tripthroughthewires

Tenderness...

This video will make you smile.  The Jesuit Post blog entry below will make you think.  I love the point they make about tenderness...as we approach Thanksgiving, not just tender turkey meat, but how can I be more tender with those in my life?

My wife recently told me that she was proud of me...but then said that she hoped that it wouldn't bother me to hear...like it was bad.  She made my day.  She was tender and kind.  I'm proud of my little ones...and the big ones I've come to know...for running a good race in their own lives and being open to growth and goodness in their lives. 

 

 http://thejesuitpost.org/site/2012/11/powder-puff-think-again/

 

Dancing with God

I'm sorry, but I don't know who wrote this...to be able to give the author adequate props...but I wanted to share...

DANCING WITH GOD

When I meditated on the word Guidance, I kept seeing "dance" at the end of the word. I remember reading that doing God’s will is a lot like dancing.

When two people try to lead, nothing feels right. The movement doesn’t flow with the music, and everything is quite uncomfortable and jerky.

When one person realizes that, and lets the other lead, both bodies begin to flow with the music.

One gives gentle cues, perhaps with a nudge to the back or by pressing lightly in one direction or another.

It’s as if two become one body, moving beautifully. The dance takes surrender, willingness, and attentiveness from one person and gentle guidance and skill from the other.

My eyes drew back to the word Guidance. When I saw "G" I thought of God, followed by "u" and "i". "God," "u" and "i" dance." God, you and I dance.
As I lowered my head, I became willing to trust that I would get guidance about my life.

Once again, I became willing to let God lead.

My prayer for us today is that God’s blessings and mercies be upon us on this day and everyday.
May we abide in God as God abides in us.
Let us Dance together with God, trusting God to lead and to guide us through each season of our life.

Ps 30:12
 
You have turned my sorrow
into joyful dancing.
No longer am I sad
and wearing sackcloth.

I thank you from my heart,
and I will never stop
singing your praises,
my [Lord] and my God.

Different Voices

A friend shared this video with me and I encourage you to check it out.  The message is wonderful, but I especially appreciate the different voices and even languages used to express the message!

As we plan for the Eucharistic Congress in the Dicoese of Trenton this October, this video speaks volumes to me!

 

The Migrant Journey

We are all migrants...journeying.  I encourage you to check out the blog linked below.  The stories prompt me to reflect on what my journey has looked like, what it looks like now, and what it may look like around the next bend.  The stories challenge me to meet people where they are at...not to meet them where I am at...gets me thinking about how easy it is to forget where we've been, especially if we find ourselves in a place of entitlement or stability.

http://themigrantjourney.wordpress.com/about/ 

All Are Welcome! ? . , ... !

            The following is taken from the pastor's homily from All Saints Lutheran Church in Aurora, Colorado.  Fr. Tom Sweetser then heard a pastor using it in a homily at St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church in New Middletown, Ohio and has gone on to share it in his parish newsletter.  Fr. Tom poses the challenge ...

What a church we would be if we could put this invitation into practice.

____________________________________________________________________________

All are welcome!  We extend a special welcome to those who are single, married, divorced, gay, filthy rich, dirt poor, y no habla ingles.  We extend a special welcome to those who are crying new-borns, skinny as a rail, or could afford to lose a few pounds.

            We welcome you if you sing like Andrea Bocelli or like our pastor who can’t carry a note in a bucket.  You’re welcome here if you’re just browsing, just woke up, or just got out of jail.  We don’t care if you’re more Catholic than the Pope, or haven’t been in church since little Joey’s baptism. 

            We extend a special welcome to those who are over 60 but not grown up yet, and to teenagers who are growing up too fast.  We welcome soccer moms, NASCAR dads, starving artists, tree-huggers, latte-sippers, vegetarians, junk-food eaters.

            We welcome those who are in recovery or still addicted.  We welcome you if you’re having problems, or you’re down in the dumps, or you don’t like “organized religion;” we’ve been there too.  If you blew all your offering money at the casino, you’re welcome here.

            We offer a special welcome to those who think the earth is flat, who work hard, don’t work, can’t spell, or come because grandma is in town and wanted to go to church.  We welcome those who are inked, pierced, or both.

            We offer a special welcome to those who could use a prayer right now, had religion shoved down your throat as a kid, or got lost in traffic and wound up here by mistake.  We welcome tourists, seekers, doubters, bleeding hearts . . . and you!  All are welcome!

________________________________________________________________________________________

This is the culture that will fill churches, will make the parish social worth attending, will give people the courage to attend a parish talk and even ask a question.  It will offset the gossiping, the bullying, the “we know what’s best” or  “we don’t belong” attitude.  It’s the gospel come alive.

                                                                                     Tom Sweetser, SJ & Donna Pinsoneault

                                                                                     www.pepparish.org –  pep@pitnet.net

Toy Story and Our Story

 

Very simple, very straight-forward...check out the reflection from Bob Perron of the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston and the web ministry, Any Given Sunday.  Very cool.

http://www.anygivensundayproject.com/about.html

 

May the Fourth Be With You!

A long time ago...in a galaxy far far away...

Actually, just a really long time ago...long before Star Wars: A New Hope broadened the horizons of my existing galaxy when I was 7, some young people in Spain (España has a nicer ring to it) gathered together in the bond of faith to walk the road together and share their experiences of the journey in, what was then, a new way...and they called it Cursillo.  They started a movement of young people in España that spread to the far reaches of our known world.  With Cursillo as a template/model, they delved into and shared deeply their experiences of being Catholic. 

They found "their hearts on fire" as they walked the road together.  They had what we have come to call "mountain top" experiences, echoing back to the Apostles visit with Jesus to the mountain where they witnessed Jesus company Elijah and Moses...an experience so profoundly transformational that they wanted to set up camp there and make it something that everythign could come and be part of.

The Cursillo movement, usually started with a 3-day experience in a retreat-like setting, coined the phrase HAPPY FOURTH...wishing all those journeying together a road that would continue to light their hearts on fire.

Search retreats, Kairos retreats, Emmaus retreats, and many other formats of retreat have roots in the Cursillo movement.  Star Wars, having adopted May 4th as its fans' day, has only added to the meaning of HAPPY FOURTH for me...and my road may now even take me to the far reaches of the galaxy...maybe I'll even get to make the Kessel Run one day...wouldn't THAT be a mountain top experience!

Happy Fourth to you...and with your spirit.

http://mashable.com/2012/05/04/star-wars-day-song/ 

Re:Image Film Festival!

We are proud and excited for our 3rd Re:Image Film Festival.

Join us on Sunday, May 6th at the Algonquin Arts Theater in Manasquan, NJ for this celebration of films that will bolster the spirit and challenge us to add our stories of faith to the larger story of our faith.

http://www.reimagefilmfestival.com/schedule/ 

SEE YOU AT THE MOVIES!

Movies and the Bigger Picture!

With our 3rd annual Re:Image Film Festival coming up this Sunday, I've got MOVIES ON THE BRAIN!  Hope to see you all at the Algonquin Theater in Manasquan this Sunday, May 6th. 

There are some great films to be shown/watched and people/stories to get to know!

In this vein, I encourage you to check out Sr. Rose Pacatte's movie blog.  She offers suggestions on how we might use media like film to spread and enhance our faith journeys!

 

Lift Up the City!