Mom!

Last reflections on my vocation and the ordination from December.

Okay, you’re probably sick of me by this time. After who knows how many reflections, homilies, spontaneous words, tours. Just bear with me, we’re almost there. You’re on your last day in Rome. I can’t close without talking about Mom, the mother of all of us.

Last and not least is an understatement. Many Legionaries have the habit of mentioning her last, and one of the seminarians the other day compared her to a “landing strip”. 

The Eucharist: a Gourmet Recipe for the Soul.

Whenever I try to explain to Catholics the radicalness of the Eucharist, I present two options. We’re either right, and the Eucharist is God himself: the greatest gift to mankind, or we are the biggest bunch of lunatics ever to walk the earth. Every day, thousands of people kneel down and worship in the most personal, real way or they are deceived and make fools of themselves in front of a little wafer. Well which is it?

Life, love, death, God, joy - making sense of it all!

How did we meet Christ? We ask this walking through the narrow passageways of the catacombs. Martyrs found their final rest here. Hundreds and thousands of Christians secretly celebrated Mass for fear of being discovered. Why do such things? Christ died hundreds of years before. It’s just a bit of bread and a sip of wine.

No, there’s something more. For the Christians, martyrs, and saints of the first century, Jesus Christ was Someone. He meant going beyond the pomp and circumstance of their daily Roman lives. He could offer them more than the cosmopolitan, capital of the world ever could, despite her delicacies, luxuries, and opportunity to satisfy every sensual pleasure. Christ offered his body and blood for food, the comfort of Christian charity, and the promise of the satisfaction of all desire in eternal life.

But have I experienced this? 

What's my vocation? Dear 17 year old me...

Yesterday was World Day of Prayer for Vocations. Late again, but hopefully you said a prayer for me anyway! What is vocation? It comes from the Latin to call. It's not just the vocation to the priesthood - we all have a one!

Last night, I got to tell my story for the umpteenth time. It's funny, I don't get tired of repeating. Not just because I get to talk about myself - finding happiness and fulfillment is what's most important to everyone.

Two fellow seminarians and I went to dinner with a wonderful couple from Idaho. Before the appetizers reached the table, Br. James was well along in recounting his vocation story, and Br. Andrew didn't stop until we had finished our pasta. His was already cold.

Then it was my turn! Just that morning, I was thinking about what a vocation really is. But wait a second, let's back up a bit...

Silence: iNoise and the battle for our soul. 4 Simple Steps.

Reading this on the computer? On the iPhone? You only sat down for a moment, but someone already Tweeted you. Now, a FaceBook friend request - accept or decline? But here's a blog post from some seminarian in Rome. Sounds like the phone, and out comes the earbud. Back to FaceBook, and wow, that’s a great picture…

STOP! We need a brick wall to stop our mental freight train.

Our world is full of frenzy, distraction, and gratification. Every day more Tweets, IM's, texts, FaceBooks (don’t know if that works in the plural), and calls flood into our heads.

Silence! “Why?” you ask.

How to pray II: Okay, I'm kneeling, now what?

Got a little long winded on prayer last week - sorry. It's like an oral exam when the teacher asks an unexpected question. We may not have a great answer, but we go on and on to show you know something

This time, I'll keep this short - three questions on prayer and three answers. (1) It's not that easy, any suggestions? (2) Okay, I'm kneeling (sitting or standing for that matter), now what? And (3) Where can I read more about this?

How to pray: FaceBook, Twitter, What it isn't, and 6 Steps to Communicating with God.

We're constantly communicating with people. We prove that man is a social animal with the thousand different gadgets to talk and chat. We have computers, FaceBook, SKYPE, instant messengers, cell phones, IPads, and just about anything else possible to stay in touch.

But are we in touch with God? He's the most important person in our life, considering that he created, redeemed, and keeps us alive. Yet numerous excuses jump to mind - I don't have time; I don't know how.

He's not on FaceBook. He doesn't have email. We don't know his cell number. So how can we stay in touch with him?

Prayer! A whole lot could be said on the subject, but let's start with the basics of how to start a conversation with God.

How to Tebow? 3 simple steps and why it's not over!

Three simple steps:

1. Knee to the ground.
2. Elbow to the knee.
3. Forehead to the hand.

Tebow and the Broncos are out of the playoffs, and it's down to the Giants or the Patriots. On February 5th in Indianapolis, Tom Brady or Eli Manning and their team will take one of the most coveted sports' trophies world.

But Tebowing hasn't died out. In fact, even more seem to follow his example.

Pilgrimage revisited - Mass in St. Peter's, just bring your own priest.

If you've had Mass in St. Peter's with me you've heard this phrase, but it's true. There are Masses in languages from across the globe - all are welcome. A great memory from a couple years back.

I glanced around me.  Here again, yet every time there was something different, something new.  It was always a novel experience, not with the novelty of the latest gadget or newest philosophy – rather the deeper eternal freshness of a truth, a reality never fully comprehended.

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.