An ending... and a new beginning...

As the Mass Chaos journey (the "official" one, anyway) ends, I want to take the chance to reflect not on the parishes we've visited, the readings we heard, or the experiences we've had, but instead, on the PEOPLE who made this such a special and unforgettable experience.

Eric - Mass Chaos wouldn't exist without Eric's dedication. With the tumultuous year I had personally, I don't think I would have made it through the Mass Chaos journey without Eric's steadfastness. He was my cheerleader and my friend. He was the one who kept us focused on the journey - remembering that we were here to celebrate our "3 F's - Faith, Friends, Food." Eric was the one who took the lead - scheduling our visits, keeping the blog updated, tracking our attendance. What began as a silly idea that three friends came up with a year ago became something so much more than an idea, but a reality thanks to his hard work.

Joe - I think I've learned more from Joe than anyone on this Mass Chaos journey. Where my faith is loud, Joe's is quiet. Where my faith is liberal, Joe's is conservative. Where my faith falters, Joe's has been steadfast. (Joe, I apologize if I'm taking too many liberties with assuming your beliefs.) One of the moments I will remeber from Mass Chaos more than any other was the conversation (or arguement, some will say) that transpired on the sidewalk in front of the 11Worth Cafe after attending mass at St. Peter. If you were there, you'll remember. What impressed me most about this conversation was how well spoken Joe was - so firm in his faith and able to articulate his beliefs. I gained a whole heap of respect for Joe that day, and think our friendship has deepened as a result of our experiences together.

Frank (O.) - Coming into this adventure, I know I wasn't the only one who thought of Frank (and Joe)... or Joe (and Frank) as one unit. Not fair, at all, to either one of them. It was fun, learning to see Frank as Frank! I liked sitting near Frank at mass, because I never felt bad saying what was on my mind, no matter how silly or irreverent. We absolutely had quite a few "giggle" moments in the past year. I think Frank and I took a liking to a lot of the same churches, so it was nice to share that with someone.

Frank (I.) & Lindsay - I am going to keep Frank and Lindsay as a unit, because they do come together! I met Frank and Lindsay for the first time the week before I filed for divorce... the week where I went to the wrong church and ended up 30 minutes late to mass... The week where I showed up crying (and cried through the whole mass). That week was not at all representative of my relationship with Frank and Lindsay. Usually, when we are together, it is all laughs, goofy faces, and fun! I wish I had met them sooner, and look forward to continuing a friendship with them.

Teri - My favorite story about Teri is the very first time she came to Mass Chaos. Not knowing any of us, she opened her home to us and made us breakfast. I consider myself an outgoing person, but to invite a group of "strangers" home with me would be way outside of my comfort zone. I think Teri is one of the warmest, most welcoming people I've ever met. I was really glad she took a chance by coming the first time, and has become one of the "core" group who made Mass Chaos possible.

Jen & Patrick - Jen and Patrick are another "Mass Chaos couple," though I've had the chance to get to know them separately. Jen was one of the original "creators" of Mass Chaos - having been there the Holy Thursday night where Joe, Eric, Jen and I came up with the crazy idea. With her move to Lincoln, we have missed her presence some near the end of the journey! Patrick and I got a chance to rock out the "Mass Chaos/More Massive Chaos" bowling league together (he's an excellent bowler!), and it was fun to see him outside of mass.

Ron - Ron was another one of my partners in crime... we spent quite a few masses laughing under our breath (or sometimes out loud). He always knows what to say to make me smile or laugh, and I loved sitting next to him at mass and hearing him switch from English to Spanish and back again. We appreciated his ability to help us out at the foreign language masses, and willingness to let us say "what?" and "huh?" every two minutes, and still answer us every time.

Marilou - Meeting Marilou has been an adventure - we had a lot of stories to share together about our experiences in the Catholic church, and I feel blessed she was there with us through the latter half of this journey. Also, I got to see her grow as a person (and as a bowler!) in the past few months.

Beth - Beth not only brought us a connection to Theology on Tap, she brought her bowling skills (or lack of) to the Mass Chaos league! I love that Beth came across as very serious at first, but I got to see her open up, laugh a little, and smile a lot!


There are so many people who made this journey amazing, blessed, silly, fun, full of growth, exciting... so many things cross my mind when I think about the "cast of characters" of Mass Chaos (my apology if I've forgotten anyone):

Marcus, Maggie, Ben (P.), Ben (C.), Kat, Kit, Katie, Kevin, Julia, Vesper, Mandi, Anna, Vivian, Matt, Merinda, Beth, Tom, Andy, Amy, Shannon, Ruth, Karen, Mark, Jenna, Morgan, my family (mom, dad, grandma, grandpa, Nonnie)...

It is amazing how many people we've met along the way, and how each of them have touched my life. Thank you, each and every one of you, for being my friends on the journey. I will continue to keep each of you in my prayers, and look forward to further developing our relationships!

Two are better than one: they get a good wage for their labor.
If the one falls, the other will lift up his companion.

Woe to the solitary man!

For if he should fall, he has no one to lift him up.
So also, if two sleep together, they keep each other warm.

How can one alone keep warm?
Where a lone man may be overcome, two together can resist.

A three-ply cord is not easily broken.

~Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

Christ the King - Good Friday 2011 - Eric

What's Happening:
Although Good Friday was the first 'official' Mass Chaos visit of the week, it was not the first trip to church I made during holy week.

On Tuesday Joe, Frank, and I met at a Reconciliation service at Saint Mary's of Omaha. It was my first confession since Tuesday of Holy Week last year ... I know, too long. In the past I have had my confessions much better planned, written out, and ready to go by the time I hit the confessional. This time I was not so prepared. It turned out to be a much more emotional experience than it has been in the past. Father was quite specific about me meditating about God's mercy for me, it's quite easy for me to consider His mercy for others, but more difficult for me.

On Thursday, myself, Brianne, Frank, Joe, Beth, Maggie, and Teri went to Holy Thursday Mass at Saint Margaret Mary. This was where and when the idea for Mass began, so we had to go there. Considering the interior of every church we have seen, I think Saint Margaret Mary may be my favorite. It captures the majesty of God in a very comfortable manner. After church we went to a local establishment where Marilou joined us.

I took Friday off of work. I arrived at Christ the King early to get a picture of the outside of the church in the 'golden hour', and then inside to enjoy the stained glass in the late sun. The Passion of the Lord was sung, rather than spoken as I am used to. It was an enjoyable experience.

Frank, Frank, Joe, me, and Maggie. Maggie chose an interesting time of year to find out about the Catholic faith.

Location and Architecture:
Christ the King, 654 South 86th Street, Omaha. The building is quite unique, and the acoustics were wonderful. You can read about the church design on this page. The character of the church itself changed as the building went from colorful when the sun was streaming through the stained glass, to earthy as the light faded. Both looks worked.

If you'd like to see the rest of my pictures from Christ the King, you can click here.

Gospel
"Pilate also had an inscription written and put on the cross. It read, "Jesus the Nazorean, the King of the Jews." John 19:19

Did Pilate know? Or was he just thumbing his nose at the Jewish leaders knowing of their feelings? The Gospel of John says Pilate was afraid, and surely he was caught in a bad spot. He had the Jewish leaders wanting Jesus dead, but not by their own hands. Pilate was in charge, he was supposed to keep the peace. Regardless of whether Pilate believed that Jesus was the King or not, he had the power to change events, he says so himself, but he did not.

We have opportunities in our lives to do the right thing, but we face pressure to do nothing. What excuses us from doing the right thing? The esteem of our friends? Holding on to our jobs? Money? Power? Greater good? The answer is nothing. Doing what is right is occasionally very difficult, unpopular, and may cost you ... dearly. But it is the right thing, and when you know what is right, you are called to do what is right.

Lord, grant me the grace to consider, and do, what you would have me do when I am faced with difficult decisions.

Prayers
Please pray for:
The people of Japan.
The people of the countries in Southwest Asia and Africa in this time of revolution.
Tom who is deployed to Afghanistan, and his wife and two daughters.
Amy and Shannon for protection on their missions.
Kevin as he prepares for his final year of seminary and the priesthood.
Marcus as he has been accepted into seminary and will be discerning the priesthood.

Peace, Eric

Saint John Vianney - Palm Sunday 2011 - Eric

What's Happening:
Since what has seemed like the beginning of Mass Chaos, I have been asking people to pray for my friend M who was pregnant. She finally had her baby last Thursday, thank you for all who prayed about it, baby D is home, healthy, and huge (9lbs 14ozs at birth).

I've been watching the slowness of this spring and watching everything develop at a pace that I'd like to hurry up ... a lot. I looked at the dates on pictures I took of spring flowers last year, and things are a lot more developed at the same time last year than they are this year, and last year was a nasty, long winter. Monday morning while I was driving to work I was thinking about how I'd just like to be so warm that I couldn't stop sweating.

Lent is a season of denial and self examination. There have been moments over the last six weeks when, quite frankly, I didn't much care for myself. Many people would wonder why anyone would put themselves through a stressful self examination.

I wonder if a flower would put itself through winter? Does my friend regret the uncomfortable changes to her body and painful delivery? Should I avoid Lent because I don't like the process of self examination and denial? The process is as important as the journey. God wants us to grow, and although growing is sometimes, at best, awkward, it is still what is best for us. Trust in His process, and receive the result.

Ron, Frank, Frank, Joe, Beth, me, Marilou, Brianne, Patrick, Jen, and Lindsay.
Look, we're all palm readers ... ha ha ... ha.

Location and Architecture:
Saint John Vianney, 5801 Oak Hills Drive, Omaha. Saint John Vianney is (tall) Frank's home church. I've been to Vianney several times, but never to Mass before. We crowded the entire Mass Chaos crew into one pew, and I had a nice view into the chapel. The baptismal font is amazing, in particular, the woodwork over the font. The choir has a nice area over to the left (altar right). The worship space is bright and comfortable, and the chapel is very cool. Just as a note from a tall person, the seats had lots of leg room.

If you'd like to see the rest of my pictures from Saint John Vianney, you can click here.

Gospel
"The crowds preceding him and those following kept crying out and saying: "Hosanna to the Son of David; blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord; hosanna in the highest." Matthew 21:9

I wonder, did Jesus the man enjoy this? He was the one man who deserved these kind of accolades, could He enjoy the moment, enjoy His rightful praise? I'd like to think so. This moment was one in which will be repeated in heaven when we sing forever to His glory. He should have ridden in to Jerusalem and had all crowns placed on his head, but instead, we placed a crown of thorns on Him.

He lived a perfect life. We cannot. Jesus knew what was coming, but it did not deter Him from doing what God had planned for Him. Let us do the best we can to be His disciples.

Prayers
Please pray for:
The people of Japan.
The people of the countries in Southwest Asia and Africa in this time of revolution.
Tom who is deployed to Afghanistan, and his wife and two daughters.
Amy and Shannon for protection on their missions.
Kevin as he prepares for his final year of seminary and the priesthood.
Marcus as he has been accepted into seminary and will be discerning the priesthood.

Next:
April 22nd @ 7:30pm Christ the King, 654 South 86th Street, Omaha

Peace, Eric

Saint Patrick Omaha - April 11, 2011 - Eric

What's Happening:
Beautiful weather! I'll keep this short this week so you (and me) can get out and enjoy it.

Thank you God not only for creating the beauty of the earth, but for giving me the ability to enjoy it also.

Brianne, me, Teri, Ron, Marilou, and Vesper. They are all smiles despite the fact that I got the Mass time wrong.

Location and Architecture:
Saint Patrick's, 1404 Castelar Street, Omaha. I was waiting to come to this church with much anticipation, I heard it was very pretty and it didn't disappoint. I was so excited, in fact, that I had the Mass time wrong, and got there an hour early ... oops. The church is indeed beautiful, the stained glass is extraordinary, as is the mural behind the almost unbelievably detailed altar. To me, the most amazing part is the painting of clouds behind the statue of Mary.

If you'd like to see the rest of my pictures from Saint Patrick's, you can click here, I included some flower shots from the church grounds and a couple of the Mass Chaos group.

Gospel
"So Thomas, called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, "Let us also go to die with him." John 11:16

I love the parts of the Gospels where it shows that Jesus just picked a bunch of regular Joes to be His apostles. Thomas cannot be accused of not following Jesus, he clearly states that he is going with him, but Thomas is not exactly cheerful, or hopeful about the outcome of this adventure Jesus is leading him on.

This reminds of the parable of the two sons.

"What is your opinion? A man had two sons. He came to the first and said, 'Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.' He said in reply, 'I will not,' but afterwards he changed his mind and went. The man came to the other son and gave the same order. He said in reply, 'Yes, sir,' but did not go. Which of the two did his father's will?" They answered, "The first."... Matthew 21:28-31

My friends, if there is one being in the universe who can handle all of our negativity, all of our defiance, all of our impetuousness, it is our Father in heaven. God made you, and if anyone knows you, it is He. Like the defiant son, we sometimes go against the will of God, and like Thomas, we are sometimes unhappy about where God is leading us. Don't fret your negativity, remember that God wants us all; He knows we are closer to being regular Joe's than we are to being saints. Work through your bad moments, learn to do His will, and follow Him down the road that He will lead you.

Prayers
Please pray for:
The people of Japan.
The people of the countries in Southwest Asia and Africa in this time of revolution.
Tom who is deployed to Afghanistan, and his wife and two daughters.
Amy and Shannon for protection on their missions.
Kevin as he prepares for his final year of seminary and the priesthood.
Marcus as he has been accepted into seminary and will be discerning the priesthood.
My friend M., who is pregnant, please pray for her and her baby (seriously overdue).

Next:
April 17th @ 11:30 Saint John Vianney, 5801 Oak Hills Drive, Omaha.

Peace, Eric

Saint Bernadette - April 3, 2011 - Eric

What's Happening:
One of the things that has grown for me on this journey is the respect that I have for the clergy. I am more and more amazed every week. This week after the busyness of Mass and the pancake feed, I got a chance to visit with Father Al Salanitro for five minutes or so in the quiet of the church. He was open, caring, and quite honest to someone who he did not know. I find it difficult to talk to people I know well, let alone complete strangers.

Preceding this on Thursday was Father Hoesing lecture on eternity at Theology on Tap. Father Hoesing was funny, smart, and again, open and honest about himself. If he had notecards, it wasn't apparent, the same thing with Archbishop Lucas the week before. I keep wondering how they can come up with so many intelligent things to say. I think one of the things that keeps me from talking openly, is that I say so many dumb things.

The people who lead the church are human, a fact that was very lost on me twenty years ago, and may have been suspect five years ago. Now I understand that they are human, prone to mistakes and temptations, and they mean to do the very best that they can. Sound familiar? It's just like we are, only their job is to be Christ's representative in our lives.

Support your Priests, Sisters, Brothers, and Deacons. Pray for them, they have a hard job. Thank the Lord for the gift that they bring us.

Frank, Joe, Ron, Beth, me, and Teri. We're all thankful for the beautiful weather.

Location and Architecture:
Saint Bernadette, 7600 South 42nd Street, Bellevue. My only previous visit to Saint Bernadette was little over a year ago for a Reconciliation Mass, it was dark and the church was not well lit at the time. I am happy to say it looks much nicer in the spring sunlight. The natural wood and the rich purple of the lenten decorations are really easy on the eyes and relax the mind to hear the Gospel.

If you'd like to see the rest of my pictures from Saint Bernadette's, you can click here.

Gospel
"...Jesus answered, "Neither he nor his parents sinned; it is so that the works of God might be made visible through him." John 9:3

Jesus says this about the blind man, but really this can be said about every single one of us. God created all of us "so that the works of God might be made visible through" us. I believe no other argument needs to made to for a reason to treat every other human being equally.

Everyone brings something to humanity that God gave them to bring. Don't ignore that, don't trivialize it, don't even think that you know where it is that someone else fits it. Treat each other (and yourself) with dignity, respect, and a sense of wonder.

It a blessing to understand those moments when God is using someone else to teach you to love. The more that you realize people have so much to show you, the more that you receive this blessing.

Lord, show me the way to love each of my sisters and brothers.

Prayers
Please pray for:
The people of Japan.
The people of the countries in Southwest Asia and Africa in this time of revolution.
Tom who is deployed to Afghanistan, and his wife and two daughters.
Amy and Shannon for protection on their missions.
Kevin as he prepares for his final year of seminary and the priesthood.
Marcus as he has been accepted into seminary and will be discerning the priesthood.
My friend M., who is pregnant, please pray for her and her baby.

Next:
April 10th @ 10:00 Saint Patrick's, 1404 Castelar Street, Omaha.

Peace, Eric