Monday, November 29, 2010

Untie These Knots



As it nears the end of the semester, stress typically runs high on a college campus. Students are eager to finish for Winter Break, but finishing comes with the dreaded final exams. Back in my day, six months ago, I know that was the case for me. I would get really stressed out with all the pressure that was put upon me and it always seemed that Winter & Summer Break always came with an awful price, FINALS. I would second guess myself and usually worry over nothing!

Over time, I have tried to deal with my stress and anxiety better, sometimes with Yoga, a funny movie, or talking to someone, but most often, I used a little prayer. Below is one of my favorite prayers, it helps me “untie.” When things are getting tough and you have lost all hope in yourself, let the Lord “untie” you, let Him take all of your worries upon His shoulders. He has very large shoulders, don’t worry, He can handle it.

The Knots Prayer

Dear God:

Please untie the knots that are in my mind, my heart and my life.
Remove the have nots, the can nots and the do nots that I have in my mind.

Erase the will nots, may nots, might nots that may find a home in my heart.
Release me from the could nots, would nots and should nots that obstruct my life.

And most of all, Dear God, I ask that you remove from my mind,
my heart and my life all of the ‘am nots’ that I have allowed to hold me back,
Especially the thought that I am not good enough.

Amen


I am amazed by you every day, Jesi

Monday, November 15, 2010

Baptism


Since I was privileged to witness a baptism this weekend, I've been thinking about the power of being baptized. What has baptism done for me or better...to me? The word that comes to mind is freedom. Because I'm baptized, I ought to be free to live my life for Christ. I ought to recognize the opportunities to stand against the injustices around me and then actually stand against them. I ought to recgonize the opportunities to offer the love of Christ to another and then actually offer something.

Far from being a static moment in my history, baptism ought to be a dynamic, energy-filled reality that rattles my cage everyday.

How can I start living my baptism with more authority? What would that look like?
I'm looking forward to Advent.

AC

Saturday, November 6, 2010

My Guardian Angel

I’ve grown so much closer to both Christ and the church than I’ve ever had and it’s all thanks to what Campus Ministry has brought to me. Coming to college I never would have realized that I’d be involved in the Leadership team. It’s quite an honor and I’m so pleased with everything the CM office has to offer. Just this past Tuesday, on my Grandpa’s 80th birthday, not only was I praying and praising God that he has made it this far in life and is still active and healthy, but just like last year I found time to go to the All Souls Day Mass. My thoughts and prayers went out to each and every one on that long list of names for the people who have gone before us within the last year. To me, and I’m certainly hoping it’s the same for everyone else, those aren’t just names on a list. Those names mean something and are on there for a reason. I remember last year how I asked Anthony if he can include my Mom even though she hadn’t died within the year span. I was so blessed and grateful to him for doing that. Everyone knows it’s difficult to lose a loved one whether a friend, relative, neighbor, co worker, etc you name it and believe me I’ve been there. November 17th would’ve been my Mom’s 49th Birthday. She’s celebrating 12 of those years with the Lord. Throughout the years it’s been extremely hard knowing all the milestones and celebrations she never got and will never get to see starting with my first communion and probably ending with having a family with lots of various in betweens. People really applaud me if doing as well as I am the loss of a parent as a young age. I didn’t expect coming into this world that I would only get to know her for the first 7 years of my life but I couldn’t have asked for a better Mom. As I always say God places each and every one of us is a family with great values and beliefs and the family you’re born into is the family you’ll grow to love, worship, and adore and no one else’s. I owe so much thanks to my grandparents for raising me for the past 12 years after she passed on and continue to do so. Without them I can’t imagine how my life would be like it is now. My family, friends, and my faith have made me the person that I am today to which I'm very thankful for. I Love and miss you Mom always and forever.

-Kelly Medved

“Angel of God, my guardian dear,
To whom God’s love commits me here
Every this day, be at my side,
To light and guard, Rule and guide. Amen.”

Friday, November 5, 2010

John Allen, Jr

Great talk last night at Notre Dame College with John Allen, Jr. Clearly, the future of the Church lies in the hands of the faithful; the prophets leading us to renewal are rising from the bottom, from the places where the Spirit of God is vibrant and active. Our leadership is faithful to its role of protecting and maintaining the faith; expecting renewal from this place is both unrealistic and unlikely.

Saturday, October 23, 2010

nonviolence

I am regularly inspired by the powerful, courageous voices of those calling for nonviolence and an end to war. Most inspirational is the personal commitment to living a nonviolent lifestyle. True peace radiates from within, and those I admire most radiate peace. There is no more powerful witness. Check out Voices for Creative Nonviolence:

http://vcnv.org/

Peace, Anthony

Monday, October 18, 2010

Litany of Humility


A prayer that I’ve grown incredibly fond of in recent years is the Litany of Humility. It’s a prayer that I often find incredibly difficult to say and really mean. If I had a dollar for every time in a week that I find myself desiring praise…or approval…or consultation… or acted out of fear of embarrassment or being wronged… then I could pay my (and probably your) college tuition for the year.


Humility is not easy, but is so necessary. We are called to humility, to cast out our sins of pride and selfishness. Christ was the essence of humility – God took the form of a human to bear our sins, was born in a stable, and died a humiliating death on a cross between two criminals…. all for us. There is quite the link between holiness and humility.


My favorite line in this prayer is “That others become holier than I, provided that I become as holy as I should”. Such a beautiful, selfless statement – to pray that all those around you become holier than you, yet still asking to become as holy as God wants. I hope I never lose that desire.
Reflect on your own desires and fears as you pray this prayer. Add it to your daily prayers and check out the youtube video below to hear it sung beautifully by Danielle Rose.

Peace of Christ,
Meghan


O Jesus! meek and humble of heart, Hear me.

From the desire of being esteemed, Deliver me, Jesus. (repeat after each
line)

From the desire of being loved,

From the desire of being extolled,

From the desire of being honored,

From the desire of being praised,

From the desire of being preferred to others,

From the desire of being consulted,

From the desire of being approved,

From the fear of being humiliated,

From the fear of being despised,

From the fear of suffering rebukes,

From the fear of being calumniated,

From the fear of being forgotten,

From the fear of being ridiculed,

From the fear of being wronged,

From the fear of being suspected,

That others may be loved more than I, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
(repeat after each line)

That others may be esteemed more than I ,

That, in the opinion of the world,

others may increase and I may decrease,

That others may be chosen and I set aside,

That others may be praised and I unnoticed,

That others may be preferred to me in everything,

That others may become holier than I, provided that I may become as holy as I
should.

Community

You'll have to excuse the language in the title of this Youtube clip, I felt the need to share it despite the title. You may need to click on the video to go to Youtube to watch it. Part of it gets cut off in the published post! Wait for the video to load at least 2/3 of the way before you being to watch it so you can watch it without choppiness! :)




I think this proves how similar AND how unique we are as a world and as a people. We all sing, dance, smile, and laugh no matter where we come from.

Also, all of the different locations are simply AWESOME! Such beauty found in the nature, in the cities, and in the people.

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Ministry and His plan

Living in our society many of us have become busy individuals. We plan out our days, months, years with appointments, meetings, classes, work, practices, rehearsals, games, parties, work outs, exams, etc. We want to have control over everything we do, we want to do what we want when we want to. Although deadlines and time constrictions consume our daily lives we need to not let our busy schedules consume us. It is easy to become stressed and overwhelmed and to let it get the best of your personality.

When I was a freshman and sophomore in high school I didn't make my spiritual life part of my daily life. Since I have made time for reflection and prayer I find myself living my life to the fullest and living as a minister of God's Word. It took time for me to realize that spiritual life shouldn't be separate from my busy schedule it should be a part of it. I constantly remind myself that I have been given great opportunities and that I can handle anything that comes my way. He has faith in what we can do and has a plan for us. We just need to take the time to listen and believe in ourselves and what we are able to do with His help and guidance.

Peace and love,
Abby

Excerpt from Whatever You're Doing by Sanctus Real

Time for a milestone
Time to begin again Reevaluate who I really am Am I doing everything to follow Your will Or just climbing aimlessly over these hills So show me what it is You want from me I give everything I surrender... To Whatever You're doing inside of me It feels like chaos but somehow there's peace It's hard to surrender to what I can't see but I'm giving in to something Heavenly





Friday, October 15, 2010

Campus Ministry

When I first started at Notre Dame College I was concerned at first that I wasn't going to continue on with my faith. I felt that once I started college that I wouldn't have time and that I would be more focused on the academics, instead of balancing both faith and school. There was just one day where I just heard a calling from God saying "You need to grow in your faith, so go to mass". When I heard those words I knew that there had to be reason why God was calling me to go to mass that Sunday. Once I walked through the doors of the chapel I felt welcomed with open arms by people that I had just met and it made me realize that I found a home where I feel safe. Going to mass that night change me, from that day on and I knew that I wanted to be more involved with Notre Dame's Campus Ministry. I felt like God was calling to do it. Since I have been at Notre Dame College and have been so involved with Campus Ministry I am happy, changed for the better and I have found a family that loves me for who I am. Without Campus Ministry I don't know what I would be doing in my life right now.

Thank you,
Mackenzie Brown

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

What Am I Missing Here?


Here's an interesting fact from the Environmental Defense Fund:


"... For example, in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, our government used trailers made with formaldehyde-treated plywood to house homeless victims of the storm. As you may know, formaldehyde is a chemical that causes cancer and exacerbates asthma and other respiratory ailments.
This high-formaldehyde plywood -- which is imported from China -- is perfectly legal for use in the U.S. But because of its toxicity, it can't be used in countries including the EU, Japan, and even China has banned its residential use."
PHOTO: Associated Press (AP)

Some might say it's better to have a cancer-causing trailer than no trailer at all, but if the country that produces the product also bans its use, I'd look elsewhere for my plywood. Wouldn't you??
Check out the Environmental Defense Fund to learn more about lessening the toxicity of the products we use.

Put people first. Anthony

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Relationships


I've been meeting with members of the Campus Ministry Leadership Team this week. Being with these faithful young adults face to face reminds me of why I enjoy what I do and of the importance of real, human contact. Other forms of communication - Facebook, Twitter, blogging, email, Skype, etc. - have some value, but they are grossly over exaggerated and devilishly deceptive. There is no substitute for being in the presence of another human person - seeing, hearing, feeling connected - all the senses engaged. This is relationship.

This is also the power of the Eucharist, the real presence, that sustains our relationship with God, and our commitment to be that presence to others is what helps carry others through the spiritual valleys. Of course, we cannot offer a gift we have not opened ourselves; thus, the ongoing need for personal conversion and prayer. Recognizing God's awesome love, freely given to all, is the first step toward authentic relationship and effective evangelization.

Thursday, June 24, 2010

The Ultimate in Peer Pressure

Today (June 24) in the Church we remember the cruel death suffered by John the Baptist who was beheaded by the order of King Herod. After being promised anything she would ask for, Salome, at the urging of her mother, asked for the head of the Baptist on a platter. Though Herod regretted the promise he made, he felt compelled to honor it because all the guests at his party had heard him.

It takes a strong person to admit a mistake and reverse direction despite the anticipated ridicule. Changing one's mind is hardly a sign of weakness; rather it is the ultimate sign of confidence and strength. Needing to save face (or public image) and honor an inappropriate or immoral commitment is truly the ultimate sign of weakness.

Thanks be to God who loved Herod and John the Baptist the same!

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

The empathetic college student


A recent study at the University of Michigan suggests today's college students lack empathy when compared to college students of previous generations.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20100528/sc_livescience/todayscollegestudentslackempathy

Certainly our college students are engaged in activites such as service learning and community service at a higher level than ever before, right? What, then, is the relationship between empathy and engagement? Are we failing to create emotional engagement/identification despite a higher level of physical involvement?

Perhaps the self-centered voices are simply louder.

Anthony

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Tragedy in the Gulf

We will continue to mourn the unimaginable losses in the Gulf and around the globe for years to come. Pictures like this must be viewed over and over again so all experience the righteous anger and profound sadness that will hopefully lead to change.

God's plan for creation cannot include this. There is no lesson to be learned later, some mystery we do not comprehend. No, both the reasons and the solution for this disaster are apparent. The manifestations of greed - over consumption, power mongering, self-indulgence - must end. We must demand better of ourselves, those we elect and those we support.

Sacrifice without a price, a toll, is not sacrifice at all. We cannot sacrifice and live excessively at the same time. The two cannot coexist; either we sacrifice for the good of all, or we hoard for ourselves. Anything else is mere deception.
Anthony

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

It's Not Too Late to Re-Commit

It's week four of Lent and if you are anything like me you may be struggling with your Lenten sacrifice. Personally, I planned to give up negative self-talk and impatience.

Ironically, when I fail to do these things, I tend to beat myself up for falling short.

I am not patient with myself.

At these moments, it is tempting to become stuck in a cycle and quit. You may think "well, I screwed this up. I think I will just throw in the towel."

For me, my mistakes provided an opportunity to practice what I preached at the beginning of Lent.

So now, instead of beating myself up when I fall short, I remind myself I can simply start over.

Re-commit.

In the Gospel for this Sunday, Jesus reminds us we cannot condemn one another since none of us is perfect.

He also tells us He forgives us and encourages us to re-commit. “Neither do I condemn you.Go, and from now on do not sin any more.” (John 8)

We often can forget this also applies to our condemnation of ourselves. If we mess up, we need to remember that Jesus forgives us instantly.

We must also forgive ourselves and continue trying to make better choices.

So this week, practice forgiving yourselves for your mistakes and re-commit to living a better life.

"Go, and from now on do not sin anymore."

Friday, January 15, 2010

Haiti

The stories coming out of Haiti are shocking and horrific. The following prayer from Catholic Relief Services is excellent:

God of all creation, as we weep with our family in Haiti, console us.
In this time of crisis, open our eyes to look beyond the disaster to see Christ in our brothers and sisters in Haiti, as Christ sees us.
Be with all creation; strengthen us in solidarity with those living and working in Haiti. All creation returns to you in mourning and your grace guides our efforts to feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, comfort the grieving and stand for justice.
With your mercy, sustain us at this time as we continue to work for peace and justice.
Amen.
Solidarity calls us to both prayer and action. Find a way to contribute and take action. Spend time daily to remember those who suffer. Work for peace.
Anthony

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Peace and Creation

"If you want to cultivate peace, protect creation. The quest for peace by people of good will surely would become easier if all acknowledge the indivisible relationship betweeen God, human beings and the whole of creation. Protecting the natural environment in order to build a world of peace is thus a duty incumbent upon each and all."
-Pope Benedict XVI

The words of the Holy Father ring loud and clear for all believers: protecting the planet is not optional for Christians. We all must do our part. In connecting environmental awareness with peace, Pope Benedict rightly recognized the unrest among peoples caused by the misuse of resources given by God for all.

This goes far beyond recycling plastic and glass; the Pope is calling for a re-examination of our lifestyle as individual consumers and as a nation. How can we become more just in the way we use resources? Are you willing to adopt a more sober lifestyle that is willing to sacrifice convenience for the good of all?

Check out the entire letter at: http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/messages/peace/documents/hf_ben-xvi_mes_20091208_xliii-world-day-peace_en.html

Anthony