Attitude of Gratitude

This week - well, really for the last few weeks I've been overwhelmed by an "attitude of gratitude."

God heard my prayers (and the prayers of so many of my friends and family members, interceding on my behalf) in the midst of my searching and waiting. God brought a wonderful person into my life, who I believe is a gift of God for me at this time. Whether he is a friend for life or something more is yet to be seen, but we're both waiting patiently on God and staying open to the possibilities. Time alone will tell.

In many ways, I didn't see this coming. Yet, there were a lot of prayers and a few signs last Advent that made me think that something was around the corner. But I didn't want to get my hopes up. I felt God nudging me, calling me to TRUST. I struggled with the thought: Lord, do I really believe? Do I really trust? Do I really believe that you are faithful in your promises?

Of course, I knew God is faithful. God is always faithful, even despite my own unfaithfulness. I believed God would come through; but I worried that my own lack of faith might be a hindrance to what God wanted to work in my life.

I've had my doubts along the way; I've freaked out, and been tempted to turn back. But every time I am with him, his constant and calming presence reassure me. His gentleness and kindness win me over every time. God knows that this is just the kind of person it would take to break me out of my hiding.

I thank God every day for His faithfulness, and for the love God is showering on me through my new relationship. It is wonderfully new and fresh and exciting - a very different way of experiencing the love of God than anything else I have experienced up to this point.

Please keep us in your prayers: God's will be done!

This was a black spiritual that I learned from the women of St. Margaret's House this past summer and which has become my song and prayer lately:

THANK YOU LORD
THANK YOU LORD
THANK YOU LORD
I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU LORD

YOU'VE BEEN SO GOOD
YOU'VE BEEN SO GOOD
YOU"VE BEEN SO GOOD
AND I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU LORD

I PRAISE YOUR NAME...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlfwA1E-7js

Real Citizenship: More Than Just Your Vote

I just got an email from a Senator of mine that I had emailed a few weeks ago. I was surprised, because usually you get a quicker turn-around. So much time had passed that I had forgotten I had even sent him an email, and so I wasn't expecting his reply! Anyway, it was a good reminder to me that I haven't responded to any "Action Alerts" lately. So I decided to go looking for some!

Since the Obama Drama unfolded here at Notre Dame in May 2009, and the November 2008 Election, it has become increasingly clear to me that it's not enough to show up to vote. Our Catholic Social tradition has a much richer notion of active citizenship. There's so much we can do to really support causes which our Tradition says are of primary importance beyond electing candidates that share our views -- and our action becomes particularly important precisely when the ones who get elected, DON'T.

Even more surprisingly, there are simple things we can do to remain politically engaged - beyond the vote. Take emailing your reps, for example. Lots of good Catholic orgs have "action alerts" you can respond to: you enter your information, they email your reps. And voila! You've let your voice be heard and have encouraged them to support Catholic values on a variety of issues in just a few minutes!

That being said, here are some good action alerts I encourage everyone to respond to.

http://www.capwiz.com/justiceforimmigrants/issues/alert/?alertid=14503781&type=CO
JUSTICE FOR IMMIGRANTS - USCCB COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION REFORM

http://www.usccb.org/sdwp/national/2010-01-27-Alert-healthcare.pdf
HEALTH CARE REFORM - USCCB

http://actioncenter.crs.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ac_homepage
CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES (CRS) -- ACTION ALERTS

http://crs.org/act/
CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES - ACTION IDEAS

And if you need a little Catholic Inspiration:

As Pier Giorgio Frassati used to say:
"Charity is not enough; we need social reform."

And as Pope John Paul II aptly reminded us in Christifideles Laci:
"A new state of affairs today both in the Church and in social, economic, political and cultural life, calls with a particular urgency for the action of the lay faithful. If lack of commitment is always unacceptable, the present time renders it even more so. It is not permissible for anyone to remain idle."

Spring Break

This week is Spring Break for us here at Notre Dame, and as a member of the head staff, I've stayed behind to cover duty for break and also to get in some good library time (aka catch up on homework I should have been doing all semester long).

It's a beautiful time to be on campus for a number of reasons: it's super quiet, which means you can slow down and hear yourself think think again; I can spend some time in prayer because my life isn't going at the pace of insanity; I can really invest myself in my work and put together quality papers that are well thought out instead of hastily thrown together at 2am. Not to mention that campus is gorgeous right now, particularly in the early and late afternoon. First, the sun shines so bright during the day; the sky is a magnificent bright blue. Though the campus is "dead" (quiet), the warmth and light of the sun seems to make everything radiate with new life. The days are growing longer now, and it's beautiful to see the soft pinks and oranges of the setting sun reflecting off the dome and bathing campus in a colorful hue well into the early evening.

All of this makes me think about the fact that we're just about at the midway point for Lent. Though there are signs all around me of new life bursting forth (the crocuses and daffodils and hyacinth are poking up out of the ground already!), I'm wondering whether the same is true in my soul. How has my life become bathed in the light of Christ this Lent? Where are the little buds poking up through the hardened soil of my heart? How can I feel the warmth and see the colorful light of new love shining through?

In some ways, I feel like this Lent hasn't been as productive as I wanted it to be. I'm wondering if I should be doing more in the few weeks ahead. I made some Lenten commitments, which I have been following, at least, somewhat even if not perfectly. I feel I have been spending more time in prayer, though not always in the ways I feel I should be. At the same time, perhaps my heart, my soul, my spirit have begun to show signs of growth, of new life. There is still time.

Lord, help me to make the most of these last few weeks of Lent. Help me to let the light of Your love shine ever more brightly in my life. Help me to love more totally, more purely, and more disinterestedly.

Laity Not Collaborators, says Pope Benedict XVI

I got this in my inbox the other day and had to post it here. This is EXCITING STUFF!

Laity Are Not Priests' Collaborators, Says Pope
Clarifies That All Are Co-responsible for the Church

ROME, MARCH 7, 2010 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI today told parishioners of a Roman parish that there is a need to change mentalities, so as to see laypeople as co-responsible for the Church, not merely as collaborators of the clergy.

The Pope made this reflection today when he celebrated Sunday Mass at one of the parishes in the north of the Diocese of Rome, San Giovanni della Croce in Colle Salario.

The Bishop of Rome made various concrete exhortations at the parish. [and then]... The Pontiff expressed his satisfaction that the community "wishes to promote, in regard to the vocations and the role of consecrated persons and the laity, the co-responsibility of all the members of the People of God."

To do this, he said, "demands a change in mentality, above all with regard to the laity, 'moving from considering them ‘collaborators’ of the clergy to recognizing them as truly ‘co-responsible’ for the being and action of the Church, promoting a mature and dedicated laity in this way.'"
Finally, the Holy Father exhorted the Christian families and youth of the parish to "let yourselves be more and more drawn by the desire to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ."

"Do not wait until others bring you other messages that do not lead to life, but make yourselves missionaries of Christ for the brothers and sisters where you live, work, study or only pass your free time," he encouraged. "You should also establish here a strong and organic vocational program that educates families and young people in prayer and the living of life as a gift that comes from God."

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