Marching in January cold

In the cold darkness we began our day... driving to Frederick to catch the 5:12 AM Marc train.
It was cold, dark and threatening precipitation...

We gathered with 20000 others for the Youth Rally and mass... many bishops, cardinals, priests and sisters were there too. Our group, even after getting there by 7:20 AM, made it onto the upper level... there were so many early arrivals. It was a great morning to rally and to reflect... confessions were made on the middle concourse... while others gathered their thoughts and relaxed.

We then made our way to the mall, and joined tens of thousands of others who had gathered there to listen to the speeches. After an hour we seemed packed in a huge crowd... finally we began the move to march on the Supreme Court. Inch by inch we tightly stepped our way forward. With so many converging on Constitution Ave... it was slow. After twenty or so more minutes we finally had just a bit more room to proceed. It was amazing to see so many in such peaceful demonstration. There were posters that depicted the graphic results of abortions...there were signs stating "Respect Life", there were many who recited the rosary. There were many, many youth from so many schools, colleges, and parishes from across the country.

To those who witnessed the march from the streets of DC and the buildings as we passed by, it seemed to them that it was a sea of people, moving slowly east towards the capitol... I heard it took over 45 minutes for the procession of people to pass by from end to end. Imagine the sight of so many streaming past... peacefully, without disruption, without violence...
It also seemed that the media ignored the event. The march of protesters who year after year take up the cry... in support of the unborn, in support of the hurting, in support of the women in pain and suffering over the choices made. It has been 35 years of marching and they continue to march and to stand for those who are unable to speak for themselves.
Will the cloud of witnesses, here on earth and those around us recognize these acts as meaningful? It is hard to think not. It is not for personal glory or convenience or satisfaction that they march. It is because to do it any other way, where the media might notice, would be painted as extreme and intolerant and hateful... which in today's world, tends to obscure the truth of the actions of those who protest. This march needs to be seen through the eyes of the 50 million lives aborted by the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision... half of whom would be old enough to vote this November... imagine 25 million more voices with choices on the ballot. How many of them would say the choice for Roe v. Wade was right?
Stand up for them... they did not have a choice. Do not let their voices be muted.

Standing up for those who cannot

It seems that standing up for the weak and those in need can be uncomfortable for people. It can be uncomfortable for those who do the standing and also for those who would rather not witness the message of those who stand.

One of the ways that we stand in unity is with those who would remind us to never forget the atrocity of the Holocaust perpetrated by the Nazis and those who complied with them. In January we visited the U.S. Holocaust Museum in Washington. The stark reminder of such extreme violence committed by human beings against others demands our attention and every effort we can muster to never forget.

The museum does that in a manner that is numbing and effective. Even 60 years after, it is hard to understand, yet the reality of the darkness was so great that many claim it caused nations to not understand the totality of the evil.

Not soon enough the world did stand and act against the hatred.
Not soon enough, the world moved to rescue and release those under oppressive forces.
Yet still we struggle as a human race to grasp the meaning of violence against each other... too often we have allowed the hand of violence to crush others.


We are all expected to be part of the force that opposes violence, let us remember and reflect on all ways that we can stand for others in need.

Emmanuel

The human endeavor in the history of creation has long been one confused and made up of moments in the lives of those inhabitants of this earth.
Throughout history we have struggled with the concept of our existence and here and there we get a glimpse of what it all means. As 24 teens and their adult counterparts traveled on an advent journey to Blueridge Summit in the second week of Advent, the mystery began to be less mysterious. We looked back through the Word in search of Jesus' geneology, his earthly ancestors. We discovered the symbols that we look to for a common awareness of the significance of those who came before us. We then gathered the props and costumes to help give it some flavor and whammo, there they are, our own human Jesse Tree compilation!
We had Moses, we had Isaac, we had Abraham, Jacob, Mary and Joseph, and Adam and Eve... All represented.... even Methuselah hahaha at 969 years old.
It was a great weekend, filled with a faith sharing experience and community living, and cooking and eating and a huge Jeopardy match that exposed just how much our retreatants picked up...

So after all this has been said and revealed in the photos, know that the real message of this retreat was that we are Blessed to have Emmanuel, God With US... in Jesus Christ our Savior whose birth we celebrate. We have the blessing of Him telling us plain and simple that we are to love each other... just as he loved us.... and when we wonder who "each" is, we know that it is all of us. All of our brothers and sisters.... especially those who have so little.... here and there and everywhere. Not just in our family, yet so very specifically in our family. Not just our friends, but our enemies as well... Not just those who love us so dearly... but those who sneer at us. Those who would say that it is all irrelevant, and to just be tolerant of each other.... Jesus said it is more important than that. We must love one another as He loved us. So as we glance at these pics and wonder how cool are they, let us also remember those who have gone before us, and those who are to come. But very importantly those who are in our midst right now. We are all called to see the Christ child in all those around us.

Father and Son Football

Jim Gill and son Griffin, face off at the snap. Big Bob Clark (#8) referees at the beginning of the game. Thanks Bob for the enthusiasm and the vision to get us off the couch!Great catching and running skills were a big part of the 51-42 score, sons victorious over the dads. It was a cool brisk autumn day as moms and family members cheered from the sidelines.

Afterwards we gathered in the multi-purpose hall for hamburgers, hotdogs and dessert provided by the Knights of Columbus. It was great watching our families together enjoying the outdoors, the weather, and the thrill of completing a pass or an interception or just being part of the fun!
Join us next year for our third game... see you then!

Glory to God

Nineteen pilgrims from St Michael's gather at the front of the Basilica of the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington D.C. after the Holy Mass, lunch and tour. An overwhelming visit that does evoke a sense of those who have gone before us and along with us now. In addition, our pilgrimage was an opportunity to experience liturgy in ways that we normally do not. The sense of sacredness with regard to the Word and to the Eucharist was heightened viscerally as we watched, smelled and heard the majesty of the Holy Mass and our Lord Jesus.


The Mullens bring up the gifts during Mass.






The evocative nature of this place, beyond our feeble attempts to make sacred use of the earthen materials of creation to give glory to God, inspires a response from pilgrims in our own lives, our own thoughts, words and deeds,
to give glory to God.







The Holy Spirit enlivens the world through the early church and we though just a blink behind them in history, remember the moment.

Deconstructing a chimney and a roof

When you get in over your head with a project, it is always good to bring friends and family with you. Below, Teddy is removing brick from the chimney of an 1840's log home that we are taking apart and moving. The shafts of sunlight have broken through the canopy of the mighty oak tree out front, illuminating the masonry dust in flight. The brick await transport... only a bit more work and the first phase is complete... The pile of logs and material are now resting in our backyard... 2nd phase involves traveling to seek out land on which to re-construct.

Way above, Jim Gill rests a hand on a rafter soon after having removed the tin roof and wood shakes. A mess of a job but one quickly done...

More news later...

a saint and her faith

If you have ten minutes for a read... and then reflection check this out:
Mother Theresa's crisis of faith
It seems that as a saint in the community of believers, she had lots of faith. It is one thing to do the things she did in the gutters of Calcutta amongst the poorest of the poor... but Mother Theresa kept at it for 50 years without the consolation many of us so fervently desire... the sense of intimacy with God...with Jesus. In spite of enduring the darkness for so long, she took steps each day that recommited herself to love as Jesus loved.

I know for me, the consolation of sensing a closeness and the warmth of the Spirit reminds me of how it came to be that I believe.
Can it be that we are ok if we don't "feel" the love of God? Isn't it a sign of faithlessness that we don't have that assurance?

Or is it a sign of fidelity, of faith, that in spite of the lack of intimate experience of God, someone chooses to lay down their life for the least of these. A saint among the people of God... that is to what we are all called.