+JMJ+
It may be impossible to fully capture the gift that was the Pilgrimage to Washington, D.C. to stand in prayerful witness for the millions of unborn children who have been slaughtered because of legal abortion in the United States. Just a few weeks ago, I learned that between 1968-2003, over. 2.6 BILLION lives were killed by legal abortion world wide: and those are only the reported abortions...can you imagine how different the world would look if those people were here? I am not looking for a gloomy 'over-population' picture either...it has been proven by demographers that we are in the midst of a population implosion, with places in Europe at negative birth rates and the U.S. just making replacement level, the over-population myth has done its damage over the past 30-40 years.
As we departed for the March for Life this year, I was rather at a loss for control--which was a good thing! With over 100 pilgrims to accommodate, it was a huge undertaking, but a true blessing. Amidst the chaos and some bus-challenges, we finally departed for the Nation's Capitol--and there was a true sense of openness to whatever the Holy Spirit would reveal to the hearts of the many making this journey marked by sacrifice, sorrow and conviction that all human life is sacred and has inherent dignity.
As I continue to move closer to fully saying Fiat to my own vocation, there were so many moments during our intense 60 hour pilgrimage that affirmed God's call in my own life. I felt truly available and present to my students...and I hope they received that avilablitiy. I really had a conviction of being a spiritual mother to them, and even re-heard God call me through their vocies to consecrating myself fully to Him as His humble bride.
On Friday evening, before we hit the road back to Chicago, we were privilege to attend the Pro Life Oscars, (Life Prizes). The witnesses given by pro life heroes really sealed the deal for many of my students. I was blown away by the Christian Rock Band Barlow Girl--we didn't think we'd be able to stay for their performance, but they played an hour early, allowing us to fully participate in the worship/concert. The charge of the Holy Spirit infusing the room was brilliant, and it was yet another moment that I felt my call affirmed. Their song "Million Strong" keeps playing in my head..."How can we be silent when fire burns inside us? We're a million strong and getting stronger still..they'll remember we were here...with a million voices breaking silence till they'll remember we were here..."
On our way home, several students gave testimonies...and it was humbling to be witness to how God had worked in their lives, how they felt called to be involved in the Pro Life movement in new and dynamic ways...and how little things over those 60 hours had had a profound impact on them.
At age 24, there are a few things I know. One of them is that nothing can replace the priviledge of cooperating with God to provide a space where young adults can say Yes to His call in their lives...nothing can compare to giving a Total Surender to the will of the Father...and nothing can compare to loving our brothers and sisters, born and unborn, with our whole hearts.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Enter the Night
+JMJ+
When it 'came out' that Mother Therese had experienced the "Dark Night of the Soul", the general response was shock. How could a person so joyful, so generous, so peaceful have lived in a state void of the feeling of God's presence or love?
As in the past, I really can't blog unless I am reading and praying--I didn't quit praying over the last month or two, but I haven't been reading much 'blogable' material...until the past few days! I am back in conversation with my buddy Von Balthasar...and Theresa Benedicta (a.k.a. Edith Stein). She, more than VB, feeds into the comment on MT above.
In rediscovering "The Science of the Cross" I've been invited to a new and profound sense of the spiritual life--but frankly, anyone who is honest would be! Isn't it curious that the spirituality of St. John of the Cross (who Edith comments on in the aforementioned text) has been so integral for some of the greatest saints--most notably Papa John Paul, who actually learned Spanish solely to read John's texts in the original language?
In reading chapter 3 of Stein's text, the reader is invited to begin delving deeply into the Dark Night, what it truly is. The first reflections are concerning the Dark Night of the Senses. I think it is wise to note that the Dark Night is an utterly profound mystical reality which not every person is spiritually prepared to receive. And, even if you can intellectually appreciate the essence of it, still...to allow that notion of understanding to translate from your head to your heart is an entirely different matter.
From my initial reading and reflection, I've garnered a few gems that I can probably meditate on for the rest of my life, 1) What the Dark Night is; 2) The Active Night; 3) The Passive Night.
So, essentially, as I have posted before, the Catholic Mysticism is in my opinion absolutely essential, not only for individuals, but for the good of the Communio. That beings said, few Catholics are aware of our rich mystical tradition, and even fewer know that it is the desire of our Creator that we all enter into the Mystical Life. In previous posts I've written about the stages in the Mystical Life: Purgative, Illuminative and Unitive. Now...in light of this, let's consider the Dark Night.
How could saints like John of the Cross, Mother Theresa and even Papa John Paul have been subjected to such spiritual turmoil as the feeling of the absence of God? Isn't that cruel and unusual. Not at all!
As she explains John's Mystical understanding of the Dark Night, I beleive Edith is pointing out that the Dark Night is truly something that not all souls will participate in. It seems that the Dark Night follows a period--with a time-frame that is not set--during one's prayer life that is full of spiritual consolation, gifts, deep feelings of God's presence, etc. It is only after such a time that God would invite one into the Dark Night...which is really the beginning of the Purgative way...an intense journey of cooperating in God's will to be stripped of all that displaces us from God.
When John speaks of (and Edith explains) the Active Dark Night...what he means is essentially the choice we make to renounce all that keeps us from Union with God. This is a choice that has to be actively made and willed. There is a distaste for all things of the world...a profound sense of one's sinfulness and the need for mortification and allowing oneself to be subject to God's will. In a sense, the soul chooses to enter into the Dark Night.
Why is it called the Dark Night? Because the soul is a spirit...and although we have physical bodies, the soul is not physical, but spiritual. There are realities experienced in the spiritual realm which cannot be communicated through physical senses or means. In this lies the imperative nature of the Dark Night.
It is only in the darkness, in the utter detachment of all things physical and sensual, in that void of all that distracts the soul from his Creator, that one can fully receive the Divine. Because our eyes see dimly, because they are veiled, they cannot receive the full Light that is God. In this world, that Light can only blind us, because we are not perfected...that light is so strong, it is Dark...and in the Dark Night, the Soul enters into nothingness that is completed only by God...God who is perfect and simple perfects the darkness, beyond the full comprehension of the Soul that enters into the Dark Night.
Once a soul chooses the Dark Night, it can only be completed in the Passive Dark Night...by God Himself. The soul can offer itself as a sacrifice, as a victim, but only God can complete the Crucifixion, which is the climax of the consummation of the soul with God...of Union with the Creator.
There are three signs that one has entered into the dark night:
I cannot even begin to fully comprehend this. In one way, we see God's generosity, His willingness to allow us to share in the Darkness that Christ Himself experienced on the Cross. Although we cannot suffer to the full extent that Christ suffered, we can experience a part of it...we can delve into that agony in an entirely Mystical Way. And this makes sense through the truth that Love entails, and is, a Sacrifice.
The Dark Night requires great Faith...and I beleive that this is why not all...and probably not many...experience the Dark Night. God would not invite a soul to something which that soul was not prepared for. God is always offering us grace to grow closer to Him, but He is gentle, and will not make a choice for us. We must respond to His calling, His whispers to draw closer and closer...and we must cooperate with that innate desire for something more, something better, something utterly purifying. Then, I beleive one might be invited into the Dark Night. I do not think that one must experience the Dark Night while on earth to enter Eternity (perhaps that is why Purgatory exists...maybe it is a form of the Dark Night). But...I do beleive it is through the promptings of God and His completion that the Dark Night leads to the Unitive Way.
When it 'came out' that Mother Therese had experienced the "Dark Night of the Soul", the general response was shock. How could a person so joyful, so generous, so peaceful have lived in a state void of the feeling of God's presence or love?
As in the past, I really can't blog unless I am reading and praying--I didn't quit praying over the last month or two, but I haven't been reading much 'blogable' material...until the past few days! I am back in conversation with my buddy Von Balthasar...and Theresa Benedicta (a.k.a. Edith Stein). She, more than VB, feeds into the comment on MT above.
In rediscovering "The Science of the Cross" I've been invited to a new and profound sense of the spiritual life--but frankly, anyone who is honest would be! Isn't it curious that the spirituality of St. John of the Cross (who Edith comments on in the aforementioned text) has been so integral for some of the greatest saints--most notably Papa John Paul, who actually learned Spanish solely to read John's texts in the original language?
In reading chapter 3 of Stein's text, the reader is invited to begin delving deeply into the Dark Night, what it truly is. The first reflections are concerning the Dark Night of the Senses. I think it is wise to note that the Dark Night is an utterly profound mystical reality which not every person is spiritually prepared to receive. And, even if you can intellectually appreciate the essence of it, still...to allow that notion of understanding to translate from your head to your heart is an entirely different matter.
From my initial reading and reflection, I've garnered a few gems that I can probably meditate on for the rest of my life, 1) What the Dark Night is; 2) The Active Night; 3) The Passive Night.
So, essentially, as I have posted before, the Catholic Mysticism is in my opinion absolutely essential, not only for individuals, but for the good of the Communio. That beings said, few Catholics are aware of our rich mystical tradition, and even fewer know that it is the desire of our Creator that we all enter into the Mystical Life. In previous posts I've written about the stages in the Mystical Life: Purgative, Illuminative and Unitive. Now...in light of this, let's consider the Dark Night.
How could saints like John of the Cross, Mother Theresa and even Papa John Paul have been subjected to such spiritual turmoil as the feeling of the absence of God? Isn't that cruel and unusual. Not at all!
As she explains John's Mystical understanding of the Dark Night, I beleive Edith is pointing out that the Dark Night is truly something that not all souls will participate in. It seems that the Dark Night follows a period--with a time-frame that is not set--during one's prayer life that is full of spiritual consolation, gifts, deep feelings of God's presence, etc. It is only after such a time that God would invite one into the Dark Night...which is really the beginning of the Purgative way...an intense journey of cooperating in God's will to be stripped of all that displaces us from God.
When John speaks of (and Edith explains) the Active Dark Night...what he means is essentially the choice we make to renounce all that keeps us from Union with God. This is a choice that has to be actively made and willed. There is a distaste for all things of the world...a profound sense of one's sinfulness and the need for mortification and allowing oneself to be subject to God's will. In a sense, the soul chooses to enter into the Dark Night.
Why is it called the Dark Night? Because the soul is a spirit...and although we have physical bodies, the soul is not physical, but spiritual. There are realities experienced in the spiritual realm which cannot be communicated through physical senses or means. In this lies the imperative nature of the Dark Night.
It is only in the darkness, in the utter detachment of all things physical and sensual, in that void of all that distracts the soul from his Creator, that one can fully receive the Divine. Because our eyes see dimly, because they are veiled, they cannot receive the full Light that is God. In this world, that Light can only blind us, because we are not perfected...that light is so strong, it is Dark...and in the Dark Night, the Soul enters into nothingness that is completed only by God...God who is perfect and simple perfects the darkness, beyond the full comprehension of the Soul that enters into the Dark Night.
Once a soul chooses the Dark Night, it can only be completed in the Passive Dark Night...by God Himself. The soul can offer itself as a sacrifice, as a victim, but only God can complete the Crucifixion, which is the climax of the consummation of the soul with God...of Union with the Creator.
There are three signs that one has entered into the dark night:
1) The soul finds no delight in creaturesThe Darkness, the emptiness, is really freedom--it is freedom from attachment to all things created, even our own ideas...it is formation for spiritual perfection: in that Emptiness, there is Fullness beyond any Spiritual Consolation.
2) There is a sense of spiritual dryness, a sense that the soul is not serving God, the acknowledgment of how the fallen human nature is disposed to a distaste for the things of God
3) One experiences the dryness in a new form of communication with God, a sort of dry contemplation...in which God communicates in a language never experienced before, God's spirit communicating directly with the soul
I cannot even begin to fully comprehend this. In one way, we see God's generosity, His willingness to allow us to share in the Darkness that Christ Himself experienced on the Cross. Although we cannot suffer to the full extent that Christ suffered, we can experience a part of it...we can delve into that agony in an entirely Mystical Way. And this makes sense through the truth that Love entails, and is, a Sacrifice.
The Dark Night requires great Faith...and I beleive that this is why not all...and probably not many...experience the Dark Night. God would not invite a soul to something which that soul was not prepared for. God is always offering us grace to grow closer to Him, but He is gentle, and will not make a choice for us. We must respond to His calling, His whispers to draw closer and closer...and we must cooperate with that innate desire for something more, something better, something utterly purifying. Then, I beleive one might be invited into the Dark Night. I do not think that one must experience the Dark Night while on earth to enter Eternity (perhaps that is why Purgatory exists...maybe it is a form of the Dark Night). But...I do beleive it is through the promptings of God and His completion that the Dark Night leads to the Unitive Way.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Vita
+JMJ+
In less than a week, thousands of people will be leaving the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C...and thousands more will be settling in for the all night Prayer Vigil leading into the 36th Anniversary of the Roe vs. Wade decision, which legalized abortion in the United States.
On the Chicago front, I've been preparing (literally) night and day for our pilgrimage to participate in the March for Life. Unlike other years, preparations have been particularly challenging. I think there are two practical reasons: 1) I am responsible for double the group--Praise God we have two buses of college students and young adults! 2) Much of the submitted paperwork has been incomplete, causing me to spend much of the past week hunting down forms and checks. At one point I was intently irritated by the situation...but as time passes, I see this as less about missing paperwork and more about the mission: Sacrifice and Love.
Why have I gone through the effort to bring groups to D.C. for the past 8 years of my life? One reason is my desire to share this experience with others...another is truly to help form future leaders in the pro life movement. But, the main reason should be about making an intentional sacrifice out of love for one another and loving memory of those who's lives have been lost.
When I talk to children and teens about chastity and pro life, the theme that keeps recurring in my talks is sacrifice and love. When I have elementary students I make them repeat after me/fill in the blanks: "Love is a (sacrifice)." "Love is a (gift) that we (give) and (receive)." They really like the participation...and the reason I have them repeat it throughout the talk is that I want them to remember that Love is a SACRIFICE ten years down the road, when they are dating or thinking about marriage. Too often everything is painted rosy and reality is never taught. Even little children understand the value of a gift, and when you talk to them about life being a gift, it makes perfect sense.
The same is true for love being a sacrifice. They may not respond (sacrifice) immediately, but once you ask the children about Jesus and what He did, and you talk about how Jesus died and why...then it starts t make sense. Their little minds can grasp the delicate truth of how love is a sacrifice.
Truly, I need to work on being patient and kind...and accept joyfully all the beautiful crosses God offers--even irritating ones like massive scores of paperwork. I hope and pray that the gathering in D.C. this January 22, 2009 carries a somber, yet joyful note. For even in mourning, we have cause for joy, for Christ is our hope.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Know Thyself
+JMJ+
On Thursday I helped moderate our Chicago Spirit and Truth. Since our guest speaker was unable to make it, I had been instructed to play a conference given by Mother Nadine from the Intercessors of the Lamb. I chose a CD with a talk entitled "Seat of Wisdom" on it, since I knew it would be about Our Lady.
Essentially what Mother Nadine discussed was how Our Lady is the personification of the Beatitudes. There is no virtue that she, in her human state, does not excel at, she is truly the school of virtue.
One point that Mother made which screamed out to me regarded Mary's humility. Mary was humble before the Creator, and she allowed Him to reveal to her WHO she WAS. Mary didn't "choose her destiny" like one of the Disney Princesses. She embraced the purpose for which she was created. She didn't need to go looking for who she was, because her identity was innate...
Because she allowed God the time, space and silence to reveal to her WHO she WAS, Mary was able to embrace fully, joyfully her mission.
Today one might say the culture crisis is truly a crisis of identity. Nobody knows who they are. Constantly seeking for our 'purpose', we fail to turn to the One who created us. Seldom do people ask the Heavenly Father "Who am I?" "For what purpose did You create me?" Our seeking is centered on self-satisfaction, not true self-knowledge...not truth.
When we are not asking God who we are...the enemy of our hearts sneaks in, and in his cunning deception whispers false ideas about who we are. His deception is so delicate, for often what he tells is is a distorted version of what God desires for us--all that is good, true and beautiful.
I just finished a little book about the virtue of humility. The priest who wrote this gem talks about how God so loved Mary not for her virginity or purity, but for her humility--for her ability to recognize who she was, a daughter of God...and in that recognition embrace her identity. Truly, her virginity was a fruit of her humility.
Ask yourself today: "Who am I? Do I know myself?"
If you can't honestly answer these questions...it is truly time to start thinking about them, praying about them...and taking them directly to the Father.
On Thursday I helped moderate our Chicago Spirit and Truth. Since our guest speaker was unable to make it, I had been instructed to play a conference given by Mother Nadine from the Intercessors of the Lamb. I chose a CD with a talk entitled "Seat of Wisdom" on it, since I knew it would be about Our Lady.
Essentially what Mother Nadine discussed was how Our Lady is the personification of the Beatitudes. There is no virtue that she, in her human state, does not excel at, she is truly the school of virtue.
One point that Mother made which screamed out to me regarded Mary's humility. Mary was humble before the Creator, and she allowed Him to reveal to her WHO she WAS. Mary didn't "choose her destiny" like one of the Disney Princesses. She embraced the purpose for which she was created. She didn't need to go looking for who she was, because her identity was innate...
Because she allowed God the time, space and silence to reveal to her WHO she WAS, Mary was able to embrace fully, joyfully her mission.
Today one might say the culture crisis is truly a crisis of identity. Nobody knows who they are. Constantly seeking for our 'purpose', we fail to turn to the One who created us. Seldom do people ask the Heavenly Father "Who am I?" "For what purpose did You create me?" Our seeking is centered on self-satisfaction, not true self-knowledge...not truth.
When we are not asking God who we are...the enemy of our hearts sneaks in, and in his cunning deception whispers false ideas about who we are. His deception is so delicate, for often what he tells is is a distorted version of what God desires for us--all that is good, true and beautiful.
I just finished a little book about the virtue of humility. The priest who wrote this gem talks about how God so loved Mary not for her virginity or purity, but for her humility--for her ability to recognize who she was, a daughter of God...and in that recognition embrace her identity. Truly, her virginity was a fruit of her humility.
Ask yourself today: "Who am I? Do I know myself?"
If you can't honestly answer these questions...it is truly time to start thinking about them, praying about them...and taking them directly to the Father.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Interview
+JMJ+
Gearing up for the March for Life Pilgrimage at the end of this month, I was recently interviewed about the work I've been blessed to partake in with college and university students around Illinois. If you'd like, take a read. God bless!
N.B.~ For some reason the wrong headline is above that photo, something about Santa Claus. Definitely not what the interview is about...
Gearing up for the March for Life Pilgrimage at the end of this month, I was recently interviewed about the work I've been blessed to partake in with college and university students around Illinois. If you'd like, take a read. God bless!
N.B.~ For some reason the wrong headline is above that photo, something about Santa Claus. Definitely not what the interview is about...
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