"Only"

I have a confession to make. I was scolded by a caller during my volunteer stint at the church.. It was actually at the end of the very first phone call I answered...what a way to start, huh? I was trying to locate some information for the woman on the phone, and I excused my slowness by saying "The regular secretary is on vacation; I'm only a volunteer, so please forgive me for being so slow." As we got ready to hang up, she said to me..."please don't ever say you're 'only' a volunteer; volunteers help run this country. Without them nothing would get done!" Point well taken! I've said almost the same thing to others when they demur "Oh, I'm not the doctor; I'm only a nurse" or "I'm not the principal; I'm only a teacher."

You are not an 'only' anything! Who knows what really important things God might be using you for? You're not 'only' a sign; you may be the sign God's using to point someone in a new direction. You are not 'only' a lay person; you could be the person God is using to make a stranger feel comfortable during first visit to your church. You are not 'only' a beginner Christian; the very first prayer from your lips might be the one that goes straight to God's heart to seal your life to Him forever.

And here's another 'only'  to think about....as a unique and awesome creation of God, what is it that 'only' you in all your uniqueness and beauty, a perfect creation made by the Father...what is it that 'only' you can give to the world?

"I'm Coming, Lord!"

Part of my commitment from the Cursillo weekend experience is to live my faith in piety, study and action during what is called 'the 4th day,' or the rest of my life. My most recent 'study' was reading the book "A Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything" by James Martin, SJ. In this book Fr. Martin tells a story about St. Alphonsus Rodriguez(1532-1617). St. Alphonsus was a Jesuit who served 46 years at the Jesuit College in Majorca, Spain. He was a porter, or doorkeeper. His job was to answer the door, receive visitors, deliver messages, etc. The story goes that each time the bell would ring, 'he would look to the door and envision that it was God himself standing outside.' Then as he ran to open the door, he would say, "I'm coming, Lord!" In this way he commited himself to seeing Christ in all people and treating each visitor as he would Christ.

I tell this lovely story to share with you what my Cursillo action is this week. I am volunteering in the church office while the secretary is on vacation. My sole responsibility is to answer the phone and help the caller reach the person they need...the rector, the pre-school director, the book keeper, whomever. Like St. Alphonsus I've dedicated myself to taking a quick second to declare "I'm coming, Lord!" each time the phone rings. Do I expect Christ to be on the other end of the line? No...but I do expect to see Christ and hear his voice when the caller speaks. And I will respond to each call as I would respond to Christ.

Monk Manifesto

While my weekend Cursillo experience taught me about the joy of living in community, I am basically a monastic at heart. Quiet contemplation and solitude are what soothe my soul. Both Benedictine and Ignatian rules of life attract me with their balance of quiet, contemplation, hospitality, and action in the world. I love the structure of their rules. Benedictines sing the Psalms 6 or 7 times a day. Those following St. Ignatius 'examine' their lives daily to identify where God was present, thank Him for His blessings and ask for His grace in the day to come. They pray and meditate with vivid imagination. I read a blog called Abbey of the Arts written by Christine Valters Paintner who is a contemporary monk and a Benedictine oblate. She has challenged her readers to read and sign her "Monk Manifesto." I've not only signed it, but I'm also receiving her 7-day free Monk in the World e-course, a daily email with a reflection, a meditation and a prayer blessing. Although I can't live in this beautiful cloister at the St. Etienne Church in Cahors, I can live as a 'monk in the world' here at Red Bell Farm.

Faith

A friend sent me an email yesterday with this reminder from Hebrews:

"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen."

The rest of the verses in Hebrews 11 continue to remind of the miracles worked by God through Abel, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Moses, and others...all because of their faith in things unseen, in things hoped for.

Faith in the Mystery.

Go...

Outside the window the world waits. I've come to Christ. I've prayed and studied. I've worshipped and praised. The Eucharist has replenished my soul and any empty spots inside have been filled with God. Now it's time to live into the rest of the story. It's time to take God into the world, to live a Christ-centered life, to put my faith into action. During my Cursillo weekend, there were many talks that focused on action...what to do with faith. Some people I know do mission trips to Mexico or Africa. Others teach Sunday School, help with vacation Bible school, or are youth group sponsors. Some work in the church's outreach missions in domestic violence, the food pantry, or the faith garden. I've struggled with finding my action. What is the outreach that I am most suited for? What can I do in the world for Christ with a passion?  There are many opportunities, but no clear choice for me.

Yet, every time I worship, I'm exhorted at the end of the service to: "Go forth to love and serve the Lord!" There's even a sign as I exit the parking lot that echoes this reminder...that I'm entering the world, my mission field.

Go forth to love and serve the Lord. How do you take Christ into the world? How has God blessed and empowered your action?

Come...

"Come and see," Jesus invites in John1:39 and 47. Yes, come and see what Jesus is all about. Again in Matthew 11:28 he says "Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens..." Again he invites. Part of my weekend at Cursillo was about this invitation. I was invited to learn more about Christ and living a Christ-centered life. I was given the tools to do this through piety, study, the sacraments, worship, song and prayer. I explored grace; I crafted ideals for my life and prayed them into reality. I learned to look through the wavy, opaque and convoluted ways of the world to see the crystal clear image of Christ beyond them. I relinquished control of my agenda and my world that weekend to come to Christ as my true self created by God the Father...vulnerable, open and willing. It's a simple invitation that we find so hard to accept....Come!

How Do You Say Love?

We said LOVE last weekend at Cursillo by honoring and respecting Christ. The entire focus of the weekend's activities was to find Christ in all things and in all people; this became my focus and my mantra as well. Statues of Christ dotted the campus of the University; this one was my favorite. I love its clean lines and its simplicity. I want my life to mimic this image of Christ...clean, simple, quiet, surrounded by nature, sheltered by beauty. I honor Christ by setting him as my example and by following him as my way and rule of life. At our love feast on Saturday night, we respected Christ in our lives by seating him at our table, by making him our honored guest.

I seek Christ in all things and in all people.