February Catholic Bloggers Link Up Blitz

Here are two posts from this month about my Lenten journey and hopefully at the same time will provide some Lenten encouragement to all!!

Lenten Reflection 1: Picking up our Crosses

Your faith has saved you...

Link to Catholic Bloggers Network: 2013 Monthly Link-Up Blitz for February

"Your faith has saved you"

Since January I've decided to commit in a deeper way to studying and reading Scripture more frequently and thoroughly. I've started by reading through the Gospel of Matthew very slowly. I've used a few different resources to supplement my reading. One is an app on my phone; iPieta. It is an absolute must have for any Catholic with a droid, iphone, tablet, or ipad, it is amazing what you can find on there!! Specifically I have been using a few items under the section "Bible Commentaries" on the app: the Haydock Bible Commentary and the Catena Aurea. This has really allowed me to dig into Scripture and have a better understanding of what is said and what is happening.

I've been amazed at the ministry of Jesus as I've been reading, especially the times Jesus heals people. One thing that really caught my attention while I've been reading is what He says to them after they have been healed; "Go; be it done for you as  you have believed." (Mt 8:13)... "take heart daughter; your faith has made you well." (Mt 9:22)... "According to your faith be it done to you." (Mt. 9:29) ...

I read this and am amazed that just their faith has made them well. What I've read has just been perfect for where I am. We're kind of at an in between point of the semester. The excitement on campus from our students following a National Conference in Florida which 6,000 people attended has worn off in many ways, we begin spring break at the end of the coming week, and there are just over 2 months left of the semester. Lately, I've found that I feel like my faith is being put to the test a bit. Not that I'm doubting anything, just that I feel like I really have to persevere. Which is one of several reasons why I am so glad I've been reading the Bible.

After reading these miracles I found myself thinking about my own faith, not in a comparing type of why, just in a wondering way. It's the same sort of feeling I had while I was in Rome in the fall, where every corner you turned (it seemed) someone had been martyred for the faith. I wondered then and for weeks that followed...would I have that great of faith? To look death in the face and stand up for what I believe knowing that if I did so I would die... I like to think I would, but that takes a lot of faith! I thought the same as I've been reading through Matthew, would I have the courage, strength and faith to approach Jesus and ask Him for something so great? Again, I like to think I would but in the situation I just don't know.

This past Tuesday I went to confession, thank the Lord for this gift! I confessed my sins, the priest gave me some feedback and encouragement, I was given a penance, I stated an act of contrition, and was given absolution - all the key components to receiving grace we don't deserve from God. Before I left the confessional, the priest said, "Go your faith has saved you." I laughed and thought to myself, THANK YOU LORD! It really was a neat moment, a God moment. I returned to the pew and thought how truly blessed I am to not only know and love God, but to accept and seek His love.

Thursday I had another reminder of how small my faith often is when I heard the Gospel proclaimed during Mass from Matthew chapter 7 verses 7-12...

"Jesus said to His disciples: 'Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Which one of you would hand his son a stone when he asked for a loaf of bread, or a snake when he asked for a fish? If you them, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask him. Do to others whatever you would have them do to you. This is the law and the prophets.'"

May we increase our faith this Lenten season and continue to grow closer to Christ as we pick up our crosses and unite our sufferings with His.

Lenten Reflection 1: Time to pick IT up!

It has been several months since I have posted anything here. An awful lot has happened. One,  I got engaged and now am only 110 days from being married!!  Two, I had the honor and privilege of going on a pilgrimage to Rome with 100 friends and co-workers – I still sit back and think about what incredible places we visited and people we had the privilege of listening to. Three, there is the never ending, always exciting, constantly learning happening in my role as FOCUS Team Director at Seton Hall. This position has allowed me to learn so much about myself and how to serve others well. Four, about a million more things in between!! During this Lenten season, among a few other things I am committing to do (or not do) I will be posting at least weekly during this Lenten season about my journey through Lent as a missionary, fiancé and disciple and lover of Jesus Christ.

Our Church is beautiful, I am constantly reminded about the goodness of God through one of the greatest things he’s given us; the one, holy, Catholic and apostolic Church. Those words alone: “one, holy, Catholic and apostolic” should amaze us and always leave us stunned at the incredible gift we have been given. There is no better time to remind ourselves of this gift than during a few very important periods in the Liturgical year, the season of Advent, the Christmas season, the season of Lent, and the Easter season.  Each season stands out to us in different ways; not only by which color the church may be decorated in or which color our priests wear, but during each of these seasons we are asked to change our attitude – to prepare ourselves with expectant anticipation or penance to call something to mind that we normally may not. We are invited to in a greater way consider the acts of Christ Jesus.

Which act of Christ is more important? His birth? Or his death and resurrection? I was asked this about a year ago; I was caught off guard by the question and was unsure how to respond to be honest. Since I’ve been asked I have considered this several times throughout the year. One reason I think the answer is simple because you can simply look at the lengths of time of the Liturgical seasons. Advent is only 4 weeks, Christmas a little over a week, Lent is well over 40 days and the Easter season can be as many as 50 days! Based on that alone isn’t it clear which act might be seen as more important? Anyways, yes, Jesus Christ was born not just to live and perform miracles but to die…to die for us. Jesus Christ was born to die on the Cross to save us from our sin…so that everyone in the world might have a chance at salvation. And of course He died so that He could rise. What a reason to celebrate!!

This year, like always, Lent began on Ash Wednesday and the Gospel reading from that day has been stuck in my mind all week long. Part of the Gospel reading on Wednesday was from Matthew chapter 6 and addresses fasting. Here is Matthew 6:16-18:

“And when you fast, do not look dismal like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face that your fasting may not be seen by men but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”

Each Lent I have to remind myself often why I have chosen to fast from something or to do some additional act of prayer or service… it is not and cannot be to draw attention to myself or to somehow benefit my own physical good – no, but rather it is to more completely align my will with the will of God the Father’s and to unite what little suffering I endure to the suffering of Jesus Christ on the Cross. I need to remind myself that every small act of self-denial should only be directing my thoughts, energy, and actions to the Cross and the Man on it. So this Lenten season there are a few things I want to do, but one of the things I want to do especially well is summed up in Mark 8:34-36.

“And He called to Him the multitude with His disciples, and said to them ‘If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever loses his life for my sake and the Gospel’s will save it. For what does it profit a man, to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?’”

Let’s follow Him well during this season of Lent. God bless you.

Matthew 26-27

That's Matthew chapters 26 and 27. For the last two weeks this is what the men from the baseball team and I have read during Bible study. If you're not familiar it's the story of the Passion and there is no better time to reflect on the Passion than during the season of Lent.

I decided to read through the Passion with the guys because references to the movie The Passion of the Christ, directed by Mel Gibson and starring Jim Caviezel, have been made all year long in Bible study. As we continue through Lent and move closer to Easter; we are going to watch the movie together in a few weeks.



It has been such a blessing to read through these chapters with the guys. It's amazing what stands out to you in Scripture even when you've read something several times. The guys have really been focused as we've read through the chapters. They've asked a lot of questions and made a lot of comments about things they've never realized that Jesus went through on His way to the Cross.........things He chose to go through for each one of us.

Throughout Lent I have challenged the guys to use their Lenten fast as a way to draw closer to Jesus. That when they are tempted to have a soda or beer, or whatever they gave up to pray to the Lord and rely on Him for the strength to overcome the temptation. Last night I challenged them to read over Scripture, especially the Passion narratives, which are in each of the 4 Gospels. Matthew 26-27, Mark 14-16, Luke 22-24, and John 18-20.

I don't believe that there is a better way to grow closer and deeper with Jesus than to read His Word, especially when the Word is about His life.

My prayer is this Lenten season that we will all fall more deeply in love with the Lord as we reflect and anticipate the greatest sacrifice of all.

VERSO L'ALTO

Stay with me Lord

To continue to draw closer to Jesus this Lent I want to share a prayer with you that I pray often and I think is especially fitting for the Lenten season.

The prayer comes from St. Padre Pio of Pietrelcina. He was a priest in Italy from 1910 until his death in 1968. Not only is he a Saint in heaven but he is a canonized Saint of the Catholic Church. He is someone that touched many lives while he was here on earth and because of his great witness and selfless life that he committed to Jesus Christ, he continues to be someone that Catholics and Christians look up to today. Here is a link for more information about St. Padre Pio. I know that every time I read about him or listen to someone talk about him I am surprised to learn something that he did or something that happened to him.

http://www.ewtn.com/saintsHoly/saints/P/stpioofpietrelcina.asp



The prayer that I am sharing here is a prayer that someone shared with me and is part of what is known as "Padre Pio's Prayer after receiving Holy Communion". It is a prayer that I find a lot of meaning in and it really hits my heart when I pray this after receiving Communion, which as Jesus tells us in the 6th chapter of the Gospel of John, that He is the Bread of Life and that Holy Communionis is His Body and His Blood. Here's the prayer.........

Stay with me, Lord, for it is necessary to have You present so that I do not forget You.

Stay with me, Lord, because I am weak and I need all Your strength, that I may not fall so often.

Stay with me, Lord, for You are my life and without You I am without fervor.

Stay with me, Lord, for You are my light and without You I am in darkness.

Stay with me, Lord, to show me Your will.

Stay with me, Lord, so that I hear Your voice and follow You.

Stay with me, Lord, for I desire to love You very much and always be in Your company.

Stay with me, Lord, if You wish me to be faithful to You.

Stay with me, Lord, as poor as my soul is I want it to be a place of consolation for You, a nest of Love.




Lord, may this prayer draw us closer to you as we approach and prepare for You this Easter Sunday.

"Pray, hope, and don't worry." - St. Padre Pio

St. Padre Pio, Pray for us.

VERSO L'ALTO

Spring Break

First of all Happy Ash Wednesday and Happy Lent!!!

Leading up to spring break this year I had a great few weeks on campus. Its been great getting to spend more time with the guys on the Seton Hall baseball team. It started in the middle of February when the guys on the baseball team told me that we had to move our weekly meeting time for Bible study because they had to attend their inaugural 1st Pitch Dinner, kicking off their season. The day after they told me about this I received a phone call from their coach inviting me to the dinner. He asked me to attend and say a prayer before the meal. The dinner was great, there were several alumni, all the current players were there and a number of their parents also made it. It was a fun night and a great way to start the season. Since then the guys have been on the road for about 10 games since and are a few games below .500. I'm excited to get back to school and watch a few home games.

Spring break this year has been a different experience for me compared to the last few. Three years ago I was in Sabinas, Mexico and for the last two years I have traveled to Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. This year I did something I never hoped to do again on a spring break, shovel. The picture is similar to what I saw when I woke up this morning. I'm ready for spring that's for sure. But last week and since I've been on spring break I've been doing some reflecting on my past spring breaks and the impact they had on me and I wanted to write about them. I want to share these memories as a witness to a time when prayer was almost irrelevant to me, to being open to God and Jesus, and to a point where I’ve realized the need and power in relying on God and need for prayer. I think it is a good time to share now since it is in the season of Lent. A time when all Christians should be preparing for Easter Sunday and drawing closer to Jesus and strengthening (or starting) a relationship with Jesus.

The fact that I went on the mission trip to Mexico was a bit of a miracle in itself, but as I've reflected I figure my week in Mexico to be the first time that I acknowledged experiencing Jesus. I have a few very vivid memories from this trip. The first was the night we arrived, a Saturday around midnight. The pastor was showing us around the property, one thing he pointed out was a cement basing and faucet. He explained to us in Spanish that it was for us to use to clean up after we worked and before meals. He pointed out that it often backs up, pointing to the dirty water in the basin. He told us not to worry but just to use the bleach next to the basin which would help it to drain and also make the water less dirty. His next words are what struck me the most, in Spanish he said, “This cleansing is like the cleansing that Jesus will do in your heart this week.” When he said this it was well after midnight and after 30+ hours of driving, I’m glad that I was somehow still alert enough to catch that, but wow did the pastor end up being right.

The second memory was at Sunday evening service the next day. The entire service was in Spanish and despite my 7+ years of Spanish in school, I had a hard time following what was being said. But I found that there is one language, or way of communication that is universal; prayer. Near the end of the service the pastor invited the group I was with up to the front of the church so that the church members could pray for us. Before this instance I was very hesitant and unsure of public prayer. Earlier that year I attended some Bible studies and I remember being intimidated/weirded out how some people could pray so convicted that anyone was listening. But that night in Sabinas, Mexico, I let my guard down and let go of those reservations and the Lord stormed my heart. He had been knocking but I finally let Him in and He took over. I watched as the church members prayed, they talked so fast it was hard to understand, but their prayerful expressions said it all. I remember my body feeling overwhelmed. God filled my heart so much that it forced tears out of my eyes and a euphoric tingling feeling was throughout my body. Needless to say that Holy Spirit was present.

My prayer is for everyone to fall deeper in love with Jesus Christ this Lenten season, God Bless you.