Peace

Workshop on Intimacy

I just got back from a workshop on Intimacy sponsored by the Young Adult Ministry group at one of the local parishes here in Chicago.

I have to say that the workshop reminded me that there are a number of areas of my life that I am afraid to show the real me, and that this keeps me from being as close to others as I could or would like to be.

I'll share with you a few thought-provoking quotes from the talk:

Intimacy = proximity that liberates. ~ Jean Vanier

"It makes no difference when one decides to engage in the process of intimacy or how much one achieves. The decision to engage in the process is what can be life-changing. Such a decision can be made at any time, any age. It is not important to arrive; it is only important to be on the way. To share scary things; to reveal vulnerability; to become increasingly open; to work at letting go of defenses - this is intimacy. It's not something you have; it is something you do. That's why intimacy grows and changes. There's always something new to be honest about, some incident that evokes feelings. If a couple [or in fact, any two people] continues to share those feelings, their sense of adventure about life and their love for each other will grow." ~ Susan Page

A Prayer to End Corruption & Bring Justice in America?

So one of my classmates during the MDiv program was a Sister from Nigeria. She shared with our class one day that the following prayer was composed to fight corruption in Nigeria. It is a prayer she said that many Nigerian Catholics pray daily:

PRAYER AGAINST BRIBERY AND CORRUPTION IN NIGERIA

Father in heaven, You always provide for all your creatures, so that all may live as you have willed. You have blessed our country Nigeria with rich human and natural recourses to be used in honour and glory and for the well being of every Nigerian. 

We are deeply sorry for the wrong use of these your gifts and blessings through acts of injustice, bribery and corruption, as a result of which many of our people are hungry, sick, ignorant and defenceless. Father, you alone can heal us and our nation of this sickness. 

We beg you, touch our lives and the lives of our leaders and people so that we may all realise the evil of bribery and corruption and work hard to eliminate it. Raise up for us God-fearing people and leaders who care for us and who will lead us in the path of peace, prosperity and progress. We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Have mercy on us.


I am wondering whether we American Catholics ought to think about composing our own version of the prayer in light of all that is going on in our society...

Happy New Year!

So first, allow me to apologize for the lapse in blogging. See 2012 New Year's Resolution # 3.

Per my tradition, here's a re-cap of my New Year's Resolutions from 2011 and how I did:

2011 New Year's Resolutions:

1) Continue to eat healthy

2) Do some fun physical activity 2x per week in order to get into better physical shape to prepare myself for life after graduation.

3) Improve my prayer life (set aside time for daily prayer, and try to get to daily Mass 2x a week!) - this also includes (more) regular reception of the Sacrament of Reconciliation...

4) Learn to cook Middle Eastern Food

5) Continue to work on learning Arabic.

6) To survive my final semester of Graduate School without going insane or having a nervous breakdown!

7) To work on growing in virtue and give up a particular habitual sin I'm struggling with.

8) Put what is most important first: God, relationships, responsibilities, etc. and not stress about unnecessary things.

9) To not be a bridezilla.

10) To be true to myself.

11) To continually challenge myself to greater openness with others.

12) To squash criticism, pessimism, dissention, suspicion, etc. in my life and foster acceptance, patience, trust, and humility instead.

Here's how I did:

1) This one I was successful at!

2) Epic fail.

3) Some progress, some regression, some progress, some regression... see a pattern?

4) Check.... see # 5...

5) Check and then Uncheck. Worked on it, but after a major change in life plans, I decided to put this aside indefinitely. I love (and miss studying) the language and culture, but right now it is too painful for me to find joy in it.

6) I rocked my final semester, graduating with a 3.91 GPA and scoring a great job without losing my sanity!

7) I had made some progress in this, and then through changes in events, find myself unavoidably removed from the near occasion of sin! I realize that what I could not conquer on my own, God took care of. I know now that I cannot rely on myself but must rely on His grace!

8) Said major changes (see #4, 5, 7) have resulted in a deeper awareness that the one thing in life I cannot compromise is my relationship with God. In that sense, I feel like the trials of 2011 have taught me to be true to God above and before anyone else, which also has made me be true to myself (see #10). I am entirely unhappy / not at peace when God is not #1 in my life!

9). I nailed this one ;)

10) sometimes you have to learn the hard way, but I feel I've definitely made progress in this area.

11) This is something that I've been working on - and have made progress, but you'll definitely see it on my 2012 list!

12) yay!

drumroll please.....

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And now, my 2012 New Year's Resolutions:

1) Have a sabbath day each week (or one day in which I do not do anything work related).

2) Have a social life outside of work. (or: go out 1-2x a week).

3) Blog 1x a week.

4) Go on a date ;)

5) Be intentional about dressing in a more feminine manner. I feel like I need to be more intentional about looking good when I go out, and taking the time to find, purchase, and then wear clothes that are flattering but modest. 

6) Get a physical & get my teeth cleaned 2x this year. (I am realizing that I need to be more intentional about taking care of myself).

7) Get a hobby outside of work! (can you see at trend here?). Aikido, Pottery, Book Clubs, Singing Lessons, - whatever!

8)  To continually challenge myself to greater openness with others, particularly with things that are negative. Rather than hiding the negative and facing it on my own, this year I want to share all of me, not just the good parts.

9) Run an Adult Faith Formation Series (several week series) for the Parish over the Summer.

10) Write 6 chapters of my book.