Increasing our awareness

We are now more than a month into the New Year and most of us have probably seen our New Year's resolutions fade away as the reality of daily life draws on. We are a little over a week away from Ash Wednesday when we will again make resolutions of a type as we decide to give up something, or to do something extra for Lent. For me, it is much easier to stick with resolutions that last for 40 days, because I know they have an end point. But perhaps that's a problem. If I am resolving to spend more time each day in prayer during Lent, why do I feel ok about dropping that after Easter?

An article by Thomas Massaro in the latest edition of America invites us to take a different strategy on resolutions. Instead of choosing some sort of "direct behavior modification," as he calls it, he opts for a heightened awareness and appreciation for different groups. I like this a lot! For example, instead of saying that I would like to spend an extra 5 minutes in prayer each day and stopping at that, I can consciously look for opportunities for prayer throughout my day and become more aware of God's presence with me always. This is a practice that I can stick with long after Lent has passed, and that helps me to see God with me throughout the day.

Cheers to the Saints

Congratulations to the New Orleans Saints, who captured their first national title with their Super Bowl win yesterday. The formerly known ‘Aints, whose fans once regularly wore paper bags over their heads, are now at the top of the football world.

Much has been made of this accomplishment, both before and after the Super Bowl, as a huge morale boost for a city that has still never fully recovered from Hurricane Katrina. Certainly, while it does not do anything to change the lasting effects of the hurricane, it’s nice to see the images of New Orleans celebrating (and just in time for Mardi Gras). This is sure to become a “Where were you when…” moment for many people in that region.

A sports team is never more than a symbol in the real world, yet for so many places, that symbol can mean something real to the people that live there. Five years ago, New Orleans became a reminder of this nation’s many failures in protecting our most vulnerable people. That reminder is still there throughout the difficult rebuilding process and the city has a long way to go before we could truly say New Orleans is “back.” For now, cheers to a team and a city that gets to hold its head a little higher today.

-Jesse K.

Are we willing to profess our beliefs in front of millions?

If you don't follow a lot of football, you may not have noticed the controversy around a planned ad during Sunday's Super Bowl. The ad is titled "Celebrate Family, Celebrate Life" and is about Heisman trophy, National Championship winning quarterback Tim Tebow and his mother's decision not to choose an abortion while contracting a tropical ailment while pregnant with him.

While the ad apparently never mentions abortion, it has drawn criticism from pro-abortion groups. I certainly expect to hear a show of support from the pro-life folks that I know, but the ad and its message have gotten a show of support from an unlikely place--Sally Jenkins, a pro-choice sports columnist for the Washington Post. Check out her article. She has some great things to say, not only about this issue, but about sports figures as role models and what we should be celebrating in Tebow's life and choices. Tim Tebow is obviously not afraid to speak out for his beliefs, even if they are counter-cultural. How willing are we to speak out for our faith and what we believe?

~Lauren G

"Up in the Air" and the Value of Community

While readying the posts that Lauren and Becky offered this week, I reflected on how life-giving my own relationships are, and how abundantly I am sustained by gathering together. My understanding of faith is fortified by the time I spend in community with others. This week I stumbled upon a review of "Up in the Air" in America magazine. I wholeheartedly loved this film, so I read on to gain some insight into the meaning that Catholic Digest correspondent John McCarthy drew from the flick. No spoilers, I assure you.

Once I got past the distraction of one Mr. Clooney's dashing good looks, I came to appreciate the truths that this dramedy points out about our lives. How easy it can be to be lured in by independence and not being tied down to the point where we find ourselves isolated and out of touch with that which breathes life into us: our relationships. McCarthy articulates nicely how Ryan Bingham's growth moves him to value relationships and community. Check it out.

-Mary Ellen M.

Gathering

Gathering together is a key part of our Catholic Faith. It is one of the unique identifying characteristics of our faith- our sense of community. Jesus gathered people. He gathered his friends, the apostles and disciples. People also gathered around him as we see time and time again in the scriptures. We gather together every Sunday as the Body of Christ to receive the Body of Christ. These Eucharistic gatherings in our lives are so important to us. They feed us and nourish us on our faith journey.

Last night, I was reminded of the importance of gathering as our Charis Retreat team in Athens, GA gathered to plan our next Charis Retreat. Nine young adults gathered together last night. As I find often in these Eucharistic gatherings, we were fed and nourished by our time together as we shared our lives and planned the retreat. We left energized and hopeful. We gathered last night to plan an opportunity for others to gather with us--so that they may be nourished and fed and energized and hopeful.

So is the rhythm of our faith. We gather to be fed so we can help feed others.

What moments in your life are Eucharistic gatherings?

~Becky E.

Looking past the "Stuff"

At a board meeting of the National Catholic Young Adult Ministry Association (NCYAMA) last week, our opening prayer invited us to reflect on the people in our lives who inspire us to be better Christians. For me, there have been, and continue to be, friends and family whose lives I want to emulate with my own. My parents model Christian patience and love. My husband embodies Jesus' generosity toward others. Recently, though, it is my 7 month old son who inspires me to live a more Christian life.

When he's ready to play, I get out some of his toys and set them up around him so he can decide what he wants to play with. I assume that he will go for the toys that light up or play music or do some other "cool" trick. A lot of times, though, I am surprised when he turns around and grabs my hand to chew on, or climbs over my legs. He has all sorts of "things" to play with, but he just wants to hang out with me. This made me stop and think about how often I get distracted by the stuff around me instead of what truly matters--my relationships with others and my relationship with God.

What are the things that are distracting us from seeing and deepening our relationship with God?

~Lauren G

God, Present and Active in Our Gifts

Since this is my first post, let me introduce myself. My name is Fr. Mark Mossa, and I’m a Jesuit priest. I have worked on 3 Charis retreats (and will, again, this summer). Heather, who wrote a post a few days ago, was on at least one of these. I have been involved in ministry to young adults for nearly twenty years (though I’ve only been a priest for less than two).

One of the things that I often tell others about Saint Ignatius is that Jesuit spirituality, and his idea for the Jesuit order itself, rose out of his young adult experience of God. This is why I think The Spiritual Exercises, on which the Charis retreats are based, are especially effective in helping young adults to discover what God is doing in their lives.

If The Exercises revealed nothing else, they would be important merely for the reason that they help us to see that God is present and active in our lives. God wants to invite us to the type of life which can best amplify the gifts and talents given to us for God’s glory, and the good of those whom we are privileged to encounter, and serve.

Look for the illustration of this in the readings for this Sunday’s mass. God says to us: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you.” And Saint Paul reminds us, “If I have all faith so as to move mountains,
 but do not have love, I am nothing.”

Peace,

Fr. Mark