Mother Teresa of Calcutta

Recently, I've found myself drawn to reflect on the life and witness of Mother Teresa of Calcutta. Her 100th birthday is in a few days, on Aug. 26, 2010.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I've been thinking about people who travel abroad to do long term service. The first year MDiv that I am paired up with as a 'mentor' just returned from a year of service with the Salesians of St. John Bosco in South Africa. Listening to her stories from her time there, I think she is doing more to mentor me than I am her! She inspires me.

I also recently talked to a student who lived in Cavanaugh last year who just returned from an ISSLP (International Summer Student Learning Program) working with the Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta at MT's home for the dying. She said it was an amazing experience and wants to go back!

What struck me - is how much this young woman seems to have changed as a result of her experience. When she left she came across (to me, at least) as a carefree sophomore with far too much bubbly-ness and energy. Talking with her this past week, she still radiated the joy she always did, but I felt that there was a new depth and maturity behind it. She spoke of visiting Mother's tomb daily, and how each day they put a quote of Mother Teresa's there - written out entirely using flowers. She spoke of how some days she would go in to the tomb at times when she was struggling - and that very often the quote would just "hit the nail on the head' for whatever she was struggling with that day. Even from the grave, Mother Teresa spoke to her heart!

Her enthusiasm and zeal was contagious. I walked away from my conversation with this student thinking about whether I would ever consider doing international service - and whether that might be something God wants of me. Wanting some guidance, I remembered that I have this little novena book which has quotes and reflections by Bl. Teresa of Calcutta and decided that I should take a look at it once again.

That evening, I went down to the chapel in our dorm and pulled out the novena book - the words of Mother Teresa, her "thought for day" on the first day of the novena really spoke to me as well:

"Do not search for Jesus in far lands; He is not there. He is close to you; He is in you."

It struck me that I need not go to India or Africa or South America or the Middle East to find Jesus. He is, as St. Augustine would say, "more intimate to me than I am to myself."

The homily for this Sunday (given by a young priest of the Congregation of the Holy Cross) spoke of how God gives us TODAY as a gift, and that God can only be found in the present. We only need to be attentive and we will see Him, experience Him right where we are.

It struck me that my challenge for this year is to live in the moment, to be as present as I can to the present moment, to serve those who are right in front of me, and not to desire to be or to serve somewhere else.

Ketch up?

I haven't posted in a long time... well, sorta.

Here's a quick update on my life:

* Had an utterly insane weekend (Thursday Nighty (11/12 they announced that the MDiv program was getting a new director, effective this MONDAY (11/16); suffered a minor panic attack for which I went to health services (not related to the previous issue, hehe); busted my first party while on duty -freshman drinking & potentially playing "strip poker"; major incident in the hall that involved the local police forensics team (ended up being a freak-accident); went to an awesome concert (see Idan Raichel Project post)....

* Won our 2nd Broomball game on Tuesday. Why the undergrads show up drunk to play is beyond me, although it's hilarious to watch them fall more than the rest of us!

* Working on some homework projects, papers, etc. Please pray for me!

* I'll "preach" for the first time tomorrow - our whole class has to present the homilies we've been working on. This might be a skill useful to me later on in case I ever have to preside over a "Sunday Celebration in the Absence of a Priest (hence known as SCAP)."

* I am still sick. I would appreciate any prayers y'all have for a recovery. I'm tired of being sick and tired. It's been a month. Yes, I'm being a baby about it...

* P.S. : Our new director for the MDiv is a diocesan priest (who was just named a Monsignor!) who is a wonderful man. His name is Fr. Michael Heinz. Though I'm sad to see our old Fr. Mike (Connors) go, I'm excited for our new director too!

Feast of All Souls

(Warning: This post may make you cry).

Tonight for MDiv formation we're having special Mass. We've been asked to bring a memento of someone close to us and an inspiration of faith who passed away, as well as a sign or token of a saint we feel a close connection with (recalling yesterday's Feast of All Saints). These, I imagine, will be placed near the altar during the offertory or something to that effect.

I thought for a while about this - and decided I'm going to bring the little prayer card & photo from the funeral for my friend's infant son who passed away three days after he was born this past September. At first, I thought - "well, I never actually knew him. I never met him while he was alive." Then also, I thought - "how is this person an inspiration of faith?" Does he meet the criteria for the assignment?"

Yes, I think he does.

The second reading from Mass yesterday was from 1 John:

1 Jn 3:1-3
Beloved:
See what love the Father has bestowed on us
that we may be called the children of God. Yet so we are.
The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.
Beloved, we are God’s children now;
what we shall be has not yet been revealed.
We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him,
for we shall see him as he is.
Everyone who has this hope based on him makes himself pure, as he is pure.

In baptism, this infant was made a child of God. Because he did not have enough time on this earth to do much else, it struck me that his whole identity can be summed up in his baptism. He is a child of God! It seems the rest of us spend our lives trying to establish our identity, figure out who we are. This little infant - reminds us that our identity is not something we "find" - As if we could go off and "find" ourselves. It is something that is given to us. We are children of God! How often do we forget this! This child's short little life - manifested to me and to our whole community that we are first and foremost the object of the Father's love, and that it is in this love we find who we truly are.

That being said, I noticed in a renewed way how profoundly baptismal funerals are. If you look at the funeral rites of the Church, they are constantly recalling that "in baptism, [the person] died with Christ," etc. This was so evident to me during the sprinkling rite in Mass. I will never forget how the priest who baptized him two days earlier then used the same tiny little white shell which was used to pour water on his head at his baptism to sprinkle holy water on his little white coffin.

Talking with a friend at the funeral, we remarked that this little boy was a small "s" saint- Afterall, he had been baptized the day after he was born, and being so little, he didn't have time to get in much trouble. At the wake before his funeral, it was a very emotional and touching moment for me kneeling and praying by his open casket, asking for him to pray to Jesus for me. I told him that because he didn't have much time to do anything here on earth, he had to make up for it in heaven! Needless to say, I gave him a lot of work to do, many intentions to pray for!

It seems to me that this little boy, though he will never be canonized, fulfills both requirements for this assignment.

"Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May the souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace. Amen."

Lessons from St. Margaret's House

So this past Thursday I completed my 8-week Pastoral Leadership Practicum Internship at St. Margaret's House. How quick time flies!

This experience touched me deeply and gave me a lot to think about. I am so glad that I signed up for this - even though I was quite hestitant at the outset about it.

Here's a list of some things that I learned from my time there:

* Not all poor people are poorly educated. Some have college degrees, but they're out of luck, or have mental illness, drug addictions, etc. that get in the way of them actualizing their potentialities.

* I have never been more aware of my race and white-privilege as I was working at St. Margaret's House.

* Some of the most spiritual people I know struggle with drug or alcohol addiction.

* Women in poverty who have children in the correctional system sometimes are displaced from their children and have no way to see them for 2, 3, 4, 5 years at a time.

* While most of society looks down on un-wed pregnancy to a mother in poverty- sometimes a child is the most joy that a woman in poverty has in her life and they will attest that life - regardless of the circumstances - is a precious gift.

* homeless people - even ones with mental illness, and who might seem a bit weird - are still human beings who need food, a safe place to get out of the storm, and a listening ear, acceptance, and love.

* saying No is sometimes the most loving thing that you can say.

* It's so much better / easier after you just say No. It's before you say it that it's stressful.

* People on entirely different ends of the spectrum can work together toward a common goal and accomplish great things if they're willing to give it a chance.

* sometimes the best thing you can offer is a smile, a hug, or a listening ear.

* lots more to come....

www.stmargaretshouse.org