We have an awesome Youth Rally planned for the Diocese this April, and we want you to come and invite your friends as well! YouthStock is on April 9th, 6pm, at Bishop Kelley, and it includes free food, games, fun, live music with Filioque, praise & worship, keynote speaker: Chris Padgett (hilarious), and Mass!
A few St. Mary's youth helped with this little promo video shot entirely with an iPhone. See others that are being made, or make and post your own here:
2/22/10
2/16/10
Go for the Gold!
I don't know if you watched on Friday night, but I did, and I really liked the Opening Ceremonies of the Olympics this year. And maybe it was just because it was on the eve of our Confirmation Retreat - but when I started thinking about what all was going on during the Ceremonies, it made me think of Church, and Liturgy, and the Mass!
Could the Olympics start without a ceremony? Yes. We don't need all the singing, or the drama, the costumes, or even the torch in order to end up with champions in the various sports. In fact...there's really not a need for all the athletes to compete in one place, or at one time. Why not have the figure skating Olympic competition in January in Russia, while the snowboarders might compete in Utah in March? They could simply list the winners on a website somewhere.
In fact - why stop there? Why have graduations, or Weddings celebrations, or even birthday parties? We all KNOW you're done with school, we'll know you're married when you show up to everything together and start a family, and who wants to celebrate getting older anyway?
We do. We...the humans. There certainly seems to me to something in our very nature that cries out for celebration, and ceremony - a way to put our ideas about what something means to us into images and words that we can all understand together. Therefore - the big moments...the moments we want to celebrate, to be inspired by - become beautiful Ceremonies. A way for people to connect what's going on inside us and unseen, with something that we can see, something in which we can participate with one another to share the experience.
Hence - the Olympic Opening Ceremonies. A ceremony that is supposed to instill in us a sense of pride for our country, a recognition of the various talents the athletes have, and a celebration of what is to come! I can't help it - this makes me think of Church...what the Mass is all about!
At the Opening Ceremonies this year, it was beautiful. I tuned in to see that all the Athletes from varying countries, cultures, and backgrounds, were wearing the same thing...a light colored garment that reflected the lights in the stadium beautifully. When the images were projected into the stands, those there became more than observers...they became the image themselves.
What an awesome image of Baptism. Our White garments: our purity, innocence, make us ready to be part of the the telling of God's story to the world. We are not simply observers...through our Baptism, we become partipants! Our reflection of Christ's light tells God's story to the world.
The Opening Ceremonies feature drama, speaking, song, dance, poetry, the Olympic "hymn," and the participation of the Athletes themselves. There's even an Olympic Creed! The Ceremony tells a story, and means to unite, inspire, and prepare for the competition to follow.
Could the Olympics start without a ceremony? Yes. We don't need all the singing, or the drama, the costumes, or even the torch in order to end up with champions in the various sports. In fact...there's really not a need for all the athletes to compete in one place, or at one time. Why not have the figure skating Olympic competition in January in Russia, while the snowboarders might compete in Utah in March? They could simply list the winners on a website somewhere.
In fact - why stop there? Why have graduations, or Weddings celebrations, or even birthday parties? We all KNOW you're done with school, we'll know you're married when you show up to everything together and start a family, and who wants to celebrate getting older anyway?
We do. We...the humans. There certainly seems to me to something in our very nature that cries out for celebration, and ceremony - a way to put our ideas about what something means to us into images and words that we can all understand together. Therefore - the big moments...the moments we want to celebrate, to be inspired by - become beautiful Ceremonies. A way for people to connect what's going on inside us and unseen, with something that we can see, something in which we can participate with one another to share the experience.
Hence - the Olympic Opening Ceremonies. A ceremony that is supposed to instill in us a sense of pride for our country, a recognition of the various talents the athletes have, and a celebration of what is to come! I can't help it - this makes me think of Church...what the Mass is all about!
At the Opening Ceremonies this year, it was beautiful. I tuned in to see that all the Athletes from varying countries, cultures, and backgrounds, were wearing the same thing...a light colored garment that reflected the lights in the stadium beautifully. When the images were projected into the stands, those there became more than observers...they became the image themselves.
What an awesome image of Baptism. Our White garments: our purity, innocence, make us ready to be part of the the telling of God's story to the world. We are not simply observers...through our Baptism, we become partipants! Our reflection of Christ's light tells God's story to the world.
The Opening Ceremonies feature drama, speaking, song, dance, poetry, the Olympic "hymn," and the participation of the Athletes themselves. There's even an Olympic Creed! The Ceremony tells a story, and means to unite, inspire, and prepare for the competition to follow.
In Christian churches around the world - you'll find the stories of our Lord being told through reading of Scripture (often poetic), in song, in the words, garments, and actions of the Priest, in what is happening on the altar, and in the actions in which we ourselves do. The "bells and whistles" of the Mass are there to speak to our human senses...to help us understand an invisible reality, and participate in it in a way that makes sense to us through our human senses: hearing the words and songs, smelling the incense, seeing the candles, colors, each others' faces, feeling our bodies move as we kneel to worship, stand to be active, and sit to listen and reflect, tasting the Eucharist.
And what does all this lead up to? The end, the highlight of the Opening Ceremonies? The torch. Fire. A flame that has been passed on from person to person to ultimately light the Olympic Cauldron. This large flame burns throughout the Olympics...and the lighting of it signifies not an ending, but a beginning, a constant reminder and inspiration for all to see as they do their best and give their all in what they are there to do.
Fire to us, as Catholics? The Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit who came as tongues of flame to the Apostles, and since has been passed on, person to person, through our priests, and comes to us at the highlight of the Mass to change the bread and wine to the body and blood of Christ. The Holy Spirit that we receive in Baptism, who seals us with gifts in Confirmation, and shines forth throughout our Church as a reminder and inspiration to do what we are called to do.
Every Mass we attend is an Opening Ceremonies for Christians - one that sends us forth to use our own gifts and talents to do the best that we can to speak God's message of love to the world. Go for the Gold!
"Do you not know that the runners in the stadium all run in the race, but only one wins the prize? Run so as to win. Every athlete excercises discipline in every way. They do it to win a perishable crown, but we an imperishable one."
- 1 Corinthians: 24-25
2/9/10
What the World Eats...
My sister sent me an email this morning that contained the pictures and captions found in the following link. I thought it was interesting to look at the varied families and see the types of foods they ate during an average week.
What I began to notice, though, was the weekly budget for the families, and, of course, the amount of food. In the end, I found the images a simple and powerful reminder that all is NOT equal in the world. I felt called to look inward and thank God for what I do have, and to also ask myself...what do I do with what I am given for those around me that have less? What are your own reactions? One Week of Food
Join us at ROCKsolid Discipleship Night tomorrow evening from 6-8pm for dinner (we are blessed!). Following dinner we'll be packing lunches for those that have less than us, playing games and having fun in the Gym and Loft, and we'll end with a closing prayer in the chapel led by Dcn. Bender.
2/2/10
XLT: Worship...Unplugged
Tomorrow evening (Wednesday, Feb. 3), there is a really really cool thing happening. It's called XLT, and it stands for "exalt." It's an event geared towards teens that is a very cool, Catholic worship experience.
Many folks have participated in Praise and Worship services before, and love it. But whether you yourself like to sing or not matters not. When the band starts playing and those around you start singing their hearts out...it's easy to get pumped up by the energy.
XLT also includes a speaker - tomorrow it will be Russell Nance, the youth director at St. Pius X. He is really fun, very down to earth, and is one of the funniest people I know. He's talking about "Surrender!"
The last part of XLT includes a few minutes of Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. That sounds very technical, but what it really means, is that we'll have time to just....BE. To just be ourselves, to just breathe, to simply look at Christ, face to face.
During Adoration - The Eucharist (a host that was consecrated at Mass...and ceased to be bread and wine, and actually became the body and blood of Jesus), is placed into something called a "Monstrance." This isn't something that hides under your bed! It's something created to hold the Eucharist and display it for all to see and adore.
When the Eucharist is placed on the altar in this way...we can simply look upon Jesus. We can gaze at the Eucharist, and think, and pray, and hope to be changed to be more like Christ!
For those that have a hard time understanding the Eucharist...how we can believe that it's REALLY Jesus...I personally think that Adoration can help! Just praying and gazing and asking God to help you understand this mystery, this miracle...can do wonders to increase our faith.
I encourage all who are interested in the event to come check it out. XLT itself goes on at St. Pius X from 7-8:30pm. It's geared towards teens, but all are welcome! For those that normally come to ROCKsolid/Confirmation, this is what we are doing tomorrow evening! We'll still begin with pizza at St. Mary's, but then will take a bus to St. Pius X for XLT, and will return to St. Mary's by 9pm. Please fill out and bring this form with you if you're joining the ROCKsolid crowd on the bus: http://images.acswebnetworks.com/1/129/XLTfeb3.pdf
To end this post - I leave you with a few quotes about Adoration:
"In a world where there is so much noise, so much bewilderment, there is a need for silent adoration of Jesus concealed in the Host." - Pope Benedict XVI
“The Church and the world have a great need of Eucharistic worship. Jesus waits for us in this Sacrament of Love." - Pope John Paul II
"The time you spend with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament is the best time you will spend on earth. Each moment that you spend with Jesus will deepen your union with Him and make your soul everlastingly more glorious and beautiful in Heaven, and will help bring about everlasting peace on earth" - Mother Teresa of Calcutta
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