Bulletin Article 6/12
If you ask your parents or your grandparents what the world was like when they were a “young adult” you may get a pretty shocking answer. If they are like my father (and grandfather) the response will be, “What do you mean WHEN I was a young adult…” Yet if we look back at history, we can see what they would have been facing in their 20s and 30s:
1920s/30s- The Great Depression, Prohibition
1940s- World War II
1950s/60s – The Space Race, Civil Rights
1960s/70s- Nixon, Vietnam War, Gas shortages
1980s/90s – Birth of computers, First Gulf War, War on Drugs
2000+ - 9/11, drastic recession, War on terror
If we look back on all of this, it seems that not much has changed. War, poverty, violence, unemployment, high gas prices/gas shortages, political corruption, etc. – it all sounds very familiar.
So often we hear about “the good old days,” in which the street lights let us know our curfews, we drank from a hose, never heard the words ‘sun tan lotion,’ and playing wasn’t something planned out-it just happened. The good old days can also refer to how our parents and grandparents had it “easier” than us. They didn’t have to worry about getting 3 college degrees just to get an entry level job, getting their credit checked from 3 different agencies when they bought a house, or wondering if the government would send them a social security check when they retired. Nowadays, these are simply common factors that we must calculate into our plans for life.
However, just because our parents and grandparents had it “easier” in some respects, they also had to face some serious hardships that we are blessed to be free of. For instance, imagine writing a thesis paper or business report on a typewriter (that’s the machine people used to type before computers…). Imagine not being able to do 95% of your research by GOOGLE or Bing and actually using the card catalogue in the library. Imagine sitting home wondering if your number would be selected to serve in a war where hundreds and thousands were killed daily. I guess the good old days weren’t always so good.
The one thing we can learn from the young adults of the past is that together we make it out on top. The wars will end. Technology changes. The economy has its ups and downs, but what keeps us going is not thinking about the good old days, but the good days to come. In light of the Easter Season, we are reminded of what John Paul II said, “We are an Easter people…” We are a people of hope, looking forward to the joys that await us in Heaven.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Slow Down and Go Fast
It always strikes me how many people “celebrate” Lent. Ash Wednesday Masses and services are always packed with people. Do that many people focus on the fact that they “are dust and to dust they shall return”? When we think about it, there is something special about this season that draws us away from ourselves for six weeks. It seems the human person is always attracted to goods such as being selfless or acting for other people. It is this good that the human person seeks which brings us away from ourselves and toward the ultimate good, God the Father.
When the word ‘Lent’ is spoken, people automatically have certain assumptions and associates to go along with it. For us Catholics, we immediately are reminded of abstaining from meat on Fridays and the ever popular “giving something up.” Lent should be more than the sacrifice itself, however. Lent is a season, not an action. It is a timeframe in which we can come to a greater appreciation for the things we are blessed with. It is a time when we can allow ourselves to take our focus off of our belly-buttons and turn it outward. Moreover, Lent is not just about fasting, but about slowing down.
Of the many types and forms of prayer we can experience, meditation and contemplation are vital to a relationship with Jesus Christ. These types of prayer allow us to slow down and they enlighten us about how we can fast. For someone who is constantly on the go, fasting can mean taking time away from their schedule to pray, go to Mass, or visit a family member. For others, fasting can take the form of going to confession weekly or giving up their favorite TV show. Whatever you sacrifice frees time for you to slow things down and meditate on what this season is all about.
For many, the season of Lent is a reminder of “sad” or “difficult” things. Many would argue that we should focus our attention of Easter Sunday and not Good Friday. However, there would be no Easter Sunday without a Good Friday. There is no resurrection without death. There is no eternal life without expiation for our sins. Therefore, it is important to reflect on the darkness so that we can come to a fuller appreciation and desire for the light. We must take this time to slow down, reflect on Christ’s temptation-our temptations, Christ’s passion-our passion, and then go and fast.
When the word ‘Lent’ is spoken, people automatically have certain assumptions and associates to go along with it. For us Catholics, we immediately are reminded of abstaining from meat on Fridays and the ever popular “giving something up.” Lent should be more than the sacrifice itself, however. Lent is a season, not an action. It is a timeframe in which we can come to a greater appreciation for the things we are blessed with. It is a time when we can allow ourselves to take our focus off of our belly-buttons and turn it outward. Moreover, Lent is not just about fasting, but about slowing down.
Of the many types and forms of prayer we can experience, meditation and contemplation are vital to a relationship with Jesus Christ. These types of prayer allow us to slow down and they enlighten us about how we can fast. For someone who is constantly on the go, fasting can mean taking time away from their schedule to pray, go to Mass, or visit a family member. For others, fasting can take the form of going to confession weekly or giving up their favorite TV show. Whatever you sacrifice frees time for you to slow things down and meditate on what this season is all about.
For many, the season of Lent is a reminder of “sad” or “difficult” things. Many would argue that we should focus our attention of Easter Sunday and not Good Friday. However, there would be no Easter Sunday without a Good Friday. There is no resurrection without death. There is no eternal life without expiation for our sins. Therefore, it is important to reflect on the darkness so that we can come to a fuller appreciation and desire for the light. We must take this time to slow down, reflect on Christ’s temptation-our temptations, Christ’s passion-our passion, and then go and fast.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Wait for it...
Hey everyone! Happy New Year!
I would like to share a reflection I had during my holy hour yesterday evening. I was reflecting on the finding of young Jesus in the Temple. (Luke 2: 41-52)
I was struck mostly by verses 51 and 52.
51Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. 52And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.
Jesus could have begun His ministry at the age of 12 or 13 (the age of adulthood in the Jewish faith). He was already teaching the doctors of the faith in the temple. However, he listened to his parents and grew as any other human would. So what does this have to do with waiting? Think of Mary and Joseph. They both knew that God had sent Jesus to them. They knew He had an extraordinary mission on this earth. "Jesus its your 15th birthday, are you going to begin you mission? Jesus, you are 18...21...25..28. Jesus you are 29 years old and you still live at home????"
Imagine what Mary and Joseph must have longed for. I am sure they longed to witness Jesus fulfill what the angel of the Lord had told them. Yet they waited patiently for his hour to come. For 30 years Mary waited, "keeping all these things in her heart" as Jesus "grew in favor with God and men."
What is it that we are waiting for God to do? Lord, when will I get that job? When will I graduate? When will I stop suffering with this sin? When, when, when! Perhaps as we begin this new year, we should reflect on what we are right now. We are not at the next step in our lives, but we are here, now. Jesus recognized the fact that he needed to be the best son he could be for Mary and Joseph. He needed to grow in wisdom and favor--so He did. He waited for His hour to come, and when it did, He acted.
So patiently we must wait on the Lord. Perhaps our hour has not yet come. We wait in joyful hope for Jesus to reveal his plan for us at 15, 21, 25, 30, 45, 60, 99! God bless you in this beautiful time of waiting; it is a blessing not a burden. Amen.
I would like to share a reflection I had during my holy hour yesterday evening. I was reflecting on the finding of young Jesus in the Temple. (Luke 2: 41-52)
I was struck mostly by verses 51 and 52.
51Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. 52And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.
Jesus could have begun His ministry at the age of 12 or 13 (the age of adulthood in the Jewish faith). He was already teaching the doctors of the faith in the temple. However, he listened to his parents and grew as any other human would. So what does this have to do with waiting? Think of Mary and Joseph. They both knew that God had sent Jesus to them. They knew He had an extraordinary mission on this earth. "Jesus its your 15th birthday, are you going to begin you mission? Jesus, you are 18...21...25..28. Jesus you are 29 years old and you still live at home????"
Imagine what Mary and Joseph must have longed for. I am sure they longed to witness Jesus fulfill what the angel of the Lord had told them. Yet they waited patiently for his hour to come. For 30 years Mary waited, "keeping all these things in her heart" as Jesus "grew in favor with God and men."
What is it that we are waiting for God to do? Lord, when will I get that job? When will I graduate? When will I stop suffering with this sin? When, when, when! Perhaps as we begin this new year, we should reflect on what we are right now. We are not at the next step in our lives, but we are here, now. Jesus recognized the fact that he needed to be the best son he could be for Mary and Joseph. He needed to grow in wisdom and favor--so He did. He waited for His hour to come, and when it did, He acted.
So patiently we must wait on the Lord. Perhaps our hour has not yet come. We wait in joyful hope for Jesus to reveal his plan for us at 15, 21, 25, 30, 45, 60, 99! God bless you in this beautiful time of waiting; it is a blessing not a burden. Amen.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
One Small Step
How do you measure greatness? We all want it. We all have a certain desire within us to do something different. We do not want to just fall into the routine of life with a mediocre job and settle for less than we are capable of. Just because we all have this desire doesn’t necessarily mean that we reach it. How come? Why do we often sell ourselves short? Why do we settle for less then greatness? Many people would say that life throws some pretty hard punches and as long as you learn to take the hits you will be fine. I think that is cowardly. Please, do yourself a favor and don’t just take the hit, but move forward and strike back!
So often in our lives we compare ourselves to other people. “She has the bag I want.” “His car is sweet.” “Why can’t I have the life he has?” “Wow, they really have done something with their lives and made a difference in this world.” In a world that seems to focus so much on ourselves, we tend to do a lot of outward gazing. In a society that focuses on ME ME ME, why is our gaze fixed on the other person? Just because what we are doing is different from someone else, does not take away the fact that we have the potential to achieve the greatness we want and desire.
We just celebrated the 40th anniversary of our first successful trip to the moon. Do you think that Neil Armstrong woke up one day as a 6 year old farm boy and said, “I am going to be the first man to walk on the moon.” I highly doubt that. What he did say was, “I am going to be a pilot one day.” For him, there was nothing greater than flying a plane. He chased down that dream and achieved that greatness. At the age of 16, before he even had his driver’s license, he attained a pilot’s license. Now, did his desire for greatness or rather, his CALL to greatness end there? Absolutely not.
Neil Armstrong was said to be one of the greatest pilots in American history. As a Navy pilot, he fought in the Korean War. He flew in just under 80 combat missions and won 3 Air Medals. He returned from war and began working for NACA (NASA’s predecessor) as a test pilot. There was not an aircraft that he didn’t know how to fly. He was great at what he did. But did his call to greatness end there? NO.
He was elevated to the status of Astronaut and commanded the Gemini 8 mission and of course the Apollo 11 mission, for which he is remembered. He was awarded many medals and honors when he returned from the Apollo 11 mission. He continued his call to greatness by becoming a professor of Aerospace Engineering and serving for the United States Government. Anyone who hears the name Neil Armstrong will think it to be synonymous with the word greatness.
Just because I am not going to be the first man to walk on Mars, cure Cancer, or do something else that will change the world, does not mean that I am not called to greatness. Although I had dreams of becoming a Military pilot, astronaut, and a professional baseball player, I have come to realize that I am not called to do those things. Those do not fit into my call to greatness. Regardless of what I end up doing with my life, I know that it will be something I am called to do. It will be great.
Greatness is not measured by one triumphant event, medals, or stock market portfolios. It is not the quantity of what you do, but the quality in which you do it. It is not based on what you have, but what you give. Your greatness is attainable. Rather than focusing on who you might become or what you might do in the future, center your attention on who you are right now. Become the best you can be at whatever it is do right now. Like Neil Armstrong, the moon shouldn’t be our focal point, but rather our focus must be on becoming the best pilot we can be. Once we do that, the doors will keep opening and the effects are out of this world.
So often in our lives we compare ourselves to other people. “She has the bag I want.” “His car is sweet.” “Why can’t I have the life he has?” “Wow, they really have done something with their lives and made a difference in this world.” In a world that seems to focus so much on ourselves, we tend to do a lot of outward gazing. In a society that focuses on ME ME ME, why is our gaze fixed on the other person? Just because what we are doing is different from someone else, does not take away the fact that we have the potential to achieve the greatness we want and desire.
We just celebrated the 40th anniversary of our first successful trip to the moon. Do you think that Neil Armstrong woke up one day as a 6 year old farm boy and said, “I am going to be the first man to walk on the moon.” I highly doubt that. What he did say was, “I am going to be a pilot one day.” For him, there was nothing greater than flying a plane. He chased down that dream and achieved that greatness. At the age of 16, before he even had his driver’s license, he attained a pilot’s license. Now, did his desire for greatness or rather, his CALL to greatness end there? Absolutely not.
Neil Armstrong was said to be one of the greatest pilots in American history. As a Navy pilot, he fought in the Korean War. He flew in just under 80 combat missions and won 3 Air Medals. He returned from war and began working for NACA (NASA’s predecessor) as a test pilot. There was not an aircraft that he didn’t know how to fly. He was great at what he did. But did his call to greatness end there? NO.
He was elevated to the status of Astronaut and commanded the Gemini 8 mission and of course the Apollo 11 mission, for which he is remembered. He was awarded many medals and honors when he returned from the Apollo 11 mission. He continued his call to greatness by becoming a professor of Aerospace Engineering and serving for the United States Government. Anyone who hears the name Neil Armstrong will think it to be synonymous with the word greatness.
Just because I am not going to be the first man to walk on Mars, cure Cancer, or do something else that will change the world, does not mean that I am not called to greatness. Although I had dreams of becoming a Military pilot, astronaut, and a professional baseball player, I have come to realize that I am not called to do those things. Those do not fit into my call to greatness. Regardless of what I end up doing with my life, I know that it will be something I am called to do. It will be great.
Greatness is not measured by one triumphant event, medals, or stock market portfolios. It is not the quantity of what you do, but the quality in which you do it. It is not based on what you have, but what you give. Your greatness is attainable. Rather than focusing on who you might become or what you might do in the future, center your attention on who you are right now. Become the best you can be at whatever it is do right now. Like Neil Armstrong, the moon shouldn’t be our focal point, but rather our focus must be on becoming the best pilot we can be. Once we do that, the doors will keep opening and the effects are out of this world.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Excuse me, Mr. President, you are stepping on my faith
When I first heard the news of President Obama at Georgetown University, my original reaction was based on who I am as a Catholic who works in Higher Education. However, there is something wrong here. What gives anyone the right to or the need to ask an institution to cover up symbols of their identity?
President Obama is not doing a great job of unifying this country. Of course, as President, you cannot make everyone happy. Yet, there are Tea parties and rumors of states such as Texas seceding from the Union. This is a long way from his "bi-partison" plans, which seem to have gone out the window. A rather large portion of Americans are Catholic. But the purpose of this writing is not to single out this specific instance, but a call to stand up for who you are. Embracing your identity is what makes this country so great. No one has the right to impede on you based on religion, race, or ethnicity. However this past Wednesday, President Obama attacked our freedom once again.
On Wednesday, April 15, President Obama made a speech at Georgetown University, one of the oldest universities in the nation. It just so happens that this university is Catholic. Of course when a diplomat or politician speaks at any university, a proper backdrop is necessary. International flags, American flags, the state flag, or some other public symbol is put up. However, our president seemed to take it a step further. Since the blue curtain couldn’t cover all of the Catholic symbols and pictures behind where the president would speak, he ordered a black, triangular molding to be place above it. Why? Because the letters, “IHS” would have still been visible. These letters, in case you didn’t know, symbolize the name of Jesus.
Separation of Church and State—any liberal, leftist, left-wing, democrat, or whatever you wish to call half of our nation’s population, will adamantly argue that the Church has no right to impede on public affairs such as elections or political conventions. Yet, President Obama had a Seder meal in the White House, and now he is covering up the name of Jesus at a CATHOLIC university. I guess separation of Church and State is a one way street? WRONG!
Let’s analyze the First Amendment, shall we?
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
Nowhere in the Constitution does it say the phrase, “Separation of Church and State,” nor does it give any branch of government the power to do what the White House did this past Wednesday. So anyone thinking that the President was simply separating Church and State, does not have an argument. Please tell me where in the 1st Amendment it says that the government has the right to impede on religious institutions. The idea of this Separation has been taken way out of context. Its original purpose was to protect the free practice and worship of religion and to make sure that no “national religion” was established. This gives people the right to believe in what they want to believe in and to freely express that. It is ridiculous that an institution had to cover up it’s identity as Catholic for this one-time speech.
Imagine for a second if President Obama went to give a speech at Xavier University at the Center for Black Studies and asked to cover up a picture of Martin Luther King, Jr. Or, visiting the American Jewish University, asked to cover up the Star of David. There would be hell to pay! Why isn’t there an uproar by Catholics, or better yet, why didn’t the Administration at Georgetown say, “What? You want us to cover up symbols which represent what we believe in and who we are? Are you nuts?”
I do not know what disturbs me more—the fact that our President continues to extend the power of government in this nation and divide it OR that a Catholic institution would bend so easily to an unlawful request to deny who they are by covering up the name of Jesus. I am not one to judge a man's faith, but our President claims to be Christian, yet he ordered a Christian university to cover up the name of Jesus.
“Whoever denies Me before men, I will deny him before My Father in Heaven.” (Matthew 10:33)
For a complete article on this, Google it, or check out:
http://www.cnsnews.com/public/content/article.aspx?RsrcID=46667
President Obama is not doing a great job of unifying this country. Of course, as President, you cannot make everyone happy. Yet, there are Tea parties and rumors of states such as Texas seceding from the Union. This is a long way from his "bi-partison" plans, which seem to have gone out the window. A rather large portion of Americans are Catholic. But the purpose of this writing is not to single out this specific instance, but a call to stand up for who you are. Embracing your identity is what makes this country so great. No one has the right to impede on you based on religion, race, or ethnicity. However this past Wednesday, President Obama attacked our freedom once again.
On Wednesday, April 15, President Obama made a speech at Georgetown University, one of the oldest universities in the nation. It just so happens that this university is Catholic. Of course when a diplomat or politician speaks at any university, a proper backdrop is necessary. International flags, American flags, the state flag, or some other public symbol is put up. However, our president seemed to take it a step further. Since the blue curtain couldn’t cover all of the Catholic symbols and pictures behind where the president would speak, he ordered a black, triangular molding to be place above it. Why? Because the letters, “IHS” would have still been visible. These letters, in case you didn’t know, symbolize the name of Jesus.
Separation of Church and State—any liberal, leftist, left-wing, democrat, or whatever you wish to call half of our nation’s population, will adamantly argue that the Church has no right to impede on public affairs such as elections or political conventions. Yet, President Obama had a Seder meal in the White House, and now he is covering up the name of Jesus at a CATHOLIC university. I guess separation of Church and State is a one way street? WRONG!
Let’s analyze the First Amendment, shall we?
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
Nowhere in the Constitution does it say the phrase, “Separation of Church and State,” nor does it give any branch of government the power to do what the White House did this past Wednesday. So anyone thinking that the President was simply separating Church and State, does not have an argument. Please tell me where in the 1st Amendment it says that the government has the right to impede on religious institutions. The idea of this Separation has been taken way out of context. Its original purpose was to protect the free practice and worship of religion and to make sure that no “national religion” was established. This gives people the right to believe in what they want to believe in and to freely express that. It is ridiculous that an institution had to cover up it’s identity as Catholic for this one-time speech.
Imagine for a second if President Obama went to give a speech at Xavier University at the Center for Black Studies and asked to cover up a picture of Martin Luther King, Jr. Or, visiting the American Jewish University, asked to cover up the Star of David. There would be hell to pay! Why isn’t there an uproar by Catholics, or better yet, why didn’t the Administration at Georgetown say, “What? You want us to cover up symbols which represent what we believe in and who we are? Are you nuts?”
I do not know what disturbs me more—the fact that our President continues to extend the power of government in this nation and divide it OR that a Catholic institution would bend so easily to an unlawful request to deny who they are by covering up the name of Jesus. I am not one to judge a man's faith, but our President claims to be Christian, yet he ordered a Christian university to cover up the name of Jesus.
“Whoever denies Me before men, I will deny him before My Father in Heaven.” (Matthew 10:33)
For a complete article on this, Google it, or check out:
http://www.cnsnews.com/public/content/article.aspx?RsrcID=46667
Thursday, March 19, 2009
You WISH You Were Irish
In honor of St. Patrick’s Day (two days late, oh well), I decided to explore a bit of my ancestry—all 37.5% of it.
Some of the finest people in American History have been of Irish decent. That’s right from our founding fathers to Rock artists; Irish ancestry is probably the best thing to happen to America since that crazy Mick Andrew Jackson slaughtered an entire population of helpless natives so that he could expand his empire of BIG GOVERNMENT. With such wonderful presidents such as John F. Kennedy, Jimmy Carter, William Clinton and yes, our new president Barack Obama having the same whiskey flavored blood running through their veins, we can be sure that America rests in good hands. (I hope you can sense my sarcasm)
Charles Carroll represented the Catholic population of the 13 colonies at the signing of the Declaration of Independence, for he was the only Catholic to sign. While Irishwoman Molly Pitcher was fighting in the Revolution, the United States Navy helped with victory for the Continental Navy under the command of John Barry, who later was titled the Father of the United States Navy. Many others served for their country and paid the price of their life. Without Ulysses S. Grant leading the Union forces during the Civil War, the country may have fallen into the hands of a wonderful Irishman named Jefferson Davis, who would have continued slavery.
As for your artistic side, Walt Disney and all of his genius was more than half Irish. C.S. Lewis would challenge you to explore a world you do not know by going into a closet. A trip down memory lane would perhaps have you listening to Kurt Kobane, a wonderful Irishman who was made fun of for being from the great Emerald Isle. (you see, words can be hurtful) The words of F. Scott Fitzgerald would snap you out of your trip to the past when this Irishman tells you that “Everybody’s youth is a dream, a form of chemical madness.” You don’t want to drive yourself mad do you? Perhaps you do.
If you desire a life of madness perhaps you could find yourself amongst Billy the Kid, Lester Joseph Gillis (Baby Face Nelson), Kevin Kelly, or other Irish mobsters and criminals who had some sinful fun with those of Italian decent. But don’t think too much about the distant past.
And what about in recent history? Some of the best, most unbiased news comes from the mouths of good Irish-Catholics such as Sean Hannity, Peggy Noonan, and Bill O’Reilly. They speak about the wonderful Irish, Republican president Ronald Reagan and his wonderful successes in the White House. They defend the maverick from Russia’s backyard, Sarah Palin—oh bless her Irish heart, you know.
As you sit and ponder about how much of this blessed blood is in your own veins, remember that I, Matthew Higgins, grandson of William, the brother of Liam, have the universal donor blood, type O positive. I will gladly donate more to you if you ever needed it. I feel the need to keep the bloodline strong so that there will be more inventors like those who made the stethoscope and portable defibrillator, a politician like Ronald Reagan, a leader like George Washington, or a Pulitzer prize winning author like Frank McCourt.
The Irish are everywhere and in more places than you think. You better bite your tongue before you make your crude comments about drinking and disgusting slander towards one of the greatest peoples to ever walk this earth. Excuse me, I have to start this St. Patrick’s Day off right with a glass of Guinness, a shot of Jameson, an Irish car-bomb, a pint of McSorley’s, eat bangers and mash, pray the rosary, take another shot of Jameson, and sip the finest Single-Malt Whiskey in the World (Tyrconnell).
Éirinn go brách!
Some of the finest people in American History have been of Irish decent. That’s right from our founding fathers to Rock artists; Irish ancestry is probably the best thing to happen to America since that crazy Mick Andrew Jackson slaughtered an entire population of helpless natives so that he could expand his empire of BIG GOVERNMENT. With such wonderful presidents such as John F. Kennedy, Jimmy Carter, William Clinton and yes, our new president Barack Obama having the same whiskey flavored blood running through their veins, we can be sure that America rests in good hands. (I hope you can sense my sarcasm)
Charles Carroll represented the Catholic population of the 13 colonies at the signing of the Declaration of Independence, for he was the only Catholic to sign. While Irishwoman Molly Pitcher was fighting in the Revolution, the United States Navy helped with victory for the Continental Navy under the command of John Barry, who later was titled the Father of the United States Navy. Many others served for their country and paid the price of their life. Without Ulysses S. Grant leading the Union forces during the Civil War, the country may have fallen into the hands of a wonderful Irishman named Jefferson Davis, who would have continued slavery.
As for your artistic side, Walt Disney and all of his genius was more than half Irish. C.S. Lewis would challenge you to explore a world you do not know by going into a closet. A trip down memory lane would perhaps have you listening to Kurt Kobane, a wonderful Irishman who was made fun of for being from the great Emerald Isle. (you see, words can be hurtful) The words of F. Scott Fitzgerald would snap you out of your trip to the past when this Irishman tells you that “Everybody’s youth is a dream, a form of chemical madness.” You don’t want to drive yourself mad do you? Perhaps you do.
If you desire a life of madness perhaps you could find yourself amongst Billy the Kid, Lester Joseph Gillis (Baby Face Nelson), Kevin Kelly, or other Irish mobsters and criminals who had some sinful fun with those of Italian decent. But don’t think too much about the distant past.
And what about in recent history? Some of the best, most unbiased news comes from the mouths of good Irish-Catholics such as Sean Hannity, Peggy Noonan, and Bill O’Reilly. They speak about the wonderful Irish, Republican president Ronald Reagan and his wonderful successes in the White House. They defend the maverick from Russia’s backyard, Sarah Palin—oh bless her Irish heart, you know.
As you sit and ponder about how much of this blessed blood is in your own veins, remember that I, Matthew Higgins, grandson of William, the brother of Liam, have the universal donor blood, type O positive. I will gladly donate more to you if you ever needed it. I feel the need to keep the bloodline strong so that there will be more inventors like those who made the stethoscope and portable defibrillator, a politician like Ronald Reagan, a leader like George Washington, or a Pulitzer prize winning author like Frank McCourt.
The Irish are everywhere and in more places than you think. You better bite your tongue before you make your crude comments about drinking and disgusting slander towards one of the greatest peoples to ever walk this earth. Excuse me, I have to start this St. Patrick’s Day off right with a glass of Guinness, a shot of Jameson, an Irish car-bomb, a pint of McSorley’s, eat bangers and mash, pray the rosary, take another shot of Jameson, and sip the finest Single-Malt Whiskey in the World (Tyrconnell).
Éirinn go brách!
Do You Know How Fast You Were Going?
Instant Messaging, E-mail, text messages, blackberries, iPhones—all part of our 24-hour instant gratification, fast-paced society. I can’t wait for summer, I cannot wait for this semester to be over, I can’t wait to finally go on vacation. When did life become all about moving fast and always looking to take the next step? We are always looking for the next best thing. We need to have internet at our fingertips so we get the latest news, gossip, sports scores, or stock quotes. We need to have 1000 channels and DVR so we never miss American Idol or The Office in HD. But what are we missing out on by allowing these things to become a top priority?
Why can’t we slow things down? Have you ever lost your cell-phone or been without internet for a couple hours or Heaven-forbid an entire day? Why is it that we lose our minds if we get “cut-off” from our info-in-an-instant lifestyle? If we truly took time away and “shut up and listened” maybe we could see a world that is better than what we think of it.
For instance, how many times have we said or heard someone say, “I can’t wait for ____________.” Why can’t we wait? What is so horrible about the present that we NEED to move on? If we are constantly focusing on what needs to come next, we lose sight of the present and we lose the beauty of the moment. In my own life, I think about where I believe God is calling me to. When I think too much about that, I am filled with joy. Sounds great right? Well yes it is, but God’s calling is not something that we will one day accomplish, rather it is a daily process (shout out to Jon Hayes and the UNSTOPPABLE retreatants).
God calls us to serve Him and love Him DAILY. If I am constantly thinking, “I can’t wait to get engaged,” then I get engaged and I think, “I cannot wait until I am married,” then I get married and I think, “I cannot wait to have my first child,” then I have my first child and I think, “I cannot wait to have another,” then I have another child and I think, “I cannot wait until they grow up and I can teach them about life,” then they grow up and I teach them about life and I think, “I can’t wait for retirement,” then I retire and I think, “What’s next? What can’t I wait for? Death?”
If we are never happy with the here and now, we will never be truly happy. When we think about our current situation, we need to look at how we got there. What led us there? Where is it leading us? What are we learning from it? Is it fruitful and helping me grow in my relationship with God? The truth is, my brothers and sisters, that the here and now is the only thing we have control over. The here and now is the only thing we can experience. The past is done with, the future is in God’s hands—what matters is every single second of the present. Because, guess what? What we do in the here and now lays the foundation for the future. If we are constantly thinking of how much life stinks or how it could be better, we are laying the foundation for a future of more of the same.
Also, what happens if I get engaged, get married, but then am unable to have children? Will I constantly be waiting for the day where I will be happy when God blesses me with a child? Of course I will hope for such a blessing, but that does not mean that I discard the present and the blessings I am being handed within it. So whatever your current situation may be—struggling through school, waiting to get engaged, thinking about a career change, trying to have a child, or discerning your vocation, remember that the here and now is a gift and that is why it is called the present. So slow it down a bit, take it all in and rejoice. What is God calling you to do for Him TODAY?
Why can’t we slow things down? Have you ever lost your cell-phone or been without internet for a couple hours or Heaven-forbid an entire day? Why is it that we lose our minds if we get “cut-off” from our info-in-an-instant lifestyle? If we truly took time away and “shut up and listened” maybe we could see a world that is better than what we think of it.
For instance, how many times have we said or heard someone say, “I can’t wait for ____________.” Why can’t we wait? What is so horrible about the present that we NEED to move on? If we are constantly focusing on what needs to come next, we lose sight of the present and we lose the beauty of the moment. In my own life, I think about where I believe God is calling me to. When I think too much about that, I am filled with joy. Sounds great right? Well yes it is, but God’s calling is not something that we will one day accomplish, rather it is a daily process (shout out to Jon Hayes and the UNSTOPPABLE retreatants).
God calls us to serve Him and love Him DAILY. If I am constantly thinking, “I can’t wait to get engaged,” then I get engaged and I think, “I cannot wait until I am married,” then I get married and I think, “I cannot wait to have my first child,” then I have my first child and I think, “I cannot wait to have another,” then I have another child and I think, “I cannot wait until they grow up and I can teach them about life,” then they grow up and I teach them about life and I think, “I can’t wait for retirement,” then I retire and I think, “What’s next? What can’t I wait for? Death?”
If we are never happy with the here and now, we will never be truly happy. When we think about our current situation, we need to look at how we got there. What led us there? Where is it leading us? What are we learning from it? Is it fruitful and helping me grow in my relationship with God? The truth is, my brothers and sisters, that the here and now is the only thing we have control over. The here and now is the only thing we can experience. The past is done with, the future is in God’s hands—what matters is every single second of the present. Because, guess what? What we do in the here and now lays the foundation for the future. If we are constantly thinking of how much life stinks or how it could be better, we are laying the foundation for a future of more of the same.
Also, what happens if I get engaged, get married, but then am unable to have children? Will I constantly be waiting for the day where I will be happy when God blesses me with a child? Of course I will hope for such a blessing, but that does not mean that I discard the present and the blessings I am being handed within it. So whatever your current situation may be—struggling through school, waiting to get engaged, thinking about a career change, trying to have a child, or discerning your vocation, remember that the here and now is a gift and that is why it is called the present. So slow it down a bit, take it all in and rejoice. What is God calling you to do for Him TODAY?
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