Two weeks in a row, Jesus asks the question above. Sure, He died on the cross, rose from the dead, and saved us from our sins, and yet, he still asks that question. This week, Bartimaeus, the blind man, answers by saying that he just wants to see.
What would your answer be? I'm thinking, well...I'd love a new computer, maybe a new cell phone, a new video game system, and how about a Porche? Over the course of my life I might get those things, but thinking about the question again, and what Jesus is asking, I slowly reform those answers. How about some happiness in everyday interchanges and conversations, or more people doing good than bad, not to mention world peace etc. I'm not trying to be Miss America, but those things don't seem too bad. I don't know that they will happen in five minutes or five decades, so the only thing I can do is wait with my faith. God will get it done when he sees fit. Who am I to decide if people are happy or not? Faith is a great thing. I have confidence that God is indeed there for me, no matter what is happening both close to me and far away in the world around me.
Finding God in the most trivial of things in your life helps to strengthen that faith. Nature, relationships, and even discovering a new piece of mind can all contain God. I like though, finding God in people. He might be in a homeless man rummaging around the Commons, would you walk by him if it was indeed God? Sometimes giving money isn't necessary. Jesus teaches us to give up everything to the poor, but at times it is just as good to utter a simple, "Hello, how are you?" Scared as you may be to start this random conversation, it won't kill. In times like those, the idea that we as humans are made in God's own image and likeness rings true. We are asking Jesus' question, "What do you want me to do for you?" At that point, you can not only see God in the homeless man, but in yourself too.
As strange as it may seem, sometimes I see God on the football field too. This weekend was a bye week for the Ithaca Bombers, so I finally was able to watch some Division I college football. I fell upon a game where the Florida Gators were playing, and as always were Quarterbacked by star Tim Tebow. His background is impeccable, with mission trips, great grades, friends, not to mention he is pretty good at football. That is not where I saw God in him though. Right below his eyes, written on his eye black, were the words "Phil 4:13". I had heard how how he wore John 3:16 during the National Championship, and here is the link to how it affected America...
http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=85729
That kind of faith is rare, especially in the sports world. He knows he is a public figure, and uses that to spread the Word of God. He is not doing it for his own recognition, but for others so that they may have the chance at discovering the grace of God. So yes, on a late October night, in the South, on a football field, amidst thousands of screaming fans, God was present.
You may want anything from a Mustang to an end to War, but the real peace and happiness comes not from asking, "What can you do for me", but rather, like Jesus said, "What do you want me to do for you?" Then, God is present in you.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
If you ain't first, you're last
Pop culture tells us that to be successful and happy, we need money, fame, big cars, big houses, and beautiful spouses. A popular 2006 movie, Talladaga Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, sums this up in one sentence, "If you ain't first, you're last." Yet, there are plenty of other places to finish, second, third, maybe even fourth. A person's best effort in competition may only put them in third place. But, people get so consumed in getting more and more of the above that they are never satisfied. Their life becomes a selfish quest to be first.
This is a problem of pride. In his homily Sunday night, Father Carsten spoke about the art of dialogue and conversation. Conversation is defined as the informal interchange of thoughts or information. As Father pointed out though, most conversations go something like this.
Person 1: I went to this great restaurant the other night, they had this seafood platter that was unreal.
Person 2: Yeah...my biology homework is really difficult tonight, do you know what mitochondria does?
Person 1: No clue. But yeah, I loved the shrimp. The cocktail dipping sauce made the meal.
Person 2: Shrimp is gross. I can't wait to get this overwith, my favorite show is on in 15 minutes.
Person 1: Okay, I'll talk to you later.
Person 2: Yeah good call, let's do this again soon!
Seems unrealistic, but tell me you have not had an exchange like that before. I can't even call it a conversation. Each person is so wrapped up in their own little world that they can't appreciate or share anything with anyone else. They are robbing themselves of a valuable exchange of information where they can learn about another person.
Many believe that Jesus' presence is felt the most when people are getting together and sharing views and ideas. What happens then, when both sides are so one-sided that nothing is shared? He is still there, but what would he think? We are supposed to care for others more than ourselves. Conversation and dialogue is one of the only ways to learn about that other person. Selfishness and pride leads to the failure of any exchange of thoughts.
Mark's Gospel says,
"...whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all."
You can't make yourself better than your peers. We are all equal in God's eyes. If everyone can just have an actual conversation, pride will be washed away, and instead of serving all, we can serve each other by sharing thoughts and information on the road to true happiness.
"...whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all"
That's Talledaga Nights...Bible style...
This is a problem of pride. In his homily Sunday night, Father Carsten spoke about the art of dialogue and conversation. Conversation is defined as the informal interchange of thoughts or information. As Father pointed out though, most conversations go something like this.
Person 1: I went to this great restaurant the other night, they had this seafood platter that was unreal.
Person 2: Yeah...my biology homework is really difficult tonight, do you know what mitochondria does?
Person 1: No clue. But yeah, I loved the shrimp. The cocktail dipping sauce made the meal.
Person 2: Shrimp is gross. I can't wait to get this overwith, my favorite show is on in 15 minutes.
Person 1: Okay, I'll talk to you later.
Person 2: Yeah good call, let's do this again soon!
Seems unrealistic, but tell me you have not had an exchange like that before. I can't even call it a conversation. Each person is so wrapped up in their own little world that they can't appreciate or share anything with anyone else. They are robbing themselves of a valuable exchange of information where they can learn about another person.
Many believe that Jesus' presence is felt the most when people are getting together and sharing views and ideas. What happens then, when both sides are so one-sided that nothing is shared? He is still there, but what would he think? We are supposed to care for others more than ourselves. Conversation and dialogue is one of the only ways to learn about that other person. Selfishness and pride leads to the failure of any exchange of thoughts.
Mark's Gospel says,
"...whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all."
You can't make yourself better than your peers. We are all equal in God's eyes. If everyone can just have an actual conversation, pride will be washed away, and instead of serving all, we can serve each other by sharing thoughts and information on the road to true happiness.
"...whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all"
That's Talledaga Nights...Bible style...
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Having a Day
"How good it is, that we are here today." Going to mass at Muller Chapel for three years now, that statement seems commonplace at the 1 or 9 o clock mass. Father Carsten is constantly repeating it, elaborating on it, using it as much as he possibly can. The statement is simple, yet when you think about it...............wow, it's a heavy subject...let's break it down.
First: "How good it is..."
When you think about it, good cannot get much better than this. It is a rhetorical question, one that cannot be answered easily at all. If everyone really thinks about it, they can evaluate their own life at that moment, and decide how good it really is. Goodness is something undervalued in our society today, as life is often too fast paced to appreciate any of the goodness in their lives. That might be anything from a promotion at a job to a simple hello from a friend.
Second: "...that we are here today."
Are you happy to be alive? What does that entail? Just being in the world another day should be considered a blessing. Often, waking up in the morning is taken for granted. At the sound of an alarm clock, people start their day with a groan, a brief swear word, shouts about the lack of light outdoors, or just constant complaints about how early it is. We have all done it. If you knew it was your last day, would you react the same way?
Another aspect of Father using the word "here" is the reference to being in the building, at Muller Chapel, attending church. It is just an hour, but everyone hearing the statement took time out of their Sunday to listen to God's word. No one told us to go. It was our decision. How good is that? As college kids, that display of faith is impressive.
"How good it is, that we are here today."
This brings me to the football field. One might be surprised to hear me talking about a recent blowout loss St. John Fisher on here, but it makes sense, trust me. Much like Father Carsten's teachings, Head Coach Mike Welch hammers home the idea of staying in the moment. There is no reason to dwell on the past, or worry about the future, the only thing you can control is right now.
With that said, we lost, yet we stayed in the moment. Sometimes things don't work out. But, everyone on that team woke up the next day. Tough as it was, it was still good to wake up. This is a week of midterms, papers, and stress. Life is honestly too short to stress over a 5-pager, thats why your here isn't it? Like we say on the football field, everyone is here because they are supposed to be. Whether it is in the classroom, on the field, or in the social scene, as students we have the talent to do well. You are in the place you are in for a reason. Tests might come back with a seriously scary score, papers might be so marked up you can't even see the words, or you might be having problems getting along with a friend. Most likely though, you will get up tomorrow morning. Whether you like it or not, life goes on.
So, there is no other choice but to accept that and enjoy it. Some things have to be hard, but the challenge is half the fun. Your alarm might be ear piercing, annoying and ringing a bit too early, but hey you heard it go off didn't you. Maybe next time, instead of cussing out the time on the clock, sit up, and just think, "How good it is, that I am here today." What a way to start a day.
First: "How good it is..."
When you think about it, good cannot get much better than this. It is a rhetorical question, one that cannot be answered easily at all. If everyone really thinks about it, they can evaluate their own life at that moment, and decide how good it really is. Goodness is something undervalued in our society today, as life is often too fast paced to appreciate any of the goodness in their lives. That might be anything from a promotion at a job to a simple hello from a friend.
Second: "...that we are here today."
Are you happy to be alive? What does that entail? Just being in the world another day should be considered a blessing. Often, waking up in the morning is taken for granted. At the sound of an alarm clock, people start their day with a groan, a brief swear word, shouts about the lack of light outdoors, or just constant complaints about how early it is. We have all done it. If you knew it was your last day, would you react the same way?
Another aspect of Father using the word "here" is the reference to being in the building, at Muller Chapel, attending church. It is just an hour, but everyone hearing the statement took time out of their Sunday to listen to God's word. No one told us to go. It was our decision. How good is that? As college kids, that display of faith is impressive.
"How good it is, that we are here today."
This brings me to the football field. One might be surprised to hear me talking about a recent blowout loss St. John Fisher on here, but it makes sense, trust me. Much like Father Carsten's teachings, Head Coach Mike Welch hammers home the idea of staying in the moment. There is no reason to dwell on the past, or worry about the future, the only thing you can control is right now.
With that said, we lost, yet we stayed in the moment. Sometimes things don't work out. But, everyone on that team woke up the next day. Tough as it was, it was still good to wake up. This is a week of midterms, papers, and stress. Life is honestly too short to stress over a 5-pager, thats why your here isn't it? Like we say on the football field, everyone is here because they are supposed to be. Whether it is in the classroom, on the field, or in the social scene, as students we have the talent to do well. You are in the place you are in for a reason. Tests might come back with a seriously scary score, papers might be so marked up you can't even see the words, or you might be having problems getting along with a friend. Most likely though, you will get up tomorrow morning. Whether you like it or not, life goes on.
So, there is no other choice but to accept that and enjoy it. Some things have to be hard, but the challenge is half the fun. Your alarm might be ear piercing, annoying and ringing a bit too early, but hey you heard it go off didn't you. Maybe next time, instead of cussing out the time on the clock, sit up, and just think, "How good it is, that I am here today." What a way to start a day.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
This isn't Taylor Swift, but it is a love story
As a 21-year-old college junior who is still single, I am probably the last person who would be able to know what they are talking about when it comes to love. I'm not one for the mushy stuff, so normally I would not bring this type of stuff up in normal conversation. Sunday night was different for me though, as future husband and wife Lee Imbriano and Katie Rose Hoover gave the homily in front of the Catholic Community at Muller Chapel. Today, it is time to go deep.
Beforehand, I honestly thought I would just hear how much they loved each other and that everything was happily ever after. What struck me at first though, is that they took turns speaking, saying their peace one at a time. Being the gentleman that he is, Lee let his fiancee Katie Rose speak first. Each gave their own story of searching for love, which didn't seem so different from many other college type individuals I know.
Katie Rose had searched for the right man all throughout her undergraduate years, pointing out that she had some good and bad relationships. Yet, she found Lee while applying for a job at Nazareth Farm in West Virginia. Who knew that would happen? Lee was in grad school at Notre Dame while Katie Rose was there as an undergrad. For all they knew, they might have passed each other on a sidewalk, possibly muttering a simple friendly hello. Lee may have held a door open for Katie Rose, or vice versa. They would go on their way, as it was not yet God's plan to bring them together.
By working together at Nazareth Farm, they formed a relationship that wasn't forced, but natural. Often, people feel like they have to find their soul mate before they graduate, so they convince themselves that they are in love with some guy or girl they saw at midnight on a random Friday night. But it takes the time and work that Katie Rose and Lee put in beforehand to really know.
Like Lee said on Sunday, half of our parents our divorced. Half. That fifty percent may have rushed into it, they may think there are better things out there, or they may cite irreconciable differences. Lee and Katie Rose said there would be hard times, but being friends first, they didn't care about those times. They knew they could get through problems because of the bond they built at the very beginning. Some relationships may not turn into love like theirs, but that doesn't mean a person can't have friends.
They did not try to understand or figure out love, because it is pretty much impossible. They did not try to pinpoint what they were looking for in a person, only God knew who that person would be. It is an awesome story, and it is repeated every time they tell each other "I love you."
So maybe you will find someone today or tomorrow. Maybe you will find someone in 3 months, 6 months, five years, 10 years... No need to panic, the key to true happiness lies in what Lee and Katie Rose found. A best friend that they wanted to share the rough and happy times with. That is love...not something you normally find at Wegmans.
Beforehand, I honestly thought I would just hear how much they loved each other and that everything was happily ever after. What struck me at first though, is that they took turns speaking, saying their peace one at a time. Being the gentleman that he is, Lee let his fiancee Katie Rose speak first. Each gave their own story of searching for love, which didn't seem so different from many other college type individuals I know.
Katie Rose had searched for the right man all throughout her undergraduate years, pointing out that she had some good and bad relationships. Yet, she found Lee while applying for a job at Nazareth Farm in West Virginia. Who knew that would happen? Lee was in grad school at Notre Dame while Katie Rose was there as an undergrad. For all they knew, they might have passed each other on a sidewalk, possibly muttering a simple friendly hello. Lee may have held a door open for Katie Rose, or vice versa. They would go on their way, as it was not yet God's plan to bring them together.
By working together at Nazareth Farm, they formed a relationship that wasn't forced, but natural. Often, people feel like they have to find their soul mate before they graduate, so they convince themselves that they are in love with some guy or girl they saw at midnight on a random Friday night. But it takes the time and work that Katie Rose and Lee put in beforehand to really know.
Like Lee said on Sunday, half of our parents our divorced. Half. That fifty percent may have rushed into it, they may think there are better things out there, or they may cite irreconciable differences. Lee and Katie Rose said there would be hard times, but being friends first, they didn't care about those times. They knew they could get through problems because of the bond they built at the very beginning. Some relationships may not turn into love like theirs, but that doesn't mean a person can't have friends.
They did not try to understand or figure out love, because it is pretty much impossible. They did not try to pinpoint what they were looking for in a person, only God knew who that person would be. It is an awesome story, and it is repeated every time they tell each other "I love you."
So maybe you will find someone today or tomorrow. Maybe you will find someone in 3 months, 6 months, five years, 10 years... No need to panic, the key to true happiness lies in what Lee and Katie Rose found. A best friend that they wanted to share the rough and happy times with. That is love...not something you normally find at Wegmans.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Opening Kickoff
As advertised, I, Tom Eschen Jr, will be updating the world of blogs and twitters on anything happening from Muller Chapel and Ithaca College.
Whether it is dissecting a homily from Sunday Mass, speaking about news from the IC Campus, or just relating anything to the sports world, I'll do my best to bring some perspective on God's influence in our everyday lives.
With that said...I am definitely looking forward to hearing Campus Minister Lee Imbriano and his fiancee of three months Katie Rose speak about Marriage this coming Sunday at 1 and 9 at the Chapel. Be sure to check here for my thoughts.
Your feedback is always welcome...
Whether it is dissecting a homily from Sunday Mass, speaking about news from the IC Campus, or just relating anything to the sports world, I'll do my best to bring some perspective on God's influence in our everyday lives.
With that said...I am definitely looking forward to hearing Campus Minister Lee Imbriano and his fiancee of three months Katie Rose speak about Marriage this coming Sunday at 1 and 9 at the Chapel. Be sure to check here for my thoughts.
Your feedback is always welcome...
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Guatemala Trip!
At the end of the Spring 2009 semester a group of nine Catholic Community members took a trip to Guatemala. If you'd like to take a look at some of their pictures, feel free to browse:
Kristyne's Pics:
Student Reflections:
I wanted to share with you a little bit about what I did while staying in San Lucas Tolimàn, Guatemala. The Mission at San Lucas was started over forty years ago by and is still run by Fr. Greg Shaffer. It works to uphold the Christian Teachings of Social Justice. Fr. Greg explained this philosophy to my group with a story from early in his time in Guatemala. In his attempts to minister to the people of San Lucas, he considered bringing in huge bags of corn from his home in Minnesota for the people so they could make themselves tortillas. But instead of taking that route to provide food for the people in the form of handouts, he thought that he could do for them one better. He decided that in his ministry he could work to pave the roads for the Guatemalan people so they could hold their heads high with the dignity of providing for themselves. With his philosophy in mind, eight others and I went to work each day in San Lucas in the hopes of continuing Fr. Greg's mission.
One day we went swimming because there was no work for us. We went to the market on the lake and walked around Guatemala for a last time. We left on Wednesday. One of the girls on my trip, Kristyne, did not want to leave. I can't say honestly that I wanted to stay as I was ready to go home after a semester away from home, but I did want the feeling of service to remain. I wanted to do more work and spend more time with the Guatemalan people because it was the people over that helped me to realize the most about life and what I need to do to serve others. Even though I am not in Guatemala right now, I do feel that the impact that the Mayan people and the Fr. Greg's mission (more than the actual work that I did to help the people) had on me will always be with me. In the two weeks that I have been home, I've been trying to live a better life, more active than passive. Why let my life pass me, or be bogged down with things that do not make me happy? I really think that God gives us the gift of life and we just need to make sure we treasure it for everything that it's worth and use it for the benefit of others. That is why I wanted to go to Guatemala. I wanted to start living my life for others. I really think that the trip helped me to jumpstart this passion in me. Even though this trip pushed me outside of my comfort zone, like getting my clothes covered in dirt, I found comfort in the fact that I put my life in God's hands knowing that He would be with me through my journey.
I am so grateful for the opportunity to participate in this mission trip to Guatemala to be among the indigenous Mayan people (who at the tallest came up to my shoulders). It was a very powerful trip and I hope others take the opportunity to take up missions like this one.
I am so grateful for the opportunity to participate in this mission trip to Guatemala to be among the indigenous Mayan people (who at the tallest came up to my shoulders). It was a very powerful trip and I hope others take the opportunity to take up missions like this one.
-Lizzy Honas is a rising junior English Education Major at Ithaca College. To read Lizzy's entire reflection, click here.
It was a great trip, one I'll always remember. It was my first time out of the country, my first time seeing palm trees (not on TV), and my first time in a primarily Spanish-speaking environment. I kept working on some things I had become aware of during my time at Nazareth Farm, namely that there are many invisible people whom I affect with my way of life without even knowing it. So, for those ten days, my goal was to see and listen and make those people visible so that I would know how I affect their lives, and so that I can live in a way that enables them to live with dignity. (An example would be making sure to buy fair trade coffee instead of just going to the Caribou or Starbucks and not checking whether the producers of the coffee paid the farmers and workers fair wages.) I also wanted to connect with the Guatemalan people, and I found this difficult to do because of the language barrier. I don't speak much Spanish. I knew enough to ask where the dirt we were shoveling should go, and how to barter. My most extensive conversations in Spanish consisted of asking and answering questions of age, hometown, and favorite sports. So, while I was not able to discuss heavy issues with the locals, I did come to a valuable understanding of what it must be like to come to America and not know much English. And, I was lucky, because at mealtimes I came back to the mission where English speakers were in the majority again - not all English Language Learners have that opportunity in the U.S.
I really enjoyed the couple of talks we heard from workers at the mission. Fr. Greg's told us about the encomienda system and how the finkas (plantations) in place did not provide for their workers. The mission at San Lucas Toliman has done so much in the last four decades to improve the living conditions in the town! Fr. Greg also told us that our presence on the work sites, which were led by locals, helped the self-image of the people. "They come to the conclusion that, since you come to help, they must be worth helping," he said. I think that means a lot in a place where about 90% of the advertisements feature happy Caucasian people with all kinds of possessions and access to medical care: the fact that we come to work for them makes us all equals, in a way. I also loved hearing from Choana (sp?), one of the kitchen ladies at the mission. She told us about the civil war years in the '80s, when her husband was abducted and never heard from again. She helped Fr. Greg rescue 11 children from a neighboring town, after the government had killed their parents and was looking to silence them before they could testify against the army in court. I kept thinking, "I couldn't have been so brave." They are such a strong people.
Of course, I also had lots of fun being a tourist, swimming in Lake Atitlan, riding the boat across the lake, shopping in many colorful markets, following an 8-year-old to see the sights around town, and hiking up a mountain. There were so many pieces of the experience that I couldn't sum all of them up in a brief reflection.
-Molly Mattingly is a 2009 graduate of Ithaca College. In the fall, Molly will be enrolled in the Master of Sacred Music program at Notre Dame, and she will also be an Assistant Rector in a girls' dorm.
Monday, May 4, 2009
End-of-the-Year Picnic
This past Saturday, May 2nd, was our annual End-of-the-Year picnic at Buttermilk Falls. It was a lovely day, and we enjoyed food thanks to our awesome grill-master, Lee. How can you go wrong with good food, great company, a frisbee, a swingset and gorges?
Wanna see pictures???
Fred's pics
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