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

Saint Anthony - March 27, 2011 - Eric

What's Happening:
Traditionally, I have a difficult time staying upbeat during late March. This year is no different. I find it difficult to stay focused, and I try to talk myself out of doing things that I should, like going to church. I intentionally did not set my alarm for Sunday morning, thinking that I would just sleep through church and it would be fine ... no such luck, I woke up at 8:10 and made it to church on time.

Everyone struggles, I am certainly no exception. When I struggle, I tend to want to sleep, and housekeeping goes first. I have jokingly said that I could judge whether I was depressed or not by the number of dishes in my sink. Fortunately, over time we can develop coping methods to deal with depression.

I like to embrace it, and sit around and do nothing until I am sick of doing nothing. Once I am sick of doing nothing, I get up, clean, talk with friends, and the activity gets me out of the dumps. I have another thing I do too. I ask my friends to pray for me. I said I ask my friends to pray for me.

This is a great activity, one; you have to acknowledge to yourself that you are having a problem. Two; your friends want to be involved in your life, this helps them to be involved. Three; prayer works. Four; prayer really really really works.

Even when you can't find it in yourself to pray, you can find someone else to pray for you, ask, and you shall receive.

Frank, Luke, Patrick, Marilou, Beth, Morgan, me, Teri, Jen, Brianne, and Ron.
I think Marilou is planning a Mass Chaos takeover!

Location and Architecture:
Saint Anthony, 5402 South 32nd Street, Omaha. You can look at my pictures, but they don't really capture the richness of the blue and red that surround the altar. Colors can be an amazing draw, especially given that many Catholic churches use natural materials or muted colors behind the altar. I doubt that the ceiling of the church of the church is original, the HVAC system blows through the vents in the ceiling, it's a very creative use of space. Saint Anthony's Mass was mostly in English, but the second reading, some of the songs, and the Mass parts we're in Lithuanian. Many thanks to the gentleman who spent a half hour talking to us about the parish after Mass.

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

Gospel
"The Samaritan woman said to him, "How can you, a Jew, ask me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink?" (For Jews use nothing in common with Samaritans.)" John 4:9

Everyone has a group of people that they find particularly challenging to deal with. Maybe for some of us our challenge dips into dislike, or even hate. Even if we won't say it out loud, we think "those people aren't going to heaven". I certainly have my moments and people that I find it difficult to believe in their grace and salvation. Perhaps there are some out there with whom you wouldn't share a car ride with, or apartment building, or a water fountain.

Can you imagine? Jesus returns tomorrow, but instead of coming to you, He goes to speak with people who you cannot stomach. How would you react? The woman Jesus talks to at the well is so use to the disdain that she gets from the Jewish people that she cannot believe He would ask her for a drink.

For us Christians, carrying hatred for anyone, or any group of people, can only come back to bite us. Once you devalue the life of another human being with hatred, you set yourself up for disappointment when you come before Jesus. My friends, there are times in all of our lives when we feel the emotions of hate, but don't make it a destination, remember God loves every one of His children, and Jesus came for all, not just the people we think He came for, the Gospel shows the example.

Lord, help me love all your children as you have loved me.

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 3rd @ 11:00 Saint Bernadette, 7600 South 42nd Street, Bellevue.

Peace, Eric

Saint John the Evangelist - March 20, 2011 - Eric

What's Happening:
Lent is a time for self examination. I think people don't like to examine themselves, because they don't like what they see. I would be one of those people. We're all really good at figuring out what is wrong with other people, but not quite as good at picking out our character defects. Looking at yourself can be fairly painful, no matter what stage of spiritual development you are at.

Twice already this Lent I've been unhappy with myself. I know this feeling, a friend of mine once told me that sometimes it is okay to wallow in being uncomfortable in your own skin. The rational part of my brain is understanding and knows that I am on a journey of self-improvement. It's another part of my brain however that leads to feeling bad about myself. Like every other Christian (person), I would like to live a perfect life, but it's just not going to happen.

In the past, when confronted with my character defects I would get myself into the fight or flight mode and want to argue with someone about it, or try to run and hide from God. Neither of which is particularly effective. Now I try to forgive myself, take a good look at how I got to making my bad decisions, and try to change myself and my habits to reflect who I want to be. No panic, no finger pointing, I just try to repent, turn away from my sinful self.

Frank, me, Marilou, Teri, Vesper, Patrick, and Jen.
Just pretend I've written a witty little comment here.

Location and Architecture:
Saint John the Evangelist, 307 East Meigs Street, Valley. The interesting, non-traditional ceiling tour continued this week. Saint John's is a smaller church with a square structure. The dais is higher than most, especially considering the size of the church, but it all works out to help make it the center of attention. The choir was absolutely splendid. What really struck us all was the stained glass, fairly modern in it's design, but also really an attention getter, brightly colored and excellently rendered.

If you'd like to see the rest of my pictures from Saint John's in Valley you can click here.

Gospel
"...'This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.'" Matthew 17:5

God makes His declaration. Jesus is my Beloved Son. Jesus is fully human, He is a brother to us, but He is also different, He is fully divine too. Many people want to know how this works before they will believe it. Some of these same people will drive a car without understanding how it works, but we are human and illogical and inconsistent.

How Jesus can be both human and divine is a mystery. It's a mystery that we cannot fully comprehend. Human logic is insufficient to explain it, yet here it is, a foundation of our faith. Believing in something that you cannot prove requires an act of faith, and in this case, trust in God and His church.

When God declares Jesus is His Son, He calls us to listen closely to the words of His Son, and to live our lives accordingly. Fortunately we have the Bible for reference, we have His church to guide us, and the example of the saints to show us how to live. Listen to Jesus my friends. He is all around you, in the Holy Bible, in the Mass, and in the face of everyone we meet.

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:
March 27th @ 09:00 Saint Anthony, 5402 South 32nd Street, Omaha.

Peace, Eric

Mother of Perpetual Help - March 13, 2011 - Eric

What's Happening:
I know some truly miserable people. By miserable, I mean they are miserably unhappy, and they want you to be miserable too. I'm sure you know people like that too. Sometimes, I am fortunate enough to meet these people in a social environment where I can encourage them that they don't have to be that way.

There are times, however, you meet these people in an environment where you can do nothing about it. School, work, volunteer organization, or something akin, the point being, you can't say anything, you can't get away, and for lack of a better term you can't help. How do you maintain your love for people who want to destroy your peace?

My heart is torn for miserable people, so much of God's creation to enjoy, and yet they choose to or believe they are acting as they have to act. I wonder if they are missing God's love, if they are in a horrible living situation, or are they mentally ill? I know that I can pray. Since we have a God like ours, we are never truly helpless, because so long as we can think, we can pray, and if we can pray, we can help.

Maureen, Julia, Brianne, Frank, Teri, Beth, Morgan, Me, Marilou, and Joe.
Remember when Brianne used to complain about there being too many guys?

Location and Architecture:
Mother of Perpetual Help is probably the smallest parish that we will visit, and in being so it has it's own charms. I think it's even smaller than the Chapel at The Holy Family Shrine. The church itself is about as big as a house, the top floor is the church, and the basement has a social area with couches and a kitchen, making it seem even more homey and comfortable.

If you'd like to see the rest of my pictures from Mother of Perpetual Help you can click here.

Gospel
"He said in reply, "It is written: 'One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.'" Matthew 4:4

You don't live because you eat bread, or drink water. For the matter you don't live on Burger King, filet mignon, or your momma's home cooking either. You live because it is the will of God that you exist. Without God, you can't eat, you can't drink, you can't even breathe. I may have free will, but my ability to choose doesn't mean that God can't overrule me at any time. God can make it so that I never existed.

Even though I have the fear of God, I don't have to fear. God made it so I will have everything I need, i.e. sufficient grace to get me through to the gates of heaven. God will give you enough grace to get to heaven too ... grace enough even to deal with miserable people too.

Prayers
Please pray for:
The people of Japan.
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:
March 20th @ 10:00 Saint John the Evangelist, 307 East Meigs Street, Valley.

Peace, Eric

Saint Joan of Arc - March 9, 2011 - Eric

What's Happening:
A lot of little paragraphs.

Lent is here! Here is my sacrifice this year: no eating out. There are a few provisos, 1) the work cafe doesn't count as a restaurant. 2) Fish frys don't count. 3) I'll go out for fellowship after Mass Chaos, but no food. So there are my ground rules. No take out, no ice cream, no drive through, no pie, no convenience store food.

I forgot my camera for Saint Joan of Arc, so my pictures are off of my iPhone. I went straight from work. The group photo comes via Joe.

Last weekend I was out of town at a dance event in Des Moines, I didn't make it back in time for Mass at Saint Stephen the Martyr. I was disappointed for two reasons. First, I didn't make it to Mass with friends, and secondly, I didn't make Mass at all. The Cathedral in Des Moines was just a couple blocks from the hotel, but due to poor planning on my part, I didn't make it.

Frank, Teri, Me, Vesper, and Joe. Thank you to Mary for taking our picture, and Joe for having a camera.

Location and Architecture:
I arrived early for Ash Wednesday Mass at Saint Joan of Arc, and I had more than a few minutes to enjoy the quiet of the church before the service began. I think it's a great way to get to know any church, sit quietly and pray, or just listen. The church has the same type of ceiling we saw a little while back at Saint Francis of Assisi. The late sun streamed through the stained glass, and spread a soft color through the church. Father came in and turned on the lights, and a different type of beauty appeared. Everything here is subtle and peaceful, and enjoyed by me.

If you'd like to see the rest of my pictures from Saint Joan of Arc you can click here. Joe also posted some that can be found here

Gospel
"...so that your almsgiving may be secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you." Matthew 6:4

Oh goodness, in case you don't know me, I like to talk. It's not that I'm untrustworthy with your secrets, I'm pretty darn untrustworthy with my own. I like to share my life, be honest, and be open. I'm not very good about being quiet about it.

So I approach this Gospel reading with a little bit of 'hmmmm'. I try to approach it from the source of my motivation. I know it's not to draw attention to myself. I know it's hard to believe, but I'm not always comfortable being the center of attention, especially with people I don't know for certain. I struggle with it, but I think my heart and intentions are in the right place.

Early in my return to God I made a decision that my life belonged to Him, and regardless of what my financial situation, what I owned, what I could always share, is my story, which can be summed up in seven words: "Look how far God has brought me!". He can bring you far too ... and I have a tough time being secretive about that.

Prayers:
Please pray for:
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:
March 20th @ 10:00 Saint John the Evangelist, 307 East Meigs Street, Valley.

Peace, Eric

Saint Stephen the Martyr

We are really closing in on the end here on our tour of the churches. This is the last stop before Lent begins.

This week finds us at Saint Stephen the Martyr (16701 S St. in Millard)

Our Group for the week: Left to Right; Bottom: Beth, Teri, Ron, and Vesper; Top: Frank, Tom, and Brianne

The Gospel: Matthew 7(21-27)

This week's gospel is one of those that can be a bit hard to hear. It starts out powerfully: "Not every one who says to me, `Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 7:21). It is a sober reminder that not just anyone who says they do works for the Lord is actually doing these things for the Lord. So, we should challenge ourselves to find our reasoning when we do works for the Lord. Are we building the house of the Lord up when we do our deeds in His name?

Saint Francis of Assisi - February 27, 2011 - Eric

What's Happening:
Lent is quickly approaching, and it's time to decide on a (last minute) sacrifice. A few years back I gave up fried foods, was amazed at how difficult it was (I was Mr. Crabbypants), but I made it, and ended up riding it to a 25 pound weight loss and the best shape of my life. I have also had my Lenten sacrifice be something I've added to my life, like extra prayer. I've also had good success with other sacrifices leading me into a change of habits and life.

Then there are the failures. Amongst others, giving up soda or giving up caffeine. One year I didn't make it until the first Friday ... talk about your humbling experiences. Jesus was fully aware of His fate, followed God's will, and I can't even go three days without soda. *sigh*. In my sacrifices that are successful, there is good news, I can change my habits and become less of a slave to earthly things. However, even in my failures there is good news, God knows that I am human, and frail, and yet He loves me so much that He sent someone who could do His will when I cannot.

Marilou, me, Teri, Vesper, and Ron. Joe and Frank were there, but Mass was so crowded they couldn't get in.

Location and Architecture:
Saint Francis of Assisi, 4521 South 32nd Street, Omaha. I've been told that I am very observant. However, the front door of Saint Francis of Assisi is less than 250 yards from the front door of my pet's veterinarian, I had no idea. This church is amazingly beautiful. If anyone were to ask you what a 'box' church should look like on the interior, this is it. Like Mary Our Queen, the design makes use of illusion to make the church look more open on one end than the other. The lighting is superb. The mosaic of the Risen Christ behind the altar is very nice. The location of the choir 'loft' is creative. The woodwork is fantastic. Stained glass, decorations, pews, it's all balanced, and it all works.

If you'd like to see the rest of my photos of Saint Francis of Assisi, you can see them here.

Gospel:
"Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span?"" Matthew 6:27

My first thought here is to argue with Jesus. Well of course you can add to your span of years by worrying about your health, with exercise and proper diet you can ... and then I stop and laugh. I believe I am missing the point here, aren't I? It's a very difficult thing to let go of day to day worries and to let God provide everything that we need. We all work, we all fuss about our budgets, we try to be responsible, and we assign godliness to these activities, we are good stewards of what He has provided.

We worry about the economy, we worry about what the future holds for us, we worry about are relationships, our friends, our parents ... I'm sure I can all come up with fifty more things I worry about without straining too much ... and I think at this point in my life, I probably worry less than most people. I wonder what it would be like to completely let go, and not worry about anything.

God has a plan for each of us. This isn't always we want, and sometimes His plan involves the unpleasant, but it is what we need to get us (and possibly others) to Him, and heaven. Worry is not going to change this, all that is really necessary is to trust in God and do the best, most loving thing that we can do with what is before us.

Prayers:
Please pray for:
The people and countries of the Middle East that are in turmoil, that they can experience freedom, social justice, and peace.
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:
March 6th @ 6:00pm: Saint Stephen the Martyr, 16701 S Street, Omaha