Opportunity and Reason for Hope

When I heard the news on March 13th that Catholic churches around Chicago would not be holding Mass for the masses for the foreseeable future, I'm sure I was one of many who thought that we'd be back in the pews by Easter. Online Mass didn't seem like such a bad idea, and it certainly was more convenient (and less of a time commitment on Sundays). On the flip side, it turned out to have a lot more opportunities for distraction, as I could gaze around my apartment or out the window or even switch tabs on my computer. And the whole not receiving Jesus thing... I found myself asking, was this even attending Mass?

Don't get me wrong - we are blessed to be living at a time when technology allows for recording/broadcasting and live-streaming services. Can you imagine what we would have done 30 years ago? Sure, EWTN has been showing Sunday Masses on TV for many years, but it certainly feels more intimate and meaningful when you still have a sense of your own parish or priest celebrating on the screen. So, yes, in a sense I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to log into Facebook each Sunday and watch Faith Hub, or the ACE Mass, or my own parish Mass.

But still...

Lost.
Scared. Terrified.
Confused.

These feelings have definitely been present in both my own spiritual life as well as my role as a Catholic school leader. Without the true ritual of the Mass, I found myself making excuses for spending less time with God in prayer and centering my work less on God and more on what our human efforts could produce. And I know our human efforts are worth something, but they're not everything and we certainly can't do anything without God's help and presence.

Our world is a scary place with COVID, racism, and the upcoming election, to name a few. Thinking about going back to school in August and everything that has to be in place before then is scary too.

But now there's increasing opportunity to go to Mass again. And that honestly gives me so much hope. It's not to say that automatically this washes away all fears and worries - that would be impossible - but it makes me remember that we are a community of faith that is gathered together, physically when able but also in spirit.

Yet, there is realization that a lot of parishes lack the volunteers they need to reopen their doors, maybe because their population is mostly elderly or they are small in number. So, if you're reading this and you are able/willing (within your comfort zone), I encourage you to reach out to your parish staff or pastor and see where the greatest need is so that people can start coming back together to worship, whether that be greeters, Eucharistic ministers, lectors, sanitizers, sacristans, or other positions.

Let us work together so that our worldwide Church comes back strong and is a beacon of hope for all who are struggling in our present moment and world.

Red Shoes and Palm Branches (4/5/20)

"Red Shoes and Palm Branches"
Poem of the Day - 4/5/20
Audio Version of Today's Poem

Most holy and solemn week
Closed church doors
Palm branches not blessed
Red shoes collecting dust
People anxious and unsure
A time unlike any we've ever known

Yet, hope remains

Hosannas sung in living rooms
Masses live-streamed on TV
Connection to the greater Church
Loved ones in our thoughts and prayers
God's Word sustains
And a world waits in darkness

Still, hope remains

Parishes checking in on those in isolation
Young folks dropping off groceries for shut-ins
Doctors and nurses working 'round the clock
Schools pressing on with e-learning
Restaurants determined to survive
Dreams laid out for a better future after COVID

Yes, hope remains

Catholic Mass on the Road

In years past, I sadly have been on road trips where I haven't fulfilled my Sunday obligation. This time, though, I was determined to make it to Mass both Sundays. Aside from the actual obligation part, I enjoy spending time in other Catholic churches around the country.

The Grand Canyon (our third and final National Park - you can read about Zion & Bryce, if you missed those posts), though, looked like it could be a bit of a challenge. Still, the church website (which I had researched ahead of time) was helpful in determining location and times. (I'm glad my friend suggested we try for the Saturday evening option, which is what we ended up doing.)

El Cristo Rey Chapel was small and simple...and we got there pretty early. Even after waiting in the car for about 20 minutes we were still the first ones in the door. The pastor, Fr. Rafael, was there to greet us, inquire about our names and from where we came, ask me to read the First Reading and Psalm, and invite us to sign the guestbook. (He then used the guestbook at the beginning of Mass to introduce the 20 or so of us who were in attendance. And for those who were late, well, they had to introduce themselves. Lesson learned.) The chapel itself was small, fitting probably up to 30 people at any given time, yet furnished with an altar, tabernacle, pews, and statues/icons on the wall. It was a beautiful space.

That Mass truly turned out to be a blessing - I was filled with a sense of peace and joy in being with the other tourists who had taken time out of their travels to find the church and worship. It gave me so much hope! (Plus, the Gospel was about the Good Samaritan, and I would have hated to miss that one.)

If you ever find yourself in the Grand Canyon on the weekend, do yourself a favor and go visit El Cristo Rey Chapel and Fr. Rafael. You won't be disappointed.

side view of the church

a good reminder on the bulletin board inside

a view from our pew looking at the altar and tabernacle

a small Mary shrine

stained glass windows in the back

Renewing our commitment, zeal, and hope for Catholic education

It was definitely a neat experience to have NCEA 2019 in our very own city of Chicago this past week. The Archdiocese shut down for two days, and all schools were required to send their staffs. I bumped into so many people - my own current faculty, teachers I used to work with at my previous school, classmates from Remick and ACE, friends & professors from Notre Dame, and other fellow teachers from across the city. Plus, many of my faculty got to meet my twin sister and thought they were seeing double. (We were turning heads right and left, for sure.)

LOVED seeing our high school ACE teacher - she was the best!

Remick 15 representation at NCEA

Always a good time when you get ACE XV friends together
(And the ACE HH was amazing!)

Over the two days, I ended up attending some good sessions, and I also had the opportunity to present about how to engage our Catholic school students in their weekly/monthly Masses. The presentation stemmed from my grad school work, and I was originally encouraged to apply by one of my grad school supervisors. In looking back, I am so grateful for the push - it was a terrific experience (even though I was extremely nervous in the weeks leading up to it), and I believe the people who came walked away with some practical ideas to put into place in their own communities. In fact, I received an email yesterday from one of the attendees, and it truly made my day -->

Here are a couple of pics from the session - the principal I work with and some of my friends snapped some photos -->

I believe this was before the technology cut out...

Pretty sure I was praying for grace and peace at this point!

As teachers and leaders in Catholic schools, we need to constantly seek opportunities, both formal and informal, to renew our commitment, zeal, and hope for our work with the young people in our care. So, in my humble opinion, what probably is the most fruitful thing that came from the conference is the boost of energy and ideas for everyone who attended NCEA - the timing of being right near the end of the school year could not have been better as we make the final stretch toward summer and we work to keep it meaningful, rigorous, and joyful. 

I am so proud and blessed to be working in Catholic education - I believe that just as it was a gift for me growing up, our Catholic schools are a gift to the students who come through our doors each and every day. For all of my fellow Catholic school educators - keep up the good work! And know you are in my prayers.

Hold On (& Slow Down)...It's Sunday

Sundays have a way of reminding me to slow down.

Ok, so I got up at 6:45, but that was because I wanted to sip my coffee slowly and read my book before it was time to go to Family Mass across town where I teach. The sun wasn't quite awake yet, and everything in my apartment was quiet...except for the hissing of the radiators. Soon, I had the coffee percolating, my breakfast ready, and my book open. I was drawn into the author's portrayal of her family's experience as Jews in Poland during WWII, not wanting to believe the horrific acts done to innocent lives by those in positions of power. Still, I read on...

Mass wasn't till 10am (though, I knew I would have to leave at 9:15 to err on the side of caution), so I was able to take my time getting cleaned up and ready, listening to one of my favorite podcasts on low so as to not disturb my roommates.

I took a quick stroll up to the corner to drop off a few birthday cards in the mailbox, and then I was off to church. The sun was shining, my podcast was playing, and there weren't too many cars on the road. (Though, some of the cars I found in front of me were moving along rather slowly.) I must admit, it's quite a difference to head to school on the weekend, without having the immediacy of a school day's tasks looming in front of you.

The parking lot was relatively empty - that was probably because I arrived 15 minutes early. As I stepped out of my car and started walking toward the church, an elderly woman asked if she could borrow my arm to cross the street over to the church side. I obliged, introducing myself and telling her that I work for the school. She then introduced herself, explaining how she is a retired teacher and now does tutoring and consulting in education. It was, all in all, about a three minute interaction, but it brought a smile to my face to have that conversation.

I was surprised to see so many students at Mass, many of whom waved or came over to say hi. Most of the school families present had a child (or two) in our upcoming school play, and those children had parts at Mass today as ushers and greeters. During Mass, our pastor prayed a special blessing over those students and wished them well for their performances this weekend. I love seeing so many kids at Mass - it's truly getting to see them in another light besides the hustle and bustle of the school day.

On my way home, I spoke to my parents on the phone. They've been pretty busy recently (as have I), so it had been awhile since we talked. As I drove down Lakeshore Drive, I looked out and saw several runners and walkers on the trail, and I decided a jog in this weather might be a good decision. So, after I hung up with my parents, I put on my running gear, protecting my hands and ears from the cold, and headed out the door. It was meant to be a short three miler, but it was such a beautiful day, especially with the sun shining and only a light breeze (not a driving force of wind) that I ended up going about five miles instead. It felt good, even the parts when I had to run through the snow, where the trail had not yet been shoveled/plowed. 

As I sit in my living room, having just finished some leftover shredded chicken and cheese tacos (and a little bit of dessert), I am ready to pick up my book again and relax until my women's prayer group tonight. 

There is a lot going on at school these next few weeks as we get ready for Catholic Schools Week, so there is probably something I could/should be working on to prepare...but for now, it's Sunday, our day of rest. School, worries, and other tasks can wait. For today, I can be content to take it slowly.

One Mass

In the beautifully written and illustrated children's book, The Weight of a Mass, the faith of the subjects in the kingdom has grown cold. The king and his bride are to be wed in the evening at a Mass in the cathedral; yet, the people do not plan to attend. 

In the kingdom's bakery, preparations are being made for the royal feast, including the prized wedding cake. A beggar woman enters the shop, and says,

If you give me crust of bread, I will offer the Mass tonight for you.

The baker is indignant; though, his son insists he listen to the woman. Instead, the baker taunts her by writing "one Mass" on a torn off piece of tissue paper. He places it on the balance and flicks in a dried out crust of bread. Miraculously, the bread does not cause the balance to be weighed down. So, the baker adds more items - fresh donuts, cakes, and breads - yet there is no change. The people are incredulous. Finally, the baker puts the wedding cake on the scale. 

Nothing.

As the bells toll to call the people to the wedding Mass, those in the shop process into the streets. The baker, his son, and the beggar woman follow. In the end, the baker apologizes to the woman for not having faith. She, too, apologizes, for she only wished for a crust of bread in exchange for one Mass. They realize that they did not know the weight of the Mass...

Read the book - it's beautifully told and illustrated!

I read this book to my 7th graders, and then they did some reflection using post-its to answer questions around the room based on the book and its symbolism. I have included some of their responses below; though, you may have to click on the photos in order to actually read the writing, as it is very small. My apologies. Many of them really seemed to get the story, and I hope they keep this story at the forefront of their minds as we begin our next unit on the Catholic Mass.

Q: What is the role of the beggar woman in the story?

Q: Why is the story set in a bakery?

Q: What is the last item weighed against the Mass? What does it represent?

Q: Who experiences a conversion of heart in this story?

Q: How much does a Mass weigh?

I feel like adults would very much benefit from this story too, as it is easy in today's society to forget the weight of the Mass.

P.S. - I got a BONUS this weekend by getting to head to Notre Dame for the day to meet the new ACE Chicago teachers (and to spend time with some of the current ones). Even though it was a short visit, I tried to make the most of it (rotten weather and all):

Grotto visit

Golden Dome selfie

Touchdown Jesus!

post-dinner smiles with the crew

It's hard to believe that the next time I will be on campus is going to be this summer for the final wrap-up, presentation, and graduation. Love thee, ND!

Roses are red...

Where is this going? I thought as our visiting priest started to share a Valentine's Day message sent to Cardinal Cupich this week.

Roses are red,
Violets are blue,
Valentine's Day is great...

But it's ashes for you.

I see what they did there...


Leave it to my dad to send the years that Ash Wednesday and Valentine's Day have overlapped and will overlap - in case you were wondering, the last time it happened was 1945, but it happened before that in both 1923 and 1934. Apparently it will happen again in 2024 and 2029. (I didn't double check if he was right on these - just trusting...)

I must say, though, I was highly confused driving down my block today and seeing a line practically out the door at Stan's Donuts - I couldn't figure out why so many people would want donuts on a day traditionally set aside for fasting... And then I remembered it was also Valentine's Day. Well, that made perfect sense!

At school we actually celebrated Valentine's Day a day early on Fat Tuesday so as not to lose focus on the three pillars of Lent. (It was highly suggested from the Archdiocese.) I didn't get too many treats - just enough chocolate - though, one student did bring a homemade paczki!

One of my favorite student valentines was one a 6th grader made into a scratch-off:

One of my advisory students was a day late (by our calendar) and brought me a beautiful bouquet of flowers today - it was such a delightful start to the morning before Mass:

I also got a cute note on a student's assessment this afternoon:

It was a beautiful (early) Valentine's Day, to be sure. The kids are so funny about it - one student asked if I had a special valentine this year, to which I replied, "Jesus." Well, let me tell you, that made his day!

But, when it was time to go to Mass, our focus shifted...

And you can bet money on the fact that I wore purple...

Our visiting priest continued his homily (which he had started with that poem - yes, I'm back to talking about that all the way down here...). He explained that the Catholic church has nothing against Valentine's Day; it is just that the solemn start of the Lenten season takes precedence. He then encouraged us that no matter how we choose to fast, pray, or do extra things this Lent, that we do so with sincere hearts in an effort to draw closer to God.

His message was just what I needed to hear, and I hope the kiddos were listening too! It reinforces a piece of wisdom I shared with them the other day that was once told to me: If you find yourself at the end of Lent the same as when you started, you've done Lent wrong.

God wants us - He wants our whole heart. So, how will we use this Lenten season to make more room for God in order to allow Him to draw us closer?

We have 40 days to make it happen - our time starts now.

Simply Present

No role at Mass tonight - just me in the pew. While I have loved training to be and starting to serve as a sacristan on Sundays, there is something to be said for getting to be simply present at church... 

As a sacristan, I have found myself tallying attendees during the readings rather than listening to what is being spoken. The time I spend setting out the chalices, cutting the bread, and doing other preparations the hour before Mass is time I do not now spend in prayer in the traditional sense. It's a beautiful ministry, and I by no means regret becoming a part of it, but it's a different kind of presence, and I just need to adjust accordingly.

I am so grateful for the gift of Mass and the Eucharist as well as for the gift of my church community. And I look forward to the start of our new liturgical season - Lent. Guess it's time to pull all of my purple clothes to the front of my closet, eh?

Unexpected Graces

I had my plan made up in my head - I would go for a run, shower, go to daily Mass, head to the coffee shop to finish my book, and then come home. And all went according to plan...until the end of Mass. A friend from Bible study started talking to me and invited me to join the weekly prayer group that meets to talk about the upcoming Sunday's Readings. She had asked me once before, and I had said no, but I had no real excuse today so I figured, why not?

And I am so glad I went. First of all, I met some lovely older parishioners whom I had seen around the church before but whose names I didn't know. Second of all, a few people in the group were women with whom I visited the Holy Land three years ago. They are such wonderful people, so it is always a pleasure to spend extra time with them. 😀 To top it off, at the end of our time together, we celebrated one woman's 83rd birthday with cake, song, and conversation. Such joy!

Our discussion centered around the nature of hospitality and also Jesus' oft-considered harsh command that if we love our mother, father, sister, or brother more than Him that we are not worthy to follow Him. I shared a brief overview of the homily I had recently heard from Fr. Mike's podcast, where he said we need to ask ourselves two questions each day, one at the beginning when we first wake up and one at the end as we prepare to go to sleep: 1) Who do I want to live for today? & 2) Who did I live for today? Inevitably, we start our day with our eyes set on Christ, but decisions and actions (no matter how seemingly small or insignificant) lead us away from that goal. But we should keep striving each day to live for Christ. (I recommend you listen to his full homily here: 6/25/17.) I definitely need to put up post-its to remind myself about asking those questions (until it becomes a habit).

I like to make plans and to follow them. But I also like the flexibility to adjust my own schedule when opportunities arise. By saying yes, I felt that, in a small way, I was aligning myself more to God's will for my day by spending time in fellowship and Scripture reflection. Yes, I left church about 2 hours after I originally intended, but God is so good like that. And I still had plenty of time for a last-minute Target stop as well as time to finish my (for fun!) book. (I did regrettably discover that the book is part of a 4-part series, so the rest of the books have to wait till after grad school; though, I am eager to know what happens!)

Please keep me and my classmates in your prayers these upcoming weeks as we take our grad school classes. Happy summer!

The (Quiet) Beauty of Daily Mass

As I look ahead to grad school, one of the things I am actually most looking forward to (aside from seeing all of my classmates) is the opportunity for daily Mass. Heck, twice a week it's scheduled into the mid-morning for us as part of our course-load, which is pretty amazing if you ask me.

Here in Chicago there are a LOT of opportunities for daily Mass - one only needs to seek out an appropriate time and location. And so, I did. As I entered into the church (a mere 1-2 minutes early), I felt an overwhelming sense of peace and calm. It was silent and cool. It was perfect.

One of the feasts we celebrated today was that of Thomas More (love that saint!), and the Gospel was the one where Jesus taught his disciples to pray using the "Our Father." I've been trying to pray a lot more recently (though, admittedly, I am trying to pray through the intercession of Mary), so today's Mass was right up my alley. And then, after Mass, I was ready to go on my merry way (after speaking with the priest briefly). I finally tried a new coffee spot right near church, and I nearly finished that second book I am working on for grad school. (Spoiler: It actually got more interesting!)

Later it will be time for a haircut and then who knows... I still have some grad work to do before next week, but I think I'll tackle that tomorrow before a friend's birthday get-together in the evening. After all, in building up mental stamina to prepare for this summer's workload I can only handle so much a day...

Celebrating Catholic Education - Why Am I Here?

Happy mid-Catholic Schools Week 2017! We've had some awesome first few days, and we're looking forward to what we still have left - service day, academic day, and teacher appreciation day. This morning, I will be attending Mass with my students...but Fr. Larry (our pastor) added something to my plate - he wanted me to tell my story about why I teach in Catholic schools.

Here's what I'll be sharing with my school community:

Good morning. In the spirit of celebrating Catholic Schools Week, Fr. Larry asked me to share with you all about why I’m here - why I’m teaching in Catholic schools. The simple and first answer might actually surprise you and sound like something you might say: my mom made me do it. Okay, so she didn’t make me, but when the time came to graduate from college, she more than gently nudged me toward the University of Notre Dame’s Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE) program - a 2 year Masters of teaching program. I applied, got accepted, and moved out to Phoenix, Arizona to teach 4th grade at a Catholic elementary school for three years. I loved it. Every (well, probably not every) minute of it. I’ve been teaching in Catholic schools ever since, so, the rest, as they say, is history…

Now, here we are in 2017, and it’s been almost 6 years that I’ve been in Chicago teaching at our school...so why am I here? Why am I still teaching in Catholic schools when there are plenty of other needs, job opportunities, and more out there? I think that might be more of what Fr. Larry had in mind when he asked me to share with you. So, what makes me stay in Catholic education?

There is essentially one overarching reason, and that breaks down into 3 supporting ones. So, big reason: I am Catholic first. It’s how I identify myself and it’s what matters most. I put it before saying I’m a teacher, identical twin, woman, daughter, student, Chicagoan, Michigan State and Notre Dame fan… Catholic comes first. And here’s why:

I want to touch on three (did you catch the Catholic symbolism - 3 in 1?) reasons why being Catholic is so important to me, which I hope will, in turn, illustrate why I am a Catholic school teacher.

One: My parents brought my sister and me to Mass every Sunday and sent us to amazing Catholic schools from kindergarten to 12th grade. Without a doubt, it was a firm faith foundation. We NEVER missed Mass. That’s not to say I always wanted to go - in fact, I faked sick one time, and I still regret doing so to this day - but going to Mass truly became a family event. And it was special. And it was sacred. And, what I learned about in the Gospels didn’t stop at the church doors for me - my parents LIVED it, and they encouraged me and my sister to live it too. From singing in choir to volunteering for teaching kindergarten religious education to spending time with parishioners at the spaghetti dinner, my parents gave of their time, talent, and treasure consistently. When my sister and I got to high school and started going to daily 7am Mass, my dad would drive us to school, stay for Mass, and THEN go to work. (When you get to be in 8th grade, you’ll get to hear more stories about my dad, I promise.) I could go on and on about my parents, but a) I would more than likely tear up and b) ain’t nobody got time for that. So, supporting reason 1: I was brought up Catholic by my parents and learned the faith through my experiences with them both in and out of church.

Two: This one to me is so beautiful and simple: I believe in the goal of the Catholic life - to get to heaven and to take as many people with you as possible. In working with all of you amazing young people - that’s the challenge and the joy rolled into one. The challenge is that I know you sometimes tune me out, but the joy is that when you do listen, you just might hear God through discussions or activities we do in class or on retreats, and a small seed may be planted. So, 2: I believe in the goal of the Catholic life - to live in such a way that you get to heaven and bring as many people with you as possible.

If you’re keeping track, there’s one more to go: 3) I love the Catholic Mass and the Sacraments, and I get to participate in them regularly as part of my job. Many people can’t say that. It’s amazing! When our principal calls teachers into her office at the end of the year and asks us what we want to request to teach the following year, there is one class I will never give up - and that’s 8th grade. It’s mainly because of the Sacrament of Confirmation. And I look at you today, 8th grade, and I am so excited for these next few days. And I get to share this special time with each of you and your families...and, again, it’s part of my job. What a blessing! You may not realize it today, tomorrow, or even next year, but this time in your faith is incredibly important. You are making a big step, and we are all so proud. And, for all of us, to gather with our school community of Hill Street once a week for Mass, when I get to be a Eucharistic minister and smile into each of your faces as we share in the Body and Blood of Christ - I wouldn’t trade that for the world. It reminds me that we are all united, we are one, and we are a family. So 3) I love the Mass and the Sacraments.

These are the three things that make me feel strongly in identifying as Catholic first: my upbringing in the Catholic faith, the goal of the Catholic life, and the celebration of Mass and the Sacraments. When I prioritize my life in such a way that faith comes first, the question inevitably changes and becomes instead, How could I NOT work in Catholic education? Catholic education, like our faith, is a gift, and it’s a gift that is best shared lovingly with others.

Springtime Fun

Best deal at TJ this week? Tulips for less than $4.

Nothing says spring like tulips...especially not the weather we had yesterday... I've never seen such "on again off again" snow/hail. It made for an interesting pub crawl (annual Beat MS pub crawl #9 - only #4 for me), but we were pretty much all smiles and laughter the whole day. It's good to spend a day just hanging out with friends, especially when it's the weekend before facing students coming back from spring break. ;)

I'd like to go on record that I made it to all 5 bars on the crawl, and I even went to a party (briefly) afterwards. And this morning turned out to be pretty good - an early run along the lakefront with my sister followed by brunch with friends from out of town (who were in town for a wedding this weekend).

Still have a little bit of work to do before a retreat reunion potluck and Mass tonight, which I am very much looking forward to. The timing is perfect, as today is Divine Mercy Sunday (and mercy was the theme of our retreat)!

Have a good one, y'all!

Are Our Hearts Too Hard for Jesus?

Ultimately, this is the question that is begged to be answered in today's Gospel. At our weekly school Mass today, our pastor enlisted the help of four 4th graders to act out the story of the sower and the seed. With some prompting, the students "fell" on the ground, were "choked" by thorns, and "took root" in good soil. It was quite entertaining...and also memorable.

After the homily, he asked us to think about if our hearts are ready for Jesus - or are they too hard? Good to think about...hmm...

Mixing it up at Mass - nice one, Father. I think the kids are more likely to remember this Gospel passage now that they've seen it with their own eyes.

On My Knees

Latin. The All Souls' Mozart Requiem Mass was all in Latin (except for the homily). I couldn't understand the words.

But there were two things I did understand: the Eucharist and the gestures of the priest.

Isn't it amazing how no matter where you go for Catholic Mass that it is all the same? The universality of it - isn't it wonderful?

The Mass last night was done in the traditional way, which meant that we had to approach and kneel at the Communion Rail when the time came to receive Jesus' most precious body. I had never received (to my knowledge/memory) at the rail before, so I didn't know what to expect. But there was something absolutely humbling and incredible about getting down on my knees and receiving the Eucharist on my tongue. It was impossible to just go through the motions when I was required to do this.

For lack of a better phrase, It was SO COOL!

My takeaway from last night was getting myself back to the reverence of it all. The traditional Mass helped me do that.

Wow...

Day By Day

Family Mass at my school parish today - gotta love it. The church was bursting with parents and their children, and the kids even helped at Mass as lectors, choir members, and altar servers.

What I think was the best part was at the homily - Fr. Larry (not our pastor but the one who helps out) invited all of the children to come sit at the altar. And he sat right down with them, giving his homily from there. He explained how Bartamaeus had been blind and had called out to Jesus - he wanted to see him more clearly. After being healed of his blindness, Bartamaeus chose to follow Jesus. (It tells us this in the Gospel!) He told the children that we are called to follow Jesus too - and guess where Jesus is. As much as we may hate to admit it, Jesus is in our brothers and sisters. Do you see Jesus in your brother or sister?, he asked them. He wrapped up his homily by having us all sing the refrain to "Day by Day" - what are we called to do? "See thee more clearly, love thee more dearly, follow thee more nearly"...when? "day by day - every day!"

As a child, those opportunities really have the potential to stick with you because too many times, kids (and adults too!) are passive participants in the pews. Heck, I still remember being called up with the other children on any given Sunday morning when our "paper bag priest" would deliver (what I now know as) an object lesson - he would take a candy bar or ketchup bottle or some other seemingly random object out of his bag and teach us the message of the Gospel through some thoughtful activity and discussion.

So, yes, God is calling us to love one another as we follow Him. And, yes, that includes our siblings and those hardest to get along with at times. And it's not just for today or for tomorrow but for always. Day. by. Day.

Highs and Lows: the Beautiful and the Jaded

While it wasn't my ideal Friday night, I did get a chance to read through my students' bellwork sheets last night. I was so excited to see such beautiful ideas and reflections from many students, both in 6 & 8th grades - here are 2 samples:

"My high in religion was all the fun activities we do and I have no lows at all!"

"A high has been reading a story (Children of the King) in religion. A low is that I forgot to pray."

As a teacher, I love to see responses such as these...but I was troubled when I came across one 8th grader's paper with responses on many of the week's prompts such as "This doesn't apply to me" and "my high was when religion class ended and my low was religion class." That really bothered me...and I am stumped.

Not too long ago, this student (who is not Catholic) was interested in what we were learning about even though it was different from her own faith...so what happened? When did such a drastic change occur? Most importantly, how can I bring her back to a more open, positive mindset for learning about the Catholic faith and developing her own personal relationship with God? I do plan to make a phone call to her mom on Tuesday just to see if anything is going on at home and to make her parents aware. How can someone so young be so jaded?

Well...we'll keep fighting the good fight in the classroom this year - my goal is to get both the students and parents on board for spending time together in prayer and for going to weekly Sunday Mass - maybe this will be the year when this finally comes to fruition. Time will tell.

But for now...GO IRISH! Woo hoo!!

The iPad and the Wireless - A Modern-day Parable

I am the vine and my father is the vine grower...

Thus began today's Gospel.

But Fr. Larry wanted us to relate this metaphor to today's society:

You (congregation) are the iPads. I (Jesus) am the wireless and my Father is the server. Without me, you cannot check email, surf the web, be connected. Without my Father, I cannot serve you...

He went on a little further, but I think this serves his point. It's easy to lose sight of Jesus' meaning if we're not familiar with the imagery he used (e.g. growing vines), so it's important to "translate" his message into the everyday of our lives.

Well played, Fr. Larry. I think we all really plugged in to that one...

Our Journey Home

"We're in the Easter season until May 24th (Pentecost)," our visiting priest reminded all of us at Mass this morning.

And then he said, "Is anyone familiar with the movie 'The Wizard of Oz'?" Hands shot up, some with more gusto and excitement than others.

"What did Dorothy have to say and what did she have to do to get home?" Click her ruby red shoes together three times and say, "There's no place like home."

"And who were the three characters she met along the way?" Scarecrow, Tin Man, Lion
"What did each one need/lack?" Scarecrow = brain, Tin Man = heart, Lion = courage
"Dorothy already possessed all of these things, didn't she? She just didn't know it at first..."

Fr. Larry - Yes, we have two Fr. Larry's - went on to connect this with the idea that during this season of Easter we are like Dorothy: Easter is our opportunity to realize the gifts God has given us to help us on our journey home (eventually) to heaven. He then challenged all of us to show love to others (Tin Man) and courage in tough situations (Lion) this week. He said we already used our brains (Scarecrow) for learning every day anyways.

Good one, Fr. Larry. (It did take a little debriefing with the 6th graders after Mass for them to "get it," but I think they ended up taking away the message.)

May God bless all of us this Easter season so that we may choose to live each day as beacons and signs of His love and mercy. He is Risen. Amen! Alleluia!

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On an unrelated (but Church) note, so many videos, interviews, and articles have been converging on my Facebook and Twitter newsfeeds, but this (short) one in particular struck a nerve. Oh, to have the faith of a child, especially in the face of imminent death. Beautiful...

On a different unrelated (but, amazingly, still Church) note, this quote was included in today's ND prayer reflection, and it conveys an incredible sentiment, so, naturally, I had to share: “O God, to those who have hunger, give bread; and to us who have bread, give the hunger for justice.” (Fr. Hesburgh)

What an Amazing Grace It Is!

I was never a huge fan of the song "Amazing Grace" growing up - it was one of those ones that, when we sang it, I didn't really feel anything special. It was just a song, one we had to sing every so often because it sounded good. (So, needless to say, I have, over time, committed it to memory.)

However, last night at my church's contemplative Mass, I had a different experience. I think what hit me this time was the word grace (which clearly is in the title, but which, also clearly, I have taken for granted) - it's not by any means of our own that we earn salvation; it's already been won by Jesus who died for us on the cross! (How many times have I sung this song and not really thought of that?!) I think all of the weekly Fr. Barron Catholicism lessons are finally starting to hit home...

It was, to sound cliche, amazing to finally (after all these years) come to this realization - what an amazing grace God has given us! Now, it's our turn to go out in the world, accept it, and share it with others!

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On an unrelated note (but one that, in some way, has to do with graces), I am so grateful to the family and friends who helped Marisa and me celebrate our birthday this weekend. From enjoying a fish fry after conferences on Friday to phone calls and texts to St. Patrick's Day festivities to getting ice cream to gathering together for margaritas and chips after Mass last night - wow.

Now, if only Michigan State had won their bball game versus Wisconsin yesterday, it would have been pretty perfect... c'est la vie...

Confirmed in the Spirit

On Friday night, 19 young men and women became empowered by the power of the Holy Spirit at Confirmation. It was a night that was a long time coming - it took a lot of preparation (by both the catechists and the students) and a lot of prayer.

And it was absolutely wonderful.

During the Rite of Confirmation, I was blessed to read the names of my students to the Bishop (see picture below). I was so proud of each of them.

A few parents came up to me to thank me and let me know how their children have grown in their faith this year. It was affirming to hear, and it gave me great hope for the future of our Church.

Let us continue to pray that these young people continue to be guided by the Holy Spirit throughout their lives. May they make wise choices and be filled with courage to do what is right in the eyes of God.