Prayer

The Treasure Hunter

Steve · December 15, 2010 · 5 Comments

cross — Mission churchyard near Carmel, by Steve Givens

(a short story)

PART TWO

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Fr. James O’Shaughnessy was young, perhaps newly ordained, Tollers thought, and probably not well educated enough to hold his interest for long. Seminary educations were not what they used to be. In his day priests were renaissance men with sound groundings in several languages, literature and history, in addition to philosophy and theology. But you never know, Tollers thought to himself, he might be good for an hour or two of harmless conversation. They sat across from each other at the small oak table in the middle of Tollers’ tiny dining room, just in front of a large bay window that looked out over the lake. Tollers had set out some cheese, crackers and fruit for a light lunch.

[Read more…] about The Treasure Hunter

Advent Week 2: Just what are we waiting for?

Steve · December 5, 2010 · 3 Comments

Natural Light — Carmel Mission Light, photo by Steve Givens

Everybody knows that Advent is a time when we wait and prepare for the coming of Jesus at Christmas. That’s what we’ve been taught since childhood. But what does it really mean to us today if, in fact, we believe that Jesus is already here, moving and working among us? Just what are we waiting and preparing for?

What we should be preparing for is Christ’s birth (or rebirth) in us. So this year, in the midst of all the preparations for Christmas, make Advent a time for seeking God’s will. Like wise men and shepherds drawn to a manger in Bethlehem, seek out and find Jesus in your life, then seek out and discern God’s will for your life. Instead of planning for New Year’s resolutions that will disappear as quickly as dried-out Christmas trees, plan for a new year and a new life in which Christ is at the very core.

We sometimes find ourselves waiting for God to act in our lives. We pray: “Please, God, do this and then I’ll be able to do that.” But praying this way, instead of empowering us to action, often paralyzes us from doing anything at all. We sit and wait for God to act or respond, when all the time we are forgetting what God has already given.

We come to each new day with a body inherited from our parents and strengthened (or weakened) by our lives and activities. We come with an intellect that has developed through years of education and experience. But whatever the strengths or weaknesses of our bodies and minds, when God the potter applies His hand we become so much more. We become a work of art ready to proclaim the glory of the artist. Our only role in this transformation process is to allow ourselves to be shaped. To do this, we must give in to the will of the Creator. We must allow God to be a part of every decision that we make. We must place all of our important decisions in God’s hands. We must live our lives so people can see Christ in us. And there’s no better time to start than right now, during this season of preparing and waiting.

Our ultimate profession of faith is our ability to proclaim with each new day: “I’m yours, Lord. Do what you want with me.”

Waiting for Christ with Bright Eyes

Steve · November 30, 2010 · 3 Comments

prayer — Praying at the Carmel Mission Basilica, Carmel-By-The-Sea. Photo by Steve Givens

When author Toni Morrison was once asked how she became a great writer, she responded, “I am a great writer because when I was a little girl and walked into a room where my father was sitting, his eyes would light up. That is why I am a great writer.”

That’s a great lesson in parenting and, as we enter the season of Advent, it’s also a wonderful parable of faith. Children naturally get excited when December rolls around and their thoughts turn to presents, parties and Santa. But even as their excitement level rises, we adults sometimes respond with a corresponding drop in energy and life. To put it bluntly, our eyes are not always bright when December and Advent arrive. We’re just too tired.

The truth is, we all sometimes get a bit drowsy during these cold, short, often dreary and dark winter days leading up to Christmas. We get tired of our jobs, tired of the holiday rush and the onslaught of shopping and parties, tired of our responsibilities and the seeming sameness of our lives. We get physically tired and emotionally tired. And, yes, we get spiritually tired. Our prayer life can become listless or non-existent. Our family life can feel dogged and overwhelming. Our sacramental life can begin to feel like we’re on autopilot. Our hearts, just as Jesus warns us in Luke 21:34, can become “drowsy.”

Just released by ILP Music: My “Way of the Cross” for teenagers

Steve · March 17, 2010 · 4 Comments

By Your Side: A Way of the Cross for Teens, just released this week, is a re-issue of an earlier publication as a booklet and musical/spoken word CD by ILP Music, produced by Vince Ambrosetti with music by Ruben Galabeas and Msgr. Michael Heras.

By Your Side is designed to be used in a number of ways. It is, first of all, to be used as a communal gathering where music, prayer and readings come together to create an enriching and reflective experience for those gathered. By Your Side has been created specifically for teenagers and young adults. Like all Stations of the Cross, its purpose is to reflect on the passion and death of Jesus Christ, allowing those gathered to walk along beside him to Calvary, while contemplating both his death and their own lives and faith.

Second Week of Lent: Seeking Forgiveness and Saying What Needs to be Said

Steve · March 6, 2010 · 1 Comment

half — Mitch Albom's "Have a Little Faith"

I have just finished reading Mitch Albom’s (Tuesdays with Morrie) new book, a beautiful story of two men of God called “Have a Little Faith.” The two men are Albom’s own rabbi, who has asked the author to give the eulogy at his funeral, and an ex-convict-turned-Christian minister who works with the poorest of the poor in Albom’s adopted home of Detroit. It’s a great little book of faith, relationship and commitment, and a portion of the proceeds of the book benefits Albom’s own “Hole in the Roof Foundation,” which helps refurbish places of worship that aid the homeless. Good read, read cause.

As I eased further into Lent this past week, I was particularly taken by a story from the rabbi (The Reb) on the importance of seeking forgiveness and never waiting too long to say what needs to be said. The Reb tells Albom the story of a man standing by his wife’s newly dug grave, tears streaming down his face: