Gratitude

I was most fortunate to spend my birthday in Italy last week, and it was absolutely wonderful. Each day was lovelier than the next, the weather was hot and sunny, the pool cool and refreshing. Each sight, each meal, each conversation was a special gift.

I was traveling with 9 other cousins, so when I woke up on my birthday morning and had some quiet time all by myself, well, that was a precious gift too.

As I sat here early in the morning with my first cup of coffee, I found myself very aware that I was most certainly in God's presence, and, overwhelmingly filled with gratitude for the gift of life, for the gift of MY life specifically, and all the many blessings I have received.  Among those blessings I counted this very special birthday in Italy, my family and friends, those who have mentored me as I've grown in ministry and in who I am. I counted all the folks from the parishes I've worked in over the last 40 or so years, and in particular, the people of St Francis de Sales who are such amazing folks to work and pray with at this point in my journey. 

I was just filled with gratitude and I couldn't hold it all. I wanted this feeling to stay with me for a long time. I wanted to slow down and savor how it felt to know that God has cared for me each and every day of my 58 years, and to know that I finally have learned to trust in that care.

So I just took the whole day slowly. I was very deliberate about what I did and how I chose to relax that day. I enjoyed each moment and each person. 

In this week's Gospel, the crowd asks Jesus "What can we do to accomplish the works of God?" I'm not sure if they really wanted to know, or if they were baiting the Lord. Jesus' answer is that the should simply believe in Him. Well, yeah....but we never seem comfortable with the easy answer do we? As humans we always want it to be more complicated.  Silly us. 

My birthday prayer in addition to immense gratitude, was also the question of that crowd, in my own words...What more do you want of me? How can I be the best servant for you and your people? How can I be the person you call me to be?

I don't have the whole answer yet, but I know that part of the answer involves being grateful, being joyful, and being present to the moments when God surrounds me with his love and beauty. I know that God is enough for me, and that if  I stay centered on God, I will not hunger for anything else.

I challenge you today to ask the question of the crowd: What can you do to accomplish the works of God?

Jesus on Vacation

In Sunday's Gospel we hear that even Jesus and the disciples needed a chance to 'get away from it all' for a bit of rest and relaxation. Why is it, do you think, that we have such a hard time giving ourselves permission to take some time off the grid and just refresh and renew ourselves?

Theoretically we KNOW that time away from work, from ministry, will make us better, more effective, happier and healthier upon our return. Yet sometimes, for some of us, we may think we are indispensable, that everything at work will come to a grinding halt if we're not there to keep the wheels in motion.

I am happy that I have learned over the years that I am not indispensable, that work will continue without me, and that taking time to renew is good for me.

Self care is a popular topic these days I hear. I understand why. Everything about our society pushes us to be faster, stronger, and more ambitious with little thought to our hearts, minds and souls. I love that summer offers many of us an opportunity, even if just because of the heat, to slow ourselves down and be more deliberate in our actions and choices for how we spend our time. Aren't we given these long lovely summer nights to be outside enjoying concerts, picnics and sunsets? Last Monday evening I had the opportunity to host a meeting with some of my catechetical team members at a friends' rooftop garden. Now THAT'S the way to have a summer meeting! It was a great way to build community among ourselves as well, especially since we don't often have the time during the year to stop and enjoy one another.

So, how are you taking care of yourself this summer? In what ways are you slowing down and enjoying the long days and nights? Are you paying attention to the opportunities given to you to try new things, to explore those places you have been meaning to check out? Are you grateful to God for the folks who fill your life? Have you taken a few extra minutes for prayer and reflection when you can?

I hope so. I'm trying to do this as well. Tonight I'm on a plane to visit with family and friends (some of whom I've never met!) in Italy. I'm excited and grateful for this upcoming adventure.Time to relax, time to explore. Time to pray differently, (with an expresso overlooking the sea I hope!)  I pray for all of us, time to slow down and enjoy the world God has given us. Ciao for now!

The Spirit of Truth

When I look at this picture it helps me imagine what I hope the spark of the Holy Spirit looks and feels like when it catches in our hearts!
There is just so much going on in our world that calls for a truly Christian response from each of us, and on days as warm as this it can all seem a bit overwhelming. I find myself asking of myself, what can one person do? Even Jesus in next Sunday's Gospel seems to have had a tough time figuring out how to make a difference in the lives of the people who knew him best.

Prophets call us to pay attention to what God is asking of us. Theirs is not an easy task, for no one likes to be reminded that they've fallen short of the mark. I wonder who our prophets are today? Who are the folks who remind us that we're supposed to be the best we can be, not our worst selves!

It takes great courage to speak the truth. I'm not sure I always have that courage.

We celebrate our independence on July 4th. I also always celebrate my dad, Jim Porcelli who was and lives on in our family memory as a wonderful man. My dad was a quiet guy, but I think he had convictions he was willing to stand up for. I believe he was an honest man who tried to do the right thing in all circumstances. He was a loyal friend. He was funny. He had his shadow side for sure, but when all is said and done, he was a man of principle.

So, while the rest of you celebrate Independence this week, I will hold in  my heart a memory of a man who taught me to be an independent woman, strong and loyal. A person who holds dearly to her values and tries to stand for the truth. My prayer for each of us is that, when the time for courage is needed to speak the truth, in love, the Holy Spirit will fill our hearts with all that is needed to speak and stand for what is right for our world.

To Become What We Receive

Sunday, the Church celebrates the Feast of Corpus Christi, the Body and Blood of Christ. It seems to me that this should be a huge wonderful celebration in our Catholic community, given that our belief in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist is one of the few theological realities that distinguishes us from our Christian sisters and brothers. Yet, very often we take the sacredness of the Eucharist for granted don’t we?

Every Sunday, or even, every day if we choose, we have the opportunity to come together in prayer and worship. Along with one another we hear Scripture proclaimed, we pray for the needs of our world, we come to the altar to receive Jesus in the Eucharist. We ‘Go in peace, to love and serve the world”.

We are supposed to become what we receive, aren’t we? Once we share in the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ are we not invited to be his hands and feet in our world? Aren’t we supposed to be changed to our very core by the mystery of the Eucharist? Shouldn’t we be better people after Mass then when we began?

Do we allow the Eucharist to change us? Do we want to let Jesus transform us to be more like Him or, is that too overwhelming a thought to grasp? May our prayer today for each other be that we have the courage to want to be more like Jesus. As we leave Church, let us take to heart the mandate to love and serve the world, as Jesus asks us to.

Pruning? Ouch!

I've been thinking a lot about pruning this week. Probably because at least twice if not three times I've had the opportunity to pray with the "I am the Vine You are the Branches" scripture passage.  At first I got caught up in all the usual thoughts, didn't seem to move my heart anywhere in particular. Soon I realized that pruning isn't really about removing the dead useless branches as much as it is having the wisdom to remove healthy growth, so the plant can grow fuller and more healthier. God knows I can't keep a plant alive to save my life. I have no idea how to prune anything.  But God must be pruning me all the time. Apparently it's not a choice between good and bad, but rather a choice between good and better! So the question I'm pondering is, do I have the courage to trust that God knows what God is doing in my life? How much do I really trust God anyway?

I can look back on my life's journey and see all the ways God has led me from one place to the next. And in each of those moments, there really was a letting go of something that had made me happy, for the possibility of greater ministry, more work for the kingdom in a new place. It truly was a choice for something I didn't even know could be 'better'! What a "sneaky" God we have. Bringing us to more joyful moments we couldn't even imagine.

So here at St Francis de Sales we prepare now to celebrate baptisms, communions, confirmation, and a pretty significant anniversary for our pastor. I'll throw in my niece's college graduation for good measure! Oh, and another niece performing at Carnegie Hall...it's gonna be a busy month.  And for all the blessings that will be shared in all these beautiful moments, I am most grateful.

These are the joyful moments I'll hold on to on those less than perfect days when my mom doesn't seem to recognize me, when I find myself in a ridiculous argument with someone close to me, or when a day is just too sad to move through. Maybe these are the moments of pruning that I need to endure in order to blossom better in the days to come.

I want to believe I trust God enough to let him prune me as he sees fit. I'm not sure that's true, but it's what I've been praying all week long, so, maybe...I'm getting there bit by bit. Hope you are too!

Hunger

I found myself transfixed by the word "hunger" in the weekday Gospels this week. A few images come to mind rather easily, the most vivid is what our communion line looks like on any given Sunday as parent and toddler approach the altar. So often, that little one is desperate to receive what mom or dad has just received from the priest or communion minister. With absolutely no knowledge of Jesus as Eucharist this little one very enthusiastically wants what mom or dad has. Surely you've seen this played out in your church. It may look a bit raucous sometimes, but what it always awakens in me are these questions: Do I want Jesus as much as this little one does? Am I THAT excited about receiving Jesus into my heart and soul? Am I hungry for Eucharist? And ultimately, will I let myself be changed because I have received communion today or will I be the same old person when I leave the church as I was when I walked in? What's different in me because of this communion with Jesus?

Those are pretty significant questions to dwell on as we move through the Easter season. I find them helpful for me because of what I witnessed at Easter Vigil: the joy of our "elect" young men who could not wait to be fully initiated into our church family. They are so very excited. They want so much to be closer to Jesus. I am truly humbled in their presence. Their enthusiasm for their faith and the God who has called them here is inspiring and I want to be more like them. I want to be on fire with the Holy Spirit. I want to believe again, that God is calling me to be his witness in this crazy, upside down world.

As we hear the stories of Jesus' post resurrection appearances, what stirs in your heart and soul? What do you want to be different about how you are living your life? What are you hungering for?

Will You Let God Surprise You?

Some of our "Men of RCIA" with apologies to the rest of the group who were out of the room when I took the picture....

I used to be a person who really just gritted my teeth and tried to make it through Lent without too much thought to pain and suffering. That's what I thought Lent was about. When people in my past talked to me about the Paschal Mystery...I could only hear the stories of suffering and death, I never seemed to be able to see the Resurrection.

It came to my attention recently, that my feelings about Lent have changed. Without my even realizing it, I know that Lent is now a sacred season that I find awe inspiring. I know what made the difference too...the difference has been walking my Lenten journey with those folks who are preparing to be initiated into the Catholic church. (RCIA folks)

What an amazing gift they have been to me, and to the church at large. These folks come from such different backgrounds, with wonderfully individual stories of how God has called them into a relationship with himself. Feeling a desire they could not yet fully understand, they courageously took the leap of faith to discover who this God was. They question. They pray. They struggle. They search relentlessly. And they respond to God with open hearts. They amaze me every day.

And their example inspires me to want to be as generous as they are in giving my whole heart to the service of God's people.  As we enter into these most sacred days, I hold my brothers and sisters who are on the journey to baptism, to becoming one with us, in my heart and in my prayer. I ask you to do the same for my friends here, Muhan and Ramel, and for those in your churches who are entering into the waters of baptism, and joining us for the first time and the banquet of the Eucharist.

We who are the church, are a crazy bunch, "crazy" in the most loving sense of how we talk about our family...for all our strengths and our weaknesses, these folks want to join us on our journey to salvation. How privileged are we to have these new believers, on fire with the love of Jesus, to join us and renew the spark of faith in our hearts.

May these holy days be filled with many blessings for one and all of us. May we all pray and celebrate well. May we leave some room for God to surprise us!