From High to Low

Luke 9:28b-36
Jesus took Peter, John, and James
and went up the mountain to pray.
While he was praying his face changed in appearance
and his clothing became dazzling white.
And behold, two men were conversing with him, Moses and Elijah,
who appeared in glory and spoke of his exodus
that he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem.
Peter and his companions had been overcome by sleep,
but becoming fully awake,
they saw his glory and the two men standing with him.
As they were about to part from him, Peter said to Jesus,
“Master, it is good that we are here;
let us make three tents,
one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
But he did not know what he was saying.
While he was still speaking,
a cloud came and cast a shadow over them,
and they became frightened when they entered the cloud.
Then from the cloud came a voice that said,
“This is my chosen Son; listen to him.”
After the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone.
They fell silent and did not at that time
tell anyone what they had seen.

When the Transfiguration happened, Peter and the other two disciples were completely blown away by what became of Jesus right in front of their eyes.  His leader, a man that he has seen do extraordinary things.  Heal the sick, cast out demons and calm storms.  Peter had identified Him as the Messiah and Peter was called to lead His Church.

However at this moment, Christ was truly revealed as the fulfillment of the prophecies.   As Moses and the Prophet Elijah appeared alongside Him, with the voice of the Father from the heavens saying “This is my son, my chosen, listen to Him”.

Peter felt that he had to do SOMETHING about all of this.  He started to direct the disciples to make shelters for them.  He tried to spring into action.  Then, as quickly as it happened, it went away.  His Lord returned to normal and they said nothing about it.

This was startling, shocking.  It shook Peter to his core.  You think it would be a life-changing experience.  It was very obvious that there was a God, and that He was directing and driving what had taken place.

If we try to hold onto those moments as our only sign of God being present, we will be left empty.  As stunning as this was, how easy would it be for Peter to forget all that happened?  How is that possible?

The truth is that Peter did continue to doubt.  Things got harder after all of this, not easier.  It was a greater struggle to follow Jesus.  He felt unworthy of his office.  Mostly, he seemed terrified of Jesus leaving him.  He kept making promises to Him that Jesus knew that he could not keep.  He denied God when it counted most; three times while his Lord, who he swore to never abandon, was being prepared for crucifixion.  He did abandon His Lord.

No matter how much or inadequate we are in front of God, no matter how paltry or pathetic our offerings may seem.  God uses these moments to perfect us.  We don’t need to be anything because He is already everything.

Peter is our First Pope, the leader of our Church; A great sinner with a short temper that would proclaim the primacy of Jesus as Lord with confidence and react with panic and rage at a moment of uncertainty.

Although he may have thought that he was inadequate for the Lord by abandoning Him, His Lord never abandoned him.  Throughout his life, his ministry and his time, Jesus came to him in real, undeniable ways because if anything, Peter knew how much he needed Jesus and that without the support of Him, that he would not be capable of carrying out the office that he had been appointed to.

During this time of Lent and transition in our Church, let us pray for Peter, his succesor Pope Benedict and his office and how Christ has never abandoned him, but rather that He has pushed, molded and motivated him to be exactly who he needed to be to lead his flock to Him.

Now that we will be before Jesus, offer all that you have to pray for to the Lord on behalf to the imperfect men who have the impossible task of leading us to Christ and that this time of transition may lead us to a new understanding of our Lord.

Judgement

We, the Catholic Faithful are not the judges of where your eternal soul rests. We can only turn to THE Judge, the Most High King to discern if the path that any of us on is to Sainthood or to eternal separation from Him.

As Catholics, we have the benefit of the Sacraments of Communion (the Eucharist and Penance) to frequently examine if the path we are on is the way to Heaven. I love my God above all things, and I love my brothers and sisters in the Body of Christ as myself because we are all of one cloth and flesh. If I am in Communion with God and my Church, I have nothing to fear but to only grow in love.

The discernment of where your soul is heading is not in our hands. We should not judge, lest we be judged. You should not care about where we think you are going. It has no effect on your soul in the eyes of the Creator. We can only tell you if something is in keeping with the beliefs and practices that are in communion with the Church. In our eyes, that is what really matters.

Where my brothers and sisters are speaking is a place of love to educate you on the Truth that comes from the teachings of the Church that Christ Himself founded. At the end of the day, He is the only one who’s judgment of you really matters.

Rejoice? (12/16/2012)

Philippians 4:4-7
Brothers and sisters:
Rejoice in the Lord always.
I shall say it again: rejoice!
Your kindness should be known to all.
The Lord is near.
Have no anxiety at all, but in everything,
by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving,
make your requests known to God.
Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding
will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Rejoice!  That's what we heard today.  I say Rejoice!

Today is Gaudete Sunday.  When you went to Mass today, you saw the rose vestments.  They are there to remind us that we need to Rejoice.  The Lord is near.

How can we rejoice right now?  For some of us, life isn't going awesomely.  Friday was an outright terrible day.  Innocent children were slaughtered in their elementary school.  People are dying, families are suffering.  This only adds to the stress of Christmas coming, families colliding together and school picking up JUST in time.  But we are supposed to rejoice. 

How dare you call us to rejoice?  God must not get it.  He must not understand it.  There is no way He can command me to do that and understand what I face down here.  The uncertainty of my future, the fact that everything sacred seems to be under attack.  

Sometimes life seems like such an overwhelming task that it seems impossible to rejoice.  The closer that we draw to Jesus, the harder it gets.  

Sometimes the more that I know, the more I wish I didn't know.  

Brothers and sisters, life is overwhelming.  It's huge and looming.  There is absolutely NO way that we can handle it on our own.

Paul reminds us, Rejoice, and do not be anxious in everything, but with prayer and petition and with thanksgiving present your requests to God.  The peace of God which transcends all human understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

God wants us to rejoice because He has it under control.  

All the suffering, the pain, the ridiculousness we endure are a Gift from Him.  We must be thankful because without Him, we cannot bear it.

Suffering is an opportunity to shed the layers of this world and clutch onto Jesus; He who endured the cross for you.

Without tragedy and pain, it would be really easy to ignore our need for  a Savior.  It's only human.

The Peace of God is so much bigger than any tragedy or obstacle.  When tragedy strikes, it takes away the distractions and the stupidity that separate us from Him.

Tell God what is on your heart.  He needs to hear it.  But, you need to be ready to listen.  He is going to give you a great and amazing gift.  But, you need to be ready in your mind heart and spirit to receive it.  

It is so tempting and so human to get upset and not trust and to turn away from God when things do not go the way that we think they should go.  We want to fix it and understand it on our own terms.

Brothers and Sisters, without God, nothing gets fixed.  We will have no Understanding.

Let go, Rejoice!  He is with you!

Be thankful.  Let Him hear you and do His job of giving you what you desire in the deepness of your heart.  

This life can certainly be terrible at times.  But, this is the greatest opportunity to rejoice.  

Vocations (10/21/2012)

Hebrews 4:14-16
Brothers and sisters:
Since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens,
Jesus, the Son of God,
let us hold fast to our confession.
For we do not have a high priest
who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses,
but one who has similarly been tested in every way,
yet without sin.
So let us confidently approach the throne of grace
to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help.

Know the plans that I have for you.

Jesus knows.  He was there.  He will be here and He is always in your heart.

Brothers and Sisters, you have been called by name, and before He made you in your mother's womb, he knew you.

Your God loves you.  He has a plan for you.  It's written in your very being.  In your DNA and in your personality.  In every inch that you are and every thought in your mind and on your heart.

Jesus is about to join us.  Here, on His Altar.  He is going to listen to you.  He is going to hear you.

The Father has created you to answer a call.  To respond.  To listen to His almighty and all knowing voice.  You may have a plan in mind for how you want to live your life.  It may be what you are called to do. Then again it may be not.  The key is to listen.

In Hebrews today, we learned more of Jesus, our high priest and redeemer. 

He has suffered what you have suffered.  He has faced what you have faced.  He is both human like you and me and listening and loving His father.  But, unlike you and I, He is without sin.  He has faced and defeated it.  He has overcome.

The Scripture tells us to draw close to His almighty throne with confidence.  It's because he is YOUR savior.  He won't leave you hanging.  He WILL respond.

Every joy, every pain, every triumph and every temptation.  Offer it to Him.  He will make your paths straight.  He has overcome.  He will fill you with His Grace if you would just let Him.

With that Grace, you will have His confidence. You will answer your Father's call.

You are all at a critical point of your lives where you have a choice to answer your Father's Call or try to do it all on your own.

As we officially kick off our semester on Vocations, ask yourself: Am I ready to listen? Am I ready to allow Jesus to overcome the obstacles that I have in my heart?

Know the plans I have for you.

Are you listening?  He is going to tell you.

Kickoff Proclaim (10/7/2012)

Hebrews 2:9-11

Brothers and sisters:
He "for a little while" was made "lower than the angels, "
that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

For it was fitting that he,
for whom and through whom all things exist,
in bringing many children to glory,
should make the leader to their salvation perfect through suffering.
He who consecrates and those who are being consecrated
all have one origin.
Therefore, he is not ashamed to call them 'brothers.'

God never wanted us to be alone.

As we begin the school year and our time together, He wants you to know.

You were never meant to be alone.

God created women to be companions to men.  To draw them closer to following God.  We know that a lot of times (or more like all the time) we let each other down.  We forget appointments, to call, to check on people.  We put other things as more important in our hearts.  School, sports, drama, hanging out with other friends.

He set an expectation.  He trusted us to follow Him above all else.  To obey his commandments. To surrender anything and everything to serve Him because He is your Papa God. 

And like the same way we let down our friends and our family, and like they can let us down.  We fail.  Time after time.

But He wants you to know that despite all that you do that divides you between Him and you THAT YOU ARE NEVER ALONE.

He came down.  God the Son, below the Angels to suffer with you.  To die for you.

He makes all that you do, New.  He KNOWS how you feel.  He felt what you are feeling on the Cross.

He will never leave you or forsake you.  His bond with you is Permanent.  Through your Baptism, He has made a home in your heart.

Like the author said in Hebrews, He came down from Heaven to be with you.  You get to see Him at Mass, and you will see Him again tonight.

My Brothers and Sisters, He will be on His Altar, there for you.  To be with you and you alone.

Your bond with Him cannot and will not be undone.  It is forever.

Offer up your problems, your joys, your sorrows to Him.

And just let Him love you.  

The New Evangelization

Brothers and Sisters.

We are called to preach the same Gospel that was handed down to us.  It is not of Human Origin.  It comes from our Lord.

Each of us is called to Evangelize.  But in order to Evangelize, we must be Evangelized ourselves.

This is our Church.  This is how we are called to witness.

This document says a lot.  It calls us to do many things.  It calls us to fall in love with Jesus and allow Him to work through us.

I challenge you in this Year of Faith to actually crack this thing open and read it.  It's 30 pages.  It won't kill you. 

It will challenge you, affirm you and it might be the kick in the pants you need to start seeing the Lord for who He is and what we are called to do in the world in spite of it.

God bless you.




Click on this Awesome Link:

Disciples Called to Witness: The New Evangelization

Prayer Request

Hey Everyone!

I know that someone out there is looking at this blog.  Even if it's a small showing.

I have a friend from High School and she is amazing.  Her name is Eve.  She was one of the bravest people I knew in High School.  She did not care about the superficial things that anyone thought of her or anyone else.  She was fiercely independent, firm and totally herself.  Yet she exuded kindness, compassion and she was totally open to all that anyone had to bring her or say.  She played soccer on the team that I managed and she was so brave that she played hockey for the first time in her senior year with me. 

She graduated from college, dabbled in the working world for a bit and then answered a call to go to Medical School.  She is currently in her final year.  While she was on break for Thanksgiving and headed back home to Massachusetts, she suffered a seizure and was rushed to the ER.  Her shoulder was dislocated in the seizure.  They discovered that she had a brain tumor.  She was sent to an outstanding hospital in Boston and they removed it last week.  She has been recovering well at home being cared for by her family.  A lot of stuff is now understandably up in the air.  She is waiting on results from pathology to determine what is next in her life. 

Eve Post-Op... Fearless

God LOVES this girl.  She could have very easily been in a foreign country for her fellowships, away from family and awesome medical care.  Instead, she was at home, surrounded by family and friends and in a location that had the best medical care possible... perhaps in the world for her condition.  Her surgery went flawlessly and she is doing amazing.  She has been showered in love and generous gifts of food and amusement from her friends and family.

She is upbeat about what has happened and finding sheer joy in the time she has with family.  She has no fear, only seeing how fortunate she is.  Amazing huh?  She is not despairing about her condition or uncertainty.  She is simply proceeding forward with the same braveness, silliness and boldness that makes her so respected by all those who work with her and love her.

Well, she has a series of doctors appointments next week that will determine the future for her.  Literally.  I am asking that you join me in a novena to St. Luke, Jesus' Apostle and patron saint of doctors for healing for my friend Eve and that she is able to continue on to her residency in Psychiatry and God's Blessings fall on her. 

We are starting tonight and going to Wednesday the 5th of December.  Please join me. 

In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Oh Most Holy Saint Luke you are a model of truth and patience! Most charming and saintly Physician, you were animated by the heavenly Spirit of love. In faithfully detailing the humanity of Jesus, you also showed his divinity and his genuine compassion for all human beings. Inspire our physicians with your professionalism and with the divine compassion for their patients. Enable them to cure the ills of both body and spirit that afflict so many in our day.

Dear St. Luke, I love you with all my heart. Inflame my heart with an ardent love of God and worship of the Trinity.
Please intercede for me and help me in this necessity (mention your petition) for the sake of Our Dear Lady's Tears and in honor of Christ Crucified.

We thank you for your intercession and Pray that we may always seek to do God's Will, to seek the truth in all things and to act humbly in accordance with God's Will all the days of our lives.

St. Luke, devoted to the Mother of God and Saint for Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Pray for us!

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be

In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

God Bless you all. :)

*****UPDATE 11/30/2012

Eve went to the Doctor today and her tumor was assessed as a Anaplastic astrocytoma WHO grade III. 

She stated that the initial plan is 6 weeks radiation and pill chemo with the possibility of Clinical Trials.

Her next Doctor's appointment is Wednesday 5 December, the last day of this Novena where they will get a lot more detailed information.

Eve and her Lucky Cat

Keep praying.  Awesomeness will reign down from Heaven if you ask for it******



******NEW UPDATE 12/3/2012

Eve got some preliminary results from her pathology.  Given that she is a super smart medical student, I will post what she said...

Good News Everyone! Part of my pathology report came back today as IDH1+ which is spectacular news that I had been hoping for!

The science: "[...] IDH1 may be an independent prognostic factor, [...] it to be associated with an improved outcome in patients with anaplastic gliomas. [It is associated with...] a significantly prolonged progression-free survival and overall survival compared with comparable tumors without an IDH mutation."

I really have to wait until Wednesday before treatment will get a little more concrete as far as when I start Chemo/Rads. It sounds like I will be getting some form of treatment for around a year, which though not ideal, I'm pretty excited that they're using the word "years" :)

Eve and an amazing Neuron

SO... GOD IS GOOD!  You are amazing for praying for her.  Keep it UP.  Wednesday is the end of the Novena... please, please, please keep praying and beleive that God is so loving and amazing and that He will heal His daughter COMPLETELY.***********


**********UPDATE 12/5/2012

Today is the final day of the Novena and Eve got some decent news. 

Update time! So today was a really good day to get the ball rolling and I am feeling very confident and positive. Dr. Reardon and his team at Dana Farber were incredibly understanding, articulate, thorough and confident in their treatment plan for me and my specific lesion.

So what I am looking at (for those of you who are medically minded and curious) is (hopefully in 1-2 weeks) starting a 6 week regimen of daily pill Chemo (Temodar 140, which I already have in hand) and Monday- Friday 3D Conformal Radiation Therapy followed by a few weeks of a break and then transitioning to a higher chemo dose (2-2.5x) 1 out of every 4 weeks for a little over a year. Overall the side effects are going to be fatigue and being grumpy (which for any of you who have known me growing up, I have battled all of my life haha).

There is going to be long term follow-up of course and the data on my particular lesion is really poorly defined. It is possible down the line that I could need another Neurosurgery but I don't see the use in worrying about that now.

There is still a lot of genetic information I am waiting on finding out but none of it would be anything that would effect the treatment regimen, it's more for my curiosity and desire to understand as much of this as possible.

♥ Thank you to everyone for your continued support, optimism and love. It really means the world to me ♥

Keep Eve in your thoughts and prayers.  I have left a Green Scapular with her to allow Our Lady to interceed for her healing.  I have been saying the Green Scapular prayer daily for her.  If you desire, please say the Green Scapular prayer daily for Eve's healing in mind, body, soul and spirit.

"Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us now and in the hour of our death."

Recovering from Cancer is a beast, but it's no match for our Lord and our Blessed Mother.  Between her sheer determination and your prayers, Eve will have this on lockdown. 

Bless you for joining me in this Novena.  I will be sure to ask you for more.... because God is SO good, but we just need to ask. *************