7 Quick Takes: Looking Forward Edition, 1/31/15

Having a newborn in the house is, as advertised, a great way to cut down on sleep.  It's also given me more cause to look ahead; I'm excited to see how he grows up, what he'll look like, what his personality will be, and so on.  Here are my quick takes this week of other things I'm looking forward to: 

1) There are a lot of good events for Catholic men in the near future.  At the end of February, there's a brief men's conference in Pendleton: Go West Catholic Men.  I can't help but hear some theme music in the background... 

Okay, no, there isn't any horse riding or shooting (although either of those might boost attendance).  I'm not sure I'll be able to attend, but I have in years past.  It's worth the drive to Pendleton!

2) I've had a history of failed attempts at starting up a book club; the timing never seems to be right.  I began reading Guardini's The Lord and writing about it on this blog--it was neat to discuss it with my mom (the only commenter.  Hi Mom!).  It so happened that one of my failed attempts to start a book group for Advent turned into an actualized book group for Lent!  We'll be reading the second volume of Pope Benedict's Jesus of Nazareth, which covers Holy Week and the Resurrection.  

3) I'm also looking forward to the continuing release of Marvel's Star Wars comics.  They use the original trilogy characters (the best!).  There's a series for all the heroes together; there will also be individual series for Darth Vader and Princess Leia.  It's sort of a rediscovery of my childhood... I wasn't "into" comic books at the time.  Now I get to be a kid again!  

4) Speaking of Star Wars, I'm still eagerly awaiting the release of Episode 7... in 11 months.  It was mentioned in a recent episode of Parks & Recreation: a company slipped a contract item past Adam Scott's character, Ben, by sending it to him on the opening day of Episode 7.  

5) I had my first article published about a month ago, here.  Maybe published isn't quite the right word, but it's an article for a blog.  I received my second assignment, and I'm looking forward to it being done.  It's due in about two days, and here I am writing on my blog...   

6) In a few weeks is the final confirmation retreat at my parish.  I had a great experience at the first one, and the Holy Spirit did not disappoint.  Please say a prayer for the teens that are going on that retreat!

7) My family will be coming into town for my son's baptism.  That above all else is what I'm looking forward to!  And I made it to seven quick takes for the second time in a row... 

For more quick takes, visit www.thisaintthelyceum.org!

E-Book Club: "The Lord" Ch. 5

Alas, The Lord has been put aside a few times already, and I'm about to put it aside again.  For Lent, I'm going to be reading Pope Benedict's second Jesus of Nazareth book.  Ironically, this was about how far I got through The Lord the last time I picked it up (for class, about 10 years ago).

The most recent break I took from The Lord (other than laziness) was to read an Advent book: Pope Benedict's Jesus of Nazareth: The Infancy Narratives.  It was a short book and one that didn't go into quite as much depth as his first Nazareth book.  Even so, our German shepherd's reflections are very profound and even personal.  I likened reading the book to sitting down with him and having a cup of coffee, as you would your grandfather or a favorite professor.

Anyway, my last Guardini post for a little while.

Ch. 5: Baptism & Temptation
What stood out to me in the beginning of this chapter was Guardini pointing out the key that unlocks the story of Jesus' baptism.  It is an act of incredible humility.  Jesus, the divine Son, condescends to our level and abides by our rules--the source of John the Baptist's hesitation.  Jesus had no sins to wash away!

We think according to our fallen nature, and can't step inside Jesus' mind to know how He thought as He lived on this earth.  One of the greatest temptations for me in the past has been to think of rules as not pertaining to me.  Sure, this or that is generally wrong, but not for me in this instance!  Jesus would've been perfectly justified (literally) in not getting baptized.  And what a lesson in humility He taught us by going through with it!

The second part of the chapter goes into the temptation in the desert.  One of the little things Guardini points out is that Jesus doesn't engage in dialogue with the devil.  He answers "straight to the core of the test" (pg. 29).  It's the only strategy to employ when facing off with the evil one.  How often to we get into it with the devil, thinking we're stronger and smarter?  Sort of negotiate with him, and think we can entertain the temptation without succumbing?

I thought this final point very insightful, too: reading between the lines of the story.  For the 3rd temptation, imagine the draw for Jesus.  Again, not that He entertained the temptation or ever sinned.  In offering the world to Him, the devil could have been implying: who better to rule the world than You?  I mean, really?  Power hungry emperors will rise and fall; nations will form and disintegrate.  Who would be the literally perfect ruler of the entire world?  JESUS!!  Like so many other temptations, there's an element of truth in it--and even a good (although flawed) intention.  Temporal power was not His aim, however.  Jesus had an even greater role to play in humanity.

7 Quick Takes: New Baby Edition, 1/24/15

Our little boy came into the world rather quickly on Monday night.  Baby Leo Jerome has been our long-awaited child, not just over the last nine months--really, over the last three years.  Multiple medications, lots of doctor visits, two NaPro doctors (one who was especially awesome), trips to Washington and Cincinnati, one surgery and a really sharp surgeon, and more shots than my wife cares to remember.  We are very, very thankful to God for this wonderful blessing!  And also thankful to the countless people who have been praying for us for the past three years.  Waiting was difficult and downright awful at times... but Our Lord is nothing if not faithful.  For all three of you reading this, please say a prayer for those that are still waiting. 


Now for my 7 quick takes on having a baby and becoming a daddy:

1) First things first.  With the angels and saints, and our family and friends who have been praying for us...

"Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  For every one who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened." (Matt 7:7-8) 

2) I'm STUNNED at how much my wife has gone through.  I'm so thankful for her; I've come to love her even more than I ever thought possible; I'm so impressed at her capacity to handle everything.  The years of aforementioned shots... getting a c-section... all the recovery involved after surgery...  That's no antihistamine, as Fr. Jerome would say (=nothing to sneeze at, quoting Bullwinkle), everything that led up to the baby being born.  After baby?  I've hardly slept, and my wife has slept even less.  She's amazing, and whatever she's feeling, she's already been an incredible mom. 

3) The lack of sleep thing?  I had no idea.  No.  Idea.  The way the world keeps time doesn't exist anymore.  Day, night, meal times... it's all relative now, until Leo gets onto a more normal sleeping schedule.  There was a commercial recently (that I would've included in this if I could find it) that showed two parents.  The dad says something to the extent of, "The kids are gone for the weekend.  Want to get crazy?"  The mom says yes, and the next frame is of them passed out, asleep.  That sounds SO AWESOME right now, and I could never appreciate it before having a baby.

4) I've been very humbled with the love & generosity with which we've been showered.  Our friends & family have brought us meals, offered help with babysitting, been by to visit, and brought us gifts, too.  Several coworkers brought me gifts for the baby, which surprised me a great deal.  A simple smile & "congratulations!" would've been sufficient... yet they gave a gift.  I feel incredibly loved, and it's hard to figure out what I did to deserve any of it.  

5) Leo's birth happened much quicker than I thought it would, and due to the c-section, our stay in the hospital lasted longer than I expected.  The learning curve has been steep for me--while not incapable, I've never really been around little kids for extended periods of time.  Every new hurdle has started out looking insurmountable, which could be condensed to, what were we thinking?  We can't handle this!  Then, with a little patience, some time, and some hysterical crying (either mine, the baby's, or both), that hurdle is behind us.  

6) My entire life has been reoriented.  I've tried to sit down to write this post a few times today, and didn't get the chance last night.  And blogging falls behind some other things on the list of importance, like trying to keep up with the dishes (moving to plastic & paper), laundry (good luck), taking out the trash (in process), getting the mail (two days late), and even showering.  Who knew showering was such a luxury?  I showered last night at 10:30 p.m. and it was awesome!  Only my second shower since Leo was born five days ago.  This recent commercial is right on point: 

7) The "silence is golden" saying has never been so true.  It's one of the most beautiful sounds in the world, aside from Leo's adorable baby sneezes and baby yawns.  I thought I appreciated the quiet before, in my time as a seminarian.  Quiet time was for study, prayer, contemplation, and watching movies on my computer with headphones.  Now it's vital recharging time for my ears, my sanity, and my sleep.  

For more quick takes, visit www.thisaintthelyceum.org!

PUBLISHED ARTICLE!!!

I wrote an article about public revelation for www.coraevans.com, one that I didn't think was going to get published.  I haven't had an article published since a small vignette for the local diocesan newspaper (while I was in college) and an article on baseball cards when I was in 3rd or 4th grade ("My Friend" magazine, which was published by the Daughters of St. Paul and doesn't exist anymore).

Here is the article: http://www.coraevans.com/blog/article/public-revelation-what-who-when-where-how

3 Secrets to Heaven: Humility, Humility, & Humility

The older I get, I notice the passage of time in small bits of daily life more than anything else.  My hair disappears a little more; extra physical activity reminds me that I'm not a teenager; although I think of myself as sort of young at heart and cool, the reality is that I'm a 35 year-old that can't stand some of the trends that the kids like these days.  New Years' Eve used to be more of a benchmark for me than it is now; it was a big deal and an occasion to party.  Mind you, partying for me in college was getting together with my friends to play Goldeneye on Nintendo 64.

In my advanced age, I now look at New Years' Eve as a pseudo-Friday night.  The first of the year is a national holiday (=no work!!!) and this year it was a welcome break in the middle of the week.  What impacted me most for New Years' this time around wasn't getting together with friends, watching anything, or playing video games.  It was going to Mass on the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God.  As we knelt during the creed--"and by the power of the Holy Spirit, He was born of the Virgin Mary, and became man"--I attempted to pray that as humbly as I could.  I pictured myself in front of our Blessed Mother, profoundly bowing as an attendant at a royal court (without all the frilly clothes and funny hats).

Holy return on investment, Batman, you'd think I'd never prayed a humble prayer before in my life.  It set the interior tone for me the rest of Mass, and a subtle, embering joy filled me.  It was awesome!    

Then I recalled having a similar experience at the 9 p.m. Christmas Eve (a.k.a. midnight) Mass.  As I was screeching singing in the choir, I had the joyful feeling that I was joining my voice to that of the angels in heaven.  I praised God with the angels, as if they were standing right next to me!   As weak/small/unworthy/so on as I am!

The result?  I cantored the Psalm and it was the best cantoring I'd ever done in four or five years.  I was confident (I always get nervous cantoring), I didn't hit too many off notes (can't hit 'em all), and I wasn't stressed (which I am every time I do it).  Singing the rest of the Mass filled me with that same subtle joy.  Here again, it was a humble prayer that set the spiritual tone.

I'm very thankful for those experiences, on a few levels.  First, I'm glad for the experience themselves.  I may verbally participate in the Mass every week, but I hadn't interiorly participated in Mass like that in a while.  Probably longer than I care to admit...  Second, for all the talk of a sublime joy, I have an awful lot of subtle pride.  I consider myself a good guy, and not arrogant in the stereotypical jerk way.  Not all proud people/actions are complete jerks!  Third and finally, I have something to push toward and a virtue to cultivate.