A Knight's Walk in the Kingdom

theophilus April 2nd, 2008

Sometime ago, I wrote about the Biggest Loser and certain relationship lessons we could learn from this show.

Last night, the show got down to the final four – and throughout the night’s show, they showed before and after footage – before they were on the show and what they look like now.  The literal transformation of these individuals – they have lost an average of 95 pounds each – has been simply amazing. 

They are different people – different bodies, different attitudes, different outlooks on life, different futures.  They will live dramaticaly different lives – they are already better people who have each grown incredibly during the show.   They have cast aside whatever barriers were holding them back.  They will hopefully end up being better parents, spouses, friends – and maybe, even better servants for God.

And that’s what makes the show so uplifting.  These folks didn’t believe in themselves before the show started.  Now, they truly believe in themselves – they believe in their future.

And that’s the lesson for each of us.  Christ wants us – heck, he needs us – at our best.  God gives us each so many opportunities to fulfill our purpose – to accomplish what we have been called to do.  He gives us each what we need but we too often blow it by screwing up our bodies - by eating too much, not exercising, drinking too much, taking drugs – whatever we do that causes damage to our body – the “temple” that St. Paul wrote about in his first letter to the Corinthians (1 Cor 6).

But, it’s up to us.  No matter what we have done in our past – no matter how we look now – no matter what we put in our bodies yesterday - we can get our bodies in good shape – the condition that God intends for us.  We don’t have to live our lives overburdened by excess weight, bad habits, or destructive addictions. 

We can change – we just need to trust in God’s plan for us, find a program that is good for us, and get to work.  Pick a challenge and go after it.  Let us believe in ourselves and that we can accomplish anything that God wills for us – ANYTHING!

The show has one more regular show left (next Tuesday) and then the finale a week later.  If you haven’t been watching it, I highly recommend you pull yourself from American Idol, Dancing with the Stars or the ballgame for a week.  You will be inspired, moved, uplifted, motivated.  If your physical life isn’t where you want it – the show will get you moving on the road to the body God intends for you.

• Cultural , Family , God's Call , Jesus , Renewal , Role Models , Sacrifice , Uncategorized
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theophilus February 15th, 2008

I love to learn about the Church in other parts of the world – especially in underdeveloped countries.  What our brethern have to go through in order to live and practice our faith.  Knowing the challenges they face make me a better observant and helps me ignore the thousands of excuses that flood my brain when I need to be praying, or going to Mass, confession or devotion.

Usually, I’m reading about the Church in Asia or Africa.  But, the other day I received a fundraising appeal in the mail concerning a mission church right here in the good ole’ U.S.A. – the Diocese of Fairbanks, Alaska.

How about the following statistics:

• 409,849 square miles
• 14,500 Catholics (out of a population of 161,000)
• 5 urban parishes; 4 rural non-road parishes; 37 non-road mission parishes
• 1 radio station (oldest in the U.S.)
• 1 high school
• 1 elementary school
• 1,390 children under religious instruction
• 2 native ministry training centers
• Served by 1 bishop (Bishop Kettler), 2 brothers, 25 priests (20 are active), 15 sisters, 27 ordained deacons, 1 seminarian
• 8 parishes are financially self-sustaining; 38 parishes are mission parishes.
• 3 parishes date from the 19th Century.

Geographically, take a line across Alaska just north of Anchorage and go north – through the Artic Circle, all the way to Barrow, Prudhoe Bay and Russia – and you have the Diocese of Fairbanks.  It is the largest in the U.S. in geographic terms and is the only diocese to be part of the Congregation for the Evangelization of the Peoples, the missionary arm of the Church.

Everyone knows that Alaska is a land of extreme weather conditions and a high cost of living.  Yet, a large part of the population lives modestly or in poverty.

As there is only one priest for every 20,000 square miles, some parishoners may go two months without seeing a priest.

It’s not the best environment to either worship or minister to the faithful – yet, the ministry is vibrant and very much alive.  Alaskans tend not to make excuses – sub-zero temperatures and vast distances tend to beat weakness out of you.  So Alaskan Catholics find a way to worship and practice their faith.  For those in roadless parishes, they do not take for granted the divine gift of the Eucharist or the saving power of the confessional.  They know how to sustain their faith in times of difficulty.

And, we should take a lesson from them.  Some Alaskans can go two months without a full Mass – yet we have many to choose from each and every day.  They may go two months without confession or eucharistic adoration, yet those of us who live in urban areas can always find a confessional or a church having adoration.  Alaskans can get to Church despite feet of snow, bitter cold and miles to travel.  We may only have to go down the road.  Even in Ohio, we only face single-digit temperatures and a couple of inches of snow on the ground.  So what’s our excuse?

Let’s stop making excuses for not practicing our faith.  Let’s not let life get in our way of showing God that we love him.  The Alaskans don’t – we shouldn’t either.

As a side note, on Wednesday, the Diocese of Fairbanks announced that it is filing for bankruptcy under Chapter 11.  The Diocese is facing 150 lawsuits from sexual abuse cases from the ’50s to the ’80s.  They are trying to help the victims and carry on their apostolic mission.  So, we should keep all involved in our prayers.

• Cultural , U.S.A.
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