I had a phone interview on Friday, July 1st for a Youth Minister position in the Archdiocese of St. Louis at Sacred Heart Parish in Troy, Missouri. I was nervous and excited (mostly nervous) about it, as the interview was over the phone. Different styles of interviews have their own pros and cons, which everybody knows. A few days before the interview, I had this brilliant idea to ask many of my friends to pray for me, that God's will be done and I accept it.
Well, there was something I had not thought about, the particular day, this year, was the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. For those who don't know, Jesus appeared to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque and asked her to request this Feast be celebrated on the Friday after the octave of Corpus Christi, to atone for the ingratitude of humankind towards the sacrifice that Christ made for us. More information on the Sacred Heart here.
So, I had asked for hundreds of prayers for me and the interview, on the Feast of the Sacred Heart (at Sacred Heart parish), and to accept God's will. I should have really thought about what I was asking for. The following Tuesday (the 5th), I was driving back to Terre Haute, Indiana (from my mini-vacation in Perryville, Missouri), when everything just clicked. I realized that God had put it on the back of my mind and on my heart to re-enter the seminary for a reason. I had been dealing with this for the last year and a half, so I finally said, "Yes, Lord." I still have no idea what God has in store for me, but He wants me to do this for a reason. The strange, but good, part is that I'm really glad that I capitulated.
Lesson #1: Prayer works
Lesson #2: When praying, and asking for prayers, it wouldn't necessarily hurt to specify exactly what you want, just to clear it up. Asking for generalities and God's will to be done can open up a whole can of worms that aren't expected. It can definitely take a person by surprise.
Lesson #3: Don't take people for granted. Let them know you appreciate their prayers, and keep them updated. They said they'd pray for you for a reason.
Good times.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Friday, July 8, 2011
Anger, Moving, and Peace
Okay, so it's been a while since I've blogged, it doesn't feel like I've had the time. Well, I just decided to make the time. In my absence, there's a few things that have happened. 1.) Casey Anthony was acquitted of murder, but indicted on four misdemeanor charges of lying to investigators. 2.) I'm moving back to Quincy tonight after my niece's birthday party. 3.) I'm re-entering the Seminary for the Diocese of Springfield-in-Illinois.
Concerning the first event: There has been widespread outrage that the jury did not convict Ms. Anthony on the murder charge. I have seen many Facebook posts about how she never would have been acquitted if that particular person was on the jury, but now people will despise her forever. I've also seen people say that they hope she rots in hell. Friends, as much as some people think there was a miscarriage of Justice, the exact opposite has happened. 12 jurors were not convinced beyond reasonable doubt by the prosecution that Ms. Anthony committed murder. They may have, and probably did have their own strong feelings, about the verdict, perhaps wishing they could have been convinced. They were not seeking vengeance, but justice. I am sorry for the loss of Caylee's life but, looking at the evidence presented by the prosecution, I probably would have voted to acquit Ms. Anthony as well. Yes, our justice system is imperfect, but I am glad that it operates out of reason instead of the public hotbed of emotion. Were Ms. Anthony's actions following the death of Caylee improper and wrong? Yes, they were. But judgment of a person is not ours to make, it is God's. And if Ms. Anthony did kill her child, whether it be negligible or intentional, she will answer to God. I do hope and pray the truth is discovered and, when it is, the person or persons are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. However, let us be mindful of what the LORD says in Matthew 7:4, "Or how can you say to your brother 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when there is the log in your own eye?" Let us be mindful of and rectify our own faults and failings before confronting others.
So, the second and third event are connected, I am moving back to Quincy so I can streamline the process of re-entering the Seminary. In my opinion, it is easier to work out of the diocese that I will be studying for, leading up to my re-entry. It's an exciting and somewhat nervous experience, but God put it in the back of my mind and on my heart for a reason, so I need to discern why. This time around I think I'm better grounded because I don't know what God has in store for me and I am accepting of that. My experiences have shaped me, mostly for the better; the pain that I have experienced has made me stronger. I'll still be writing my blog and still be muddling through my faith and life, it's just going to be from a different perspective. Any prayers that you could send my way would be wonderful as well, that God's will for me may be done and I accept it. Many thanks.
Concerning the first event: There has been widespread outrage that the jury did not convict Ms. Anthony on the murder charge. I have seen many Facebook posts about how she never would have been acquitted if that particular person was on the jury, but now people will despise her forever. I've also seen people say that they hope she rots in hell. Friends, as much as some people think there was a miscarriage of Justice, the exact opposite has happened. 12 jurors were not convinced beyond reasonable doubt by the prosecution that Ms. Anthony committed murder. They may have, and probably did have their own strong feelings, about the verdict, perhaps wishing they could have been convinced. They were not seeking vengeance, but justice. I am sorry for the loss of Caylee's life but, looking at the evidence presented by the prosecution, I probably would have voted to acquit Ms. Anthony as well. Yes, our justice system is imperfect, but I am glad that it operates out of reason instead of the public hotbed of emotion. Were Ms. Anthony's actions following the death of Caylee improper and wrong? Yes, they were. But judgment of a person is not ours to make, it is God's. And if Ms. Anthony did kill her child, whether it be negligible or intentional, she will answer to God. I do hope and pray the truth is discovered and, when it is, the person or persons are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. However, let us be mindful of what the LORD says in Matthew 7:4, "Or how can you say to your brother 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when there is the log in your own eye?" Let us be mindful of and rectify our own faults and failings before confronting others.
So, the second and third event are connected, I am moving back to Quincy so I can streamline the process of re-entering the Seminary. In my opinion, it is easier to work out of the diocese that I will be studying for, leading up to my re-entry. It's an exciting and somewhat nervous experience, but God put it in the back of my mind and on my heart for a reason, so I need to discern why. This time around I think I'm better grounded because I don't know what God has in store for me and I am accepting of that. My experiences have shaped me, mostly for the better; the pain that I have experienced has made me stronger. I'll still be writing my blog and still be muddling through my faith and life, it's just going to be from a different perspective. Any prayers that you could send my way would be wonderful as well, that God's will for me may be done and I accept it. Many thanks.
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