Living The Faith On A High Wire: March 2013

The Ultimate Power of Humility...

As I have written before, probably my favorite Mass of the year is the celebration of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday.

The night is significant for most Christians, since it is the beginning of the Passion of Christ, but for Roman Catholics, it takes an even deeper meaning.

On Holy Thursday, the Church commemorates the Institution of the Eucharist (the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ in the appearance of bread and wine), and of the priesthood, to perpetuate the eternal sacrifice of the Eucharistic meal by following His command of, “Do this in memory of me.”

Therefore, in most Catholic parishes, Holy Thursday is commemorated with all the pomp and circumstance the occasion deserves.

Mar

From the Soccer Field to the Priesthood…

In 2008, Chase Hilgenbrinck was living the dream. The Bloomington, Illinois product was in his mid-20’s. He was a professional soccer player, who after spending four seasons playing professionally in Chile, finally reached his goal of playing professionally in the United States, after signing an MLS contract with the New England Revolution. He had a beautiful girlfriend and lots of friends. He had money. He had relative fame.

Mar

St. Joseph; Husband, Father and Loyal Servant of God...

Today, the Universal Church celebrates the Solemnity of St. Joseph; the man behind the Messiah and His Blessed Mother...

From the prayer to St. Joseph:

Oh, St. Joseph, I never weary of contemplating you, and Jesus asleep in your arms; I dare not approach while He reposes near your heart. Press Him in my name and kiss his fine head for me and ask Him to return the kiss when I draw my dying breath. St. Joseph, Patron of departing souls - Pray for me.

Mar

Pope Francis, the Church and the Radio Host…

As I rushed to pick up my son at baseball practice after work last Wednesday, after the historic, and for me, emotional, selection and introduction of the first Latin American, first Jesuit and first non-European pontiff in over 1200 years in Roman Catholic Church history (not to mention, first Francis), I turned on the radio, and before getting a chance to catch my breath and reflect on the magnitude of the day’s developments, all the peace and joy in my heart was quickly dashed.

Mar

Woman Runs Marathon to Become a Nun...

Talk about running for a crown that will last forever, as St. Paul writes in his first letter to the Corinthians; a 26-year-old California woman is running a full marathon to help raise money to pay off her student loans, so that she can join a monastery and become a cloistered nun.

An article in the Catholic New Agency states that Jenn Garza is committed to putting her body throught the grinding test for the sake of her spirit and those of all the people that support her in the run:

...

Mar

And, the Greatest of These is Love...

Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, [love] is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. (1 Cor 13:4-7)

As challenging as St.

Mar

The Spartan Race, a Prayer and Marital Bliss...

As I tried to sit up the morning after competing in the Reebok Super Spartan Race last Sunday, I honestly felt like a truck ran me over.

Without exaggerating, every single muscle in my body, except maybe the orbicularis oris, which enwraps the mouth, including places I didn’t even know I had muscles, was hurting.

Living The Faith On A High Wire