Fresh Paint, Fresh Attitude

I had a very quiet duty day on the ship today, during an already quiet week through a holiday stand-down period. We’ve got a lot of random work to accomplish during this time, including a lot of cleaning, painting, and catching up on admin. I had spent the day doing some organizing, stood the afternoon watch, and relaxed after dinner. I went topside to make some phone calls, wishing family and friends a happy new year. It’s a cold, wet, foggy night, as the blurry haze of the holiday lighting from ships all along the waterfront glowed around me. I went back to my stateroom to watch football when I had a knock on my door. It was one of my sailors, who came excitedly to tell me that he’d finished repainting one of our spaces. I asked immediately if he’d show me his work, and we headed down to the space. As we walked there, he proudly spoke of all the details of his work, and as we got to the shop, it was clean and perfectly painted. He pointed out many particulars of what he did, and how he was careful and paid very close attention to details. His enthusiasm and pride in his work was astounding, and his positive attitude was extremely encouraging. I too was filled with pride to know that he was one of my sailors, who is a particularly hard worker and was taking ownership of his accomplishments. If only everyone took such joy in their work, no matter how mundane or ordinary. It really inspired me, and it was a nice way to end my 2009.

If I’ve learned anything this year, it’s that life is all about the details. While we tend to focus on really “big” moments in our lives as we reminisce about the past, the reality is that most of our lives are spent doing routine, ordinary things. You can even look at the life of our Lord Jesus Christ. He spent the first 30 years of His life doing normal, everyday tasks—it was only the last three years of His life that He began His public ministry and did the many “great things” we read about in the Gospels—preaching, healing, curing, saving. And this is true for us, too. Most of our life is filled with the plain, the normal, the ordinary, the routine. And while those words can have a negative or boring connotation, especially in our society so fascinated and motivated by the extreme and outrageous, it is in these ordinary things of life that we can come face-to-face with virtue, with good works, with holiness, with greatness. As I’ve written about before, there is so much sanctity to be had, right here in the present moment, right here among the ordinary. As a Christian and as a Catholic, I can live each moment, each instance in my life, wholly dedicated to the glory of God. Every day, every action, every moment. And when you live every moment for God’s greater glory, you bring sanctity to even the most ordinary things of life. When you live every moment for God, you bring dignity and worth to every task. Everything is worth doing if it is being done for God—in fact, everything is worth doing well when being done for God. This is what I have come to understand this past year, and this revelation has changed my life.

Praised be Jesus Christ, and to Him be all glory and honor and thanksgiving, for a wonderful and holy 2009. I pray that He continue to reveal His will to me in each moment, that I grow in charity and fidelity, and that He send His abundant blessings upon this new year. Happy 2010!


“Do you really want to be a saint? Carry out the little duty of each moment: do what you ought and put yourself into what you are doing.”
~Saint Josemaria Escriva

Thirsting for Hope

"The contemporary world needs hope above all..."

Pope Benedict XVI

On a duty day a couple weeks ago, it was a quiet Saturday evening. As I stood watch in the afternoon, I found out that we had a new sailor coming to the ship that evening. And not just any new sailor, but a sailor who will be in my division! Later that evening, I went topside to use my phone when the young sailor came onboard. I watched him walk down the pier, looking with a heart of pride and a hint of anxiety at his first ship. He was in dress blues with a sharp cover. He walked onboard and I met him at the brow, introduced myself as his division officer, and welcomed him aboard. He offered a crisp salute; you could see he was nervous and overwhelmed. I spoke with him for a little while, and then some other sailors took care of getting him set up. As he walked away, I couldn't help but be excited for him.

I stayed outside talking with some people and expressed to them my excitement for our new sailor. They teased me and were surprised how excited I was--I voiced how this sailor was another step toward a renewal and new hope. He was fresh out of boot camp--unaffected by any kind of negativity or bad attitude that can sometimes thrive on the ship. He is the future. I wish all of us kept that fervor and vigor of our first days onboard--eager to learn and with a bit of fear. I think we'd all be better for it!

I reflect on this again, especially now as we celebrate Advent and then the Christmas season--this season in which we are reminded that our God came to be one among us to save us, to be the hope the world needed, then, and forevermore! We each have the opportunity to be the hope the world needs--to be Christ--wherever God has placed you. So as you adore the little Christ child this Christmas, pray that He give your heart a renewal of joy and of hope, that we each might bring Christ to the world; a world thirsting for hope.

Our Single Endeavor

"My confidence is based in God

who does not need our help for accomplishing His designs.

Our single endeavor should be to give ourselves to the work

and to be faithful to Him."

Saint Isaac Jogues

Happy feast of the North American martyrs! Had to post this quote today, and a great photo of a sunset from the ship a couple weeks ago. Remember--it's all about fidelity!

The Sanctity of the Ordinary

"God waits for us every day

in all the immense panorama of work.

Understand this well:

there is something holy, something divine,

hidden in the most ordinary situations,

and it is up to each of you to discover it...

Either we learn to find our Lord in ordinary everyday life,

or else we shall never find Him."

Saint Josemaria Escriva

Obedience. This is definitely, in a sense, a vow I have taken as a member of the military. You go where you are told, do what you are told, and that's just the way it is. Even if it is not what you wanted, or not what you think will be ideal, you face what is asked of you and then adapt to make the best of it.

It seems like I've had several moments during these couple of months I've been on active duty where I've thought to myself, wow, I'm finally getting this and finally feeling a sense of comfort and steadiness. Feeling good; feeling comfortable. And, it has been soon after having these feelings that something changes. Something is asked of me, something happens, something comes along that brings me out of that comfort zone I had. You can't question it, you can't argue it. Complaining about it has no benefit. You just say, ok, let's do it. Obedience. Abandonment. Trust. Everyday is filled with these little fiats, these moments where I get to prove my trust in the Lord and echo the words of our Blessed Mother, be it done unto me according to Your word. Comfort? Who needs it. We were not made for comfort, we were made for greatness!

As far as this quote, from Saint Josemaria, this is very much the life I am trying to lead. Never before have I so recognized God in the mundane, the ordinary, the routine aspects of day-to-day life. Never before have I realized the beauty of each individual moment of the day as an opportunity to give glory and praise to God, by the means of your fidelity to living fully your state of life and being Christ to all you meet. It's a challenge, but definitely an adventure.

With joys and with challenges, I am indeed thriving.

Thanks be to God!

The secret to evangelization? Be Christ.

I'm enjoying a quiet Friday night after being out to sea for the week. It was a great week, a lot of good training and awesome opportunities. It had been a while since we've been out to sea for more than a day, and it really was fun to get out and run the ship as it was meant to be run--at SEA!

There really is something strangely odd about my business. I've noticed that at times, we sailors complain about getting underway (going to sea) and all we can think about or talk about is when we're coming home. But secretly, we all love it. We love going to sea. We love the challenge of never knowing what to expect next. We love the details of our duties and responsibilities. We love the formality and traditions about what we do. And you really see this when we go to sea. People rise to the occasion and face every situation in our operations with professionalism and proficiency. But we don't talk about it in that way. We're just doing our jobs--ain't no thang. And hence, I once again get to experience just how humble my shipmates are. It's never, "wow, look at all the sacrifices I am making." It's more like, "I'm just doing my job." It's astounding. I think anyone who has served in the military understands this. And it is a great blessing in my life, to be surrounded by such people constantly.

I had the unusual grace of getting to go to Mass nearly each day this week. We had a Catholic chaplain ride with us all week, a wonderful priest who is on exchange from the Canadian Army. I've really been trying to bring the Lord more and more into my life on the ship; trying to mesh my spiritual life with my work life. And getting to literally be WITH Him this week in the Mass, on my very ship, was beyond wonderful.

I really see myself as a missionary out here, in a way I didn't really expect. And each day, God is calling me to preach His Truth to everyone I meet. The funny part is, each person and each encounter is incredibly different and requires a totally different manner of evangelization. Some simply need an ear to listen. Some need to be praised in the details. Some need compassion and encouragement amidst a tough environment. Some need just a smile and a greeting as you walk by.

I feel like most of my "preaching" is done without even mentioning the name of Christ. Unconventional? It's seems so, but it's really not. Evangelization, in the purest form, is actually quite simple: be Christ. Christ Himself. As Saint Josemaria said, we must not just be alter Christus, another Christ, but rather, Christ Himself!, ipse Christus! And there en lies my ministry. Be Christ. At all times. To everyone you meet. Easy, right? Only with His constant grace, no matter how unworthy I may be to receive such grace.

I must admit that although I sit this night among the many comforts of my home, in an environment that is quiet and comfortable and away from the stressful pace of the ship (and the rough seas!), part of me already misses being at sea. There's just something about it. It is a life of service, a life of sacrifice, a life of total reliance on God at each moment. Things are a lot simpler out there.

May He mold my heart to live out each moment of my life preaching His Truth. Veritas!

To the honor of Almighty God...

Some great new photos to share from the First and Final Profession of Vows and Reception to the Habit of the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia in Nashville...can you tell by now I'm a big fan? :-) See more photos and news stories from their congregation here.

I included some of my favorites below. Pray for all of these young women, in thanksgiving for their fiat, their yes to God's invitation, and for their perseverance in their vocations!

Driven by Love

"The young nuns from Nashville don't seem driven by conservative theology or ideology. Instead, they seem driven by a love for God."

Great article from Nashville's The Tennessean newspaper about the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia, whose Motherhouse and Novitiate is in Nashville, and whose missions span the U.S. and even Australia.

I love the quote I included above. I think this also applies to our generation in the Church as a whole. The renewal in the Church, coming out of the today's youth, is not just a reaction to ideologies or styles of worship. It's a genuine renewal in the way we are to Love God, and live out the immense Love He has given us--in every facet of our lives. The Springtime is here--and it's all about Love.

For this is My work

Over two months into my new life as a Naval officer.  In a new place, with new people, new surroundings, new expectations.  Living on my own.  Paying the bills.  Coming home not to the college dorm, not to roommates and loud music and homework, but to silence.  To dinner waiting to be prepared.  To dishes and dirty laundry--all my silent friends.  Silence.

And also in my time here, four weeks of time underway at sea.  A total opposite lifestyle.  People everywhere.  Constant community.  Hard work, long hours.  No bills to worry about.  Dinner's ready when you want it.  Laundry's taken care of twice a week.  A lot of noise and people and opinions...but there is silence.  There's some opportunity to recollect.  The silence I most enjoy is going outside on the bridgewing at night to look up at the stars, and hear the ship cut through the water.  A gentle moon glow.  A deep breath of salty air.  A moment to remember what I am doing and why I am doing it.  It's all for Him.  

Commissioning.  A great commissioning occurred over 2000 years ago when our Lord sent His twelve apostles to go out and preach to all nations, teaching them all that He taught them.  A daunting task for anyone, let alone these ordinary men.  

It's no coincidence that the moment you become an officer is known as your "commissioning."  My great commissioning happened nearly 12 weeks ago.  Our Lord has sent me out to preach, to teach, at a very specific time and in a very particular place.  Facing, just like the apostles, an ineptitude for the task and a seemingly great opportunity for failure.  

And yet, He has left me with something, just as He left His twelve brothers.  He promised to stay with them--with us--even until the end of time.  And He is with me.  Even when I don't feel Him, even when I think I am failing Him, even when the task seems far beyond what I am capable of.  He is there.  And this is His work.

"Why are you troubled, you coward?

Go on and I will help you--for this is My work and not yours."

~Our Lord, speaking to Saint Camillus de Lellis

More blogging to come?

Ok, another little change to the theme of the blog--a new header, signifying the new things ahead of me in my life and hence new things I will be blogging about.  Writing about my new life in the Navy, and the many many experiences to come, while being able to share it with my friends back home.  So enjoy.  I pray the Lord use it all however He desires as I spend these last days in preparation to set out into the deep!

The greatest Love story of all time...

"At the very heart of the vocation to religious life 

is the encounter of the person of Jesus Christ.  

It's not a matter of goals, or ideals, 

or imitation of the Sisters you've come to know; 

it's a matter of being drawn in 

to the greatest Love story of all time."

~Father James Cuddy, O.P.

First the renewal, then the aggiornamento

One of my heroes and guiding lights is Mother Marie William MacGregor, OP, who was the Mother General of the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia (Nashville Dominicans) from 1964-1976, during a difficult time in the Church, when there was much confusion following Vatican II.  Many in the Church, from the average parish to the biggest religious congregations, began to abandon their traditional way of life for the sake of "modernization."  Ancient practices were abandoned, teaching the fullness of the faith was exchanged with a watered-down mess, and now an entire generation of Catholics is under-Catechized and uninterested in the Church.  

Many argue that religion is no longer pertinent.  Some can't handle that people who consider themselves religious are indeed imperfect.  Others don't realize that there is a difference between freedom and license.  Our culture is screaming for Hope.  They are thirsting for Truth--and looking in all the wrong places.

There are a "rebellious few" out there who know and love the fullness of Truth, of Beauty, of Goodness, found only in the Person of Jesus Christ and His Spouse, the Church, of whom He gave His life for.  We desire all to know this fullness.  We desire to be the tip-of-the-spear leading our generation to the "Springtime of the Church" which Pope John Paul II preached about.  And it is coming.  Do you feel it?

But, before we run off to conquer the world with Love, we must look at our own hearts.  Have we let Him fully conquer ours first?  Have we really surrendered all to Him, that all the holy work we desire to do is truly His work and nothing of our own?  If we desire to preach and love through the New Evangelization, have we allowed that new evangelization to constantly renew our hearts?

"First the renewal, and then the aggiornamento..." were the words of Mother Marie William to her congregation as they set out to serve the post-Vatican II Church.  She understood that the most important thing to face the perils of the quickly-changing culture was to first to renew your own heart and commitment to Christ, then adapt to the times.  

Pope Paul VI said this: "Modern man is more willing to listen to witnesses than to teachers.  If they do listen to teachers, it is because they are witnesses.  In short, be the witnesses of sanctity."  For us to be witnesses, and hence bring our generation to Love, we must be always renewing our hearts and adapting.  To live is to change, to be perfect is to change often.

As we face the depravity of the world, may we find our Hope in the Divinity that dwells within each of us.  May we constantly, daily, in all things, renew our hearts with the Love of Christ, that we might be always be ready to share our reason for hope--which is something our culture is, quite literally, dying for.  Only then can we be the change the world needs.