There is so much to write about. First, today is Ash Wednesday. Lent has begun. I’m hoping that it’s going to be the most fruitful up til now. I’ve made some resolutions that have entrusted to Our Lady. The past few days were a kind of pre-Lenten preparation…
I have been reading a book about the words called the words today one of the postulates with my sister sent it to me through her. It’s very good – it reminds me a lot about different aspects of my experience. Right now Chapter 3 is about whole idea of a pilgrimage. That is what our lives about. We are programs making our way to our final destination.
On Friday I received knighthood—my third degree in the nights of Columbus! It was quite an experience. I learned something of what is it to be a knight and a chivalrous one at that.
Saturday was the Arise DC ’09 young adult event held at Catholic University campus. The theme of the day was “It is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me”. It was pretty awesome. In a later post, I hope to share some of the things that I picked up at the event. For now, here’s something from Bishop Gonzalez, auxiliary bishop of Washington. He gave a great talk at the outset. And he’s pretty funny too—good stuff. Very entertaining.
He told the story of the ‘holy man’ at the side of the river. A young student approaches him and expresses his desire to find God. The ‘holy man’ grabs him by the neck and submerges his head in the water while he gasps and kicks frantically. Finally the ‘holy man’ pulls his head back and tells him to come back when he desires God like he desired to take a breath of air. The bishop said that that is how much we should desire God.
It was good pre-Lenten retreat and I’m glad to have been there. I really needed that. Here’s an article about the event from the Catholic Herald:
http://www.catholicherald.com/local_news/detail.html?sub_id=9496
I thought about the words from Galatians… I think I’m going to take that as my Lenten motto because it is all about becoming more and more Christ-like in letting him take over so much so that when people see us there are seeing us. If I have been crucified with Christ then I should remain silent when I am being contradicted and should refrain from justifying myself when it is not absolutely required. Rather, I should try to think about Jesus on the cross and how all the scoffers ridiculed and told him to come down from the cross if he was who he said he was. Among other things, I will also try to devote more time to spiritual reading and reflection.