You’re Disqualified

   When Jeromey was 4 ½  years old, I was watching him and his brother (Michael) as they played on their Grandpa’s driveway in Arizona.  Jeromey was doing something that I considered too dangerous, so I tried to stop him.  He turned to me and yelled “You’re disqualified.”

   I sat him down on the driveway next to me and asked what he meant by that.  He said, “You’re disqualified from telling me I can’t do that.”

   As I thought about and reflected on that discussion, I realized there was a direct relationship to our faith, sinfulness and reconciliation.  Our sinfulness declares “You’re disqualified,” to God for trying to tell us what we can and can’t do.

   As a Director of Religious Education at the time, this experience helped me in talking with parents and preparing children for the Sacrament of Reconciliation.  This interaction and discussion also reinforced for me that children can teach us important lessons, and ones with great faith growth opportunities.

   I also have an increased awareness about lessons children teach us.  I feel blessed and get inspired by what God shares with me through adults, youth and children.  My faith is more alive because of such revelations and that lifts my spirit.

Faith Lessons from Fence-Building

   A friend’s backyard fence was damaged and we made a plan to rebuild it.  A group of us got together on a Saturday morning, picked up supplies and then started planning how to build the fence.

   With a “level line” in place we began putting in the vertical posts and cementing them in place.  When the last of the 11 vertical posts were set we went back to the first ones, thinking they were sturdy and dry, to put in the fence panels.  We installed the first panel, but when we tried to align the second one it was apparent that the vertical posts were not yet secure enough.  We agreed to stop and return at a later date to continue the fence building.

   The next time we got back to the fence building we found the cement dried but the vertical posts though solid in their foundation, were still a little shaky; they seemed to stand firm and upright individually but they could be moved.  We still continued putting up the fence panels.  As each one was added the stability of the whole structure increased.

   This project taught me there is a connection with our faith.  We are like the vertical posts and the concrete is like our faith, which is a foundation that helps us stand upright and keeps us grounded.  But we are still shaky and unstable when we try to stand by ourselves.  When we connect with others (including God) we are strengthened.  We are encouragement and support for one another to better handle the challenges that come our way.

   The fence panels were like love – the kind, caring, compassionate actions that connect us together.  As strong as faith seems, it is not so alone.  Love solidifies faith.  It is the connector between faith and hope.  I believe that is why Paul wrote in his first letter to the community in Corinth (1 Cor 13) “… and the greatest of these is love.”

The Altar Should Have Been Thicker

The Altar Should Have Been Thicker

   In 2005 we went through a year of construction at Our Mother of Confidence, as our Parish’s Sanctuary space was renovated.  It was completed by Christmas that year, and the result was a beautiful blessed worship space.

   A couple of weeks later I was sitting in a front pew with a man as we observed and enjoyed this renovated space.  He commented, “I think the Altar should have been thicker.”

   My reaction was “What!  What are you talking about?”

   He said, “Do you see under the Altar, there are slats of wood that run sideways and front to back.  If the Altar was thicker you couldn’t see them.”

   I strained to look under the Altar and saw what he was looking at.  I also realized that there are very few places in Church where these slats are noticeable.  Then I began to reflect on his comment, and started to understand that when I focus on those slats under the Altar then I lose focus with what is happening on top of the Altar.

   But as I catch myself getting distracted, it is an opportunity to get re-focused.  And God does allow and encourages U-Turns.  Sometimes we do stray and get disconnected from God and God’s family.  But that is certainly not what God wants, and most definitely not what God wants to continue happening.

   Prayer, Reconciliation, our Eucharistic celebration (Mass), faith support groups and the Word of God all help us get and stay reconnected in our relationship with God.  We all need strength, support and encouragement that unites and builds community.  We are more alive in the ways we connect together.

   Stay focused, get re-focused; and encourage others to do the same!

Weathering the Waves

   A few years ago youth and adults from Our Mother of Confidence’s had an opportunity to help I Love A Clean San Diego with a beach clean-up day; about a 3 hour service opportunity.  We also packaged in an offer for our participants to stay for lunch and to play at the beach for a couple of hours.

   We had some that stayed for lunch but no one stuck around to play at the beach.  So my two boys and I were the only ones who remained to enjoy the play-time at the beach.

   Michael, at 14, was comfortable with being in the water at the beach.  So off he went with his boogie board to enjoy some board riding.

   Jeromey at 7 was not as comfortable being in the water.  We had not been to the beach to play in the water for over a year.  The previous times, at 6 or younger, Jeromey wanted to go in the water, would walk in, a wave would knock him over and he’d be done.  Then he’d go play on the sand near the water’s edge.

   On that Saturday Jeromey walked into the water, holding my hand and as the waves came he jumped over them.  This thrilled him, and he was having a great time.

   He let go of my hand and moved a few steps away.  Then, seeing a wave coming, Jeromey ran back to me, grabbed my hand and hopped over the wave.  This continued, and he loved it.

   We came back a couple of days later to play at the beach.  Again, Michael was off with his board to enjoy his time in the water.  Jeromey took my hand and we walked into the water.  He started the same routine, jumping over the waves.  And like a couple of days earlier he walked away until he noticed the next wave coming.  Then he ran back and grabbed hold of my hand, to jump over the waves.

   A revelation from God clicked in my mind.  Jeromey saw me as a source of strength and holding my hand helped him handle the waves.  We all have waves come at us, and we need a source of strength, a sturdy foundation that helps us weather through them.

   Our connection with God and those in our support groups help us with the struggles, decisions, problems and issues that sometimes feel like crashing waves.  Be open to a Support Group – God and people.  Reach out, let others help you weather the waves.

Altar’d living to altered lives

   What do we get by coming to Mass?  Mass is a place and an event for us to gather to praise, worship and glorify God.  It is also for us to commemorate Jesus’ life, suffering, death and resurrection, as well as a celebration of God’s redemption in our lives.  Most of all the Mass is a prayer, to help us connect and re-connect with God.

   The Mass is also a meal, at which we are fed.  We are fed in two ways, through the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist.  In each Liturgy part we receive God (in Word and in Holy Communion) and we also consume what we receive.

   In the Liturgy of the Word we hear God’s messages in the Readings, Psalm, Gospel and homily, receiving it through our senses.  We also consume the Word of God, making it a part of our lives; It changes us (whether we admit it or not).

   In the Liturgy of the Eucharist, we receive the consecrated bread and wine as the Body and Blood of Jesus.  We receive Holy Communion, and with the assembly gathered, we become a holy communion.

   Our altar experience has altered our lives.  We have become more united into One Body; Jesus Christ’s.

   Then we are sent out to affect our world, our various environments (family, school, work, social groups, etc.) and bring them to know Jesus.  We do this through our words, but mostly through our actions, living the faith we profess.

   A transformation takes place, moving us from faith in our lives to life in our faith.  Faith in our lives is the foundation because of our parents, our Church, ultimately God.  That next level is what do we do with our faith, how do we grow closer in our connection with God and how do we have a more alive experience in our faith.  Be the change!