don’t think they make any sense. 

       However, as I thought it over I realized that I have in fact moved forward leaps and bounds.  I have discovered a true appreciation, respect, and admiration for Mary and her role in salvation history.  I appreciate that she had as much free will as any of us and still chose to say yes to God’s monumental request when I struggle to say yes to his simple everyday expectations.  I realize how scandalous it was for a girl in her time to pregnant out of wedlock and admire her bravery in facing the world with her head held high in the light of truth.  I ask for her intercession and respect the special relationship she has with Christ as his mother. I see the beauty of her selfless love for God.  Honestly, the fact that I acknowledge that there is an importance in growing my relationship with her is proof that I have in fact grown in my understanding of the faith. 

       God doesn't work randomly and his choice of Mary as mother of Christ was no accident or coincidence.  If God felt Mary was good enough to carry, deliver, and raise his only begotten Son, she is worth taking a second look at.  I struggle to find answers and form bonds with Mary but I realize that she is just like any other part of my faith; she will never fully make sense to me.  The beauty is in the struggle and the mystery.

Happy Thanksgiving

       This week I saw this really interesting video about the effect of gratitude on one’s happiness. (please excuse some mild language at 5:23-5:28)

     
   
        I love this video and believe that its message can be translated into our spiritual lives. I don’t know about the rest of you but my prayers can often turn into more of a Christmas list, just rattling off to God all of the things I want.  I have also noticed that in times when my prayer takes that turn I feel less connected and less fulfilled in my faith, and quite honestly a little depressed.  That is because I am not being thankful for what I have been given I am only concerning myself with that which I do not have. I act like a spoiled child who expects every whim to be met and takes my full toy box and loving parents for granted.

picture via pernillanordman

       I have found that once I recognize that I am been in a rut like that (taking things for granted) the best way to get out of my funk is to praise the LORD.  Offering thanksgiving to God is a surefire way to lift your spirits because it forces you to acknowledge all the good in your life.

      Like the video said, the people who benefited most from this gratitude experiment were those that were least happy to begin with.  This got me to thinking about the idea of praising God in the storms of our lives.  It is really easy to fall in to self-pity (one of my pet peeves) when things don’t seem to be going our way.  However, if we take the time to look at all the gifts and blessings in our lives and thank God for those things we are likely to find joy even in the darkest times of our lives. 

       Something that I want to try out in my own life is to begin keeping a “gratitude journal”.  People get a blank journal and each day write at least one thing they are thankful for.  I think that this practice could be really helpful in one’s overall happiness and in remaining positive and grounded.  Being aware of the blessings we are given each day keeps us connected to the reality of God’s loving presence in our lives.

       What did you think of the video?  Would you consider calling someone randomly to tell them why you are thankful for them?  How about keeping a gratitude journal?  How do you express gratitude?  Comments? Questions? Suggestions?  Drop me a line in the comments below!

KISS: Keep It Simple Sinner

       Today I was watching TV with my dad and he turned on EWTN’s Crossing the Goal.  Honestly I wasn't really paying close attention; I have that preconceived notion that all EWTN shows are super boring (like many of my generation, sorry Grandma!).  I ended up tuning in just long enough to hear a message I felt I had heard a million times before, and then it hit me.  If I have heard that message a million times before why have I not allowed it to change my life?

picture via crosscards

       The teachings of Jesus are so simple that we all feel as though we have heard them a million times, yet we fail to live them out. One of the men on the show, Danny Abramowicz, was speaking of the moment that he gave his life completely to Jesus.  What struck me was his admission that after he gave his life over his problems were not erased.  There is our answer, simple but they are not easy.

       The differentiation between simple and easy is very important to make, especially in Christianity. The teachings of Jesus are simple; all we have to do is love God and love others.  Simple.  The problem is, have you ever tried to love God and others all the time?  Not so easy.

       So what do we do?  We listen, we admit that we don’t know everything there is to know, we strive for perfection, we lean on Christ but don’t expect him to clean up all of our messes, we try.  No, being a Christian isn't easy, but the reward is so worth the struggle!

       How do you feel about EWTN?  Do you think that being a Christian makes your life easier or harder?  Comments? Questions? Suggestions? Drop a line in the comments below!

What Would You Do For a Klondike Bar?

picture via Christ's Commission Fellowship 

       Tonight I attended a Bible study at my local parish.  We are doing The Great Adventure: A Journey Through the Bible, a study by Jeff Cavins.  Each study is kicked-off by watching a video of Cavins going through the “homework” from the past week.  This week we discussed several chapters in the book of Genesis.

       After Adam and Eve chose to eat from the forbidden tree, God informed them of the repercussions including the fact that from that moment on childbirth would be extremely painful.  Something I found interesting that was pointed out in the video for today’s study was the purpose of this “punishment”.  Cavins presented this unfortunate consequence as a lesson in true love.  A child is conceived in love, the total giving of oneself to another, and from that love comes great pain that is followed by unimaginable joy (similarly, Jesus was begotten in love, died, and resurrected offering eternal life).  This “punishment” is a hands-on lesson of what love really is.

       After pondering this I began to realize that the idea of joy coming from pain and sacrifice is in fact present in our society today.  I realized that we are for the most part taught that we have to work hard to be rewarded.  As a college student I am familiar with the principle that suffering leads to reward.  Every time someone chooses to study or pick up an extra shift instead of hanging out with their friends I see a sacrifice being made with the hope that joy will follow when they ace an exam or pay their rent. 

       So it is not that our world is unwilling to sacrifice, it is that we are sacrificing for the wrong things.  I am not saying that getting good grades or paying your bills is not a good thing, but I am saying that they are not the only things that should be sacrificed for.  If sacrifice is an act of love than why is it that love of money and worldly security exceeds love of Christ? For goodness' sake it seems as if we are more willing to sacrifice for a Klondike Bar than we are for God.  Why is it that I sometimes am more willing to sacrifice my time and energy to finish an assignment than I am to go to adoration?  By that same vein why am I willing to sacrifice my best possible grades for a night out with my friends and not for a trip to confession? 

       I guess what I am trying to say is that what we truly love can be determined by what we sacrifice for.  I hope to be able to say one day that I love God above all; unfortunately right now I don’t know if my actions reflect that. 

       What do you make sacrifices for?  Do you agree with my observation?  Have you ever heard of Jeff Cavins?  Do you participate in a Bible study?  Comments? Questions? Suggestions? Drop me a line in the comments below!