Fulfilling Our Desires - and God's

I was driving to work yesterday morning, and as I made my trip across campus I heard this story on NPR about Fr. James Martin, SJ. Deacon Greg picked it up on his blog, asking "where were you in '88?" My answer: I was learning to drive, looking for girlfriends and sporting a mullet (really). Fr. Martin gives a great description of living out a vocation, and particularly celibacy. Worth the read.

In the Shallow End

I heard a story the other day on my local AM radio about a girl who worked at Abercrombie & Fitch. You know, one of those stores in the mall that the kids go in but adults need to avoid because of the loud music and dim lights? There's also the "uncool repellent" that they spray at the door that keeps people like me out for sure. Anyway, this girl was noting how she was pulled from working out front on the sales floor to the back so that she did not have direct contact with the customers. Why? Did she have a bad cold? Was she a nasty, rude person? Worse - as far as A&F can see. She was not pretty enough. That's right. She did not meet the district manager's audit criterion of "Do all the female models [a term for their salespeople] currently working have beautiful faces?" The young lady scored a "0" by that standard (on a rating of either 0 or 5 - the same question goes for the guys too). "Todd Corley, Abercrombie's vice president of diversity and inclusion, said the 'face' question refers to the full presentation of an individual, not merely his or her visage. The company says it is important to uphold the brand's image and maintain diversity in its stores. Some sales representatives are chosen to appear in posters, ads and other marketing materials.

I don't think that this priest here needs to say much more about the incredible shallowness of this policy. Yes, they need to make money. No, they are not discriminating based on age, sex, disability or race. However, they are perpetuating a mindset that the young people who shop there are taking away with them: if I don't look "hot" I am not worth much to other people. This is why I beg kids not to shop there.

Somethings Will Never Change

Today, as we commemorate the Beheading of John the Baptist, we hear a gospel that describes a politician, a preacher and pride. Herod is obviously moved by the power of the truth of John's message, but the pressure of his office ultimately forces him to publicly deny that truth and put John to death. In the face of the Truth, Herd, Herodias and his party cannot accept John's message of the nearness of the Reign of God, and John pays the price.

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Bruce Hornsby in the late 80's wrote a song, "The Way It Is," in which he looked at the social inequalities of that day and realized that "that's just the way it is/some things will never change". He also notes that "the law don't change another's mind". The song, however, gives a more hopeful message that, even if "that's just the way it is," we do not have to believe that. We can be the voice, face and agent of the change we want to see in the world.

Today, we still hear of the clash between politicians, preachers and pride. We've seen it this last week. Some things will never change, I suppose!

But, the response of the preachers this time has been strong and constant, reminding us that even when what we preach may be portrayed as naive and foolish - even by those who claim to be "ardent Catholics" and Christians - that "foolishness of God is wiser that the wisdom of human beings."

We live in the world, even though we are not "of" the world. Jesus told us that. That's just the way it is. We will always face challenges to what we believe and perhaps even suffer for the Truth. Some things will never change. People may tell us to give up, lighten up, or wise up, and accept the popular culture's definitions of what "truth" is.

But don't you believe it.

Tolle et Legge - et Vide

Lot's of focus on St. Augustine of late. Maybe we should listen to him, who was opening himself up to the Word of God and allowing Him to do some incredible things in his life:

Late have I loved you, O Beauty ever ancient, ever new, late have I loved you!
You were within me, but I was outside, and it was there that I searched for you.
In my unloveliness I plunged into the lovely things which you created. You were
with me, but I was not with you. Created things kept me from you; yet if they
had not been in you they would have not been at all. You called, you shouted,
and you broke through my deafness. You flashed, you shone, and you dispelled my
blindness. You breathed your fragrance on me; I drew in breath and now I pant
for you. I have tasted you, now I hunger and thirst for more. You touched me,
and I burned for your peace.

Now, that what Augustine says. Here's an - er, interesting - homage to the Doctor of Hippo:




Solid!

Hey, If You Happen To See the Most Beautiful Nun in the World...

... tell her the pageant is off!

The story is over, I guess. Fr. Antonio Rungi has been forced to cancel his online beauty pageant for nuns - an effort, he says, to dispel the stereotype of the "dour, ugly crone" who is the usual image of the nun. After chiding from his superiors and bishop, Fr. Rungi is withdrawing his offer to have Internet browsers vote for the most beautiful nun. "Nuns are - above all - women, and beauty is a gift from God," he said.

You know, I can see the logic behind his desire (albeit misplaced) to showcase nuns. There is something beautiful about these maidens who have given their lives to Christ. Their beauty is in the witness - often quiet, often unnoticed - of their life and ministry. Particularly, it is reassuring and attractive to see young nuns joyfully living out their vocations. The majority of new young women entering consecrated life are going into the more "traditional" orders - generally marked by a maintained wearing of the religious habit. Often, all one sees of these women (if they see them at all) is their face - always a smiling, joy-filled face.

But the beauty is so much more than physical. The true beauty of these women is their prayerful witness. One of my favorite memories of my final year in Rome was going to the local convent and celebrating Mass for the young nuns who were starting their day with the Encounter that matters most. One sister said to me after a morning Mass once in the sacristy, "You know, Father, I can't imagine life without Jesus. Without him I'd have nothing."

At that moment, there was nothing more beautiful in the world.

Let's keep praying for vocations for consecrated women.

Clone Wars (But Not in a Galaxy Far, Far Away)

I finally saw the latest "installment" in the Star Wars cinematic universe, "The Clone Wars." I will admit, I thought it would disappoint - no 20th Century Fox, no opening crawl, no live actors.... However, I was pleasantly surprised: it didn't suck. (Not high praise, I know, but I did walk away with a smile and humming the Force theme.)

On my way home, I was pondering the idea of these clones, fighting the Republic's wars. Many of them died. There was genuine concern for their well-being on the part of the "good guys," which was interesting to me. However, if we consider this film in the grand Star Wars world, the clones are actually the forerunners of the Stormtroopers - the black and white, monolithic, faceless army of the Empire. They were expendable, particularly in pursuit of the Empire's designs.

I thought then of our modern-day interest in human cloning - "therapeutic cloning," they call it. The idea is to take a human embryo and clone him or her in order to "grow spare parts" for another human being. The debate over stem cell research also looks at these embryos - however they are brought into being - as expendable for the "greater good" of curing disease.

The Rebels fought without clones in the Star Wars struggle. Many of them made personal, and often ultimate, sacrifices for the cause of the triumph of good over evil. That is the nature of sacrifice. It does not look at anyone or thing as expendable. Rather, their sacrifices are gifts given to the greater good - and these are freely given gifts. They are not decided for them by someone else.

The love of God has given us such an example of sacrifice. Jesus has shown us that true love is "passion" - that is, it does involve suffering on the part of the lover. He gave completely of the depth of that relationship he had with the Father, and through that we are saved.

And you can't clone that.

On Sacred Ground

I have wrestled with this since I saw it on "Meet the Press" Sunday morning. Tom Brokaw was interviewing Nancy Pelosi and asked her about the beginning of human life - as Sen. Obama had been asked by Pastor Rick Warren last weekend. Here's what she said.

REP. PELOSI: I would say that as an ardent, practicing Catholic, this
is an issue that I have studied for a long time. And what I know is, over
the centuries, the doctors of the church have not been able to make that
definition. And Senator--St. Augustine said at three months. We
don't know. The point is, is that it shouldn't have an impact on the woman's
right to choose. Roe v. Wade talks about very clear definitions of when
the child--first trimester, certain considerations; second trimester; not so
third trimester. There's very clear distinctions. This isn't about
abortion on demand, it's about a careful, careful consideration of all factors
and--to--that a woman has to make with her doctor and her god. And so I
don't think anybody can tell you when life begins, human life begins. As I
say, the Catholic Church for centuries has been discussing this, and there are
those who've decided...

MR. BROKAW: The Catholic Church at the moment feels very strongly
that it...

REP. PELOSI: I understand that.

MR. BROKAW: ...begins at the point of conception.

REP. PELOSI: I understand. And this is like maybe 50 years or
something like that. So again, over the history of the church, this is an
issue of controversy. But it is, it is also true that God has given us,
each of us, a free will and a responsibility to answer for our actions.
And we want abortions to be safe, rare, and reduce the number of
abortions. That's why we have this fight in Congress over
contraception. My Republican colleagues do not support
contraception. If you want to reduce the number of abortions, and we all
do, we must--it would behoove you to support family planning and, and
contraception, you would think. But that is not the case. So we have
to take--you know, we have to handle this as respectfully--this is sacred
ground. We have to handle it very respectfully and not politicize it, as it has
been--and I'm not saying Rick Warren did, because I don't think he did, but
others will try to.

Normally, I don't blog about political discussions. However, Ms. Pelosi's response does say a lot about how many misinformed people look at Church teaching to adapt it to their own point of view. Given the fact that it still sticks in my craw, the Spirit must be urging me to share something.

First, Ms. Pelosi's response shows that she was doing something that all people of faith should do - that is, study their faith. She has read the doctors of the Church, has she? Very good. However, as is often the case, unfortunately, her reading reflects a selective investigation that has simply verified her own positions. Yes, Augustine thought that life began at (or even after) birth, when the soul entered the body. Such a belief reflects the dualistic, neo-Platonic thought of his day. Aquinas also held a similar position - even saying that boys receieved the soul before girls! Their beliefs reflected the theological reflection upon the best science of their 4th and 13th century days.

This, however, Nancy, is the 21st century, and our science has brought so much more to light. As she dismisses Brokaw's assertion of what the Chruch actually teaches, she rejects, in actuality, the reasonable aspect of our Catholic faith. Not terribly "ardent," Nancy. She was right: we are on sacred ground here. To allow oneself to be guided on that sacred ground not by God and His Church but by one's own agenda is dangerous and - if I may say - irresponsible.

I am blown away - not because of Pelosi's words - which really set me off (and right before Mass, at that!) - but by the way the Holy Spirit has been telling me to write what I just did. I guess that's the power of Confirmation still at work - and it's good to know!

Who Do You Say He Is?

There's a scene in the film "Talladega Nights" where Ricky Bobby and his family sits down to dinner and does something you rarely see in a movie anymore. They pray. However, the prayer becomes the source of the comedy when Ricky begins to pray to "Baby Jesus." His wife begins to object, saying that Jesus grew up into a man, and that is who she prays to. Ricky tells her she can pray to her version of Jesus when it's her turn to pray.

The whole table then breaks into a discussion of each's favorite image of Jesus - "I see him in a nice, white suit"; "I like to think of Jesus as a...a...ninja!" They all nod in approval of each other's "favorite Jesus image." And, while this scene is charming and funny, it also speaks to something that is quite common for all of us Christians.

We all have our favorite Jesus.

However, in so doing, we have to be careful not to limit Jesus by our personal needs and projected desires. We can see Jesus as loving and merciful, but also have to remember that he did not tolerate sin and evil. We can know the Jesus who welcomes the children, but recall that he is the same one who overturned tables in the Temple. Jesus is Jesus - he is not some pieced-together character that suits our personal comfort level. When Jesus demands sacrifice from us, it is often not what we would want. However, that sacrifice will lead to our closeness to the true Jesus, and everlasting life for us.

Many have answered that question that Jesus asks in today's Gospel: "Who do you say that I am?" The proper answer is not a Jesus who will be whatever we want him to be. Rather, the correct answer is the Jesus who calls us to be true to the person whom God made us to be.

The Irish in Me Cannot Resist!

Right here in my own backyard - in Frederick - we have a spud-miracle!

Sort of.

A man dug in his backyard potato garden, and - begoragh! - a Mickey-Mouse-shaped tuber! The mouse-tater joins the panoply of interesting wonders of nature in food, such as the Virgin Mary in a tortilla, Mother Teresa in a Cinnabun, and, of course, Illinois-shaped corn flakes.

So...who wants fries?

Modesty Matters

A friend of mine from seminary wrote a column in his bulletin a few years ago about the chalice veil, and Brittney Spears' belly button. Now, there may seem to be absolutely nothing those two things can have in common, but stay with me. He wrote that the reason we might cover up the chalice and paten prior to the Eucharistic Prayer (or the tabernacle, for that matter) is that we are veiling something both beautiful and mysterious. We are not hiding them; we are honoring them. He then went on to talk about modesty in dress, referring to Ms. Spears' ubiquitous half shirts. I remember reading the line, "There is nothing beautiful nor mysterious about Brittney's belly button."

His point: cover up appropriately.

I came across a pleasant blog whose author has been kind enough to notice me here - Journey of a Catholic Nerd Writer. Through that blog's page, I found another site, Maidens of Modesty, where that virtue is extolled and promoted. I think it can be the new chic. Think about it - would you like to be referred to as "beautiful and mysterious"? Wouldn't you like that link to the liturgy?

Taking the Controls (Evil, Pt. 2)

Picking up on yesterday's topic, I want to call attention to the sequence in "Batman" where the Joker has rigged two ferries with explosives and given the detonators to the other ferry, waiting to see which would blow the other up. His thesis is that when pushed to such a point, even good people are corruptible and will choose to commit evil to save themselves. To make the point even more stark, one ferry has mainly convicts on it while the other has law-abiding citizens. They have until midnight, at which point, if neither explodes, the Joker will detonate both.

"They had their chance and blew it," one "good" passenger says about the convicts. Hence, they should be the ones to be destroyed. However, when he holds the detonator, he cannot do it. His face seems to say that he cannot stand himself as a killer - even when it means saving himself.

The twist comes when a convict takes the device from another man on the other boat. We wait for the "bang!" but it doesn't come. Rather, he turns, throws the detonator out the window, and sits down.

All of these people had to wrestle with the problem of evil. In a way, they might appear to be only "pawns" in a cruel struggle between a greater Good and Evil. However, these men and women take an active role. They choose - and through those choices they forge who they are. One can choose to be a killer or executioner, but if that is not in line with who they want to be, that choice then becomes loathsome to them. The "good" cannot destroy the "bad"; the "bad" refuse to continued to be defined by past mistakes.

It's not who we say we are that matters. Rather, it is the choices that we make that define us. When we choose in line with our faith - when we choose to be Christians - we are defined by the One who has placed that call into or hearts in the beginning. All of us are actors - stars, even - in a drama that continues to unfold all around us.

The Problem of Evil

Heath Ledger - God rest him - I think, did a fabulous job portraying a maniacal Joker in the recent "Batman: Dark Night." He was manic, and evil and animated. His presence, I thought, brought into relief a question that many believers and non-believers grapple with all the time: "Why evil?"

Why do bad things happen?

Why do people do bad things - to other, innocent, people?

Why does this or that bad thing happen to me?

The Joker in this film doesn't give a grand answer. "I just do what I do," he says at one point. And what he does is create chaos, wreak havoc and raise fear because of the unpredictable and ungrounded way his attacks on the citizens of Gotham occur.

This weekend, on CNN, the two presidential candidates answered questions from Pastor Rick Warren. One of his questions was, "Does evil exist, and, if it does, what do we do about it?" Both candidates acknowledge the existence of evil and responded that it must be confronted and defeated (with differing amounts of words!).

From our Christian perspective, evil is very real and active in our world. St. Augustine called evil a "lack" of a necessary good. In our tradition, we have different types of evil - physical evil, like illness or pain; "metaphysical" evil, like despair - but all of them are recognized as having a real effect on our lives and the world. Scripture has wrestled with the origins of evil ever since Genesis, Chapter 3. After the attacks on 9/11, John Paul II referred to evil in traditional language of theology as the "mysterium iniquitatis. The point is, though, that evil is not easily and neatly explained. It simply is. Our task is to respond to it in a way that reflects our faith and hope in God.

Many people throughout history and today use this problem of evil as a proof that our all-loving, all-powerful, all-good God cannot exist. "If Jesus says 'Ask and you will receive,' then why are there amputees?" "He'd do something about it," they say - like Batman, or Superman, swooping in and saving the day. However, this vision of God and the world makes us into mere pawns, or bit players in a larger drama that has nothing to do with us. There is a response to evil - better yet, there is God's response to evil.

There is the Cross. There is Jesus Christ.

So often, the greatest stories of faith and of the triumph of the human spirit come from people afflicted the worst, as far as we can tell. One need not be a believer to have these stories - although that seems to help. When a person can accept what goes on as a way of letting the "glory of God" be made evident through their trials with evil, then they become, again, God's response to evil. They unite themselves to Christ, and their suffering becomes salvific.

Why me?

I may never know.

Can God be there?

Absolutely.

Preach the Gospel Always - If Necessary, Use Sesame Street

Buddy blogger, Scott Miller, had a neat pop culture/gospel connection on his blog for Sunday. It's the kind of thing any reader of this blog would be used to seeing. Way to go, Scott!

Also, the local Catholic paper, The Catholic Review has a story this week about local blogging priests. Check it out here. (By the way, the referred-to entry about "Batman" will be forthcoming). Just wait, Scott - I am sure that the article on Lay Ecclesial Ministers who blog is not far behind!

Riding Back to Our Roots

There is a move in Maryland to establish a new named route - in Southern Maryland, to be precise. The "Religious Freedom Byway" would wander through St. Mary's and Charles counties and serve as a reminder that the roots of religious tolerance in the United States began with a little colony founded by a group of English settlers and their two Jesuit friends. The Washington Post has the story here.

Believe It or Not, It's Just Me

Remember the 80's TV show, "The Greatest American Hero"? I loved that show. It's about an average guy (played by the stylishly permed William Katt) who comes across a super suit that was left behind by aliens. The catch: he lost the instructions. He puts on the suit and gains all sorts of super powers, including the ability to fly. However, with a lack of instructions, his landings are always very rough.

While I was on break, I received a message from a total stranger on Facebook. The young woman was obviously very faithfully Catholic, as she commented on the hand gesture that I was giving in my profile (don't worry - it wasn't that hand gesture). She told me it was a satanic symbol and could give the wrong impression. I thanked her and changed it to a photo of me at Disney World. Then she responded to that by bemoaning the fact that I was in "layman's clothes" (even though they were my clothes). She was upset that I wasn't in my clerical habit at all times, as I am on duty all the time. I didn't respond (such exchanges will produce nothing, I have found), but I did change the photo back to my sister-in-law and I at my brother's wedding - collar and all.

I do think that wearing the collar - or any established religious habit - is important. It is a witness - silent and bold - in a world where looks are everything. However, it is very important to remember that the clothes do not make the man - nor the collar the priest. I remember at first needing to get comfortable with my clerics, and now I have no problem going anywhere in the collar. However, I don't think I need to vacation in them. Putting on the black shirt, slacks, shoes and white collar certainly marks a man as a cleric, and it is a great sign, particularly for people who want to know that priests are present. However, let's also remember that often, there is no instruction manual with that outfit.

Or is there?

Perhaps, the instruction book is the Book that matters for all of us Christians - the Gospel. Behind every collar you see is a far-from-perfect man, who, perhaps, is wondering if he is doing the job right. Many of my friends from school when I was a kid still say, "Austin? A priest?"

Believe it or not....

Not in Thunder or Fire

The First Reading today tells us of Elijah's encounter with God on Horeb and how he recognizes Yahweh not in thunder or fire or earthquake but in a whispering wind. Jesus comes, simply, walking on the water, and Peter needs him to command something extraordinary in order to believe it truly is Jesus.

In "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" we are taken into a room with many "grails," and Indy and his nemesis, Walter Donovan, are asked to "choose, but choose wisely." Donovan looks for the most ornate and impressive cup and drinks from it. By now we all know the result: "He chose poorly." Indy then looks for a simpler cup - the cup of a carpenter.

Often, in our spiritual lives we look for the sign in the sky - the lightning bolt, the dramatic sign - that will tell us exactly what God wants (or, actually, what we want to hear or see). However, in doing this we are falling into an age-old trap of putting our categories and expectations on God. He will act - and He will act on His own terms. The entire motive for all of God's actions - from the creation of the universe to allowing us to awaken this morning - is LOVE. We don't need thunder or fire - we don't even need to be asked to walk on water - to know that God is near and that He loves us unconditionally.

We have already been given the eyes to see and the ears to hear; it takes a simple faith, now, to put them to use - and to choose wisely.

More Vacation

Today is my birthday. Thanks be to God, who has sustained me this far; and thanks to all those who make my life so special.

That being said, the family and I are heading to Western Maryland for a week's vacation at Deep Creek Lake. I don't know if I will have Internet access easily available, so I am warning any reader that it might be another week before there is anything new here (although I have scheduled a post for tomorrow anyway). So, I'll see you back in the blogosphere whenever the Good Lord allows it. In the meantime, enjoy the Olympics - or check out some blogs that I follow regularly:

The Deacon's Bench

The Curt Jester

The Daily Dish

Gift and Mystery

Hollywood Jesus

American Papist

A Catholic Youth Ministry Blog

White Around the Collar

Peace!

Harmony

During the Olympics, we will see a lot of this symbol. It's the Chinese character for harmony. How fitting a concept for these games. The original Greek concept of the Olympic games was that war would cease for the period of the Olympiad as city states came together to celebrate human achievement in sport and competition. It was part of the dream of Pierre de Coubertin, who founded the modern Olympic games. It is also a part of the dream of Christianity for the human family.

St. Augustine of Hippo called this "peace" the "tranquilitas ordinis" or "tranquility of order." This is the will of God, according to the Doctor of the Church. Some Catholic commentators refer to this term as a way of justifying the use of force and armed attacks in an effort to maintain that "tranquility of order." However, this would ignore much of our theology as it has developed through the centuries. St. Thomas Aquinas called war a sin against charity, seeing the human race as a family and such strife as war as an affront to the family peace. War is bad - sometimes necessary, but always bad. We have a tradition of defining "just war," but even this recognizes that war is not the answer to bringing peace.

I watched President Bush and Vladimir Putin having a casual conversation at the opening ceremonies, and I saw the tranquilitas ordinis of which Augustine spoke. As we watch these games, may be be reminded of the peace on earth that God wills for His children, and filled with hope that it is possible if we maintain that sense of harmony in our hearts.

An A-Ha Moment

Remember that Swedish band from the 80's? Here's a reminder: "Take on me....take me on..." Ahh, the complexity of 80's music! Anyway, they were not a one-hit-wonder, although they are really best known for that one song, whose video was a clever and ground-breaking mix of live and pencil-sketch comic book action. They had another song called "The Sun Only Shines on TV." The lyrics tell of a person's struggle with feelings of emptiness and darkness within in comparison with the shiny, rosy world of television - an escape that is simply unattainable in reality. Check it out:

I reached inside myself
and found nothing there
to ease the pressure of
my ever-worrying mind.
All my powers waste away
I fear the crazed and lonely looks
the mirror's sending me these days.
Please don't ask me to defend
the shameful lowlands
of the way I'm drifting
gloomily through time.

I reached inside myself today
thinking there's got to be some way
to keep my troubles distant.

Touch me
How can it be
Believe me
The sun always shines on TV
Hold me
close to your heart
Touch me
and give all your love to me.

TV has long been an escape for us as a society. Even "reality TV" serves as a way to check out of reality and forget what is happening in our lives - for better or for worse. However, we as Christians are not simply called to live outside of this world. Often, we hear of the dualism of the "Flesh" and "Spirit." However, this is not put forth so that we forget about the real world where God has placed us. We cannot run away from reality - not even from that "way we drift gloomily through time," if that is the way we are feeling. Rather, we are called to unite that difficult reality to Christ. Jesus did promise us the cross; and if we are serious about following Him we must accept that cross. This is not anything new.

There is a legend about St. Peter during the persecutions of the Church in Rome. He, as bishop of Rome, decided to run away from the authorities who sought to put him to death. On his way out of Rome, he bumped into Jesus, who was heading into town. Peter asked him, "Lord, where are you going?" (In Latin, "Domine, quo vadis?") Jesus answered, I am going to Rome, to suffer with my Church." Duly chastised, Peter turned around and returned to face his cross.

The sun may always shine on TV, but here in the real world, the Son has shone and shared with us the reality of salvation - which often comes to us through "the shameful lowlands." When life seems so difficult and gloomy, and we are looking for an escape, remember that Jesus has been here too. He has "taken us on," and made those difficulties redemptive.

A-ha! There is salvation!

Where Are the Priests?

I had a friend in seminary who had a way of bringing our vocation to the various encounters we would have when we would all go out to dinner or a movie. After a viewing of "Starship Troopers," for example, he would ask a familiar question.

"Yeah, but where are the priests in all this?"

It was part of his sense of humor, but I think he also meant it - meant it to keep us thinking that in the midst of popular culture, the figure of the priest (or any religious icon, for that matter) is largely absent. Hollywood doesn't make movies like "The Bells of St. Mary's" anymore, and if a Father Mulcahy figure appears, it's usually so that others can make him look silly.

However, this is not just limited to TV and film. The priests are missing from many people's lives - sometimes this is the people's fault, but sometimes it is the priests'. We are ministers of presence - the Presence, to be exact. It is not enough for a priest to whine that we are not present or included in the lives of our flock; we have a duty to put ourselves out there. Now, not every priest is an extrovert (myself included), but we are the ones who bring Christ to the lives of our people in a mysterious (read sacramental) yet very real way. So, we go to them.

Last week, on the High-LI program, I was struck yet again by this thought. The very talented and grace-filled staff comprised youth ministers, diocesan directors and coordinators, teachers, and yes, priests. We priests were not an afterthought (at least, I hope we weren't!); we were an integral part of that team. We worked together - "in the midst of the people [God] has chosen" (cf. 1Kgs 3:8).

Some priests don't feel gifted to work with young people - it's not that they don't like them; they are just uncomfortable or awkward with them. That is OK - we must know our strengths and weaknesses. However, to totally withdraw from them would be a real mistake, since our youth are looking for us - rather, for us to bring that Presence to them. I am a priest first, but I love youth ministry. That is why I am there, why I do what I do. I was proud to be part of that talented team, but proud also because, as a priest, I could bring that Presence to all there. It is important.

As an encouragement, I saw several young men on the program who would make fine priests themselves. They showed God's presence to me as well as to their peers. We must pray for them - and continue to be present to them. That is the gift of the priesthood.

St. John Vianney, patron saint of parish priests, whose feast day was August 4, said this about our priests: At the sight of a church tower, you may say, "What is there in that place?" "The Body of Our Lord. " "Why is He there?" "Because a priest has been there, and has said holy Mass. "

"Where are the priests?"

My answer: I am right here.

Time for a Break (Before Father Goes Crazy!)

So, last week =

66 teenagers + 6 18-hour days + very little quality sleep + lots of junk food + laughter + tearsThat means that I need to get away. Hence, I go to the beach for a few days, then after that I plan to head to the mountains of Western Maryland with my family, before getting back to the college campus ministry scene. Therefore, please excuse me as I pass out, and take a few days off. (Hey - even the pope needs a vacation) Thanks!

Making Prophets

No, not "profits" - prophets.

As High-LI draws to a close, I have been impressed with the quality of young leaders that we are releasing on the Archdiocese. They came from every corner and brought all sorts of talents and interests, but we are sending them forth more confident, aware of the gift that they are to the Church.

The program was divided into three parts, or "tracks," which each emphasized a different aspect of Christian leadership: Source & Summit, which helped the young people to become better liturgical ministers and planners; Emmaus, which focused on developing peer ministry skills; and Acts 29, which aimed at improving leadership skills as meeting planners, school government leaders and parish council members. The track with which I was associated was Acts 29. The name comes from the fact that there is no 29th chapter of Acts - it is the living Church, where we are. We wanted to have the kids realize their prophetic role as leaders in the Church. Thus, they were taught how to organize and run meetings, but also how to recognize God's call and the vision He shares with them. Then, they learned how to turn and motivate others and rally them around that vision.

A prophet is one who is called by God and sent to deliver that message, no matter how difficult or unpopular that vision may be. The young people recognized that it is about a "message with a purpose." That purpose is to form and strengthen community and help that community stay focused on God's plan for them - in short, faithfulness.

Now, as they go out into their worlds, we continue to pray that they remain faithful to their relationship with God, that they share that relationship with others, and help them to appreciate the gift and mystery of these young people's presence in our Church.

The Feast - With Servant Leaders

Thursday on High-LI took us all out to various service sites around Baltimore. As we prepare young people to be Christan leaders, an important component of that sort of leadership is servant leadership. Just listen to JC himself:

So, during supper, fully aware that the Father had put everything into his power and that he had come from God and was returning to God, he rose from supper and took off his outer garments. He took a towel and tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and dry them with the towel around his waist…. So when he had washed their feet (and) put his garments back on and reclined at table again, he said to them, "Do you realize what I have done for you?

“You call me 'teacher' and 'master,' and rightly so, for indeed I am. If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another's feet.

“I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do. Amen, amen, I say to you, no slave is greater than his master nor any messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you understand this, blessed are you if you do it" (Jn 13:2-5, 12-17).

Our kids went to soup kitchens, parishes, care centers and the streets and served the lowliest of our city. Their task was to find the heroes among them - not themselves, as we tend to think of ourselves when we do good things - the volunteers and coordinators who serve others around them. There was no shortage of heroes.

Our group went to a place I had not heard of, but which does some incredible stuff. Movable Feast is a program that prepares meals for those confined with HIV/AIDS, breast cancer and other life-challenging illnesses. Not only that, they give people who have been out of commission for a while - either by illness or other social problems - life skills in the culinary arts. We joined them for a few hours and helped prepare meals to be shipped to these people. The kids "got it." They saw the heroes; they understood why we serve. The kids, while processing the morning, commented that "we expected to be moving feasts; we didn't expect to be moved by the feast."