This past Saturday, I did something that I rarely ever do. I took a day to myself. I woke up late (around 9:30) after being out late the night before and went to get breakfast by myself. The night before I went to a Barnes and Noble in Southlake, TX and picked up a few books. On this particular trip I picked up Death Comes for the Archbishop by Willa Cather. Now I have read this book in high school and probably still have a copy of it somewhere, but I felt the desire to read it again. I remembered that the imagery in the book and the descriptions of the landscapes were wonderful. I figured it would be a good way to escape for a bit and really dive into a book. So, at breakfast, I sat and drank my coffee and leisurely read my book. I wasn’t in a hurry to do anything in particular.
After breakfast I went to the movie theater and bought tickets for Slumdog Millionaire. I did not have a particular desire to see the movie but heard it was good and did not like the looks of the other movies that were showing. I talked to my nephew, brother-in-law, and sister before going into the movie. A few other friends sent me a text here and there. That was when I decided that if this was really going to be a day to myself I needed to ignore the phone. I made it through most of the movie and enjoyed the story. I thought the movie was predictable but it was entertaining all the same. Unfortunately due to the amount of coffee I drank at breakfast and the large diet coke I treated myself to, I had to run out right after the main character answers the last question on the game show. By the time I returned, the movie was over and the credits were rolling. At first, I was disappointed because I did not find out if the guy got the girl in the end. Then I realized that I did not care. In my mind, the guy ended up with the girl…the love of his life. Who would of thought that I was a romantic huh? I walked out of the movie smiling and was happy with my decision to put the two together (I have since learned the actual ending of the movie).
After the movie I headed over to Holy Family of Nazareth in Irving, TX. A friend of mine is the Director of Youth Ministry there but I knew he was out of town. I sat in the chapel for about two hours praying and reading Death Comes for the Archbishop. It was a fruitful time of prayer and for me. I could not have thought of a better way for me to spend my Saturday afternoon. I was alone with God (i.e. the love of my life). I know it is a little cheesy to hear me say that, but I have come to realize the truth in that statement.
Towards the end of my prayer time, an older (he was not the pastor and I presume he was a retired priest) came in and sat down. He walked with a cane and had some difficulty getting up and down in the chair. As he sat down, he pulled out his rosary and began to pray. I decided that I would pull mine out as well and pray along with him in silence. After about twenty minutes, and with considerable effort, he got up and went to the confessional to hear confessions. I had already planned on going to confession and so I was happy to know that he would be hearing my confession. As I looked at that priest, I realized that I know nothing about him. I don’t know what assignments he has had or how long he has been ordained. I don’t know all the ups and downs of his life, but what I do know is that after many years, he takes the time and considerable effort to spend time with God before doing the work that God has asked him to do. I admired his dedication and his commitment. He was doing what God asked him to do as best as he could do it.
I went to Mass after confession and was happy to be in a parish again. I miss my parish family and I miss going to Mass with families. We have really good liturgy and good music at the seminary but it is always a joy to be at Mass in a parish. After Mass, I went to dinner with some friends and had a great night.
Now I will get to the point of the blog. I apologize for the length but thank you for your patience (for the two of you that read this). As I was reading Death Comes for the Archbishop I was thinking about the stories surrounding the main character, Fr. Latour. Fr. Latour is a French priest who came to America and was made the Bishop of New Mexico just after it became a part of the United States. Bishop Latour’s responsibilities often required him to travel alone on horseback through the rough terrain and desert areas of the New Mexico territory. On one particular trip, Bishop Latour had been without water for some time. His horses were literally dying of thirst beneath him. After everything he had been through and after being obedient to God and doing what God asked him to do, he risked dying for lack of water. Such a death seemed unlikely in a land full of thieves, violent Indians, and other threats to life. Just as the Bishop thought he could not go any further, his horses perked up and began to walk quickly. The Bishop guessed correctly that the horses smelled water.
There in the middle of nowhere lied an oasis. The Bishop found a small town centered around a source of fresh water. In fact, the town was called Hidden Water. The people of the town were so excited to see a priest that they almost did not believe that Bishop Latour was a priest. Bishop Latour spent the next few days witnessing marriages and baptizing children.
This story stuck out to me for several reasons. All of us, as we enter into Lent can relate to the imagery of the desert. We recount the story of the Israelites who were led around the desert for years until they were willing to yield to the will of God and follow his lead. We all know the stories of the desert Fathers who went off to pray, face their temptations, do penance, and more. We know that Jesus Himself went off to distant places to pray. The desert, for many of us, is a time of struggle. It is a time to be stripped of many of the comforts and distractions in life so that we can become more attuned to the voice of God and His will for our lives. While the desert is not always a pleasant place to be, it can be fruitful. The Israelites were eventually delivered to the promise land. Jesus returned from the desert having encountered Satan and remained obedient and faithful to the Father. Prior to that John the Baptist came out of the desert with the message to “Prepare the Way.” Good things come out of the desert.
Like the story in the book, though, God will often provide little oases and sources of life. Now please know that I am not reflecting on my own spiritual condition as it stands now, but I have been in the desert before. Each time that I have been there, I am amazed by the gifts that God has given me. It is only now that I am able to recognize them and even appreciate them. Often times they are something as simple as a kind word from a friend, a card in the mail, a new friendship, or an unmistakable sign of God’s love for me. Like the Hidden Water, they are the source of life that I need to continue my journey. They are the source of strength that I need to continue to do what I believe God asks me to do each day (especially in the little things). They are the source of faith that I need to withstand the blinding sandstorms that not only cause me to lose sight of my path but also can wear me down like a rock in a tumbler. When these hidden sources come, it is good to stop, take some time, do the things that God has created you to do, and then prepare to continue the journey until, one day, at last, we arrive home.
I wish you all a time of spiritual renewal and peace during this Lenten season. Please be assured of my prayers and please continue to pray for me and more importantly my seminarian brothers. I have a busy week and a half to go with three midterms and other tasks but in just ten short days I know that I will be home.
Pax Tecum,
Tom
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Who do you say that I am?
I heard these words in today’s Gospel as Jesus asked Peter about his understanding of the true identity of Jesus Christ. In this particular instance Peter got it right. He hit a home run as he proclaimed, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.” (Mt 16:16). We all know that Peter did not always get it right. I think that is why I like him so much. I can relate to Peter. I think we all can.
In one of my classes we are reading about the early Church Fathers and their teachings. Earlier this week we were discussing the heresy known as Arianism. Arius was a priest who took issue with a homily that was given by his Bishop (even early in my formation I can see how this was not a good idea...), Alexander. Arius believed that there was a time when the Son was not. This means that there was a time when God was not Father. This meant that the Son of God was a creature begotten by the Father. The Son, according to Arius, would be mutabile and therefore susceptible to vice and many other implications that come along with those attributes. Arius was pronounced a heretic and censured by his Bishop. Now, I am by no means a church scholar. Keep in mind that I am a first year seminarian so please don’t think that I speak with any real authority on these matters. I am just sharing some of my thoughts.
I bring up the example of Arius simply to make the point that even after Peter’s confession, the confession of St. Thomas the Apostle, the teachings of the early Church Fathers and Bishops, I think many of us encounter Christ each day and hear him ask, “Who do you say that I am?” This is not meant to say that we each have our own truth about whom Christ is and that the answer is up to us. As the priest put it in his homily this morning, Christ asking this question to Peter was more like administering a mid-term exam in order to gauge the progress of your students.
The answer to this question is for each of us a matter of prayer. I ask you to consider as I will in my own prayer, who is it that I proclaim Christ to be, not only by my thoughts and my words, but by my actions? After all the disciples came to know Christ by watching what he did and listening to what he said. How do I show Christ to others? Do people see Christ in me? Do I see Christ in others (even those I may not particularly like)? Do I really encounter Christ? Do I know him? Do I take the time to know him? Do I introduce my family, co-workers, or children to him?
I think we all have had the experience of people who get the wrong impression of us. They see us in a way that does not always match up with our own self image. They cannot see into our heart. They cannot read our minds. They are only able to know who we are by how we live our lives and by the parts of our lives that we are willing to show them. It then becomes hard to determine whether the true identity is that of our own self image or that which the majority of people see when they encounter us. Do with that what you will and give it some consideration.
On a lighter note, I just wanted to let everyone know that I am still alive and well. My lack of writing has not been a matter of overwhelming responsibilities but more a matter of taking some time to myself while things aren’t so hectic. I hope this finds all of you in good health and good spirits. Please be assured of my prayers for all of you. Please continue to pray for me and my seminarian brothers. We are experiencing a bit of change here at the seminary once again and that is always difficult. I look forward to a relaxing weekend this week and will write again soon. In the meantime, I leave you with this for your consideration:
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
On your own intelligence rely not;
In all your ways be mindful of him,
And he will make straight your paths.” – Proverbs 3:5-6
Pax Tecum,
Tom
In one of my classes we are reading about the early Church Fathers and their teachings. Earlier this week we were discussing the heresy known as Arianism. Arius was a priest who took issue with a homily that was given by his Bishop (even early in my formation I can see how this was not a good idea...), Alexander. Arius believed that there was a time when the Son was not. This means that there was a time when God was not Father. This meant that the Son of God was a creature begotten by the Father. The Son, according to Arius, would be mutabile and therefore susceptible to vice and many other implications that come along with those attributes. Arius was pronounced a heretic and censured by his Bishop. Now, I am by no means a church scholar. Keep in mind that I am a first year seminarian so please don’t think that I speak with any real authority on these matters. I am just sharing some of my thoughts.
I bring up the example of Arius simply to make the point that even after Peter’s confession, the confession of St. Thomas the Apostle, the teachings of the early Church Fathers and Bishops, I think many of us encounter Christ each day and hear him ask, “Who do you say that I am?” This is not meant to say that we each have our own truth about whom Christ is and that the answer is up to us. As the priest put it in his homily this morning, Christ asking this question to Peter was more like administering a mid-term exam in order to gauge the progress of your students.
The answer to this question is for each of us a matter of prayer. I ask you to consider as I will in my own prayer, who is it that I proclaim Christ to be, not only by my thoughts and my words, but by my actions? After all the disciples came to know Christ by watching what he did and listening to what he said. How do I show Christ to others? Do people see Christ in me? Do I see Christ in others (even those I may not particularly like)? Do I really encounter Christ? Do I know him? Do I take the time to know him? Do I introduce my family, co-workers, or children to him?
I think we all have had the experience of people who get the wrong impression of us. They see us in a way that does not always match up with our own self image. They cannot see into our heart. They cannot read our minds. They are only able to know who we are by how we live our lives and by the parts of our lives that we are willing to show them. It then becomes hard to determine whether the true identity is that of our own self image or that which the majority of people see when they encounter us. Do with that what you will and give it some consideration.
On a lighter note, I just wanted to let everyone know that I am still alive and well. My lack of writing has not been a matter of overwhelming responsibilities but more a matter of taking some time to myself while things aren’t so hectic. I hope this finds all of you in good health and good spirits. Please be assured of my prayers for all of you. Please continue to pray for me and my seminarian brothers. We are experiencing a bit of change here at the seminary once again and that is always difficult. I look forward to a relaxing weekend this week and will write again soon. In the meantime, I leave you with this for your consideration:
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
On your own intelligence rely not;
In all your ways be mindful of him,
And he will make straight your paths.” – Proverbs 3:5-6
Pax Tecum,
Tom
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Back to the Basics...
Yes, I am still alive. I finally have a chance to come up for air at least for a few moments. This last week was definitely one of the most challenging weeks I have had in seminary. It was challenging not only physically, but mentally, spiritually, and emotionally as well. Suffice to say that I am still a little tired (seems to be a persistent state for most guys here) but should be able to rest some this weekend.
Speaking of this weekend, we are hosting approximately thirty men ranging in age from seventeen to late thirties who are a part of what is called “Live-In Weekend.” This event allows prospective seminarians to come stay with us for three and a half days to see what life in the seminary is like. In visiting with the guys, I realized that there are a lot of basic things about seminary that people do not know. It was also good for me to realize that this same time last year I was in their shoes. This is about the time of year when I began to apply with my diocese to come to seminary. I hope to offer a more spiritual reflection about that tomorrow, but today want to tell you about some of the basics of seminary.
I am currently studying at Holy Trinity Seminary in Irving, Texas. The seminary is located on the campus of the University of Dallas (UD). We are secluded enough from the campus that the regular students do not often come down “the hill” around the seminary but it is close enough that we can easily walk up “the hill” to our classes. We live, eat, sleep, and pray at the seminary and attend classes with lay students at UD. Our professors are very talented lay people who provide us with a classical Liberal Arts education. A few of our professors are Cistercian Monks from the nearby abbey. We also have the Southern Province Dominican Priory across the parking lot from us.
Holy Trinity is home to twenty-nine seminarians from seven dioceses including Little Rock, Lubbock, Fort Worth, Dallas, Austin, Galveston-Houston (they are quick to remind us they are an Archdiocese…), and Victoria. Holy Trinity is what is a college seminary; meaning that the men studying here are working on a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy and Letters. There are other men, like myself, who have at least a bachelor’s degree and are taking our pre-requisite Philosophy and Theology classes before entering Theology Studies (Major Seminary). I am considered a part of the latter group and we are appropriately called Pre-Theologians or “Pre-Thees” for short. By university standards Pre-Theologians are considered non degree seeking graduate students. The college seminarians take fifteen credit hours each semester while Pre-Theologians take twelve. The younger guys like to point out that they have to take more classes then us. We then remind them that we have put in our time as evident by the degree(s) that hang on our wall.
Last semester I took some basic introductory courses to Theology and Philosophy. The course names were: Understanding the Bible, Philosophy and the Ethical Life, Philosophy of Man, and Elementary Latin I. It was quite the adjustment being back in college. I remember the feeling the first day walking to class with a backpack on my back. I thought to myself, “How in the world did you end up doing this all over again?” I had the same thought during finals week.
This semester seems to be more challenging. The courses are getting tougher and the demands on my time are increasing. I am taking Philosophy of Being (Metaphysics), Medieval Philosophy, Western Theological Traditions (Church History and teachings of the Early Church Fathers through Vatican II), and Elementary Latin II. Latin is not my favorite class but I am doing the best I can and think it is important for me to learn. Primarily, I am hoping that Latin will help me in learning Spanish this summer and the years to come.
A typical day for me means waking up at 5:15AM, showering, and then checking email and a few news websites each day. I look at the local news channel from back home and try to keep up with what is going on there. We begin Lauds (Morning Prayer) in community at 6:30AM followed by Mass. We then go to the Refectory (Dining Hall) for breakfast which for me is usually a bowl of Special K, a piece of wheat toast, and two cups of coffee. Between the hours of 8AM and 3PM we have classes at the University. It is like a typical college in that you are not in the same classes each day and you are not in class the entire time. During the day we also attend meetings like Music Class, Individual Music Instruction, Formation (one on one meeting with an advisor to talk about everything except matters related to Spiritual Direction and Confession), Spiritual Direction, Group Formation and others. At 5:15PM we gather back in the chapel for Vespers (Evening Prayer) followed by thirty minutes of silent meditation. We then go to the Refectory for dinner. Dinner is served family style at tables with groups of eight. Three seminarians serve as waiters for a week at a time and serve the entire meal and clear the tables. The waiters then have their meal once everyone has left. This is an attempt to get us to learn table manners, how to serve, and how to be served. Three other seminarians are also assigned to do dishes once the meal is over. It normally takes about 45 minutes to do the dishes and each of us does it about once a week.
After dinner, we are free to return to our rooms to study. Actually we are free to do whatever we want for the remainder of the evening but are encouraged to spend the time with our studies. It is also a time to wash clothes, iron clothes, call home, do spiritual reading etc. One night a week we also have a Practicum assignment. This year I am teaching RCIA at a local parish here in Irving. It is pleasant and rewarding work but it does put an added demand on our time and makes preparing for Friday Classes difficult.
Every Friday afternoon we have “Work Order.” For two hours the house in divided up into two groups. Half of the group is responsible for cleaning the inside of the seminary including bathrooms, vacuuming common rooms, dusting, cleaning the chapel, etc. The other half goes outside to maintain the grounds immediately surrounding the seminary. We do not have a janitorial staff or a landscaping crew as we do all the work ourselves. The time is meant to teach us how to keep up a house (later a rectory) and to take ownership in our house.
After Work Order we are free for the evening. Most of us guys will go out to eat and maybe see a movie. Saturdays are pretty much free for us to do whatever we need to do. There is a Mass here at the seminary but we are not required to go here. We are allowed to go to the Cistercian Abbey, the Traditional Latin Mass at a parish here in Dallas, or any other local parish. We are not allowed to go more than thirty minutes from the seminary at any time without permission from the Rector. Sunday mornings we gather at 8:30AM for Lauds. This is a formal event as we sing the prayers and are dressed in coat and tie. We then have Mass at 9:15AM and that Mass is open to the public. If you are ever up this way, please consider joining us for Mass. It is always great to see familiar faces. After Mass we have a social with our guests including donuts and coffee. The Seminarians and their guests then retire to the refectory for a formal brunch. After brunch, we are free the rest of the day. Most of the guys take a nap and then study for the rest of the day.
As you can see we do not have a lot of free time. During the fall we will have a Free Weekend once a month where we are allowed to go home or go out of town somewhere else. This semester we do not have any free weekends on the books and we are starting to feel the stress just three weeks in. When we do have free time, we like to play sports, watch television, talk, pray, or exercise. We do have a small weight room that has some basic equipment. The equipment is somewhat old and outdated but it is better than nothing. In fact, I asked the Rector about purchasing an elliptical machine for us to work out with. The Rector said that we just don’t have the money in the budget (I think the high quality ones that last are about 2K but to be honest I have not done any research). Perhaps in the future I will see if there is anyone willing to help out with this. In the meantime, there is a workout facility at the University that we are free to use.
I hope that I have given you a better idea of what life is like at the seminary. I am sure that there are still more questions. Please feel free to submit your questions as comments or email me. I am happy to answer then when time allows. As for now, I am off to Mass, then lunch, then I have dish duty. I humbly ask you to continue to keep me and my brothers in your prayers. We feel the prayers and rely on them often to help us to persevere. I hope to post again tomorrow. Until then, be assured of my prayers for you.
Pax Tecum,
Tom
Speaking of this weekend, we are hosting approximately thirty men ranging in age from seventeen to late thirties who are a part of what is called “Live-In Weekend.” This event allows prospective seminarians to come stay with us for three and a half days to see what life in the seminary is like. In visiting with the guys, I realized that there are a lot of basic things about seminary that people do not know. It was also good for me to realize that this same time last year I was in their shoes. This is about the time of year when I began to apply with my diocese to come to seminary. I hope to offer a more spiritual reflection about that tomorrow, but today want to tell you about some of the basics of seminary.
I am currently studying at Holy Trinity Seminary in Irving, Texas. The seminary is located on the campus of the University of Dallas (UD). We are secluded enough from the campus that the regular students do not often come down “the hill” around the seminary but it is close enough that we can easily walk up “the hill” to our classes. We live, eat, sleep, and pray at the seminary and attend classes with lay students at UD. Our professors are very talented lay people who provide us with a classical Liberal Arts education. A few of our professors are Cistercian Monks from the nearby abbey. We also have the Southern Province Dominican Priory across the parking lot from us.
Holy Trinity is home to twenty-nine seminarians from seven dioceses including Little Rock, Lubbock, Fort Worth, Dallas, Austin, Galveston-Houston (they are quick to remind us they are an Archdiocese…), and Victoria. Holy Trinity is what is a college seminary; meaning that the men studying here are working on a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy and Letters. There are other men, like myself, who have at least a bachelor’s degree and are taking our pre-requisite Philosophy and Theology classes before entering Theology Studies (Major Seminary). I am considered a part of the latter group and we are appropriately called Pre-Theologians or “Pre-Thees” for short. By university standards Pre-Theologians are considered non degree seeking graduate students. The college seminarians take fifteen credit hours each semester while Pre-Theologians take twelve. The younger guys like to point out that they have to take more classes then us. We then remind them that we have put in our time as evident by the degree(s) that hang on our wall.
Last semester I took some basic introductory courses to Theology and Philosophy. The course names were: Understanding the Bible, Philosophy and the Ethical Life, Philosophy of Man, and Elementary Latin I. It was quite the adjustment being back in college. I remember the feeling the first day walking to class with a backpack on my back. I thought to myself, “How in the world did you end up doing this all over again?” I had the same thought during finals week.
This semester seems to be more challenging. The courses are getting tougher and the demands on my time are increasing. I am taking Philosophy of Being (Metaphysics), Medieval Philosophy, Western Theological Traditions (Church History and teachings of the Early Church Fathers through Vatican II), and Elementary Latin II. Latin is not my favorite class but I am doing the best I can and think it is important for me to learn. Primarily, I am hoping that Latin will help me in learning Spanish this summer and the years to come.
A typical day for me means waking up at 5:15AM, showering, and then checking email and a few news websites each day. I look at the local news channel from back home and try to keep up with what is going on there. We begin Lauds (Morning Prayer) in community at 6:30AM followed by Mass. We then go to the Refectory (Dining Hall) for breakfast which for me is usually a bowl of Special K, a piece of wheat toast, and two cups of coffee. Between the hours of 8AM and 3PM we have classes at the University. It is like a typical college in that you are not in the same classes each day and you are not in class the entire time. During the day we also attend meetings like Music Class, Individual Music Instruction, Formation (one on one meeting with an advisor to talk about everything except matters related to Spiritual Direction and Confession), Spiritual Direction, Group Formation and others. At 5:15PM we gather back in the chapel for Vespers (Evening Prayer) followed by thirty minutes of silent meditation. We then go to the Refectory for dinner. Dinner is served family style at tables with groups of eight. Three seminarians serve as waiters for a week at a time and serve the entire meal and clear the tables. The waiters then have their meal once everyone has left. This is an attempt to get us to learn table manners, how to serve, and how to be served. Three other seminarians are also assigned to do dishes once the meal is over. It normally takes about 45 minutes to do the dishes and each of us does it about once a week.
After dinner, we are free to return to our rooms to study. Actually we are free to do whatever we want for the remainder of the evening but are encouraged to spend the time with our studies. It is also a time to wash clothes, iron clothes, call home, do spiritual reading etc. One night a week we also have a Practicum assignment. This year I am teaching RCIA at a local parish here in Irving. It is pleasant and rewarding work but it does put an added demand on our time and makes preparing for Friday Classes difficult.
Every Friday afternoon we have “Work Order.” For two hours the house in divided up into two groups. Half of the group is responsible for cleaning the inside of the seminary including bathrooms, vacuuming common rooms, dusting, cleaning the chapel, etc. The other half goes outside to maintain the grounds immediately surrounding the seminary. We do not have a janitorial staff or a landscaping crew as we do all the work ourselves. The time is meant to teach us how to keep up a house (later a rectory) and to take ownership in our house.
After Work Order we are free for the evening. Most of us guys will go out to eat and maybe see a movie. Saturdays are pretty much free for us to do whatever we need to do. There is a Mass here at the seminary but we are not required to go here. We are allowed to go to the Cistercian Abbey, the Traditional Latin Mass at a parish here in Dallas, or any other local parish. We are not allowed to go more than thirty minutes from the seminary at any time without permission from the Rector. Sunday mornings we gather at 8:30AM for Lauds. This is a formal event as we sing the prayers and are dressed in coat and tie. We then have Mass at 9:15AM and that Mass is open to the public. If you are ever up this way, please consider joining us for Mass. It is always great to see familiar faces. After Mass we have a social with our guests including donuts and coffee. The Seminarians and their guests then retire to the refectory for a formal brunch. After brunch, we are free the rest of the day. Most of the guys take a nap and then study for the rest of the day.
As you can see we do not have a lot of free time. During the fall we will have a Free Weekend once a month where we are allowed to go home or go out of town somewhere else. This semester we do not have any free weekends on the books and we are starting to feel the stress just three weeks in. When we do have free time, we like to play sports, watch television, talk, pray, or exercise. We do have a small weight room that has some basic equipment. The equipment is somewhat old and outdated but it is better than nothing. In fact, I asked the Rector about purchasing an elliptical machine for us to work out with. The Rector said that we just don’t have the money in the budget (I think the high quality ones that last are about 2K but to be honest I have not done any research). Perhaps in the future I will see if there is anyone willing to help out with this. In the meantime, there is a workout facility at the University that we are free to use.
I hope that I have given you a better idea of what life is like at the seminary. I am sure that there are still more questions. Please feel free to submit your questions as comments or email me. I am happy to answer then when time allows. As for now, I am off to Mass, then lunch, then I have dish duty. I humbly ask you to continue to keep me and my brothers in your prayers. We feel the prayers and rely on them often to help us to persevere. I hope to post again tomorrow. Until then, be assured of my prayers for you.
Pax Tecum,
Tom
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
The Candles Are A-Blaise-ing….at both ends…
Please forgive me for the play on words, but I am tired and could not think of a better title. Today is the Memorial of St. Blaise, Bishop of Sebastea and Martyr. According to Tradition, when Christians were being persecuted sometime during the fourth century, Bishop Blaise withdrew to the mountains and lived in a cave. The stories surrounding his life tell us that while he was in the cave many wild beasts would come to him. St. Blaise reportedly healed the beasts when they were sick or wounded. Hunters later found St. Blaise, seized him, and took him to the authorities. On the journey they came across a woman who brought a little boy who was near death due to a fishbone caught in his throat. St. Blaise healed the boy’s throat and now we, the faithful, ask St. Blaise to intercede for us when we suffer from illnesses of the throat. Today, those who go to Mass often have their throats blessed with a pair of candles. If your priest is friendly, he will not light the candles before doing this! I had my throat blessed this morning and in addition to fending off illness, I hope that in some way St. Blaise teams up with St. Cecilia to intercede for me as I am the cantor at Mass this Friday. Someone should bless my seminary brothers’ ears as well.
As I said before, I am tired. I don’t just mean the “I didn’t get enough sleep last night” kind of tired. I mean physical, mental, and emotional fatigue. One thing I quickly learned upon entering seminary is that I have limits. I am not Super Man. That was a painful self-realization. This seems to be common sense for each of us, but for me, I never would accept that fact. Before seminary, I thought that if I just put my nose to the ground and worked hard enough I could be all things to all people, never say “No” to a request for help, and get everything done well and done on time. To be honest, I was a bit of a Pelagian (not formally of course) at times in thinking that I did not need the divine grace of God to carry me through my day. Seminary quickly taught me by all of the demands on our time, that one must be careful to set limits and to manage his time well.
In the process, I have learned that there is not enough time in the day to do everything that is asked of us and so we must prioritize and budget our time. Sometimes this means going into a quiz not quite as prepared as you would like to be. Other times it means not going out with your friends to a movie or to dinner. Sometimes it means having a Holy half-hour instead of a full hour everyday. Of course, there are certain things that should never be left out of the day like prayer, Mass, Liturgy of the Hours, etc. I am learning that it is not enough to merely care for the soul and neglect the body. The two are intrinsically linked. As a result, I am trying to eat healthier foods and exercising several times a week. Sleep is another important commodity. Sleeps seems to be the first thing to be cut out of the schedule as I think most of us underestimate the value of a good night’s sleep. We may desire a good night’s sleep but if we valued it appropriately, we would make it a priority.
I learned most of this the first time I went through college and even during my career in law enforcement. Trust me, there are plenty of times where a case, call, etc., will occupy so much of an officer’s time that he does not feel that he has the time to eat right, sleep enough, or exercise. Speaking for myself, I let those things fall by the wayside. In a way it is honorable if you are taking the approach of giving of yourselves to help others, but at the same time St. Thomas Aquinas would tell us, “you cannot give what you don’t have.”
There are many positive things I have learned during my short time in seminary as well. One of these things is a greater appreciation for the line “Give us this day our daily bread,” found in the Lord’s Prayer. I simply must rely on God’s grace to get me through the day. When I started seminary I asked God to help me get through the year, then the semester, then the week, then the day, and finally, today, just get me through the hour. While this week it seems that I am just trying to “get through it,” the goal is for me to “live through it” and live well. By that I mean that I am able to reflect the joy of Christ in my words, my thoughts, and my actions even when things get tough. It is quite the challenge, but one I am admittedly working on. If any of you have any secrets, feel free to share.
I have also learned to find my “daily bread,” in many places. Primarily, my bread is found in daily reception of the Eucharist and in prayer. However, there are other little encouragements that I receive from the Lord from time to time that reignite the spark within. For example, yesterday I received a letter in the mail from a 5th grade RE student at St. Ann’s Catholic Church in Burlington, TX. The letter tells me about his brothers, what he likes to do, the name of his school, etc. The letter then goes on to ask me questions about the things I like. Any police officer will tell you of the feeling of joy that comes over a kid’s eyes when you show him/her your police car and let then turn on the lights and sirens. They look up to you. It is humbling. At the same time, the letter encourages me to be faithful to my formation so that one day, I may serve this fifth grader, his brothers, and his friends as their priest. I don’t know if this is making sense or me just rambling, but it is a reminder to me that there is more to life than what at times seems like a rigorous routine.
Another shot in the arm came this morning when I had the privilege of serving a Mass at the Medical Morals Conference which is being held here in Las Colinas. There were over one hundred and forty bishops in the room including five cardinals. Being in a room with those men is simply inspiring (even at 7:30 in the morning). It was exciting to see some of the Bishops and Cardinals that you are used to seeing on television or in the papers (for good reasons). However, nothing was more inspiring and put a bigger smile on my face than seeing my own Bishop, Most Rev. Gregory Aymond. He does not read this blog so I cannot be accused of trying to gain favor. I just want folks to know how fortunate we are to have him as our shepherd.
Well, I must leave this entry as it is. I am not going to post again until the weekend as we have a hectic week. In addition to serving extra Masses, I am teaching RCIA at a local parish Thursday night, preparing to cant at Mass on Friday, studying, and hosting 29 young men who are attending Live-In Weekend at the seminary this weekend. I have a lot to do, but at least for right now, I am off to music class and am then taking a much needed nap!
Ora pro nobis,
Tom
PS. Please keep a special intention in your prayers for the next couple of days.
As I said before, I am tired. I don’t just mean the “I didn’t get enough sleep last night” kind of tired. I mean physical, mental, and emotional fatigue. One thing I quickly learned upon entering seminary is that I have limits. I am not Super Man. That was a painful self-realization. This seems to be common sense for each of us, but for me, I never would accept that fact. Before seminary, I thought that if I just put my nose to the ground and worked hard enough I could be all things to all people, never say “No” to a request for help, and get everything done well and done on time. To be honest, I was a bit of a Pelagian (not formally of course) at times in thinking that I did not need the divine grace of God to carry me through my day. Seminary quickly taught me by all of the demands on our time, that one must be careful to set limits and to manage his time well.
In the process, I have learned that there is not enough time in the day to do everything that is asked of us and so we must prioritize and budget our time. Sometimes this means going into a quiz not quite as prepared as you would like to be. Other times it means not going out with your friends to a movie or to dinner. Sometimes it means having a Holy half-hour instead of a full hour everyday. Of course, there are certain things that should never be left out of the day like prayer, Mass, Liturgy of the Hours, etc. I am learning that it is not enough to merely care for the soul and neglect the body. The two are intrinsically linked. As a result, I am trying to eat healthier foods and exercising several times a week. Sleep is another important commodity. Sleeps seems to be the first thing to be cut out of the schedule as I think most of us underestimate the value of a good night’s sleep. We may desire a good night’s sleep but if we valued it appropriately, we would make it a priority.
I learned most of this the first time I went through college and even during my career in law enforcement. Trust me, there are plenty of times where a case, call, etc., will occupy so much of an officer’s time that he does not feel that he has the time to eat right, sleep enough, or exercise. Speaking for myself, I let those things fall by the wayside. In a way it is honorable if you are taking the approach of giving of yourselves to help others, but at the same time St. Thomas Aquinas would tell us, “you cannot give what you don’t have.”
There are many positive things I have learned during my short time in seminary as well. One of these things is a greater appreciation for the line “Give us this day our daily bread,” found in the Lord’s Prayer. I simply must rely on God’s grace to get me through the day. When I started seminary I asked God to help me get through the year, then the semester, then the week, then the day, and finally, today, just get me through the hour. While this week it seems that I am just trying to “get through it,” the goal is for me to “live through it” and live well. By that I mean that I am able to reflect the joy of Christ in my words, my thoughts, and my actions even when things get tough. It is quite the challenge, but one I am admittedly working on. If any of you have any secrets, feel free to share.
I have also learned to find my “daily bread,” in many places. Primarily, my bread is found in daily reception of the Eucharist and in prayer. However, there are other little encouragements that I receive from the Lord from time to time that reignite the spark within. For example, yesterday I received a letter in the mail from a 5th grade RE student at St. Ann’s Catholic Church in Burlington, TX. The letter tells me about his brothers, what he likes to do, the name of his school, etc. The letter then goes on to ask me questions about the things I like. Any police officer will tell you of the feeling of joy that comes over a kid’s eyes when you show him/her your police car and let then turn on the lights and sirens. They look up to you. It is humbling. At the same time, the letter encourages me to be faithful to my formation so that one day, I may serve this fifth grader, his brothers, and his friends as their priest. I don’t know if this is making sense or me just rambling, but it is a reminder to me that there is more to life than what at times seems like a rigorous routine.
Another shot in the arm came this morning when I had the privilege of serving a Mass at the Medical Morals Conference which is being held here in Las Colinas. There were over one hundred and forty bishops in the room including five cardinals. Being in a room with those men is simply inspiring (even at 7:30 in the morning). It was exciting to see some of the Bishops and Cardinals that you are used to seeing on television or in the papers (for good reasons). However, nothing was more inspiring and put a bigger smile on my face than seeing my own Bishop, Most Rev. Gregory Aymond. He does not read this blog so I cannot be accused of trying to gain favor. I just want folks to know how fortunate we are to have him as our shepherd.
Well, I must leave this entry as it is. I am not going to post again until the weekend as we have a hectic week. In addition to serving extra Masses, I am teaching RCIA at a local parish Thursday night, preparing to cant at Mass on Friday, studying, and hosting 29 young men who are attending Live-In Weekend at the seminary this weekend. I have a lot to do, but at least for right now, I am off to music class and am then taking a much needed nap!
Ora pro nobis,
Tom
PS. Please keep a special intention in your prayers for the next couple of days.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
“…a light to reveal you to the nations and the glory of your people Israel.”
I have a bit of a confession to make. I am sure that none of you will relate to this, but I will tell you about it anyway. I am not all that interested in the Super Bowl. I do not follow football as much as I used to and frankly I have a lot of work to do to get ready for the week ahead. Despite my lack of interest in the game, for some reason I went through a process of preparing myself to watch it.
About 3:30 PM I walked downstairs to the room where we had set up a big screen television, surround sound, couches, food, drinks, and all the essentials. Some of the guys were working hard at making food for us to enjoy. We were having technical difficulties with our satellite and were not receiving any of the local channels. Two of our seminarians who are technology geniuses were able to use a ‘sling box’ from one of their homes in Houston, his laptop, and a 100 foot cord strung from the computer lab to project the image on our big screen television. The picture wasn’t perfect, but we would be able to watch the game. As I watched the two tech guys work, I realized that they were speaking a language I did not understand. Now I am not old at all but I sure felt it when I did not even realize that a laptop could be used in this manner. I thought maybe the Holy Spirit had descended and they were speaking in tongues. Then I quickly panicked thinking that if they were speaking in tongues, I should have been given the grace to understand them. I decided instead they were speaking techno Babel [sic] and felt better about myself (tongue in cheek).
Seeing that the preparations were in good hands I went back to my room to study for a while before the game started. However, I made sure to get downstairs in plenty of time to get a front row seat. I was the first one in the room and had a perfect seat. Then I was reminded of another scripture verse. You know, the one where it says not to take the seat of honor in case a guest more important than you should arrive and you want to be spared the embarrassment of moving. Well, about midway through the second quarter I look up and see His Eminence Daniel Cardinal DiNardo walk into the room. His Eminence was in town for the NEA Conference and decided to come watch the game with us. He is obviously a Steelers fan. Out of respect we stood as he entered the room. He graciously shook all of our hands before taking my...I mean…his seat. I smiled to myself and walked to the back of the room to sit down for the remaining of the half.
At halftime, I decided that I would go to the chapel and pray Evening Prayer. When I finished I was reflecting on my day and quickly felt a little embarrassed. I realized that I spent more time and energy preparing myself for school and the Super Bowl than I did for Mass this morning. I realized that I rushed through my morning prayers in order to get to the chapel on time. I did not read the readings ahead of time. I did not do the things I would normally do to prepare myself. To me it was a gentle reminder that my priorities needed to be adjusted and that I should spend more time preparing not only for Mass but living out my day according to the Gospel.
Tomorrow we celebrate the Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord. The morning will start with the blessing of the candles and a procession into the chapel. The Feast commemorates forty days after the birth of Christ when, according to Jewish law, Mary and Joseph presented Jesus in the Temple. As the child Jesus was presented to the elderly priest, Simeon, he said aloud:
“Lord, now let your servant go in peace;
your word has been fulfilled:
my own eyes have seen the salvation
which you have prepared in the sight of every people:
a light to reveal you to the nations
and the glory of your people Israel.”
This prayer is prayed every night as a part of Night Prayer. The procession of candles is meant to symbolize how our lives as Christians should give light to the lives of others. While Christ is the true Light of the world, we are each called to bring that light into a world full of darkness. For me, I am going to try to focus this week on taking the light to others by the manner in which I live my life. I do not have anything extraordinary planned. I just hope to be faithful in the little things.
We have a busy week this week. I will try to post sometime this week to give you an idea of what our schedule is like. After being home over Christmas, I realize that not everyone is familiar with how seminary life goes in terms of schedules, classes, activities, etc. I will try to post some of that later on.
Until then, from the words of one of my favorite Catholic artists, “Shine like the Sun [or Son if you please]”
Pax Tecum,
Tom
About 3:30 PM I walked downstairs to the room where we had set up a big screen television, surround sound, couches, food, drinks, and all the essentials. Some of the guys were working hard at making food for us to enjoy. We were having technical difficulties with our satellite and were not receiving any of the local channels. Two of our seminarians who are technology geniuses were able to use a ‘sling box’ from one of their homes in Houston, his laptop, and a 100 foot cord strung from the computer lab to project the image on our big screen television. The picture wasn’t perfect, but we would be able to watch the game. As I watched the two tech guys work, I realized that they were speaking a language I did not understand. Now I am not old at all but I sure felt it when I did not even realize that a laptop could be used in this manner. I thought maybe the Holy Spirit had descended and they were speaking in tongues. Then I quickly panicked thinking that if they were speaking in tongues, I should have been given the grace to understand them. I decided instead they were speaking techno Babel [sic] and felt better about myself (tongue in cheek).
Seeing that the preparations were in good hands I went back to my room to study for a while before the game started. However, I made sure to get downstairs in plenty of time to get a front row seat. I was the first one in the room and had a perfect seat. Then I was reminded of another scripture verse. You know, the one where it says not to take the seat of honor in case a guest more important than you should arrive and you want to be spared the embarrassment of moving. Well, about midway through the second quarter I look up and see His Eminence Daniel Cardinal DiNardo walk into the room. His Eminence was in town for the NEA Conference and decided to come watch the game with us. He is obviously a Steelers fan. Out of respect we stood as he entered the room. He graciously shook all of our hands before taking my...I mean…his seat. I smiled to myself and walked to the back of the room to sit down for the remaining of the half.
At halftime, I decided that I would go to the chapel and pray Evening Prayer. When I finished I was reflecting on my day and quickly felt a little embarrassed. I realized that I spent more time and energy preparing myself for school and the Super Bowl than I did for Mass this morning. I realized that I rushed through my morning prayers in order to get to the chapel on time. I did not read the readings ahead of time. I did not do the things I would normally do to prepare myself. To me it was a gentle reminder that my priorities needed to be adjusted and that I should spend more time preparing not only for Mass but living out my day according to the Gospel.
Tomorrow we celebrate the Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord. The morning will start with the blessing of the candles and a procession into the chapel. The Feast commemorates forty days after the birth of Christ when, according to Jewish law, Mary and Joseph presented Jesus in the Temple. As the child Jesus was presented to the elderly priest, Simeon, he said aloud:
“Lord, now let your servant go in peace;
your word has been fulfilled:
my own eyes have seen the salvation
which you have prepared in the sight of every people:
a light to reveal you to the nations
and the glory of your people Israel.”
This prayer is prayed every night as a part of Night Prayer. The procession of candles is meant to symbolize how our lives as Christians should give light to the lives of others. While Christ is the true Light of the world, we are each called to bring that light into a world full of darkness. For me, I am going to try to focus this week on taking the light to others by the manner in which I live my life. I do not have anything extraordinary planned. I just hope to be faithful in the little things.
We have a busy week this week. I will try to post sometime this week to give you an idea of what our schedule is like. After being home over Christmas, I realize that not everyone is familiar with how seminary life goes in terms of schedules, classes, activities, etc. I will try to post some of that later on.
Until then, from the words of one of my favorite Catholic artists, “Shine like the Sun [or Son if you please]”
Pax Tecum,
Tom
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