A Heaven On Earth

As most of those giving homilies this weekend probably said, this week's Gospel is a tough one to handle. It involves a story Jesus told, where he talks about a rich man being sent to the netherworld after his death because of riches, while a poor man with sores was carried by angles to Abraham's side. Kind of makes you think doesn't it...

We are all used to the saying that the last will be first in heaven and the first will be last in heaven. Read that one again. Tough stuff to sink in. But it's not like we can go out and just live on the streets in the sheer hope that we are the last so that we make it to heaven. That's not giving an effort, which God wants us to do. You can work and have money and shelter, even Jesus had that, but He helped people along the way too. He spread His gifts and shared them with everyone, both rich and poor. That's what God wants us to do, to get to that next level.

Then the question arises, what does heaven look like exactly? We know, usually with God, it's never that cut and dry. I can't answer that question, Father Carsten can't answer that question, I don't think the Pope can even answer that question. It's not like some ocean side resort we can just go to for vacation. The fact that it's that much unknown intrigues me even more, all I really want is a glimpse. Yet, this is why we must learn patience. We have a whole life to live here on earth before any of that happens.

I've always thought about how I miss the old days, the young days, before school really even existed in my brain, playing on some giant slide or playground with my sisters. Whether you have that kind of memory or not, everything seemed easier back then, didn't it?

Well, that's over, or is it? And it's hard not to want that time back. But then you realize, sooner or later, it's actually coming. Except this time, you'll see it through different eyes. Either you or someone close to you will most likely get married and have children someday, and that's when you relive those days, playing with the kids, while spending time with those you once did the same with. Everything overlaps. To me, that's the secret to getting that kind of happiness back, other than the happy times in your everyday life. You get all the perks of being an adult, but get that kind of youthful wonder of life as well. The college age crowd isn't there yet for the most part, my crowd, it's the in between time. But, we cannot just wish for those future days, then we'll miss this precious time now. Every day is actually a huge chunk of our time on earth, especially compared with something as eternal as heaven.

So why not have some heaven on earth now, and enjoy ourselves as much as possible. Life's too short not to. Sure, we have work and problems and all that other stuff to deal with, but there isn't enough time to let it drag us down. If we live the right way, the way God wants us to, we can have all that extra time in eternity. We don't know quite what heaven is going to look like, but we do know that God wants us to give our gifts as much as possible while here on earth. That will truly determine what our heaven will be.

All that is guaranteed to us is this minute on this day on this year. The next moment can be taken away any second, so take this time now, and do everything you can to make it worth not only your own time, but those around you too.

That's where true happiness lies, in those moments we cherish, whether we are a toddler or a grandparent. And don't forget, there's no age limit for playing on the swings.

Take a Deep Breath

You study for a test every day the week before you take it...but your grade doesn't reflect that.

You practice your trumpet solo until your lips literally turn blue...but you miss that high C the day of the performance.

You run sprints and lift weights every single day for three months...but you still can't pass your conditioning test for the sport that you play.

You try really really hard to impress that guy/girl you have your eye on...but he/she still isn't impressed.

Tough, right? It's failure. A depressing start to a blog, but as Rocky Balboa said in his most recent Rocky movie..."life ain't all sunshine and rainbows." I may have mentioned that speech in the past, but here's a link to copy and paste to your browser to watch it...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXKkIdBYXYM

Anyways, my question is, how do we deal with failure? It's not easy, for anybody, especially when the work and preparation is put in to its fullest extent. But, then again, it's a part of life.

Some people might give up, actually a lot of people give up if they don't think they are good enough at something. When has that ever been okay though? God each gave us gifts as individuals, maybe we aren't trusting that when we give up. Maybe failing to do something is a sign that we ought to use our skills a little bit differently. Keep playing the trumpet, but work up to that high C, so it's more consistent, maybe even approach practicing a bit differently.

The conditioning test won't be the end all and be all. If the work was done, there is a greater force at hand. Keep doing the extra hard work, but maybe use a mental approach as well, and be the best mentally on the entire squad.

The idea is to be the best at what your good at that you can be. We all can't be professional athletes, or get 4.0 after 4.0 after 4.0 every semester in school. But we can be the best at our own major, or at improvising a jazz solo.

The thing we cannot do is get down and depressed, so that it affects the rest of our lives. We need to all take a deep breath. Even the best of us can fail, and it's not all wrong to show emotion from that. We might think we need to be and show everyone that we are strong emotionally, or even others might think that because of our position in society. This article about football players battling depression can serve as a example that anyone can be affected by failure.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/jon_wertheim/09/21/depression/index.html?eref=sihp

But, with faith, we can get past it all. And even use it as motivation for the next time a challenge comes our way. I'm sure you've noticed that an underlying theme in my life is the fact that I'll do my work and put my best out there, and let God take care of the rest. It gives me confidence, and limits the stress I feel on an everyday basis.

Criticism comes from all angles, but like failure, that's a constant in our lives. It's often hard to accept, but by taking it for what it's worth, either constructive or nonconstructive, we can get better. That all comes from trusting both God and ourselves...our own words, actions and emotions.

Failure is a breeding ground for depression. It's a simple matter of how we approach it that makes or breaks our everyday life. It can be a good thing, no matter how hard we work, especially if we have the confidence that God has a plan for us, and knows what is best for us.

So, don't give up, but try again, and again, and again. There is no rule that says we have to stop trying. When we finally have success, it feels that much better. And kudos to those who get it on the first try. Whether it's the first try or the 21st, our confidence should stay the same, and simply do what's within our control to get what we can done.

When we know God is with us, and our preparation is put in, all we need to do is go out there and enjoy it, let loose, and have fun.

...not a bad ending after the Jonny raincloud beginning...

Guess Who's Back

Everything Jesus did when He was on earth, He did for a reason. The parables or stories He told weren't just random anecdotes to pass the time, they each had a greater meaning. The Bible is structured in a similar fashion, there is always something behind what is said.

We get to the story of the Prodigal Son, which took place in Luke's version of the Gospel this past weekend.

We all know the story...two sons are given their inheritance, one stays home and works, the other goes out and has himself a good ol' time blowing it all on this and that, that song comes back home with nothing, but is greeted like a king from the father, making the other brother jealous, but the father simply says his son has returned, and is thankful...

My guess would be that Jesus is not telling us to go out and party away all of our brains, money, education, friends, and family, leaving us cold and alone. The lesson is more in the way that brother was received by the father. You see, forgiveness is a constant with God, and it's shown again here.

Are we just as forgiving? It's hard to be. We are told that once a person abandons us, and wants something that we don't want, we should treat them like an outcast, especially if they come back. This past summer, NBA star LeBron James decided his team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, wasn't good enough, and he bolted to play with two more stars in Miami as a member of the Heat. In his first game in Cleveland playing against his old team, I'm pretty sure they won't have a party, as boos and jeers will rain down from every fan in the seats.

It's obviously not easy to forgive once you've been betrayed, especially if everyone's mindset is the same. Now I'm not saying to treat Lebron like the son and kill the fatted calf in celebration, but maybe everyone should simply respect his wishes...it is his life after all.

So let's apply that to our own lives. It's ok to be emotional, don't get me wrong. My mom yells at me all the time to show some more emotion, and you gotta listen to you mother, it is what it is.

Think about it...it's ok to be mad when a friend decides to leave you out of their plans for the night. It can be offensive. But, how you then react to that shows your true makeup. Will you overreact, causing a dramatic evening for everyone involved? That's not the way to do it. Just as they need to live their lives, you need to live yours. You need only yourself to make yourself happiest. So relax and do that in a different way, that doesn't involve that friend. Maybe next time you'll be included, maybe you won't, but don't let it make or break your day or night.

When it comes to being responsible for someone else, the father was probably hurt when his son ran off, but he needed to press on with his life. That was his son's decision. No matter what you do, either as a parent, sibling, or friend, it's always their decision, and as hard as you might try to sway that, you cannot get into that inner core of their conscience. Once again, just like God is with you, he is with our loved ones too. We can only control our own lives, so we need to worry about that first and foremost, and not let our loved ones decisions bring us down. We need to be there, but at a certain point, it's up to them, and the father knew that. He was just happy to have him back at the end of the story, and we need to greet anyone who does that to us the same way. No judging, no drama, just forgiveness and love.

I might have rambled a little bit, and I apologize for not having a "Dark Knight" Batman/Morgan Freeman reference. But, we need to trust each other and in God, that mistakes happen, and that people betray one another, and leave one another, and that the only thing we can control is our own individual actions.

Trust, and maybe our blood pressure will collectively go down just a little.

So, enjoy the day, because you can.

Labor Day

There are all sorts of holidays throughout the year. Some of them are religious in nature (Christmas and Easter), while others salute the armed forces (Memorial Day and Veterans Day). This past Monday though, was Labor Day. Everything, for the most part, shuts down.

Many look at it as just a long weekend, a chance to grill one last time before the frigid air of fall and winter finally moves in. But, we have the day off for a reason, an important reason. Much like Memorial Day, the unofficial beginning of summer, Labor Day, the unofficial end of summer, is under appreciated.

But, once again, it's time to look at this a little differently. We all work hard on a daily basis at our respective positions. Whether you're a businessman or a teacher, a day off is a blessing. It's also a time though, to reflect and pray for those who, even though it's a national holiday, still had to wake up and go into the workplace.

How do you think that newscast at 6pm went on? Anchors and reporters worked all Labor Day to put that together, most likely without any overtime hours.

How did that grass on the golf course you played on get cut? Well, someone was up before sunrise on the mower making sure the course looked nice.

Yup, those 24-hour operators weren't an automation either, as people had to come in and work so you could have your high definition satellite television fixed on the telephone.

Every job is different, some more different than others. Some baseball players only play once every five days, and get millions to do that. Others work 80 hours a week for just enough money to support their family.

It's a slippery slope, the job market. God wants us to be happy and love what we do. Usually, the more you like something, the harder you'll work and you'll be better at performing the tasks over the course of the day. However, out of necessity, some have to take the job, or jobs, that are available where they live. It's much harder to love work when one is forced to do it. We need to pray for those people, that they will work through those tough times, and find their niche, that will be both beneficial to their bank account and their well being.

I bring up the fact that we need money because this week's Gospel can be tough to handle. Who wants to renounce all of their possessions? How would one live, and support their loved ones, in those conditions? We don't necessarily have to take Jesus literally here. There are a few possibilities as to what exactly he means...

-He could be saying that we need to get rid of our lavish, gluttonous possessions. The stuff that we don't really need. Houses with 7 extra bedrooms, 4 extra cars for only 2 people, diamonds upon diamonds for your spouse...stuff like that. Those funds can go to better causes, that would help others out much much more.

But I have another thought that might be a bit more practical for those that don't have the funds to buy a million cars...

-Maybe Jesus is saying that we need to renounce the possessions of our mind. The thoughts of doubt, negativity, self-pity, and cynicism all are thoughts that bring us down in every way possible. They "possess" and take over our minds as well, not letting or shutting out anything good that wants to come in. By stripping those away, or getting to the root of those thoughts, we make room for Jesus, and his words. Think of the focus you can have during Church. Imagine hanging on every word the Priest says throughout mass...now that would be an accomplishment for the greater good.


Ok, so Labor Day? Let's tie it together. It's easy to take our own jobs and salary for granted, but let's appreciate those that work behind the scenes to make everyday life possible. Their happiness and well being at home depends solely on the money coming in from their job. For others, it's time to give all that extra money to those people in need, so that we can indeed have that piece of mind to rid ourselves of negativity. Life is too short to dread our job, or coming home, or random things in life in general. Don't be that miserable person, be that person who brightens everyone's day.

So, with your own possessive negativity renounced...why not start a pleasant conversation with that cashier on their last leg, and maybe inspire them to do the same.

These Changing Times

As the date turned from August 31st to September 1st last night, more than just the picture on your calendar changed. Although it's still a million degrees outside here in Ithaca, in just a few days, Labor Day will signal the unofficial end of summer. School buses will be back on their normal routes, those late summer nights will turn into 10:00 bed times.

While all of those seasonal changes are taking place, something bigger is going on at the same time. Everyone is a year older, and most, but not all, a year wiser. Think about where you were on this date one year ago. What were you doing? What was your state of mind?

Now, as a senior in college, I can't help but look back on four years ago at this time. I was just a little freshman, really without a clue what was going on. Now at 22, I feel pretty old. I mean, one of my teachers even told me they thought I had already graduated. Entertaining, but it makes you think a little bit. The fact is that no matter where you are in your life, age 12,22,42,or 62 you need to really ask yourself if this is where you want to be. Your own personal happiness can often control the happiness around you. It's contagious isn't it? A person is much more willing to help someone else, with a smile on their face, when they are happy with their own life. As things change, both big and small, it's important to remember that fact, and to stay in and treasure each and every moment, because before you know it, you're 22.

That idea of staying in the moment, and figuring out your state of mind as things change, relates to last week's readings too...it wouldn't be a Session with Eschen without some kind of connection right? The first reading from Sirach says not to search into things beyond your strength. You cannot control a lot of what happens in the future, which is why we all need to focus on the here and now, and if the way we are living makes us truly happy.

Adversity hits at unexpected times. We all know when the leaves will change from green to red to nothing, and can get ready for that. Our human nature tells us when to gear up for a school year or work, but it's what we do on a daily basis that gets us ready for anything bad that might happen unexpectedly. That's the only part that is within our strength.

The ongoing theme this week is to humble yourself. We need to humble ourselves enough to say that, hey, we need help, especially for those different aspects that are beyond our strength. That is where God takes over. With him, it's that much easier to get through tough times, and tough transitions as well. Your faith will be rewarded.

Somehow, Morgan Freeman is a constant in my movie references, but this time, it is him whose faith is rewarded. A couple years ago, the Batman movie, "The Dark Knight," was a summer box office hit. Morgan Freeman is Batman's technological guru, designing suits, weapons, and even the famous Batmobile. At the end of the movie, Batman puts his own spin on one of Freeman's inventions, making every cell phone a sonar like device, enabling Batman to invade every person's privacy in the city. Freeman says it's too much power for one man to have, and vows he will resign after Batman saves the day. But, after Batman tells Freeman to type his name in at the end, the system combusts, showing Freeman that indeed, his mind was in the right place.

Go to 1:02 of this link, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9c8w8ONAWM, to see the scene.

Freeman may not have liked that turn of events at the beginning, but Batman showed him the good that came from tough times.

As a whole, we are better because of all of the adversity that comes our way. Sure, it might be tough to handle in the moment, but by having faith in God, that he will indeed reward us for believing in him, and that good will come of it, we can get through it.

Starting college for the first time might be a big change, starting your first year at a new job might be one too. Starting your junior year might be a small blip on your radar, much like the end of summer for some. A sports injury or a family emergency will be unexpected. But, by focusing only about what is within our strength on a daily basis, we are ready for anything. By having faith in God being at our side, we don't have to question the fact that good will come from bad. That is how we get through those changes.

And as old as I might joke that I am, I know that today is all that matters, so why not enjoy it. When changes hit, it's time to embrace them, instead of hiding. It makes us who we are today, and who we will be a year from today too.