And Now to Write

A few years ago, I overheard a conversation in a locker room that has stuck with me. A girl was telling her friend that her mom was fasting for Lent and how she thought fasting was pointless and nonsensical. As the Lenten season comes to a close, I want to address this common sentiment using my own observation and personal experience (not by pointing to Bible verses -- but if you want that, click here ). First, even outside of a religious context, people fast. Take, for one example, the environmental movement’s Meatless Monday. Here, it is seen as a good thing to forgo meat one day per week in order to mitigate that industry's environmental impact. This parallels Catholics’ year-round observance of "meatless Friday," by which we recognize our failings and continual need for mercy and conversion. * Here's another example those of you who don't observe Meatless Mondays might relate to. When preparing for a delicious large meal, many people will skip a meal or e

This morning, I was thinking a bit about what I would respond if someone who had left the Catholic Church asked me why I choose to stay. While there are a whole bunch of reasons I could give, I would probably focus on two things: the Eucharist and being able to experience God's mercy in Reconciliation. How I could never give up that intimate contact with my beloved. Sitting with that answer, particularly in light of calling the Lord my beloved. In the context of receiving the Eucharist, that is when the Body and Blood of Jesus becomes one with His Church. Two become one flesh. When we eat something, it is literally incorporated into our bodies. 1  In this way, the Divine Bridegroom becomes one with His bride. And, moving along the lines of two becoming one flesh, this union is to bear fruit and bring life into this world that is dying of sin. This is the wedding feast of the lamb - what we call the Mass. In the Eucharist, Jesus gives His Body and Blood to us. He desires to be

Well, the new year is upon us! It's a perfect time to reflect on how we've done with our resolutions from last year as we plan new ones for 2020. In that vein, I'm coming full circle with this blog, by revisiting an old topic . Toward the close of 2018, I had chosen my word to focus on for 2019: everything. I wasn't entirely sure what that would mean, but that's what I felt drawn to. While I had spit balled a couple of ideas in that blog post, they only felt like that - sketches of ideas. I had noted that "everything" didn't just mean surrendering everything. It also involved God's presence in every situation, rejoicing in everything, and knowing everything that is good comes from Him. But I didn't quite know where to go with all of that. So, I unknowingly embarked on a mission to answer two questions: Is there something that unifies all of the ways the word "everything" is used in the spiritual life? Is it possible to grow in &qu

The question "how are you doing?" is an interesting one. Wondering where am I going with that statement? Stop and think about the word "how." It is usually used when describing a process, whether it is outlining the process itself or discussing its quality. After all, the first three definitions for "how" are "in what way or manner," "to what degree or extent," and "in what state or condition" according to Merriam-Webster. Consider the structure of your own "how" conversations. When asked how a project is going, you launch into a commentary about your progress and hindrances. You talk about a process - giving some degree of background about the process itself and then evaluating it. The interesting thing is when we apply the how question to a person. We tend to give a "feeling check" as a response or choose whatever it is we want that question to refer to and answer that way. We might respond as if the

When encountering a Christian giving a mini testimonial, there are certain phrases you might hear. "Before I knew Christ...," "Before I converted...," "If I hadn't ___, then..." are a couple that come to mind. One time at Mass, one of these types of thoughts came out of nowhere to grab my attention: "If God didn't exist...." It's an interesting phrase. When it's used, the unspoken assumption tends to be that life as we know it would still be, well, as we know it. Maybe a couple specific tweaks depending on the argument, but at its core, the person speaking assumes existence. I know that approach has its place, but what if that thought is followed along the lines of what theists believe. Theists believe that God is the  creator of everything. So, if God didn't exist, nothing would exist. Close your eyes and try picturing that.                                                                                                  

As many of my close friends know, I have a soft spot for environmental concerns. Growing up, I have memories of my brother trying to insult me by calling me a "tree hugger," to which I would respond by ginning and hugging whatever tree was nearby. Being in nature is one of my happy places. When I would think of my dream home during high school, it always included woods in the backyard or at least within a minute or two's walking distance. One of my answers to "what would you do if you won a million dollars" was to buy a large piece of wooded/marsh land that is being earmarked for development and turn it into a preserve with a nature education center instead. During undergrad my love for nature took on a slightly different form. When I learned the science behind climate change and how maltreatment of the environment often disproportionately impacts the poorest of the poor, my heart was grabbed. Instead of simply enjoying nature and getting upset when another co