Love

Love. This word, these four simple letters, have been thrown at us since before we were born. We get used to hearing, “I love you,” from parents, family members, and friends and replying in kind. As we get older, we dream of a passionate love, the kind Nicolas Sparks would write about in one of his oh so addicting novels. We want to be swept off our feet and you can bet Hallmark plays this up to make a buck. This word is literally everywhere, whether it’s talking about the kind of love mentioned above or love of yourself, it’s hard to walk into a store without seeing the word placed decoratively somewhere. And why not? As one of my childhood favorites Aquamarine would inform you, “Love is the closest thing we have to magic.” Maybe that’s why people so desperately cling to the idea of love, because if someone doesn’t love you, what importance do you really have?

Okay I know that took a depressing turn, but bear with me for just a little bit longer. I was recently scanning the aisles of Half-Price Books, one of my favorite ways to pass time as long as I have my Starbucks, leggings, oversized sweater, and all other Basic White Girl attire intact. As I sipped my Vanilla Macchiato, I wondered aimlessly over to the religion section. My normal area being fiction, I was surprised to find a small section devoted specifically to Catholicism. I quickly scanned the books and picked out a few that visually caught my eye. Well for anyone who knows me, I have a hard time picking out food to order off a menu so picking out a book takes me all day. An hour later, while I’m placing the discarded books away I came across a battered copy of No Greater Love which is a compiled set of Mother Teresa teachings. She’s my role model so all other books went back to the shelf and I practically skipped up to the front as I bought the book. I made myself read only a section a day, allowing myself to truly take in what she was saying, and I’d like to share with you what I learned.
         

Mother Teresa was often described as being simple or childish in her ways and words. Personally I disagree. She saw and understood this world better than anyone because she wasn’t looking for the world, she was looking for Christ. She seeked and she found, but it wasn’t just in the Church that she found Christ, she found Christ in each and every person she encountered. Take a second and imagine what that is like, to see your God in every person you meet. That means the janitor, and the sorority girl, and the professor that assigned you that long essay, and that girl that just doesn’t know when to shut her mouth, and that boy that sits alone to eat lunch everyday… yeah it means everyone, not just your friends. If you saw God in each of them, can you help but love them? I would hope that answer is no, I want to love them too. This kind of love is a special kind though, it’s not one manufactured by Hallmark, it is so much more than that.

This is the love we see in children. Jesus told Nicodemus to, “Become as a little child.” That doesn’t mean to grab your blanket and throw a tantrum when you don’t get your way. This means to give love freely and to pray honestly with “an earnest desire to love much and to make loved the one that is not loved.” YOU GUYS WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO MAKE SOMEONE FEEL LOVED. This is like the worlds coolest superpower that God gave to each and every one of us.  Even cooler is the fact that it doesn’t take a grand gesture to show somebody that they are loved, it is the intensity of the love we put into our gesture. That means that if you honestly mean the smile that you give to the stranger in the street, it means more than the Christmas gift you spent $49.95 on due to a feeling of obligation. To Mother Teresa that smile was more than just a way to spread the love, it was a way to change the world.

One of Mother Teresa’s main themes was that love begins at home. Since we are all either on break or have recently returned back to campus dwelling spaces, I’m sure we have a good picture of what life at home is like. For me, home is a combination of loud voices, high emotions, hectic schedules, but more than anything love. My beautiful sister reminded us of that tonight at dinner when we were all light heartedly teasing my brother and she said, “Okay listen guys, I just want you to know that I love you always.” The teasing instantly stopped as all seven of us recited that we love her too. Naturally, we tried to beat each other out with the amount of love, but our cup overflows with love for each other regardless. After we have taken the time to love each other at home, our love then easily pours out to our neighbors. Thereafter the lovebug takes like a virus and spreads.

To end the blog, I feel obliged to inform you that true love is not an easy love. A famous quote from Mother Teresa is, “I have found a great paradox that if you love until it hurts there can be no more hurt, only more love.” Love is sacrifice, it is putting someone else’s needs before your own. Love is humbling yourself to know that in order for someone to open up to you, you have to first be willing to open up to them and you have to be willing to see the world from their point of view. God made each and every one of us in His hand and with unconditional love. God unconditionally loves you. He wants the same from you, and the best way to show God that love, is by showing each individual the same love. So you probably want an answer to my original question, if someone doesn’t love you, what importance do you really have? Well the question itself is illogical because God loves you. He says, “I have called you by name and you are mine.” You are important and you have the power to make someone else feel that way as well.

Sara Bushland is a Sophomore at Stephen F. Austin State University. She is studying Rehabilitation Services with a Specialization in Orientation and Mobility, largely inspired by her youngest sister. Sara is fearless when it comes to grabbing people's attention on campus, enjoys making people laugh with her, and is pretty fond of #authenticrelationships. Feel free to e-mail her at sbushland@gmail.com!

Year of Consecrated Life

With the beginning of Advent yesterday, we not only started a new Liturgical Year (Happy New Year!!!), but also a year dedicated to Consecrated Life. Over the next 12 months, we will be hearing a lot about Religious Life - what it's like, and how to discern whether you are called to it. 

I wanted to share the two blog posts below because it is comforting to know that other people are struggling with their vocation as I am. We all need the reminder that the only way to salvation is to surrender to God’s will and to follow in his steps. Pray for vocations. Pray that not only will we have strong leaders in our church, but we will also have strong, faithful leaders in our families. For this is where the seed of faith is grown!

http://imaginesisters.org/surrendering/

http://tylertenbarge.blogspot.com/2014/10/we-are-counting-on-you.html

Check out Imagine Sisters for more information about the Year of Consecrated Life! 

Elyse Dishman is a Senior Theatre major working towards her BA in Education. She will graduate in May 2015 after student teaching in Fort Worth in the spring. She enjoys singing, reading, and saving souls.

Dancing and Dating

Men, God gave Adam the simple task to protect and cultivate the garden of Eden, to shamar.  In that same way, we are called to shamar in our own lives.  We fail to do this so many times because the world we live in has a very misguided idea of what it means to be a man, in particular in the area of dating.

Living out in East Texas, one of my favorite pastimes is dancing.  I think there are several lessons men can learn from the dance floor that can be easily translated to dating.

Leading.  On the dance floor, the men are the leaders.  It is our job to make sure our dance partner doesn't bump into anyone and to gracefully lead her around the floor.  How many of you have tried to learn how to dance from a woman?  It usually doesn't work! Why is this? No, its not because women don't know how to dance or women make  bad leaders.  But rather, we have different roles on the dance floor.  The steps are mirrored! Sounds easy enough to know both sides, but it takes leaders to show others how to lead and it takes followers to show other how to follow.

So, men, if we don't know how to dance we must learn from a man how to lead.  

Yes, a woman can show us the basic step, but to understand the subtleties and intricacies of leading on the dance floor it must be from someone who knows them themselves.

In this same way, if we don't know how to be manly men, and society's view of what it means to be a man is backwards, how can we learn to be a man of God and pursue good and holy relationships?  Through fellowship with other men.  There are good, holy, men all around us in our churches and communities.  We must learn from the good examples around us on how to be men and pass those along to our brothers in Christ.  It is very hard to learn how to be a man of God from those who aren't men of God themselves.  Because of this, men we can't learn what it means to be men of God from women.  They can give us the desire to be better men, but without the knowledge of what it means to be a man it is misguided.

Also, ladies we can't teach you to be women of Christ - because of that all I will say is to grow in fellowship with other women to know what that means.

Another lesson on the dance floor - be bold but not bossy.  I'm as guilty of this as anybody, but men do not be afraid of rejection.  In dating or dancing, it is important to have confidence in what you're doing.  No one is "out of your league."  Even if you get rejected, you've taken a huge step out of your comfort zone and you've flattered her in asking her to dance.  

Ladies, too often I've heard the complaint that "there aren't enough guys that ask me to dance."  Remember, you are God's crowning jewel of creation.  Bluntly, step away from the table with your 4 friends.  Show gentleman you want to dance without being desperate.  Be creative! Stand by the dance floor swinging with the music.  Strike up a conversation in line for drinks.  Make eye contact from across the room.  Smile. But do something!

Now the third lesson from the dance floor.  Don't take it too seriously! Its fun!  You're going to mess up.  A dance is just that.. a dance.  It doesn't mean that as soon as you say yes to a dance you have to go on a date and start a relationship and family and STOP!  It lasts 4 minutes.  You meet the person.  Have a small conversation.  Spin around a little. Its over.  What happens next is a complete toss up.  You may never talk again.  You might decide to exchange phone numbers.  No commitment has been made.  Similarly, a date doesn't automatically mean a relationship.  A date could just be going to get ice cream or the cliche coffee date.  Especially the first date is just to get to know the person better.  

On that same line make your intentions clear.  On the dance floor give the proper signals to show a spin or change in direction.  In that same way, be clear about whether or not you want to continue going on dates or to just be friends.

So, build relationships with other strong men and women of God to learn and fully understand what it means.  Men, be bold but not bossy when asking women to dance or on a date.  Women, show guys your interested without throwing yourself at him.  And lastly, make sure its fun!  Dancing and dating are supposed to be fun activities to meet people and to learn more about each other.  Remember, its just a dance!

David Jarzynka is a sophomore Computer Science major at Stephen F. Austin State University. Between his active membership in the Knights of Columbus, leading a Bible Study, and serving on the Leadership Team at St. Mary's, David is quite busy. But he still finds time to dance!

Seek 2015

For my blog post this month, I’d like to tell you all more about an opportunity open to all students at Stephen F. Austin (and any college in United States). This opportunity is SEEK 2015! I had the opportunity to go to SEEK 2013 almost two years ago, and I can honestly say that it changed my life and brought me closer to who the Lord is calling me to be. I could talk about my experience at SEEK all day, but first I’ll tell you more about SEEK 2015!

• WHO: YOU and all college students in the United States
• WHAT: SEEK is a gathering of college students on a journey. It’s a place where we can come together to take on some of life’s BIGGER questions and, like guides along the way, learn from one another where wisdom and experience lead. Life is meant to be lived and in order to live it to the fullest, we need to heed the wisdom that calls us to ‘ask, seek and knock’ to discover who we are, where we’re going and what motivates us.
• WHEN: January 1^st-5^th
• WHERE: Nashville, Tennessee (How exciting!)
• WHY: to grow in your relationship with Christ and meet people from around the world who are doing the same.

While at SEEK, you will be able to experience talks from many different speakers, Mass every day with over 8,00 college students, confession, and many other powerful things. You don’t want to miss it!

The only thing needed from you is a $100 check to cover your spot on the bus, and the rest will be fundraised by YOU! For more information you can see any of our wonderful missionaries: Colin, Nathan, Hannah, Danielle, or Jessica. You can also email me at: hollychapnick@yahoo.com

Holly Chapnick is a Junior at SFA. She loves anchors, cute clothes, and fake butter (also known as margarine). Most of all, she is passionately in love with Jesus Christ and desires to make him known. 

St. Frances of Rome

            

    When I was beginning the process of Confirmation, and they told me I had to pick a saint to be my very own patron, I was more than a little intimidated by the task. How in the world was I supposed to pick which one I liked the best? How could I judge them? I felt awful going through the lists and marking names off as if I was some sort of holiness Simon Cowell. However, the Lord guided me to find the perfect role model for me, St. Frances of Rome.

                This woman, as beautiful, wonderful and relatable as she is, is not that widely known. A part of me is a little bit saddened by this. A bigger part of me likes that she is less widely known, though, because it means I get to talk about her, and introduce her to so many people! Which, as you probably guessed, is what I am doing now. You’re welcome, by the way, in advance.

Before I really get started, just know, I cannot do her incredible, holy life justice here (if you do want her whole story you can find it here http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=49). However, I do just one to share a few elements of her life that inspire and help me every day.

At the age of eleven, St. Frances knew that her calling in life was to be a nun. However, her wealthy and noble father had other plans for her, and arranged her marriage to a man from an equally influential family in Rome. Frances resisted and fought this, constantly praying that the Lord would prevent this marriage. Her confessor finally pointed out to her that she was praying for God to do her will, not for the desire to do God’s will. And so, after a period of miserably starving and straining herself, nearly to the point of death, she consented to the marriage, and the brand new lifestyle that came with it.

Now, it is key to know that Frances was born at the end of the 1300’s and grew up into the 1400’s, in Rome. As many church history geeks know, this was a time that was more than a little difficult for the Catholic Church. With multiple people claiming to be the pope, Rome became a battleground, and not just one for souls. At one point, St. Frances’s husband, the influential and noble man that he was, had been injured and captured and her oldest son, Battista, was to be taken as ransom for another family member’s life. When her son was taken, she ran immediately to a church and began praying unceasingly. As she was doing this, the kidnappers were trying to make away with her son, but every horse they put him on refused to move, no matter what they did. They had no choice but to set the boy free, and he found his mother in the chapel, praying through her tears.

There is something about these two little elements of St. Frances’s life that gives me hope. Here was a woman who had a stubborn streak wider than my own, and fought God on everything in her life. It took her nearly dying to trust in the Lord once, and even then she needed constant reminders to seek out His will and not her own. Maybe this is what gives me hope though- despite her stubbornness, she let God’s will be done in her. She let God take over her life time and time again, and trusted him to care and provide for her.

St. Frances gave herself and her own desires up, only to discover God’s greater plan for her life. God did eventually grant her request to become a nun, in her own order. But through her marriage, he gave her the resources to help the sick and the poor in ways she never could have in a convent. She converted the souls of her husband’s family, through her love and service, proving that God had better things in mind for her than she could ever have dreamed of!

St. Frances could also have just run off with her son, upon hearing the threat of his kidnapping, but she didn’t. In doing so, she was able to spare her family member's life, and no harm was done to her son. If she, with her headstrong ways can trust the Lord to the point of giving up her own son, then surely I can trust the Lord with my degree plan! Then surely I can let the Lord’s will be done in my daily life!

This woman who fought God on every issue is now someone who the Church holds up as an example for holiness. She is someone who we can point to and say “Look, she overcame her own stubbornness, and the Lord rewarded her for it! What is to stop me from doing the same?” The Lord wants amazing things for us, things we cannot even imagine. He knows who we are, what we need, and who we can become, before we are even born!

If St. Frances, in all her struggles, can become holy through trusting the Lord, then what is to stop each and every one of us from becoming a saint as well?

St. Frances of Rome, help us to see the difference between what we want to do, and what God wants us to do. Help us to discern what comes from our will and what comes from God’s desire. Amen.

Keara King gets excited about the little things in life-like bagels on Friday and swinging on swing sets. She is a sophomore student at SFA, from Flower Mound, Texas. She is a social work major, and her dream is to work with children at St. Jude's. 

I Do!

I can't exactly speak for the males, but I know as a young girl I always imagined my dream wedding. It would be like a fairy tale; doves flying when the nuptials were sealed, wedding bells ringing out with joy, and pristine white horses awaiting to whisk us off to wedded bliss. I think this outlandish fantasy comes from watching one to many Disney movies in which the girls gets the prince and ends up with the perfect happily ever after.  It all seems simply out of reach. There are no horses, no flourishing of bells, no doves….dreaming of this tale is just that a dream.

What if this dream is a reality though?

What if there really are bells, doves, the whole nine yards?

What if there is really a prince out there waiting to give everything for his one true love….which is me and you?

What is he already gave it all?

Picture this.  You are dressed in white, a sign of chastity and beauty, flowing delicately to the floor which you walk upon weightlessly. A veil drapes over your face, to keep your true glorious beauty a surprise for your beloved. You are delighted and can hardly wait to no longer be two persons, but united as one.   Actually the feelings you have can't be explained…you are in love. The sounds of melodious strings alert your new beginnings. Making your way down the aisle you glance and smile upon your guests, not really identifying them from under your veil. You attention has been taken by the sight of your beloved standing before you at the altar. Oh the joy that springs forth from your heart at the sight of him! Nothing can contain it! Your beloved turns and looks into your eyes with more love than was ever imaginable!

The eyes you looked upon…are the eyes of Jesus Christ.

Sappy imagination, I know. But the reality is so much more! We are all told probably a million times growing up that Jesus loves us. We all sang the lullaby…"Jesus loves me this I know, for the bible tells me so…..". Did we take that to heart? I know I didn't. I looked upon the fact that Jesus loved me as simply that - a hard fact. There was no fluff to it, it just was. Any of you thought of Jesus's love like that too? Like it was just a plain fact, like there is a Pacific Ocean and trees grow leaves, and Jesus love me.  Let me tell you this…it's not just a plain fact. Jesus LOVES YOU. I have found that my goal in my journey of becoming a stronger Catholic woman is falling in love with Christ. Truly falling in love with him in the way I always imagined (above). I personally want to fall in love with the Lord so nothing can break us apart, we really are one. The Bible , the Church, and Jesus himself refer to Christ as the "Bridegroom".

Marriage Like Christ and the Church

Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body. But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything.

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless. So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, because we are members of His body. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.

-Ephesians 5:22-31

The passage continues on saying that Jesus is talking about himself and the church, not just a worldly man and wife. Jesus talks about himself being the bride groom and the church the bride…but people - who is the church?!?! Christ talks constantly about how the husband should love and cherish his bride, and the bride will do the same in return. People, he is talking about us! WE ARE THE CHURCH!!!! Jesus loves us so passionately and unconditionally that he would DIE FOR US!!!! Think about the person you love the most…would you marry then? Would you do anything for them? Would you die for them? Question now is…would they die for you?

Just as Christ met the Samaritan woman
at the well, so he waits for you at the altar.

Jesus awaits for you at the altar. He awaits for you to fall so madly in love with him. He has already fallen madly in love with you… There is no question in his heart of whether he would give up anything or everything. He does not second guess his actions, or would ever have to think about reliving his Passion again for you.

Wrapping your head around his eternal love is not an easy task, especially if you have never broken down your walls and truly loved another. When you sets your sights on love though, you are rewarded. Set your sights upon Christ's love, and trust me - you will be rewarded. To even get a true taste of the love Christ has for you blows you away.

You do deserve the fairytale…..because it is real. There is a chorus praising when you become united in Christ.

-Written by Liz Anglin

Undignified

 

 

This picture is pretty
close, albeit a couple
years later. I look best
when I'm hopping.

When I was a sophomore in college, I had a favorite praise and worship song. It was called Undignified, by the one and only David Crowder Band. When this song played I would go crazy. I mean, some of you have seen me dance before. Take off 8 years of hard earned maturity (ha!), add several of my closest friends dancing insanely alongside me, and you'll be close to imagining just how undignified this spectacle could be.

It was years before I understood the meaning behind this song that had brought me so much joy. You see, Mr. Crowder wasn't the first to be undignified before the Lord. Nor was he the first to be mocked for it.

The second book of Samuel tells us of the reign of King David. You know the stories, I'm sure: David and Goliath; David and Bathsheba; David the Psalmist; David the man after God's own heart. But David did much more than write songs and poetry. He was the second King of Israel and the only one able to defeat the many peoples inhabiting the "Promised Land," something the people had been commanded to do back when Moses was still alive (Deuteronomy 7:1-2, 20:16-18). Joshua led the people in many battles against the Canaanites, but the work was not finished. In the many years that followed, the people grew lazy, and would often fall under the influence of the nations that surrounded them. Finally, however, David led the Israelite army to take victory over the land of Canaan, which we now know as Israel.

Apparently Mr. Jones never heard
what happened to Uzzah when he
touched the ark... (2 Sam 6:6-7)

When the land had been conquered, David's next task was to bring the Ark of the Covenant into capital city Jerusalem The Ark of the Covenant, you may recall, held not only the Ten Commandments, given to Moses upon Mount Sinai, but also the Holy of Holies - the most holy place, that is, which was hidden by a veil and was the location of "the Mercy Seat." The Holy of Holies was also called the Tabernacle (hmm.... we use that word even now to describe the veiled holding place of the Eucharist, the special instrument the Lord uses to bestow his mercy and grace upon us, now don't we?), and it was the place where the Lord was, in a certain way, present to the people of Israel.

This brings us to 2 Samuel 6. When David brought the Ark up the Jerusalem, he didn't just take enough people to carry it's weight with him - no, he brought thirty THOUSAND men. And these men didn't just walk along - no, they "were making merry before the Lord with all their might, with songs and lyres and harps and tambourines and castanets and cymbals (2 Sam. 6:5)." Now, the Ark made a little pit stop at O'bed-e'dom's home (say that 10 times fast. Or just once slowly. Yeah, I can't do it either...) for 3 months, before David again took up the Ark to continue the journey. What happened next demands being repeated at length:



This was the happiest looking picture I
could find. I imagine that David was much
more exuberant than any image shows.

"So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of O'bed-e'dom to the city of David with rejoicing; and when those who bore the ark of the Lord had gone six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fatling. And David danced before the Lord with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod. So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting, and with the sound of the horn (2 Sam 6:12-15)."


Now, I dance pretty hard. I hop, I clap, I skip, I snap. Granted, I'm never going to win any dancing competitions, but I put my heart into it. But do I dance with all my might? And do I dance with all my might before the Lord?

The story continues in 2 Samuel saying that David's wife Michal caught sight of him dancing, and she despised him for it. She even rebuked him and called him vulgar. But David response cannot be what she expected: "It was before the Lord, who chose me above your father, and above all his house, to appoint me as prince over Israel, the people of the Lord - and I will make merry before the Lord. I will make myself yet more contemptible than this, and I will be abased in your eyes (2 Sam 6:21-22, some translations read "vile" or "undignified")."

Even more contemptible??? Abased in the eyes of his wife??? Really David, I know you love the Lord, but surely he wouldn't want you to look absolutely ridiculous. Surely he wouldn't want you dance so much that your wife despises you for it. Because, well, if we act like you, how will we ever be able to evangelize?  We'd be far too different from the rest of the world. How will we be able to convince anyone that we are rational when we look like fools?

And yet, I can't help wondering if this is exactly what the Lord wants from us. The Lord responded to David's sacrificial love by making a Covenant with him - an enduring promise of kinship and love that would extend not only to David's kingdom, but to the entire world. Indeed, it is Jesus Christ himself who was promised to David in 2 Samuel 7.

Yes, it's a little cliché. So are most
of the words of Jesus. You'll notice
people still listen to them ;)

And we have even more than David. We are not limited to one Temple, one central place of worship. We have the real body and blood of Jesus Christ in nearly every Catholic Church in the world. We are the recipients of endless love and grace, love and grace which poured forth from the heart of Jesus at Calvary.

I don't know about you, but when I think of the way Jesus loves me, it makes me want to get a little undignified. I want to dance, sing, even shout! But I often lack the courage to make a display of the joy which the Lord has given me. I mean, sometimes I can barely speak about it, let alone shout! I'm afraid of being called unintelligent, foolish, crazy, hypocritical, or hateful. But you know what? When I become undignified before the Lord he calls me "beloved." And often, it is our joy that draws others to the love of God, much more than our rational arguments.


I leave you now with a cliché : "Dance like no one is watching... Live like it's heaven on earth." Don't worry, I won't look at you when I dance with you.


P.S. Tune in to future blogs to find how the Mass actually is heaven on earth :).
P.P.S. Father Rowland would like me to remind you that this post is not condoning Liturgical Dancing. So please, don't strip off your clothes at Mass and do a jig! ;)

Welcome Back Lumberjacks!

 

First, I want to take a moment to welcome all of you to SFA, new students and returners alike! In the future you may check this blog for information on the Catholic Church that will help you grow in your faith and understanding. But for today I just wanted to introduce myself to all of you.

My name is Jodi Phillips, and I am the Campus Minister here at St. Mary's Catholic Campus Ministry. I spent the last three years in Steubenville, Ohio, working on a Master's degree in Theology at Franciscan University. I'm not offended if you've never heard of Steubenville. It's a small run down town with water so polluted you have no choice but to buy the best filter known to man. And even then...

Thankfully, Steubenville is only about 45 minutes from downtown Pittsburgh, so I was able to get away quite often and experience all the beauty a city of that size has to offer. AND I was blessed beyond belief to receive the education I did. I was taught by world class Theologians and had an incredible community of faithful Catholics who constantly inspired me to grow closer to the Lord.

Before going to Franciscan University, I lived in Nebraska (read: the best state in the entire world). I grew up in Omaha, a city of decent size, but I went to college in a town not much larger that Nacogdoches. College was honestly one of the most impactful times in my life (which may be why I chose a career that keeps my close to college students!). I found myself in college. I developed my sense of humor, found my style, made incredible friendships, and learned what it was like to have a true relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ.

A year after I graduated from college (during which time I was working at my Alma Mater - I told you I'd never leave college...) I began to wonder about the Catholic Church. You see, I was born and raised a Protestant. I loved the Lord, I went to church every Sunday, I was active in Campus Ministry, and I actively worked to "save" Catholics. But then I started to think that I might have been missing something. A rich year of research and soul searching led me to the beautiful One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church, and I was confirmed at Easter of 2010. I've never once looked back.

I don't claim to be an expert. I am something of a "masterpiece in progress." The Lord is still working in and through me, and sometimes it's painful. But every once in a while the Lord allows me to look at the progress he has made, and it's beautiful. The work the Lord does in beautiful. And, let me tell you, he's doing beautiful work in you as well.

Please stop by St. Mary's Catholic Campus Ministry at any time! I'm here if you have questions or if you just need someone to listen to you (I'll be buying a box of Kleenex to have on my desk ASAP, don't worry!). You can also reach my by e-mail (jodi.phillips@sfacatholic.net) or phone (402-650-4234).

Once again, Welcome Back Lumberjacks :)

Why "The Glory Days": Behind St. Mary's Welcome Week

Why "The Glory Days"?

Here at St. Mary's, we really searched our hearts long and hard for this welcome week and semester's theme.  We went through a lot of silly moments as we racked our brains, but in the end God spoke through our crazy thoughts and gave us "The Glory Days."

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A Definition:
We have always heard the phrase that high school consists of your glory days, but what about college?  It's the first time you're really out on your own without your parent's supervision.  It basically means (in a captive's free terms): eating whatever you want, staying out as late as you want, and doing whatever you want.  We all figured college was a little more in the light than high school.

But what does that mean for us at St. Mary's?  We're always talking about freedom, but does itreally mean doing whatever we want, whenever we want?  Yes, college is the taste of freedom for any young adult, but the full grasp of it is in Christ alone.  So our theme is "The Glory Days" for the Glory that we are seeking.  For those days that we can taste here on earth, but knowing the banquet is in Heaven.

Behind the Words:
If you notice, in the banner is an asterix that goes to Matt. 10:6-7 which says, "Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.  As you go, make this proclaimation: 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.'"  There were about a million verses similar to this one we could have chosen, but this one felt right.  It's under the great commissioning of the apostles and it tells us, basically, we must take up the glory that God has given each of us and seek more lost souls.

To some Catholics, this can seem a little intense, especially if it's taken the wrong way; we seem to like staying behind our own walls sometimes.  But if we really dive into scripture, we see it is a message of hope and Love.  Jesus tells us constantly "Do not be afraid," and we think it's time to finally take that advice.  If we claim to know truth, then why aren't we spreading it?

Which brings up JPII's quote: Do not be afraid to go out into the streets...like the first apostles.  If that's not GLORY, we don't know what is!  We must respond the call, we don't have to succeed.  But we MUST respond.

The Great College-Mission:
So, this welcome week, this semesters, this year, this ministry is fully responding to the Call, and we're calling it the "Great College-Mission."  We know it'll be hard, we're promised that (Matt. 10:16), but we know we must try.  We will go out into the sidewalks and onto our college campus to find God.  Keep us in your prayers.  We need them!

God bless and Mary keep,
St. Mary's Interns

If you would like to help us in our mission, please consider becoming a donor at St. Mary's Catholic Campus Ministry! Thank you so much. Every little bit helps!

Running with Purpose: Finding God on the Beaten Path

I run. Well, we all run at one point.  We run to the grocery story, we run to our classes we just can’t seem to wake up for on time, and we run away from things when we’re scared (especially during a good game of tag).  But I run for a living.  Running is not a particularly popular way of life; though it suffers from fads and potential takers, it’s rarely as loved as it should be.  But I run.  And I love it.  I love that moment when my Nikes touch the concrete, and it’s as if all is right in the world.  Like I can do anything as long as I keep running.

Running Out of Options

Since I started cross-country for SFA, my running hasn’t exactly gone as planned.  I haven’t seen the improvement I want or should be having. My training last fall especially seemed to be going backward instead of forward, and nothing was right.  A lot of times, I was close to up and quitting.  I kept telling myself just to hang on a little longer, that it would get better. I told myself to keep working, to keep trying, but when my first indoor meet came in January, it wasn’t any better. I ran worse than I had the year before, and I didn’t get another chance to race again that season. I was upset and so tired of working for, what seemed like, nothing.

Finally, it got to the point where I was just sick of being upset and stressed. So, I turned to prayer. I prayed about what I should do: quitting the SFA team or sticking it out. And I did what all of us do (again, at one point in our lives): I asked God to send me a sign, preferably one that was clear - ha. I told myself I would keep trying my hardest, and if my workouts didn’t start showing even a slight improvement in the next month, then I would consider not running anymore.

Fighting the Good Fight

On one of the days following, a teammate and I were cooling down after a workout, and I ended up telling her about my situation.  She responded with something I completely forgot (believe it or not), but I know its impact was huge.  I knew God was telling me to keep trying for just a little bit longer.  Sign received.

My running started improving bit by bit each day, as did my praying. Each workout was a little better than the last, and for once, I was excited with what my body could do. My outdoor track season didn’t end exactly the way I wanted it to, but I was blessed with one great race, where I ran a personal record faster than I ever thought I could. Things don’t always come easy, RUNNING doesn’t ever come easy, but trials are a part of life, and in the end, it will be worth it.

Learning the ABC’s of Faith

 I’ve wondered a lot why God didn’t just make things get better right away. I’ve realized that if He had, I wouldn’t have learned that His timing is perfect. I wouldn’t have learned to trust Him. In Romans 5: 3-4, Paul tells us we should rejoice during hard times and troubles; that “we can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us - they help us learn to endure. And endurance develops strength of character in us, and character strengthens our confident expectation of salvation.” I couldn’t just leave everything up to God. He gave me the talent of running and blessed me with the opportunity to be on the team at SFA, but it is my responsibility to use all He has given and glorify Him with what I do.  As long as I trust in God, I know I can trust myself.

I could have given up.  On running, myself, even God.  But I wouldn’t have gotten anywhere.  I learned during hard times to find comfort in God. That in the end everything will be ok. It’s easy to be mad at God when things aren’t going my way. It’s hard to thank Him for everything that is going on in my life, especially the bad things, but that is what I have to do. Everything that has happened in my life has made me who I am and everything happens for a reason, so each day I really try to thank God for everything, good and bad, that helped me get to where I am now. Through all my ups and downs with running, I have learned so much more about myself and grown stronger in my faith.

Why I Run

This summer, I’ve been getting up to run around 6 AM before it gets too hot.  I don’t like the getting up.  I don’t like leaving the warmth of my bed and stepping onto the cold floor.  I think it’s ridiculous that it’s still dark as I brush my teeth while the rest of the world gets to sleep on.  It even takes a few steps into the run sometimes to make the grumbling in my brain cease.  To remind myself why I run.  It isn’t until I feel the light from the sky hit my skin that I remember.  Every morning, I get to watch the sunrise.  I get to see it spill over the rooftops of houses and color the trees into life.  I get to feel it’s first rays before anyone else.  Like it was meant for me all along.  That’s why I run.

I don’t do it to feel better about myself or my body (though it helps).  I don’t do it it because it’s my "me" time.  Or because I feel free.  I don’t do it for the time to think. I don’t do it for the hurt, the good kind, the kind your body thrives on.  I don’t do it because it’s exhilarating, especially on a good run.  I do it because it makes me happy.  I do it because on those days when runs don't feel good at all, God is especially present in the beauty around me: in the birds’ morning songs and the blossom of a flower and the flutter of a butterfly.  Not everyday is going to be easy or the best.  But that’s why He gave us a million beautiful gifts to enjoy, or to take for granted in a lot of my cases.

I have had lots of tough times in running, but I love it – running, not the tough times.  I couldn’t live without it.  I was made to run.  God blessed me with these running legs, so I’ll try my best to glorify Him through it. Yeah, it will suck sometimes, but, as C.S. Lewis says, “God allows us to experience the low points of life in order to teach us lessons that we could learn in no other way.” I know running isn’t for everyone, but it is for me.

“But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will RUN and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Isaiah 40:31

Amanda Walters I have a hard time choosing favorites out of the things I love, but God and the Love He shows me every day is my number one.  I love spending time with my family and friends, and I habitually look on the bright side of life, trying to see the best in everyone.  I believe music, running and laughing give you a good long life, and that books can take you to another world.  I'm an Elementary Education major who can't wait to see what God has planned for my future. If you would like to contact Amanda, you can email her at: kiwiw_2012@yahoo.com