Opportunities. A friend of mine told me this about opportunities. "Every transaction is an opportunity" she said. This is one of the two most influential things anyone has said to me over the last few years, a sign with those words hangs right above my desk at work. I try to live them every waking moment. Even after prayerfully working at this for a couple of years, I don't confess to really understand these five words all the way through. The meaning is every time you meet anyone or have any communication, you have the opportunity to be Jesus in world ... it's a lot of opportunity, and a lot of responsibility. The question I ask myself is "How can I be Jesus when I am so wrapped up in me?" ... the answer is I can't.
The changes in me that praying and thinking about these words has wrought in me are extraordinary. I know I am a different man than I was before I heard them. I am calmer, more patient, and more encouraging. The oddest part is that although the focus of my life is becoming more 'other-centric', my life is better, God is really funny that way.
The opportunity we had this week is to go to Saint John's at Creighton University. In fact, I have had two opportunities to visit Creighton this week. The first was a dance on Thursday sponsored by the Creighton University Swing Society. I have had the opportunity to get to know quite a few Creighton students over the last six years through my swing dance hobby with the Omaha Jitterbugs and their association with the Creighton University Swing Society. In fact, Mass Chaos probably would not have happened without the Omaha Jitterbugs, Brianne, Joe, Frank, and myself all met there.
God provides us with opportunities after opportunities. What it is that we do with them is what defines us.
Lord, please bless me to see all that you place in front of me, and the grace to be your presence in the world.
Here we are at Saint John's: Brianne, Jillian, Ben, Jen, Patrick, Joe, Kat, Teri, Me, and Katie. Ah, college, we attended a 9PM Sunday Mass, and it wasn't even the last one of the day. This picture was taken as the lights were being dimmed.
Location and Architecture:
Saint John's, 2500 California Plaza, Creighton University, Omaha. Since I was at Creighton on Thursday, I took an opportunity to take some pictures of the outside while it was light out. It turns out there was no need to worry, there was plenty of light at night to get some good shots.
Creighton has a beautiful campus, and Saint John's is an important part of that beauty. The inside of the church is just as attractive as the outside, in fact I was amazed. I took some pictures as quickly as I could, but immediately following the Mass we attended, was a 10pm candlelight Mass ... so I didn't have the opportunity to look at the church in as much detail as I would have liked to do. I liked the space and layout of the church, the altar was not all the way to the back, but closer to the center, the pews were positioned at an angle, and the church does not look it was designed to maximize seating, but instead to center the space on the glory of God.
Here is the church during the day...
...and lit up at night
I like the Marian Blue candles.
Above the altar, I admit it, I'm a sucker for the stars.
How the church looked as they prepared for the candlelight Mass. You can see the rest of my pictures of our visit to Saint John's here.
Gospel:
"I tell you, in just the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance."Luke 15:7
This week's Gospel readings, Luke 15:1-32, includes the parables of the lost sheep, lost coin, and the prodigal son. That's some heavy hitters, but here at the end of the parable of the lost sheep is the expression of what it is like in Heaven when anyone turns to, or back to God. The reason for all this joy? God is just crazy in love with each and every one of us.
What does a someone who is crazy in love want? He or she wants to be with the object of their affection forever. This isn't just any person however, this is the Lord God Almighty, the Creator of the Universe, yet despite His power, He cares for each of us with a love that we are only able to understand in small glimpses. Our God is not like us, He is patient, respectful, any forgiving ... He is the Good Shepherd, the Finder of Lost Souls, the King who runs to His lost son.
My friends, you are human. You are flawed. You are compromised. You cannot save yourself. But God knew these things about you when He created you, yet He loves you shamelessly. He wants you to be with Him forever. Who else has a God who, when we finally run out of things to distract us from Him, when we fail to the point of death, when we have no other place to turn ... when we turn back to Him, he comes running to us ... God comes running to us.
Heavenly Father, I pray that you help me to stay close to you so neither of us has to run to the other.
Prayers:
Please pray for:
Teri's mother who had surgery on her hand.
Tom who is being deployed to Afghanistan, and his wife and two daughters.
Amy for protection on her mission.
Shannon for protection on her mission.
Frank who is looking for meaningful employment.
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.
Brianne, who has applied for a new job.
Me, I applied for a new job.
Next:
Saturday, September 18 @ 5:15pm: Saint Mary Magdalene's Parish, 109 South 19th Street, Omaha
Peace, Eric
