Author: catholicgirljourney-kc

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Catholic Girl Journey

Following The Way

During this Easter season, one thing I marvel about is the first Christians.  Before they were called Christians, they followed  what was known as The Way (Acts 9:2).

The first reading during this time between Easter and Pentecost is generally taken from the the New Testament, mostly from the Acts of the Apostles which illustrate for us the first bloom of the Church. I feel so blessed that we have over 2,000 years of history, reflection and interpretation to help us understand just a bit of what Easter is all about: the Eucharist, Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus. Even as a cradle-Catholic, I often feel overwhelmed pondering this. In Acts, Peter reminds the crowd of their participation in the death of Jesus (Acts 2:22-24; 3:12-26). What must have it been like to hear those words from Peter and know that you were one who watched or shouted out, “Crucify Him”? Perhaps because most of the apostles and disciples “ran away” from Jesus during the time of the crucifixion, they could minister to those who participated in calling for His death. Maybe seeing the conviction and zealousness of the apostles moved the people to accept God’s mercy. Maybe seeing what God’s mercy had brought about in the apostles helped them to be baptized and follow the way of Christ.

One of the repeating themes in Acts is the persecution the disciples suffered  for preaching about Jesus as the Christ. Time and again they meet with individuals who try to stop them. The apostles’ response, though, is much different than most would expect: they delight in the suffering (Acts 5:41). How can anyone delight in being taunted, beaten and killed for Jesus? And yet, from the beginning it was so. Sadly, the persecution continues into our own time. While, we may not face death in America, how many times do Christians suffer persecution in the way of bad jokes, put-downs and being called foolish for their beliefs?

What did those first converts see in The Way? Risking life as they knew it, they found something much more beautiful that was worth the sacrifice. I may not know what convinced them to follow Jesus’ teachings, but I appreciate their convictions, sufferings and triumphs as fellow brothers and sisters in the family of Jesus Christ. Where would we be without the witness of those who knew Jesus and received his teaching directly?

Catholic Girl Journey

Questions and Answers

“God answers all prayers. Sometimes He says ‘Yes’, sometimes He says ‘No’, and sometimes He says ‘You’ve got to be kidding…’”.

I have a mug with that saying on it, and it reminds me that God does have a sense of humor. I think of times in my life when I’ve prayed for help about something that could be considered trivial, but in my world, it was a mountain. And I have on occasion tried to imagine what God’s response would be. Would He say, “Why are you asking for that when there are so many more important things that you could ask for?” Or perhaps “Why is that the most important thing to you?” It’s a good thing that God is who He is, as He would need the patience of a saint to put up with my requests. God knows what we need and will provide it when we actually need it. Prayer is a conversation with Him, it helps us get to know Him better.  Prayer deepens our relationship with God;  we adore Him,  we express contrition for our misdeeds, we give thanks for the gifts we received and we ask for assistance and graces.

But what about when God asks something of us? What is  our response? For me there are times when the saying on the mug could just as easily be my response to God: You’ve got to be kidding! It reminds me of the parable of the two sons, where one responded ‘No’ but then went, while the other responded ‘Yes’ but did  not go (Mt 21:28-31). Sometimes I think my response is, ‘God, I don’t want to do this, but You’re asking me and that’s the only reason I’m doing it.’ It’s easy to see this as an acceptable answer because at least we are doing His will. Looking at it from one perspective, yes, that is true. However, it rather falls short, like a child who stomps off to clean her room. Like any relationship, my relationship with God is a two-way street and I need to be open to God’s will, especially when He asks me to go outside of my comfort zone. It’s not easy, but His grace can see me through when I say ‘Yes’ joyfully. And isn’t His grace the greatest blessing of all?

Catholic Girl Journey

Debunking the Faith Myth

People of strong faith always seem so confident. Why don’t I feel that way?

I was pondering that thought while driving one day and and odd reference popped into my head: ducks. I remembered seeing some ducks while kayaking; they look so calm and serene, but you know underneath the water they are paddling like mad.

Life will always have challenges, whether they are the kind that we take on ourselves or ones that are thrust upon us. Practicing our faith does not make these challenges much easier and it certainly does not take them away. But faith can provide perspective to the challenge. It helps us take a step back to  reflect, “What does God want me to learn from this?” Faith provides  the opportunity to ask God to help us through the challenge and asking for God’s help can bring a sense of peace.  In private, we may be praying fervently for our challenges, but to the world we can present the calm serenity of the duck gliding across the water.

You know that God loves you. You know God will always help you. And yet, the challenge can still create a feeling void. Even with prayer, there may seem like there is no answer to the challenge.  Sometimes we need to let go of the “non-feeling” and just trust in God. Tell Him you believe in his plan for your life. Continue to work on meeting the challenge on your part. Continue to ask for God’s help. Keep paddling forward.

Ironically, as I was pondering  this post while driving, it started raining; actually pouring is more like it. At first I thought maybe God doesn’t like this idea. But the rain started just as I reached the point in my drive home where I was really familiar with the road. And I got mostly green lights. So then I thought maybe I’m on the right track. I may not feel confident with this challenge of writing posts, but maybe I need to keep paddling forward.

Hide me, Jesus

Within your wounds hide me. It’s a powerful phrase from the Anima Christi prayer. I never gave it much thought until I found myself saying that line as a prayer itself.

I fully admit that I am not perfect and need the sacrament of confession just as much as any other person. When I think about the wounds that Jesus suffered, I think about how my thoughts/words/actions or lack thereof, were a cause to those injuries. Jesus took on all sin (past, present and future) during his passion and death. So how can I, who helped cause those injuries, now ask to be hidden in them?

The wounds of Jesus do not go away after the resurrection, otherwise Thomas would not have been able to probe them. But somehow those wounds cease to be of pain because Jesus transformed them in His resurrection. He has taken His broken body and made it beautiful in His divinity.

Asking Jesus to hide me in His transformed wounds is asking Him to take my own broken sinfulness and transform it into something beautiful, to use it for God’s will. Often I get stuck in wanting to overcome and perfect myself for God; I forget I need His help. And sometimes His help is to allow me to make the wrong decision so that I can learn from it. Frustration often surfaces when I don’t seem to be improving. But even Jesus fell three times while carrying His cross, so how can I expect to perfect myself after just one fall?

Hiding in Jesus’ wounds means that I need to be very, very close to Him. One way of doing that is to let Him come into the less than perfect parts of me. He knows who I am and what my struggles are. He struggled and suffered as a man and I know He wants to help me in my struggles. What an amazing opportunity I have to get closer to Jesus by allowing Him to help me when I really need it.

Catholic Girl Journey

Believe

Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity … all in one, little, white wafer. This is what I believe.

As a Catholic, one of the most important beliefs is the real presence of Jesus in the consecrated host. He is truly present in both his human and divine natures. There are lots of books that can describe the belief in much greater detail, but no matter how much one learns about it, the one question remains. Do you believe?

As a college student I took a class called “Jesus: History or Myth,” and it was my first real experience where I had to ask myself what I believed. Hearing other students scoff at the notion of Jesus was shocking for a girl who spent 12 years in Catholic education. But almost more troubling were those who believed Jesus as a prophet or some sort of great person, but not as the Son of God. It was during those college years that I first began to own what I had learned as a child—Jesus is the Son of God, the Savior who died for our sins and rose again.

At Easter, we celebrate the three events that make the real presence of Jesus possible: the Last Supper, Good Friday and the Resurrection. When Jesus took the bread, blessed it, broke it and gave it to His disciples to eat, He asked them to repeat those actions (Lk 22:19). But they would have had little meaning if He continued amongst them as He was. Those actions would have been a memorial if Jesus had only died on the cross. But Jesus rose from the dead, transforming the meaning of those actions into the bread of life. In a way, Jesus at the Last Supper took what He was going to do in the future and brought it to the disciples in that moment. At every consecration of the Eucharist since then, both the crucified and resurrected Jesus are present. Jesus, the Son of God, is the master of all time and space. How can I not trust Him to be able to perform such a miracle? Each day that miracle occurs at each Mass all around the world.

I cannot claim that I understand how it is possible. It is a mystery and defies logic. But that is what faith is about. It is believing that God so loves me, that He wants to very much be a part of me, so that by consuming the consecrated host, we are one. No, it does not make me divine, but it does bring me closer to God. It opens me up to trust in Him more each time I receive. But first, I have to believe.

Note: While this was written only speaking about the bread, the same is true for the wine at consecration. Each is considered to be fully Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus.

Catholic Girl Journey

The power of a name

It’s just two words, but the mention of them can cause a variety of reactions: Jesus Christ. To some, it’s the name above all other names, holy and sacred. To others, it’s the name of a fairy tale. And for more than just a few, it’s profanity.

The name Jesus is from the Greek form of Emmanuel, the Hebrew for “God is with us.” To all Christians, it is the name of the second person of the Trinity. It is so powerful, that Peter uses it to cure a man (Acts 3:6). Christ is also from the Greek and means “the anointed.”  In ancient times, priests, prophets and kings were anointed as a symbol of their office. Jesus is the anointed since he is all three (priest/prophet/king) in one. Christ is not so much a last name as a title given to Him as His occupation being a priest, prophet and king. However, it is part of the name identity by which He is known.

Jesus is hard to ignore. Evidence of his life and teaching is everywhere.  For example, He is the basis for holidays like Christmas and Easter. Whenever you see a church, a priest or a cross, there is an understanding of a religious affiliation with Christianity.

For those who don’t believe, or who don’t know the details, Jesus is a story. Written down thousands of years ago just like Hercules or Odysseus, His name is no more than a myth or legend.

In today’s culture, the name of Jesus Christ  is  used all too often as profanity, particularly on TV where other words would get bleeped out. It has spilled from those boxes into our homes, our workplaces, our society and our culture. And no one seems to mind. No one except other faith-filled people like me.

For me, Jesus Christ is a name that is sacred not just because He is divine, but because He is my friend. I view faith as having a personal relationship with God; my religion — in this case Catholicism — is the practice of that relationship. I wouldn’t want the name of a person that I care about used profanely  and am horrified that so many Christians not only appear to find it acceptable, but are often the ones using it that way! I doubt than any Muslim would use Allah in that type of context.  Would you allow another to take either your name, your parent’s name, your spouse’s name or your child’s name and use it in that manner? Perhaps the next time you are about to use Jesus’ name as profanity, try substituting it for a name of someone you really love and care about. Even if you don’t believe, there are many out there that do believe Jesus Christ is more than just a name; He’s someone we love and care about.

Catholic Girl Journey

Excuse me, do you know the way to heaven?

They are our constant companions. They are our lifeline to the world. They are smartphones. Without them, we would be, well… LOST.

There was a time when I would search a map for the best route to get to my destination.and carefully write down the directions, turn by turn. Then I would notate the reverse, so that I could drive home without driving in endless circles. Now, I don’t have to prepare a thing. I just type in an address and the map in my phone will take me there. Don’t like the way it’s taking me? I can turn down a different road and it will re-route me. As long as I have my phone charged up, I can go anywhere.

We put faith in an electronic gadget that it will get us where we want to go. We might get frustrated with our phone for dropping a call or sounding a notification without cause, but we trust that whatever map app we have, we can make our journey. We may make fun of the way it takes us, sometimes the long way around, but never do we really question if we will make it.

How do we make the journey to heaven? Do we trust God enough to lead us there? Or would we rather put the address into our smartphone and drive there? I don’t think of myself as a person who has to be in control all the time. However, since I drive on a daily basis, I think some of that need for control creeps into other areas of my life, like my faith journey. Can I let God take the wheel and lead me to heaven? Do I think I’ll get lost on the way? Well, if I insist on driving, I very well may get lost! But if I let God drive me, how can I ever think I won’t make it? It sounds so easy, but it does require trust on my part.

I have to trust in God’s Word. I may not be able to enter an address for heaven, but I know the way because it has been mapped out by Jesus.  “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6). I need to be open to way that Jesus is directing me. I open up myself to a relationship with God through Jesus in the Mass, in prayer and in trying to follow Jesus’ life example.

It’s not about what I want, it’s about what He wants for me. I need to stop being a backseat driver, telling God where I want to go and how I want to get there. I need to trust that He will take me where He wants me to go. Sometimes it may be a direct route and sometimes it may be the scenic way. What I need to remember, is to just sit back, relax and enjoy the view and the journey.

Catholic Girl Journey

Daughter of God

If someone were to ask me to describe myself, one of the first descriptors I would use is: daughter of God. It may be a bold statement, but for me, it reminds me of my direction and purpose in life.

Every morning I ask Mary to help me to be a better daughter to God. While Mary may be better known as the mother of Jesus or the Blessed Mother, she is first the best example of a daughter of God. When God called her to be the mother of the Messiah, her humble response of “May it be done to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38) is what I aspire to say to God. Every day Mary lived as a daughter of God, seeking His will to be done through her. Every day I, too, have multiple opportunities to allow God’s will to be done through me. It’s a choice that sometimes can be hard to make, and I’m not always successful. Every day I ask Mary to help me, pray for me and guide me to “Do whatever he tells you” (John 2:5).

Praying the rosary allows me to walk the faith journey with Mary. I recall the special moments of Mary and Jesus in each of the Joyful, Luminous, Sorrowful and Glorious mysteries. How, for each of them, they allowed God to direct them so that His will was done. I am humbled to repeat in prayer the words of Jesus in the Our Father as well as the words of the angel Gabriel and Elizabeth in the Hail Mary. Praying with Mary leads me to God and cultivates an attitude of possibilities for what God wants of me.

The first time I went to the adoration chapel, where the Holy Eucharist is exposed for prayer, was on the feast of the Immaculate Conception. I only managed to stay 15 minutes, as I didn’t know what to do there. But it was a start, and Mary lead the way and helped me develop the devotion to spend an hour each week in the presence of her Son.

We are all God’s children, and while we might know that at a high level, do we really consider ourselves daughters and sons of God? How would that change our relationship with God? God has made me, I am His child and I am here for a reason. It’s His love and mercy that wills every breath that I take. He has blessed me with this life and I look to Him as a Father. There have been a few times that I have heard others call Him “Father God” and it always makes me stop and ponder what an amazing relationship they have with God. It makes me smile too, since it reminds me that I am a daughter of God.

 

Catholic Girl Journey

Practice Makes a Saint

We’ve all heard the saying, “Practice make perfect.” So what does that mean in the life of faith?

When you think of practice, what comes to mind? Is it sitting at the piano, playing the various scales to the beat of a metronome? Or is it throwing a ball through a hoop again and again, making small changes to hand placement, balance, and body movement? Maybe it’s drawing a circle over, and over, and over again until it is perfect.

Just like any activity at which you want to become better, faith is all about practice. It’s not about doing things correctly all the time, it’s about practicing so as to continuously improve, coming closer to perfection. And just like with any other activity, you don’t tackle all the skills needed at once, but rather concentrate on perfecting one and slowly applying what has been learned to more advanced skills.

Since faith is a relationship with God, how can one “practice” a relationship? By getting to know him, by seeing God in every person, by recognizing his handiwork in all of creation. That’s why a life of faith is more than just following rules, treating people nicely or going to Church on Sundays.  It’s important to be at Mass on Sunday, not just to cross it off the list, but to be filled with God’s message, to help you hone the skill you are perfecting and to encourage you as you practice throughout the week.

Often in our culture, people who claim to be of a particular religious affiliation are held to a different standard. Part of that is understandable; it is good that a person can be known by their faith. Other times, it’s an expectation of perfection, forgetting that faith is  a journey and people can have good days and less than ideal days as they practice. It’s not an excuse to do whatever, but a call for mercy towards those that do not meet to the standards yet.

We are all on this faith journey, so it’s okay if you’re not perfect. It will take a lifetime to get to your goal. Practicing faith is continuing to deepen that relationship with God.  One day you may join Him in heaven. Since all who reach heaven are saints, then practice helps make a saint!

Catholic Girl Journey

Catholic Girl Journey

I have been inspired by the adult education at St. Isaac Jogues Catholic Girl Journeyto learn more about my faith and to share it with others. My faith has always been something personal and I see it as a one-to-one relationship with my Creator. However, in this time and place, there are many who do not know God or realize the personal relationship that He has with them. I want to share my perspective via a blog, not just to add to the noise and opinions, but to let Him speak through me to touch those that may not have experienced Him otherwise.

I’ve been a regular Sunday church-goer and do my best to go to at least one Mass during the week. I also spend an hour each week in our adoration chapel. But God has so many more dimensions than just those outlets. To know Him better is to seek Him out in many different ways. Sometimes it’s in the day-to-day activities, or through spiritual reading,sometimes it’s through a retreat or an educational setting. The Catholicism series from Fr. Robert Barron  offered in our parish was one such opportunity to be inspired, to talk about the points he made and reflect upon the perspective that he gives. Fr. Barron  has a way of taking very intellectual information and bringing to a level  I can understand. I was eager to  follow up with his New Evangelization series, which ended with a challenge to become disciples and spread the Word of God.

I consider myself a shy person; I’m not the one that initiates a hello. Sharing something so personal as my faith with others is rather intimidating to me. The adult education series has allowed me to “dip my toe” into sharing within a safe environment of my parish community. I  find it fascinating to hear others’ experiences with God (whether they believe or just call it coincidence) and I marvel about all the ways He touches people.

So how can a shy girl participate in the new evangelization of the Catholic Church? With a background in websites, it only makes sense that I try blogging for God. In the blog I will share my perspective and thoughts about the amazing faith that I try to practice everyday. Practice may make perfect, but it does not imply that my practice is perfect. It’s one step at a time, one day at a time that makes up life’s journey. Everyone’s life journey is also a journey of faith, and I’d like to invite everyone to walk with me.