I WROTE THIS ONE ABOUT A WEEK BEFORE I LEFT CORAL SPRINGS “And He said to him, ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'” Matthew 22:37-39.
Catholicism.
Wow, just look at that word. Doesn’t just sound…awesome? Doesn’t it just make you wanna jump out of your skin?
When I went to Covecrest this past summer, I was informed that there was a waterfall on site. Now, being a New Yorker/Florida boy, I was flabbergasted to hear this and was immediately intrigued. About ten minutes later, I found myself hiking down a hill, sidestepping mud piles, ducking underneath branches, and navigating rain-soaked ground. I remember thinking, “You know what? This isn’t that bad. I can do this.” We got to the waterfall and I was amazed. “Wow, look at how powerful God is! Look at His creation!” I looked at the waterfall and said what every guy says when he sees something vertical and bigger than he is: “I’m gonna climb this thing!” So I climbed about halfway up, followed closely by my fellow St. Andrew LIFE TEEN people. We got a great picture and then decided that we needed to make our way back to our cabin. So I start climbing down this waterfall and lost my balance. I fell down into the water, with my foot landing on a rock. The damage: a nasty gash on my pinky toe. Walking back up the mountain was not quite so easy. I needed help. I needed my brothers and sisters in Christ. A lesson was learned.
So often, we get ourselves into a mindset that we are meant to endure life alone. I know: I have struggled with this my whole life. But this solitary life is not what God has planned for us.
He gave us the Eucharist.
He gave us Mass.
He gave us the rosary.
He gave us a family.
He gave us friends.
All of these things are designed to draw us close to God, and to draw us close to our brothers and sisters in Christ. If He wanted us to go through this life alone, do you think He would’ve given us a planet, filled it with plants, animals and 6 billion people? No way. The world is big, but not that big.
As I leave for college, I am forced to do something I have never had to do: I am forced to look my friends and family in the eye and say goodbye. The notion that I will not be around you guys anymore has not registered yet. The fact that I will not be doing XLT with you guys every Wednesday is not real yet. And the reality that I will not see some of you for months is completely unreal.
On the eve of my departure, I have one thing to say: love God. I have spent the past 4 years of my life doing every conceivable thing for this youth group. Whether it was serving on retreats, waking up at unholy hours to sit outside the Church, or listening to songs over and over in order to catch every word the singer said, I worked my tail off. But I don’t think I did everything I could have. Further, I don’t think I always did it for the right reason. I think I got caught up in the functionality of it all. Instead of focusing on serving Christ, I think that I developed the mindset that it was what I was supposed to do because my youth minister, my CORE members or my parents told me I should be doing. And, looking back, I think that that mindset altered the quality of my service.
I beseech you—do not make the mistake I did. In all that you do, keep Christ in the center. Wake up every morning and thank Him for all that He is given to you. Read the Bible. Learn the Catechism. Pray the rosary. And, whenever possible, get to a mass or adoration other than the ones put on by LIFE TEEN. These things will make you a better Catholic and a better person.
And, finally, I beg of you to reach out to your peers. I spent too much time on my wants and my needs. This does nothing but cloud your mind. If you focus on your peers, God will take care of the rest. Create holy relationships with those in this group. And bring your friends in. It will be the best thing you do in your life.
I pray that you spend the next years of your life in Christ, in love and in LIFE TEEN. God bless you and keep you safe in all that you do. Amen.
Catholicism.
Wow, just look at that word. Doesn’t just sound…awesome? Doesn’t it just make you wanna jump out of your skin?
When I went to Covecrest this past summer, I was informed that there was a waterfall on site. Now, being a New Yorker/Florida boy, I was flabbergasted to hear this and was immediately intrigued. About ten minutes later, I found myself hiking down a hill, sidestepping mud piles, ducking underneath branches, and navigating rain-soaked ground. I remember thinking, “You know what? This isn’t that bad. I can do this.” We got to the waterfall and I was amazed. “Wow, look at how powerful God is! Look at His creation!” I looked at the waterfall and said what every guy says when he sees something vertical and bigger than he is: “I’m gonna climb this thing!” So I climbed about halfway up, followed closely by my fellow St. Andrew LIFE TEEN people. We got a great picture and then decided that we needed to make our way back to our cabin. So I start climbing down this waterfall and lost my balance. I fell down into the water, with my foot landing on a rock. The damage: a nasty gash on my pinky toe. Walking back up the mountain was not quite so easy. I needed help. I needed my brothers and sisters in Christ. A lesson was learned.
So often, we get ourselves into a mindset that we are meant to endure life alone. I know: I have struggled with this my whole life. But this solitary life is not what God has planned for us.
He gave us the Eucharist.
He gave us Mass.
He gave us the rosary.
He gave us a family.
He gave us friends.
All of these things are designed to draw us close to God, and to draw us close to our brothers and sisters in Christ. If He wanted us to go through this life alone, do you think He would’ve given us a planet, filled it with plants, animals and 6 billion people? No way. The world is big, but not that big.
As I leave for college, I am forced to do something I have never had to do: I am forced to look my friends and family in the eye and say goodbye. The notion that I will not be around you guys anymore has not registered yet. The fact that I will not be doing XLT with you guys every Wednesday is not real yet. And the reality that I will not see some of you for months is completely unreal.
On the eve of my departure, I have one thing to say: love God. I have spent the past 4 years of my life doing every conceivable thing for this youth group. Whether it was serving on retreats, waking up at unholy hours to sit outside the Church, or listening to songs over and over in order to catch every word the singer said, I worked my tail off. But I don’t think I did everything I could have. Further, I don’t think I always did it for the right reason. I think I got caught up in the functionality of it all. Instead of focusing on serving Christ, I think that I developed the mindset that it was what I was supposed to do because my youth minister, my CORE members or my parents told me I should be doing. And, looking back, I think that that mindset altered the quality of my service.
I beseech you—do not make the mistake I did. In all that you do, keep Christ in the center. Wake up every morning and thank Him for all that He is given to you. Read the Bible. Learn the Catechism. Pray the rosary. And, whenever possible, get to a mass or adoration other than the ones put on by LIFE TEEN. These things will make you a better Catholic and a better person.
And, finally, I beg of you to reach out to your peers. I spent too much time on my wants and my needs. This does nothing but cloud your mind. If you focus on your peers, God will take care of the rest. Create holy relationships with those in this group. And bring your friends in. It will be the best thing you do in your life.
I pray that you spend the next years of your life in Christ, in love and in LIFE TEEN. God bless you and keep you safe in all that you do. Amen.
posted by Kujo @ 4:52 PM
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