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What About You

Posted by eph21920 on September 26, 2015 in Faith, Life, Pope, Saint, Service

I was grateful to watch so much coverage of Pope Francis again today. Everything he says and does is so rich, relevant, and full of love. Today I will focus on only one message that has been with me all day – “What About You?” When Pope Francis spoke at Mass in Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral in Philadelphia this morning, he talked about St. Katharine Drexel. She was born into a wealthy family in Philadelphia in 1858. Her family took part in serving the needy both monetarily and through physically working with them. Eventually, Katharine found that what was needed was more man power. She and her sisters were granted a private audience with the pope at the time – Pope Leo XIII – and he challenged her to become a missionary herself – which she did. She established a religious congregation – the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament – and worked with the native and African Americans. She also gave millions of dollars to meet their needs. Her decision was very counter-cultural at the time, and even now. From what people saw, she had everything. Yet, she gave it all away and spent her life serving others. The big message that Pope Francis was relaying was – “What about you?” Just as Pope Leo XIII challenged Katharine, our pope is challenging each of us today. We cannot rely on government or other people to do the work that God is calling us to do as individuals. We know what is right and cannot sit on the sidelines waiting – or wishing – for someone else to take care of things. I know there have been times in my life when God was nudging me to take action, asking me, “What about you?” I also realize that I did not always take the action. I know I need a spiritual director that I can confide in to help discern what exactly God is asking me to do. What About YOU?

I Found God today in a beautiful reminder by Pope Francis that each of us has to contribute to bringing about good in this world.

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Peace and Prayers

Posted by eph21920 on September 25, 2015 in Faith, Pope, Prayer

Today I was able to follow most of the continuing visit of Pope Francis. Here are some of the moments that moved me the most. At his address to the United Nations, Pope Francis encouraged the working relationship of the institution to move toward the common good of all people. He said, “The common home of all men and women must continue to rise on the foundations of a right understanding of universal fraternity and respect for the sacredness of every human life, of every man and every woman, the poor, the elderly, children, the infirm, the unborn, the unemployed, the abandoned, those considered disposable because they are only considered as part of a statistic. This common home of all men and women must also be built on the understanding of a certain sacredness of created nature.” The interfaith prayer service at Ground Zero was so beautiful and inspirational. Listening to the prayers of the different religions that were represented there helped to reiterate the human desire for peace, hope, and love. The pope asked all people to pray for peace. When the choir sang Let There Be Peace On Earth, I was led to tears. Pope Francis seemed most happy when he was visiting the children. I thought it was great that they also sang a song about allowing themselves to be an instrument of God’s peace. He gave them some homework – to pray for him. As people waited for the pope to arrive in Central Park, a rainbow appeared in the sky. When I heard about that, I asked, “What more is God to do to get people’s attention?”  Later at Mass at Madison Square Gardens, Pope Francis reminded everyone in the big, busy city that God is there too. I saw pictures from a priest friend who was there. He was seated along with many other priests just behind Pope Francis. It was fun to try to pick him out of the crowd – which I never was able to. Cardinal Dolan was a joy to watch as well. His exuberance and enthusiasm at all times was contagious. It was very interesting that John Boehner decided to submit his resignation today after his very emotional day with the pope yesterday. He talked about a private moment that he had with Pope Francis where the pope took his arm and asked House Speaker Boehner to pray for him. Boehner cried more as he told about it and said, “Who am I to pray for him?” But, that is the way of this humble man.

I Found God today in Pope Francis’ call for peace and prayer.

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Pope Francis Day 3

Posted by eph21920 on September 24, 2015 in Faith, Pope

I enjoyed another spirit filled day watching the coverage of Pope Francis. His address at the joint meeting of congress was inspirational. It was moving just watching the reaction of House Speaker John Boehner as he was moved to tears – almost uncontrollably at the end when the pope was blessing the crowd. There were several points made by Pope Francis – some were applauded and others were met with silence. I loved the way he talked about 4 particular Americans and the way in which they impacted not only the United States, but the world – “Three sons and a daughter of this land, four individuals and four dreams: Lincoln, liberty; Martin Luther King, liberty in plurality and non-exclusion; Dorothy Day, social justice and the rights of persons; and Thomas Merton, the capacity for dialogue and openness to God.” Another quote that struck me was, “”if we want security, let us give security; if we want life, let us give life; if we want opportunities, let us provide opportunities.” I was also happy to see the camera pan to Moses on the wall of the Capitol as the pope mentioned him. I did not know that was there. And it was so fitting to see the words, “In God We Trust”, right behind the pope. After his address, Pope Francis went to St. Patrick’s Church and spoke to an audience which included some who are homeless. He reminded us that Jesus Christ himself was homeless when he came into our world. He also said that everyone can pray and have a relationship with God. He then prayed with everyone there before heading to the tented area to help serve lunch as part of Catholic Charities. Later in the day, he made his way to New York City and St. Patrick’s Cathedral. A friend of mine was in the audience and it was exciting to see his pictures. Many of those in attendance were bishops, priests, and religious men and women. What spoke to me most during his homily was his reminder that we should always follow what Christ would have us to do and that if we think we are failing, by human standards, it seemed that Jesus’ life ended in failure. He was a convicted criminal sentenced to the death penalty and left all his friends with little direction. Yet, that was not the end of the story. I love the way that Pope Francis is able to make us think about things in a different way.

I Found God today in more moving moments by Pope Francis.

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More Pope Francis

Posted by eph21920 on September 23, 2015 in Children, Faith, Pope

As soon as I got up this morning, I turned on the TV to watch the coverage of Pope Francis here in our country. The first thing that I saw was his official welcome by President Obama on the White House lawn. As the Vatican anthem played, Pope Francis had his head bowed and eyes closed while the president stood tall with his chin raised. What a contrast I thought, and very telling of their leadership style. I admit I was surprised to hear the words of our president as he acknowledged the contribution of American Catholics. He also talked about how he admired Pope Francis and that his moral authority comes not just through words, but through deeds. Pope Francis responded by highlighting the importance of taking care of our common home – the earth. A little later, the pope rode in his pope-mobile to St. Matthew’s Church to address the bishops. On the way, he was met by throngs of people, kissed a few babies, and was greeted by a little girl who broke through the barriers to see him. Evidently, she was the daughter of undocumented immigrants, and gave the pope a letter about the plight of their family. I thought that was pretty courageous. As Pope Francis addressed the bishops, I thought about what a truly difficult commitment it is for our priests and how much they need our support and prayers. In the afternoon as the pope made his way to the Catholic University of America, I thought about the couple of young adults who I know there and wondered if they were in the crowds. The Mass celebrated the canonization of Junipero Serra and is the first canonization to be held in the United States. I had never heard of him before now, but my dad said that he learned about him when he was a boy in school. Now St. Junipero Serra was said to evangelize native Americans as well as help them and stand up for their dignity. The words that stood out to me most were, “The spirit of the world tells us to be like everyone else, to settle for what comes easy. Faced with this human way of thinking, we must regain the conviction that we need one another, that we have a shared responsibility for others and for the world.” I know that there have been so many times when I have chosen not to get involved in situations, even though I felt God’s tug on my heart to do so. And I can get sucked into my computer which is actually a false sense of being involved. By the end of the coverage, Pope Francis was looking very weary and in pain. I will say some extra prayers for him tonight as I am sure many others are as well.

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Pope Francis Arrives

Posted by eph21920 on September 22, 2015 in Hope, Pope

I have been looking forward to the arrival of Pope Francis for some time now and excited to watch the coverage. Today I wore a shirt with the prayer of St. Francis on it in celebration. My mom, sister, and I went out and about and returned home just in time to watch the pope land. It was thrilling to see him step out of the plane and know that he is in our country. I was surprised to see that President Obama, Vice President Biden, and their families greeted Pope Francis as he exited the plane. One thing I noticed is that everyone who meets him is smiling from ear to ear. There were also 4 Catholic school children who were chosen to greet him. I watched a short video about them later and loved their comments. When one boy who is an altar server was asked how he prepared, he said, “I made sure I fixed my collar, I took a bath last night and this morning…” Another boy said that being an altar server helps him feel closer to God. The older girl said that her family and faith have taught her to help those in need. She said she was, “blessed to have the opportunity.” I saw posts and pictures from some of my friends who are participating in the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia. Even though I am not in the midst of these exciting events, I can feel the enthusiasm of having this incredibly spiritual man in our presence. I pray for his safety and that his connection with God truly changes the hearts of many in our country.

I Found God today in the arrival of Pope Francis.

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#notesfromshawn

Posted by eph21920 on September 21, 2015 in Connected, Joy, Life, Opportunity, Struggles

This afternoon I talked my sister into going for a walk – well, actually, me taking her for a walk. We started out with my mom and dad as well. My mom was using her rolling walker and I was pushing my sister in the wheelchair. I kept hearing the song from the Monkees in my head, “Here we come, walking down the street, we get the funniest looks from everyone we meet . . . ” My mom made it a little further than usual, which was great, then she and my dad headed back. My sister and I continued on. There is a school near the house, so we walked along the sidewalk in front of the building. When we came to a crosswalk sign, I noticed a pink sticky note stuck to it. It read, “You were born an original, don’t die a copy. – Rydel Lynch”. At the bottom was #notesfromshawn. I learned that the movement was started by the young singer Shawn Mendes who has a heart for people who struggle with depression. His campaign encourages people to write positive notes for others to find to turn their day around. I thought it was a very energizing walk with a thought provoking message and an incredibly uplifting campaign.

I Found God today in an enjoying walk and a very uplifting message – both from the note and the #notesfromshawn campaign.

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A Wolf Story

Posted by eph21920 on September 20, 2015 in Connected, Creation, Mercy

As part of my mom’s ongoing vocal exercises, she reads out loud at least 5 minutes a day. Most of the time she reads from a very silly – yet oddly relevant – book that my dad has had since the 1950’s. Tonight she read an article from “The Week”, a weekly publication that gives you an overview of the news. It also includes a smattering of other interesting narratives. The short story that my mom read was about the wolves in Yellowstone and the man who has been observing them for 15 years. He points out the similarities between the life of the wolf and the life of a human. The story followed one wolf in particular who is known as “21”. The man started watching him from the time he was just a pup as he, his siblings, and his mother were captured for a short time and fed to help assure their survival. Even at that young age, 21 was showing amazing behavior. While the others in the litter would run to the back of the enclosure, 21 would come forward in between the frightened cubs and the humans. One of his siblings was the runt of the litter and the others would stay away from it. But 21 would look for him and just be with him. And so it went. The family was released back into the wild and when old enough, 21 left his home and met up with another pack who had just lost their alpha male. 21 became the new leader of the pack and was accepted happily by the rest. His life and legacy grew as he battled to protect his family and his territory. One pivotal moment was when he led the fight against another wolf who kept coming around and bothering the family. The rest of the pack joined in the fight and just when it looked as if it would be the end of the intruder, 21 stopped and backed up. The other wolves followed suit. The badly battered prowler took the opportunity to escape. Little did 21 know that this act of mercy would ensure the survival of his extended family. The one time trespasser eventually became the leader of a pack himself that included some of 21’s grandchildren. The man even witnessed the behavior of 21 at the end of his life. The wolf seemed to know it was his time, left the pack, and went to a place where the family spent a lot of time raising the cubs. He found himself a spot under a tree, curled up, and was one of the only wolves known to have actually died of old age. The man points out the parallels between the life of the wolf and our own life and what we can learn from this. There are very strong family bonds and relationships that become part of our identity; leadership isn’t always about being the biggest and the strongest; it is important to go out of your way to welcome someone who is being shunned; sometimes deciding to act with mercy is ensuring a better future for those who come after.

I Found God today in a beautiful story about a wolf and realizing how much we can learn from other creatures that God has given us to enjoy.

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Who Is Greatest

Posted by eph21920 on September 19, 2015 in Bible, Creation, Humility

My dad and I went to church this evening as he and my mom have an event tomorrow. Unfortunately, my mom was feeling pretty dizzy today, so she did not come. We are hoping that she feels better tomorrow. One of the scriptures in church was Mark 9:30-37. In this reading, Jesus’ disciples argue about who is the best one of them. But once Jesus asks what they are talking about, they become silent. Of course, He already knows what they are talking about. As I thought about this, I wondered why we are like this. Why do we find our self worth in comparing ourselves to others? Why is it so important to us to be “better” than our brothers and sisters? And if we must make ourselves more superior, we are in fact making others inferior. I have been on both ends of this conflict. For much of my life I was the brunt of jokes and put downs, as I was a sickly kid. I knew how it felt to have very low self esteem, almost to the point of feeling worthless. I was always comparing myself to others and knew I could never measure up. But, as I got older, I realized I could do the same thing. I found myself putting down others – as least I am not like that person . . . As I got closer to God, I began to understand that each one of us is a magnificent creation from God. We each have our own gifts, talents, and flaws. And none of that makes us better or worse than one another. Jesus calls out his friends by telling them that if they want to be first, they need to be servants of others. So, instead of making others do what I want and be who I want them to be, I need to accept each person for who they are. I do not become a doormat and let people step all over me, but I can put others’ needs before my own.

I Found God today in a humble reminder that we are all equal in God’s eyes as His own Creation.

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Renovated Walker

Posted by eph21920 on September 18, 2015 in Family, Fun, Problem

My sister has been getting around mostly with a walker since she broke her leg and cannot put any weight on it at all. She lifts the leg and uses the walker as you would use crutches – she moves it forward a bit, then hops her good leg forward. She has been trying different ways to keep the things she needs with her. She ordered and received a tray to go on the top of the walker. But, when it was put on, it got in the way of the leg she needs to lift. She ended up putting all her necessities into a bag and hung it on the front of the walker. But, that kept bumping into her lifted leg. This morning, my mother said she had an idea and brought out another large bag from her bedroom. She was thinking we would be able to hang it in a different way, but it did not work. She went back into her bedroom and fetched another bag with an adjustable strap. After trying it in different ways, my dad figured out a way to hang it on the side of the walker. We hung the other bag on the other side to evenly distribute the weight. It worked great. My dad found some shower curtain hangers that we could put over the bars to hang things from. We found some Velcro and attached a picker-upper so it will always be handy. All together, we had great ideas and solutions to help my sister gain a little more independence. By the afternoon, my sister was noticeably walking – hopping – better and some of the new pains she started getting in her knee and hip had subsided. She said that it was so wonderful that a small adjustment made such a big difference in her comfort.

I Found God today in a team effort to make some adjustments to my sister’s situation that helped her tremendously.

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Great Values

Posted by eph21920 on September 17, 2015 in Knowledge, Plan

Today the Occupational Therapist came to see my sister. She decided to try to do some cooking while staying completely off her broken leg as the doctor instructed. During the exercise, the therapist told us a little about himself. He and his wife are expecting their second child. Their older child is almost 2 years old. My sister asked if he would be taking some time off when the baby is born. The therapist said he will be taking off 2 weeks – unpaid. He said it is worth it, though, so he can be home. He said he purposefully works only 4 days a week so he can have 1 full day of being the stay at home dad. His wife works half time as a social worker. He said that she does not really make enough money to pay for day care, but it is a fulfilling job and important to his wife. They also have both sets of parents that live in the area who also take their turn at babysitting. He acknowledged that they are very lucky to have such support. I was so impressed at his values and integrity – along with his knowledge and encouragement that he passed along to my sister.

I Found God today in the values, concern, and encouragement shown by the occupational therapist.

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