If there is anything I've learned in the past year, is that God works in mysterious and, often, comical ways. Only He could orchestrate for ordinary, very human and full-of-fault men to participate intimately in sharing the Body of Christ. They spend their days conversing with God and sharing Him with those entrusted to their care.
These priests have been such a good influence in my spiritual journey. Not only are they busy with ministering to the sick and dying, but they still care for others and are attentive to the needs of others. The highlight of my Christmas break was encountering Christ through friendships with priests who know me and my family so well. I love the monks on campus and they often have very pertinent teachings. I especially connect with the monks or priests on campus who intentionally minister to the students and participate in academic or sport functions. Br. Edward is a good friend to me because he has taken me under his wing and enabled me to open up about my struggles to him. There is also something beautiful about rekindling old friendships with priests who have stuck with me through my formation and transition from highschool to college. I think Fr. Vander-Woude just looked at me and laughed because he knows me. he told me that he has been asking about me from friends. How silly of me to think that he would forget. He still exudes care and holiness and I think he sees my mom in me. Oh goodness! "Your mom, she's something else."
Fr. Larry has such a grace of remembering as well. He always knows just what I need to hear and confession with him is SO GOOD. And just the mutual friendships his spirituality has lead me to discover is something that only God could orchestrate, like my summer physical therapy internship. Such a blessing and privilege to go to confession with this good man. And he also understands the broader picture of me because he knows my family and our values.
Fr. Paul just knows my family so well and he has walked through the journey, even from a distance, of our struggles and joys. He has chosen to participate in the journey with us because of his loving personality. What a blessing it is to know these priests! And his friendship is such that he still opens up about his personal relationship with Christ.
A popular event on campus is Theology on Tap where priests have a relaxed discussion with students and answer questions. Oh and alcohol is also involved for those 21 and up so it's a pretty sweet deal. The most recent priest talked about the difference between confession, spiritual direction and spiritual counseling. Confession is when we confess sins and receive the grace of forgiveness. Spiritual direction is accountability and receiving recommendations for self-improvement in the spiritual life. These include telling the spiritual director of one's struggles with sins while also forming a game plan of how to avoid sinning in the future. On the other hand, spiritual counseling is much more psychologically based and goes through the struggle of removing a sin by expressing the origin of where the struggle resulted from in child hood. It was very enlightening to distinguish between these various spiritual aides.
God speaks to us by consoling our hearts through the twists and turns of life. Sometimes I am fearful of the change that God is directing towards my heart and would prefer to assert my own independence. But He calls and soothes me back down toward him. Then, there are times when His hand is very obvious: through conversing with others, spiritual reading, and things He brings up in our hearts. We just have to have the perspective to see His work underlying EVERYTHING and to grow in awe of Him. Like Fr. Kirby said, God's ways are strange to those who are strangers to God.
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