Tis’ the Season – Advent!

I was overcome with emotion today at mass as I realized how my spiritual journey and the journey of the church were coinciding so nicely. As I am revitalized in my faith this year, we begin again with the new church year. As advent begins, we wait in hopeful yearning for the coming of the Lord. As the new missal translation begins, so does my revived love for Catholicism and my newfound feeling of community with the church.

While the presiding priest gave us a short theology lesson before beginning mass this evening, and as people groaned each time a few members of the congregation just couldn’t remember to say, “and with your spirit,” I couldn’t help but think of this as a time not only to refresh my faith by paying careful attention to the words throughout the mass, but also how blessed I am to be a part of this church.

It has been a long and tumultuous journey and I just feel so blessed to be so open, ready, and willing be true to my faith and practice my religion to the best of my ability.

In his homily, the priest said to pay attention to the readings throughout this advent season and listen to what is being said. This week’s reading from Mark 13 ended with Jesus saying, “What I say to you, I say to all: ‘Watch!’” But what are we watching for? Immediately, I thought of watching for things we often overlook or take for granted.

One thing that has struck me as of late was the amount of homeless in Chicago. Every time I drive somewhere, I will see someone on the side of the road or coming up to car windows with a cup and a sign. As the winter months come upon us, it is important for us to remember and pray for all those who will not know warmth through the holiday season.

Something I also want to work on this week is my ability to see God’s presence in everyday life. I want to find, identify, and thank God for these moments. I believe it will enrich my spiritual life and my life in general to see these moments in the good times and the bad.

So as we enter into the advent season, which prepares us for the feast of Christmas, I know I will be listening carefully to the readings and praying over just exactly what Jesus is asking me to watch for.

Three Ring Circus

I am sitting at the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey circus on a school field trip and as the lion tamer whips his feline friends and shouts “Everybody Scream!” I can’t do so.  I merely gasp…

So many things are going through my mind as I write this blog post.  Even as I wrote that previous sentence, it just reminded me of why I am writing this. 

I have reached my maximum potential at St. Pius V School.  In addition to math enrichment, content-based previewing, review and remediation, computer/technology class, sacrament preparation, the PeaceWorks program, the after school program Tuesdays and Thursdays, Chess club on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, chaperoning field trips, and substituting, I was able to finally initiate the Computer/Technology club (Fridays after school).

Now you have to understand, I am in no way complaining.  In fact, if you have been able to witness my life, I have always thrived on wearing multiple hats.

I believe it all started with musical theater.  I was five when I started performing in community theater and it started my juggling act.  Ironically, I cannot juggle, so this is merely a metaphor.  I started to juggle elementary school academics, a social life and rehearsals/performances. 

In middle school, extracurricular activities were added into the mix.  In high school, I added on discovering who I was, working part time jobs, and exploring relationships. 

In college, I ran the gamut:  Resident Advisor, Student Government, Gay-Straight Alliance, STAC Singers, Laetare Players, Spartan Volunteers, Campus Ministry, and so much more.

After graduation, I started working part time at Education First, an international English school.  It started with being an RA and ended with about three to four part-time jobs.

And here we come full circle to Dominican Volunteers.  Add in community, a spiritual journey, and a new state and city and you can begin to see how I got to wearing my many hats at St. Pius V.

At each step of life, I foolishly told myself I would start fresh and not get so involved.  But I just can’t sit back and relax.  It’s not who I am or how I grow. 

I realize that sometimes friendships or relationships fall by the wayside while I am out there experiencing life.  I am sad to see them go, but I’ve come to realize I live in the moment.  I realized it back in that gasp while watching the lion tamer.  “There is no future, there is no past, let’s live this moment as our last,” the RENT lyrics go. 

I go above and beyond with what I’ve got.  Some say I spread myself too thin, some say I am neglectful, some say I am a workaholic.  They are probably all correct. It is what it is and I don’t want to change.  I get to experience so many beautiful moments in life and for that I am grateful. 

My God moments come in being fully present in the moment and having those connections with other people in that moment.

If you know me, you know that I have an atrocious memory.  I wonder if it may not be the memory, but perhaps it’s how I perceive the world.  I don’t want to dwell on the past or worry too much about the future.  I just want to live for the now.  I want to see all three rings of the circus at once and live in each moment.

I'm sorry, I had to...