The Joys of the Eucharist

How many times do we walk into Mass and not think a thing of it? We walk in, we kneel, sing the songs, listen, stand and kneel some more, receive the Eucharist and then just wait for the priest to give the final blessing so we can get out before the traffic rush. It’s just one hour of our week, and so often we do not stop and really think about what we are doing, but instead get caught up in other things. This past week I attended my first Extraordinary Minister Training class! I’m so excited to soon be able to serve others by presenting the Catholic congregation with true spiritual food. With our training class, we also have to read a book about the duties of an Extraordinary Minister and the Eucharist itself. I loved reading this book because it brought a good renewal and realization to me.

When we attend Mass, we are brought into the throne room of heaven with God. It is a celebration with all of the angels and saints in heaven and with the congregation on earth. It is the time when heaven and earth meet all at the same time gathered to worship one God! It’s an amazing opportunity that we should not take for granted. It is even more amazing that Jesus gives himself as true food for our souls! Jesus laid his life down for each and every one of us so that we could receive Him body and blood soul and divinity at the Mass.

So many times we forget what we are actually entering into. We forget how much Jesus loves us and thirsts for a relationship with us, and we forget that when we are in Mass, we are receiving the true body and blood of Jesus Christ on the altar. How indescribable and wonderful an opportunity it is! We are so unworthy to even be in the same place as He is, yet He begs us to come and take Himself as food for our journey. Take some time to ponder how amazing and wonderful the Mass and the Eucharist are. This Sunday, when you’re tempted to just go through the motions, be on fire, be joyful, and shine Christ’s light.

HOT HOT HOT! — UFFT #30

A nice view of the lake on a hot, summer day!

Living in South Carolina for many summers has taught me many things, but one lesson stands out amongst the rest: the heat in South Carolina, when coupled with the almost unbearable humidity, is unlike any heat that I have felt anywhere else in the United States. Some days it is so hot that going outside for just a few short minutes leaves you with the thought that you may have just succumbed to heatstroke! Other days, you awake in the early hours of the morning to get in a run or some sort of outdoor activity before the oppressive heat rolls in, just to discover that by 10:00AM the temperature is already scraping around 90 degrees!

I remember one time, back when I was much younger than I am currently, a friend and I were inside his house during one of these ridiculous summer days. It wasn’t just any old summer day in South Carolina, no, it was a day where the heat had broken the 100 degree mark! As fate would have it, this was the day that my friend and I were EXCEPTIONALLY bored and couldn’t find anything fun to do indoors that we hadn’t already tried for a few minutes. That left us with one option left; the one option available to two elementary school kids who had no method of transportation. We had to venture outside.

The Yoke and The Burden

Looking for something to do with all your extra summer time? Something exciting with lots of adventure, something that is fulfilling and will leave you wanting more? Something that help you to experience life with a deeper new meaning? Then try going to daily Mass! I know that my parish offers an 8:30 Mass (which I personally prefer because it’s a great start to the day), or a 12:00 mass, if you feel like sleeping in.  Some parishes even offer daily masses at night. But seriously, if you don’t do it already, try to make it a habit to go spend a little extra time during the week to grow your faith life by going to mass if you can. Even if that means you have to sacrifice sleep, or you’re the youngest person there:) Or,   read the daily readings to help yourself on your journey of faith with God (which there are also convenient apps for!)

The Gospel reading for Thursday was one of my new favorites Mt 11:28-30, which says “Jesus said: “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.””

I love that saying, “My yoke is easy, and my burden is light. ” But I never fully understood it until it was explained to me last week. A yoke is a big wooden cross that harnesses two animals together which allows them to plow fields and work together. Yokes have to be created specifically for every individual animal because each animals statue varies a little bit. If an animal is too big or too small for the yoke it will be harnessed into, it could seriously injure the animal.

After knowing that and really being able to unwrap the whole meaning of the scripture verse, I find it very comforting. When I read the verse I in vision Christ who has created a yoke specifically fit for me  on one side, and for Him on the other. Christ created a yoke that is perfectly shaped to fit myself comfortably, but also to fit Christ with me. An animal cannot plow a field by himself in a yoke designed for 2 animals. Neither can we pull our crosses and our burdens by ourselves. If we accept Christ into our lives fully and trust Him and allow Him to help us with our burdens and our struggles, then we can see that He will protect us and help carry us when we can no longer stand. He will be by our side showing us that the Yoke, or the life and the plan He created for us is perfect if we follow His will. But, our life can be  best lived when we allow Christ to work within it. Then He can carry our burden, wipe our tears, help us to balance and stand and keep going with a strong trust and faith in Him.

Following in the Footsteps of Christ

So I feel like a lot of my stories start this way, but kids just have the best advice sometimes! I few months ago, when I was babysitting, I was given a great reminder by one of the kids I babysit. I was trying to put her to sleep, and after she tried to stall 200 times, she was finally in bed. Then she started asking questions, and in the back of my mind, I was thinking to myself, “I hope I have the right answers to these!” Then we started getting into a pretty deep conversation, well deep for a 5 year old anyways. She was trying to make a really hard decision for a five year old and she was asking for my advice on a big decision, and then she said something I still remember vividly, “You know, I wish there was someone who would just tell us what to do! Then it would make things so easy!” Then it hit me, isn’t that what God does for us?
Now, God may not come down in a big booming voice and tell us exactly what His plan for us is, and tell us exactly what to do, but He shows us through the little things. Maybe that’s through people we meet, or circumstances we are put in, or even our own thoughts. All of these things, the good things, and the things that happen that seem to be bad in the moment; all have a good purpose behind them. They are meant to draw us closer to God and closer to the path that He created for us. That’s the amazing mystery of it that always keeps me on the edge of my seat, happily anticipating what God’s next big adventure for me is. It’s like Forrest Gump says, “Life is like a box of chocolates, you never quite know what you’re going to get.” I think this stands pretty true, I mean, the creators of the box of chocolates know what’s inside, just like our creator knows the plans that He has and wants for us. We just don’t know what they all are up front, until we start living life, and trying new things, and most importantly being open to listening and following God’s will. Then He reveals to us little by little the vast surprises He has in store for each and every one of us.
God may try to tell us what He wants for us in many ways, but a lot of times, we are just far to stubborn to take the time and effort to listen and be obedient! God has a plan for each of us, but He also loves us enough to provide us with free will. So, He loves us so much that even if we don’t want to be with Him, even if we don’t want to follow the path He has for our happiness, He gives us other options. But, just because we may choose a different path than what God originally planned, doesn’t mean that He will abandon us completely. He always gives us second chances, and lots of mercy and grace.

Better Than the World Cup

Our Arrival in Brazil

Exactly a year ago, I was in the midst of preparing. Preparing for the pilgrimage of a lifetime, and meanwhile, I was dreaming. Dreaming about what Brazil would look like, feel like, smell like, and thinking about all the wonderful things I would experience. But wow, even in the sweetest dream, I couldn’t have dreamt what my experience in Brazil was actually like.
I love hearing all the news and watching all the games of the World Cup. Well first off because it’s an awesome event, and second, it brings me back to when I went to Rio de Janiero, Brazil last year for World Youth Day. When I see all the news coverage and all the places that they show on TV, I miss it. But I don’t only miss the beautiful country of Brazil, I miss my overall experience as a whole.
World Youth day was an event created in 1986 by JP 2 for all the Catholic Youth from all over the world to come together in one central location to celebrate and learn more about the faith. The event has continued to draw catholic youth together every 2-4 years ever since. I could go on and on about all the little details of my experience….seriously forever! We climbed trees to see the pope, slept on the beach, and rode jeeps through the jungle. Oh, and I can’t forget the fact that I was constantly surrounded by millions of my closest Catholic friends from all corners of the earth. There’s a lot to talk about! So email me or message me if you would like to know more, however, I am going to give you a recap of 3 very important things that I got out of my pilgrimage.

A summer adventure

This Sunday I am going on an adventure.

I shall be beginning a summer job working as a camp councilor at Camp Fatima and Bernadette in New Hampshire.

So a few things about this adventure. First off I’ll be rather busy and probably wont be able post that often if at all.  But I’m sure I’ll have plenty to write about when I get back.

Second:  I am going to become incredibly sunburned.  I am a pale skinned ginger.  Large amounts of 4000000 spf sunblock will work for a bit, but I will miss bits, it will wear off, or I’ll just plain forget to put any on until I’m roughly the same color as a lobster.

Third:  It’s going to be a while.  I’m going to be working for eight weeks.  The scary part is that it will give me about a week to get back down to SC and get read/move into college.  That is assuming I’m not immobilized by sunburns.

Fourth:  I can’t wait.  This is a Catholic camp run by the Diocese of Manchester and I am so happy that I’ve been given the chance to work there.  I’m not sure what awaits me but I bet it’s going to be great.

So if you could all keep me in prayers that would be great!

God bless.

 

Telephone: God is Calling!

God is calling

“Stop callin’, stop callin’, I don’t wanna talk anymore I left my head and my heart on the dance floor.”
Know this song? It’s Telephone by Lady Gaga. Now, Lady Gaga is not really a person one should look to as a role model but God has a pretty cool way of making all things eventually reflect back to Him. He calls our attention everywhere we go, reminding us that we are His and telling us when we‘re getting ourselves into trouble. This message can be found even in Lady Gaga’s song.
Maybe you’re nor familiar enough with Telephone to understand its “plot” so here is a summary. Basically the singer is out partying and is getting annoyed at the caller for pestering her while she’s out. She (by way of song) tells the caller that she’s sorry, but she can’t answer him right now. She’s too busy. She doesn’t want to talk. She doesn’t want to think. She wants to dance, drink and have a good time. It’s funny how this can so often sum up our relationship with God.

Who Are You Living For?

Today we live in a society that tells us we should focus on ourselves. We should focus on doing everything we can to make ourselves look better, feel better, be better, be more accomplished, more achieved, be richer, and to have more things. And it tells us that if we do these things, we will be truly happy. Now not all of this is bad, trying to better ourselves in the correct way and having healthy goals is a very good thing! However, society tells us we should do these things all for our own glory. When in reality, if we ever really achieve these things, have we really even done it all on our own? Do we really deserve all the glory? Imagine how our world would change if everyone instead changed their outlook to looking outside themselves, and looking to work for the betterment of others!

It’s All in the Little Things

The other day, I was at work, and I was getting everything cleaned up and ready to open, and I found something unexpected. I lifeguard at a neighborhood pool in my area, so to get ready for the day we have to make sure the pool is clean, check all the chemical balances and put on our happy faces, and our sunscreen. I was cleaning around the pool just before opening and stumbled upon a little baby bunny. I was unsure if it was dead or alive, until a coworker came and checked on it. We determined it was still living, and decided to keep the bunny for the rest of the day and nurse it back to health. Needless to say  I was ecstatic. I love anything that has to do with babies or baby animals and this bunny was just soooo adorable! We got to watch it all day and pet its’ soft fur and look at its’ cute little features. All features that God created.

Psalm number Two: