Covecrest vs the Real World

So as we begin summer here at Covecrest, I've been getting a lot of questions from people about what I'm going to do next, how I'm going to survive in the "real world", what I'm going to do when I grow up (with the implication that that should happen now). I've had friends express worry that I'm not capable of dealing with "real life" when I'm not here. And my answer to them has been that this is real life. The life I have been living for the past nine months has been more real in many ways than the life I lived for 23 years. And I have been confronting things, dealing with my own brokenness, learning how to interact with others, live in community, and live the Gospel. And its hard. Its difficult; it tries my patience; it frustrates me; it hurts. But it is also amazingly free, and joyful, hopeful, and beautiful. And I'm not going back. Whether I'm technically a missionary or not, I'm going to live the missionary lifestyle for the rest of my life. I want more than the world offers.

And so, here's what I'm going to do when I leave Covecrest: I'm going to live a prudent life, a supernaturally prudent life. I'm going to seek the kingdom of God, and believe me, no wait- believe Jesus, He's the one who said it-, everything else will fall into place. That's not to say my life will always be easy, that's not to say that I won't have difficulties or problems. I'm not looking at the world through rose colored glasses, but I am looking at it through the promise of the Gospel. And I am going to follow what He's calling me to do, whether I understand it or not, whether it makes sense or not. I don't know for sure where my path will lead me, but I know that God does, and so as long as I follow Him, its all going to be okay.

I'm not naive, and I'm not overlooking the very real concerns of life- rent, insurance, bills, etc., etc. But, my God is a BIG God. He is mighty and capable, and loves me. And I'm going to focus on Him. He knows what I need, what my heart desires, even more than I do sometimes, most times even. What else do I need to know? Who else am I going to trust?

The Life Teen Staff Retreat

The Life Teen staff gathered this week at Covecrest for a retreat. Everyone from the Mesa office, the Atlanta office, and all our area contacts arrived to spend two days praying and spending time together. Dr. Allen Hunt, an Emory graduate by the way, came to lead the retreat. Dr. Hunt is a former Methodist minister who entered the Catholic Church a little over a year ago, and is an amazing speaker, teacher, and witness. His website is www.allenhuntshow.com.

We ended the retreat with this prayer from Archbishop Oscar Romero, a powerful reminder of our role in ministry, one that is full of freedom and hope.

It helps, now and then, to step back and take a long view.

The kingdom is not only beyond our efforts,
it is even beyond our vision.

We accomplish in our lifetime only a tiny fraction
of the magnificent enterprise that is God's work.
Nothing we do is complete, which is a way of saying
that the kingdom always lies beyond us.
No statement says all that could be said.
No prayer fully expresses our faith.
No confession brings perfection.
No pastoral visit brings wholeness.
No program accomplishes the church's mission.
No set of goals and objectives includes everything.

This is what we are about.
We plant the seeds that one day will grow.
We water seeds already planted,
knowing that they hold future promise.

We lay foundations that will need further development.
We provide yeast that produces far beyond our capabilities.

We cannot do everything, and there is a sense of liberation
in realizing that. This enables us to do something,
and to do it very well. It may be incomplete,
but it is a beginning, a step along the way,
an opportunity for the Lord's grace to enter and do the rest.

We may never see the end results, but that is the difference
between the master builder and the worker.

We are workers, not master builders; ministers, not messiahs.
We are prophets of a future not our own.

I love my life!

Last night we celebrated Thomas' birthday here at camp. To close out the night, Thomas requested adoration with praise and worship. As we all knelt around the Blessed Sacrament singing praised to the Lord, I looked around at my brothers and sisters and realized how amazingly blessed I am. How many people in this world can take out Jesus whenever they need to see him? I take it for granted sometimes that I can go into the chapel and expose the Blessed Sacrament whenever I like.

Yesterday evening after evening prayer, I stayed behind in the chapel to have some quiet prayer time. Because I've been sick, its been awhile since I've done a Holy Hour in the chapel, and I had so missed seeing the face of my Lord. So after a few minutes of praying before the tabernacle, I went and got the key so I could see Him face to face.

The blessing of adoration is one that I hope I never take for granted again. It makes me so sad when I think of all of the people in this world who don't have the opportunity to adore Christ, even though they may desire it. There are so few perpetual adoration chapels around, and many parishes only offer adoration monthly, or weekly if you're lucky. Eucharistic adoration has been a part of the Catholic Church's tradition for centuries, and is a practice that all Catholics should be exposed to. The Eucharist is one the greatest blessings God has given us, and adoration is one of my favorite things about being Catholic because during it, I get to gaze on my Beloved and my Beloved gets to gaze on me.

I'm really going to miss the blessing of adoration anytime when I leave here. I only hope that there's always a parish nearby me where I can spend time face-to-face with Christ.

P.S.
Here's a website that has a history of Eucharistic Adoration
http://www.therealpresence.org/eucharst/pea/history.htm

This is what God asks

Last week during evening prayer I was struck by one of the antiphons, which made me realize just how much more complicated I make my life than I need to.

"This is what God asks of you: Trust in the One whom He has sent."

I read it, and was like "duh, of course that's what God asks." But then I thought about it a little bit, and it was as though something clicked in my head and heart. It's actually that simple. I just have to trust.

Of course, this implies that I know the One whom God has sent, which means I need to be praying and listening to what God is asking of me. And that is where the trick lies . . .