A "Different Perspective" - One the Sidelines During Mass

I know that I've been completely MIA on the blogging front for quite a while. I've had so many ideas to write about, and I finally decided tonight to take some time to do it. This is the first in a 3 part series of "Different Perspectives." I'll try to get the other 2 parts out over the next week or so. Hope you enjoy this one, and stay tuned...

About a week ago, our Sunday 5pm Mass was held in the gym instead of the main church. The congregation was set up facing the altar which was under one of the basketball hoops. Adam and I were running a bit late, so we had to sit in the bleachers, on the sidelines, facing the side of the congregation instead of the altar. We were both disappointed that Mass was being held in the gym, and I was particularly disappointed that we had to sit in the bleachers! Most of the time my body was twisted to face the altar to my left, so it was not very comfortable. Although we weren’t facing the front of the “church,” I tried to focus on what was going on in the Mass. I watched the lectors and deacon make Christ present to us by proclaiming the Word of God. I watched the priest make Christ present to us by consecrating the Eucharist. I looked directly at Christ made present in the Eucharist when the priest elevated the host for us all to see.

When I returned from receiving communion, after actually receiving Christ and making him present within me, and I sat down and looked straight ahead. I looked not at the ambo or at the altar, but at the rows of people directly in front of me. I looked at the chairs filled with bodies of all shapes and sizes, colors and ages. I recognized my friends in the congregation, and I peered at the faces of people I had never seen. I saw Christ present in the many young adults who attend our 5pm celebration. I saw Christ present in the families with teens. I watched the people as they sang the communion song. I watched one couple, probably in their sixties, and watched the man sing joyfully and passionately to a very contemporary song that many “older people” might not like (probably Matt Maher or David Kauffman or something similar). I saw Christ present in this man, showing us how music can touch our hearts and move us to be closer to Him.

Although sitting in the bleachers on the “sidelines” probably isn’t the best way to have full, active participation in the Mass, I was grateful for this different perspective. I know Christ is present in the Liturgy of the Word. We all know Christ is present in the Liturgy of the Eucharist. But sometimes we forget that Christ is just as present in the community of believers as he is in the rituals we participate in every Sunday.

My blogging is pathetic

If the Archbishop of NY has time to blog, shouldn't I have time? One of these days I will post something great for you all... :)

Thanks Marcel

Fr. Barron on Ted Kennedy

An interesting and rather poignant reflection on the political situation in our country how our Catholic faith doesn't fit perfectly into the political structures we have today. I think Fr. Barron's struggle is one many of us have today...



Thanks to Marcel for the post.

Reflection on Readings - Sunday, Aug 9

I was out of town this weekend and forgot to post this reflection on Sunday's readings. If you need a refresher, you can find the readings here.

I know there are many days when I feel exhausted and worn out and feel like I don’t have enough energy to keep up with all my various responsibilities. Sometimes I lose energy because I am not sure which direction God wants me to go. Sometimes I have used up all the energy I have on things that have come my way throughout the day or the week. Sometimes I don’t have enough energy because I haven’t had enough sleep, food, or exercise.

I am sure my struggles are very different than what Elijah experienced…after all, I’ve never traveled a day’s journey in the desert! Although I can’t relate to what Elijah was encountering in his life, I can learn something from his relationship with God. When Elijah was worn out, exhausted, and at the end of his rope, he said “That’s it God! I can’t do it anymore! You just need to take care of it!” And take care of it He did. God provided enough food and drink to strengthen Elijah for a forty day journey!

We learn in the Gospel today that God sent eternal food and drink to us in His son Jesus. Our source of strength and our energy is fueled by the intimate relationship with God that we are offered through Jesus our brother. We are blessed as Catholics to be able to experience that bread of life every Sunday, or even every day! The Eucharist, the living bread, our communion, draws us together in faith, nourishes us, and gives us the spiritual energy to not only get through our struggles, but to be an example of that living bread to everyone we encounter. With frequent reception of the Eucharist can gain strength to overcome whatever we have experienced in the past, get through whatever we are struggling with today, and prepare for whatever God is calling us to in the future

Reflection on Readings - Sunday, June 28th

I wrote this for our parish bulletin for this weekend. Hope you enjoy it!

This weekend we conclude the year of St. Paul as designated by our Holy Father last June. I am reminded of many things I have learned in the past year about Paul’s life, writings, and especially his faith. Paul believed, above all, that all of us are holy because we are created by God in His image. In all our faults, failings, gifts, talents, and successes, we are holy. Our second reading today, from Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians, can only be understood if we know that Paul believes we are holy. As he writes the letter to the Corinthians, he is writing this letter to us today as well.

Paul calls us to excel in FAITH. Our faith is a gift from God, not something we earn or work for. We can only excel in faith if God has first made us holy to accept the gift of faith.

Paul calls us to excel in DISCOURSE. He wants us to explore the understanding of our holiness with one another by discussing it within our communities of faith.

Paul calls us to excel in KNOWLEDGE. Paul is asking us to always learn more about the holiness that has been given to us by God. We should always seek out ways to better understand our faith.

Paul calls us to excel in ALL EARNESTNESS. We should take seriously our holiness. We should recognize the importance of what it means to be holy and recognize our importance in the world because of this gift of holiness.

Paul calls us to excel in LOVE. If our holiness does not lead us to love, what does it mean? Paul always comes back to the commandment from Christ to love one another, and he is still reminding us today how important this commandment is.

Finally, Paul calls us to excel in GRACIOUS ACTS. The holiness each of us has been given from God is completely unique. Our holiness gives us gifts and talents that only we can use to participate and share God’s plan with the world. We have each been given an abundance in some aspect of your life, and Paul calls us to share that abundance with others.

What can you do this week to discover how you excel in each of these areas? Or what do you need to do to excel? What gracious act can you share with a friend, family member, our parish community, or our civic community to show how God has blessed you with holiness?

A 3 Minute Reflection

One of my friends said to me this weekend, "I'm so disappointed in your blog!" To be honest, this was not someone I would have expected to be reading my blog or commenting on the fact that I haven't posted in a looong time (mostly because I don't ever think people read it and am always surprised when someone comments!). But it did bring me motivation to pay more attention and do some writing.

I actually had all sorts of things I wanted to write about after we got back from Europe. I have a few stories in mind and will post them in the coming days.

For now, I wanted to pass along an opportunity for a 3 minute reflection. I learned of a video post offered by the USCCB everyday that reflects on the daily readings. Today's is from Dallas' own Fr. John Libone from St. Thomas Aquinas church. Take a look: http://www.usccb.org/video/reflections.shtml.

Thy Kingdom Come

Well, as expected, school and my other 2 jobs have consumed my life this Spring! I'm hoping I can spend more time writing this summer since I won't be taking in classes...although my readings for class always seem to be my source of inspiration...

Anyway, thought you guys might enjoy a little snippet from an essay I'm turning in today. I read a chapter in Pope Benedict XVI's Jesus of Nazareth on The Lord's Prayer for this essay, and the comments are specifically related to the petition "Thy Kingdom Come." I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the book!

Benedict XVI asks us to examine what the petition “Thy kingdom come” means within The Lord’s Prayer. He explains how this particular petition has a meaning within our daily lives here on earth. By including this petition in the prayer, Jesus “wants to show us how to pray and order our action in just this way.”[1] In other words, what we are asking for goes beyond just prayer; we are asking for something to affect the way we act every day. If God were not here amidst our actions, nothing could be good.[2] Because we, as humans, are created by God to be ordered to the good, if God’s kingdom were not here present with us we would not be able to sustain our being ordered in this way. By requesting for God’s kingdom to come, we realize that we constantly need revitalization and reminders in our lives as to what God is all about. In praying this petition, Benedict XVI tells us that we are saying to Jesus “Let us be yours, Lord! Pervade us, live in us; gather scattered humanity into your body, so that in you everything may be subordinated to God and you can then hand over the universe to the Father.”[3]

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[1] Benedict XVI 145.

[2] Benedict XVI 145.

[3] Benedict XVI 147.