The dictionary says that a champion is: a person who has defeated all opponents in a competition or series of competitions, so as to holdfirst place: anything that takes first place in competition: a person who fights for or defends any person or cause: a champion of the oppressed.
From these definitions, I'd say that the Fighting Irish are indeed the champions! They defeated all their opponents in their season, they took 1st place in the nation, and they defend the oppressed as a University dedicated to Christ. Woo Hoo!
It was a great season and I am always proud to call my self an IRISH fan! And I love Alabama so I get to also be happy for the winners of that particular game. It's a great day for football fans.
I have been humbled this week by families that pray together and put Christ at the center of their lives. It is a great honor to have prayed with Elizabeth and her mom in the hospital today and to share the gift of music with her. I am letting her borrow my ukele for a time and she already learned "Amazing Grace" within 1/2 an hour of picking the thing up. She is an inspiration to me and I know that God has big big plans for her.
There is a stirring in my heart and I don't know what it is telling me but it is almost ready to articulate itself. We will see what becomes of it. Lord, make me ready to hear it's voice.
I pray for people who suffer from addiction and mental illness. Please help those of us not afflicted by these diseases be instruments of healing and peace to them. Give me grace to accept your will in my life and help me to do my personal best every minute of every day. Amen
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Monday, January 7, 2013
What would you fight for?
Today is the BCS National Championship game between Notre Dame and Alabama. It was all I thought about for days after ND found out they were in the championship. It is the most exciting thing and yet I feel lack luster somehow.
I just spent a couple of hours at Children's Hospital visiting a middle schooler who is struggling. While we were there I heard screams coming from the next room of a 16 year old girl who is fighting anorexia. She was in agony.
I just had my wedding rings stolen from me by my godson who has been fighting a severe heroin addiction. People are in agony and struggling to survive. There are champions fighting all around me. And, I, dare I say, am actually one of them. I am fighting to forgive, fighting to love radically, fighting to not wallow in the loneliness I am feeling today. It's hard.
Is my defense better or my offense? Do I handle pressure in the pocket well? Do I make stupid mistakes that cost me yardage? Do I make the wrong or right calls? Do I win gracefully? Do I lose graciously? Do I call in support when it's a critical 3rd down situation? Do I attempt a trick play when nothing steady has been working? Do I keep my head in the game when the crowd is too loud? Do I appreciate the people that are playing the game with me? Do I seek the advice of other coaches? Do I get caught up in the hype? Do I let the opponents intimidate me? Do I excessively celebrate and/or do I have poor sportsmanship? Do I bounce back after getting beat up? Do I rehabilitate my injuries properly? Do I second guess my play calls? Do I have confidence in my abilities? Do I love playing or do I just go through the motions?
These are my thoughts today. It seems a little more than just a silly football game or does it? Football may indeed be a metaphor for life somehow. All I know is that at the end of the day, Notre Dame will still belong to Our Lady and so will I, so I guess it's all good. The importance is in the journey and how well you show up and the results may not be evident today or tomorrow, but they will be revealed in time. The key is knowing what you would fight for and fighting a good fight. Go IRISH!
I just spent a couple of hours at Children's Hospital visiting a middle schooler who is struggling. While we were there I heard screams coming from the next room of a 16 year old girl who is fighting anorexia. She was in agony.
I just had my wedding rings stolen from me by my godson who has been fighting a severe heroin addiction. People are in agony and struggling to survive. There are champions fighting all around me. And, I, dare I say, am actually one of them. I am fighting to forgive, fighting to love radically, fighting to not wallow in the loneliness I am feeling today. It's hard.
Is my defense better or my offense? Do I handle pressure in the pocket well? Do I make stupid mistakes that cost me yardage? Do I make the wrong or right calls? Do I win gracefully? Do I lose graciously? Do I call in support when it's a critical 3rd down situation? Do I attempt a trick play when nothing steady has been working? Do I keep my head in the game when the crowd is too loud? Do I appreciate the people that are playing the game with me? Do I seek the advice of other coaches? Do I get caught up in the hype? Do I let the opponents intimidate me? Do I excessively celebrate and/or do I have poor sportsmanship? Do I bounce back after getting beat up? Do I rehabilitate my injuries properly? Do I second guess my play calls? Do I have confidence in my abilities? Do I love playing or do I just go through the motions?
These are my thoughts today. It seems a little more than just a silly football game or does it? Football may indeed be a metaphor for life somehow. All I know is that at the end of the day, Notre Dame will still belong to Our Lady and so will I, so I guess it's all good. The importance is in the journey and how well you show up and the results may not be evident today or tomorrow, but they will be revealed in time. The key is knowing what you would fight for and fighting a good fight. Go IRISH!
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Kid Confessions.
I got to sing at our school's Advent reconciliation service today. It's a lovely gig really. I am blessed to be able to serenade people, specifically children, as all their sins are being forgiven. I watch how freaked out they are before confession and I witness how light on their feet they become after confession. Priests seem to be at their best while hearing confessions and they radiate tenderness which is refreshing to experience.
One lyric that continues to frolic in my soul: "You dwell in the songs that we are singing rising to the Heavens, rising to Your heart."
Capture our hearts today, Lord, so that we might sing and dance, and confess our love for you, now and always.
One lyric that continues to frolic in my soul: "You dwell in the songs that we are singing rising to the Heavens, rising to Your heart."
Capture our hearts today, Lord, so that we might sing and dance, and confess our love for you, now and always.
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Waiting is good!
I think that the essence of value is something that is "worth" the wait.
We measure the worth of a ride at Disneyland based on the wait time and we measure our love of that ride based on our willingness to stand in line for the full wait time.
We've been waiting for almost 20 years for Notre Dame to get back into the National Championship game and that long long wait is what makes this season so magical. I imagine the Bama folks don't have the same sense of wonder and awe because they just experienced the glory of it all last year. The wait makes it better somehow.
Waiting makes us appreciate what is to come. Waiting grows our patience and the fruit of patience is peace. When I surrender to waiting, I am at peace. When I surrender to the 60 minute wait time for Space Mountain, I am free to enjoy the time spent in anticipation for something exhilarating and wonderful. Anticipation heightens our senses and allows us to soak it all in.
Even though the commercial world think it's Christmas now (I mean I heard Christmas music at the mall the week BEFORE Thanksgiving), we Catholics, know that this time is sacred because we get to WAIT. In all the waiting, our hope increases, our peace engages, and our knowledge that Christ is definitely worth the wait allows us to sleep with sugar plums dancing and beautiful music serenading! Amen
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