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HN MY BFF 

Recently I traveled 280 miles to go to a concert.  One of my favorite bands, Hawk Nelson, was playing, so we purchased tickets and prepared for our road trip.  On a side note, if you’ve been on a retreat with the REAP team in the last couple of years, chances are you’ve heard us playing them.  You can check out their music at www.hawknelson.com

The end of the school year is just a few short weeks away, which, in my life means that graduation and the real world are to follow immediately. This past weekend's gospel made me realize what it means to actually 'leave' someone/something you love. But it also reminded me how no matter where physically Christ is, he is always present with us and even as he was leaving his disciples, he promised to send them an ‘advocate’ to always be present with them. Maybe it’s just me, but I related this aspect of the gospel to my leaving SLU this upcoming May.

For the last week or so Jesus is talking to his disciples in the gospel readings.  He is trying to tell them about what is going to happen and what he wants them to do.  They did not understand and some of them asked what some might say are silly questions, "we don't know where you are going, how can we find the way?" "show us the Father, that should be enough!"  They just didn't get it! 

Sometimes we don't get it either!  We want the answers, we want to be in the know, we want to see it all, that will be enough!

We can get all wrapped up in the things that are wrong with our lives, we can worry about this and that, but does any of that worry fix it?  I don't know about you, but I am going to try and let Jesus do the worrying and I am going to just try to listen and do as He asks me.

I don't think I've laughed this much in a long time!  Young people are great, are they not?  I wish you could have joined me for the pilgrimage to New York to see Pope Benedict XVI!  You too would have witnessed just how awesome young people can be!

I was so edified by their witness of joy, of flexibility, of being positive in the midst of changes, and really just living in the moment!  I didn't hear any complaining and there really could have been some when an 18 hour bus ride increased to 20, or when attending a Pre-Papal Youth Rally ended up being more time on the bus than at the Rally itself.  It certainly was a pilgrimage!…and one not to be forgotten! 

So, how is your Easter season?  Are you even aware that we are still celebrating?  We are at the end of Week 4 and I loved last Sunday - Good Shepherd Sunday! 

Have you been listening to the words of our Holy Father during his visit?  I have only had a chance to watch the Evening Prayer and address last night with the bishops.  As you may know, his theme for this visit is "Christ our hope."  A phrase he said last night stood out to me: "…find new life in Christ our hope."  New life.  After lent have you found new life in Christ?  Is there a sense of living a new hope?  Being re-created in Christ?  Being a new creature?  Experiencing new life?

Last Wednesday, I got rocked by one of the teens in the youth group. She led a night on grace and Reconciliation. Taylor is not Catholic yet, but she is going through RCIA. Talking about the sacraments, she said, "Protestants don't know what they are missing and you Catholics don't know what you've got". The way she shared her desire for full communion had several of us crying including me.

 I asked Taylor why she wants to become Catholic so badly and she began to share with me. I have been so moved by her, I asked her to write it down so that I could share it with you. Here is what she gave me.

When I was growing up, I was a real snot.  I fought with my sister every now and then, and the shouting would get really heated.  If my mom was home (God help us!), she would ask me, being the older one, “Who started it?”  I would then come up with some fantastic story about how I was innocent and perfect and the best son ever who would never EVER start a fight.  EVER.  At some point along the way, my sister—by now, red in the face—couldn’t take it anymore and she’d scream: “He’s LYING!!!”  I was usually busted and sent to my room—and rightly so.

Since I’m fairly open about my choice for chastity and my lifetime of good and bad decisions regarding romance, many people know that I made a decision to save myself for marriage.  Yes, shockingly, I was a 31-year-old virgin on the day of my wedding.  So, after the wedding, even the morning after, I got a few strange looks from friends and family who wondered, and some dared to ask, “Was it worth the wait?” Simply put…ABSOLUTELY.  It was better than I ever could have imagined.  Let me explain why. 

No Details

No Other Dance

I love to dance and have done it quite a bit in my life, from dance classes, hundreds of dance team practices, swing dancing and randomly jiving around my house.  But, no other dance can even begin to compare with the most amazing dance of my life.  For both Michael and me, the best dance ever happened the night of our wedding, at the reception.  It wasn’t our first dance actually…it was our last.  We decided to leave the reception after one last dance together to a special song by an oldies group, The Drifters, entitled, “Save the Last Dance for Me.”  Here are some of the lyrics. 

There are certain events that happen that you will remember where you were when you heard the news.  Many can recall where they were and what they were doing when President Kennedy died or when they heard the news on 9-11-01. 

Today is one of those days especially for Catholics.  Where were you when you heard the news of Pope John Paul II's death?  For me personally, I had just arrived that day in the Netherlands for a pre-planning trip for World Youth Day.  After Mass and dinner with the local Bishop, my co-workers and I said goodnight for the evening.  A few hours later, after just falling asleep, I awoke to bells ringing.  It was about 10pm.  I knew in my heart that Pope John Paul II had died.  Why else would the bells of the Church be ringing and ringing? 

Yesterday was Divine Mercy Sunday.  And oh Thomas didn't believe his friends that Jesus had come to them.  Unless I see for myself, I won't believe!  How often have we ourselves questioned good news; GET OUT?  NO WAY?  WHO SAID?  WHERE DID YOU HEAR THAT?  We become Thomas and question God's love for  us.  Each day we need to remind ourselves that He indeed loves us and went to the extreme to make sure that we could be with Him forever.  My Lord and My God! That is where we hear it!