Committing to the Holy One

The Scripture passages proclaimed for the 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time are very special for me:  They were proclaimed at the first Mass I ever attended at St. Teresa of Avila Roman Catholic Student Center at Valparaiso University, on Sunday, August 23, 2009.

After the heartbreak of moving away from my beloved, longtime home for the first time, I was truly invigorated by what I experienced at St. Teresa's during that one hour at 11 AM Mass.  I saw a community that was truly alive in living out faith and demonstrated the Roman Catholic Church to be a force for good in the world.

Indeed, being part of the St. Teresa's community would have a transformative effect on my life, bringing me alive in faith like never before, even as it was reminiscent of the ways in which I was brought alive in faith during my middle school years, culminating in my Confirmation in 2005.

Attending Mass at St. Teresa's for the first time was like a secondary Confirmation, confirming that even in a new environment, I would continue to practice my faith.  But it also confirmed that my faith was so strong, I would never consider not attending Mass and putting faith into action in other ways.

In the same spirit as the reading from Joshua, the community of St. Teresa's was committing itself to serve the Lord by serving college students like me.  They sacrificed themselves in supporting me, like St. Paul says Christ did for His Church, which is represented in marriage.  And aware of how God was at work in my life, I made that commitment, too.  Like St. Peter tells Christ, I turn to God, even in difficult times, because He has the words of Everlasting Life, and I truly believe He is the Holy One of God, a belief which was strengthened during my time at St. Teresa's.  And I delight to put it in action by teaching RE, which makes me eager to start a new year, ministering to a new group of students.

Dan and Ann Ruggaber truly embodied that spirit of support that St. Teresa's demonstrated in the way they showed their love for me, the kind of spiritual nourishment that God grants us, in the same spirit as He offers us the Body and Blood of Christ in the Eucharist, just as if I was their own son.  Truly the commitment they made 50 years ago has come to be a blessing for so many.  And that's why I was so delighted to be part of their Golden Wedding Anniversary celebration last weekend, even offering them a tribute. 

I am posing with Dan and Ann Ruggaber at their Golden Wedding Anniversary celebration on August 18, 2018.  One of the guests took this photo--someone who I believe was a relative.

The relationship we share continues strong because of the wonderful way our bonds were forged within the context of church community.  They, along with the rest of the St. Teresa's community, has truly brought me alive.  That's why I celebrate August 23 every year, that I may continue to rejoice in the gift of faith.

With the three-year cycle in the readings, we've come back to Cycle A for Sunday, August 26, 2018, and these readings that I heard 9 years ago at that first St. Teresa's Mass, and I rejoice in continuing to commit myself to the Lord along with all His people.

Dan and Ann: A Golden Tribute

With great joy I celebrate this day, for it was 50 years ago, on August 17, 1968, that Dan and Ann Ruggaber were married.

Now let's fast forward 41 years and 6 days later:  I moved away from by beloved home in Oak Park on August 22, 2009, to take up long-term residence at Valparaiso University upon the commencement of my freshman year there.  It was a day marked by great heartbreak, but I underwent a profound change in circumstances the following day, August 23, when I attended Mass for the first time at St. Teresa's at 11 AM:  I encountered God fully alive in a community passionately and vibrantly expressing their faith, especially in doing their part to support college students like me.

There was a reception with food and drink following Mass.  As I talked with a fellow freshman, Tyler, with whom I remain good friends to this day, a sophomore student approached us and enthusiastically encouraged us to sign up for the Adopt-a-Student program, where students would be matched with community members to be in a relationship, as a way to connect with the broader community at St. Teresa's.

I have a vague memory of having heard about this program before this moment, and I was certainly interested in signing up.  So that enthusiastic plug just gave me all the more reason to do so.

About a month later, on September 20, I picked up an envelope from St. Teresa's that informed me I had been paired with Dan and Ann Ruggaber.  The next morning, I sat down at a computer and opened up my e-mail, all ready to send them a message to introduce myself.  But, lo and behold, they had already sent me an e-mail introducing themselves, and so I responded to share about myself.  They had just moved to Valparaiso a few weeks ago during the previous summer, and because of a family connection, decided to be part of St. Teresa's.  So we had a common bond of settling in to new life in Valparaiso.

We made arrangements to have a meal together that coming Saturday, September 26.  After submitting my weekly essay for Christ College class by the noon Saturday deadline, I went to the St. Teresa's parking lot, where Dan and Ann arrived to pick me up and take me out to lunch at Round the Clock in downtown Valparaiso--I believe it was in their red car.

Thus began a very memorable relationship.  We got to know each other over that meal, with Dan even going so far as to write out the steps leading to the formula for the derivative in calculus, as he had taught math for many years after serving in the US Air Force for a stint.  Following that meal, they brought me back to campus and had me show them around the places I frequented.

One of the first things I noticed about Dan and Ann is how they live out their commitment to faith in being mindful of those in need, and striving to uphold the God-given dignity of all people.  In the prayer before our first meal together, Dan said something to the effect of asking God to keep us mindful of those who don't have enough to eat.  They have been involved in social justice efforts throughout their lives, and continue it, especially in volunteer work they do at St. Teresa's.  Dan even helped build up the Social Justice ministry, and got the community involved in many efforts, like collecting supplies for those in need.

They also embodied the spirit of active faith that is demonstrated by the St. Teresa's community as a whole in supporting students.  In the difficulties of college life, especially homesickness, they provided such comfort for me in the trappings of home life.  They often invited me over to their home for meals, which, in my mind, is the ultimate expression of being welcomed into their lives.  (We made a habit of having dinner at their home every year on Halloween, so I could help them pass out candy.)

At a certain point, I would attend 8 AM Mass with them regularly, which was a great way to experience Mass as a "family experience", with a close-knit feel within the broader community.  And after being on campus for days on end, it was nice to remember the world is full of families with young children, and retired couples, not just young adult college students and their professors.

When my birthday came around, Ann was kind enough to make a white cake for me, on my request, just like Dan enjoys for his birthday.  Indeed, they consider me their "fourth son" following after their three biological adult sons.  And as it turns out, I live closer to them than any of their three sons.

We have also been there to support one another in trying times, especially with health issues and family deaths we experienced in our own families.  One time, during my junior year, Dan took me to the South Shore Line Dune Park train station so I could go home for my cousin's funeral.  Right before I stepped out of the car, Dan told me something I will never forget as long as I live, that at the time of a funeral, it's not so much about what I say, but what really counts is that I'm there, present to those in grief.

That was one of a few times Dan and Ann gave me a ride to the train station when I couldn't get there otherwise.

We also spent time together in other ways, like attending music concerts, outings to the Indiana Dunes, and being on the same team together for the fun of trivia night at St. Teresa's.  We attended ordination Masses together at the Holy Angels Cathedral in Gary, for Father Ted and Deacon Bob.  I sometimes even traveled to Valparaiso in the summers to visit with them.

I also have shared many conversations about faith with them, which is right up Ann's alley since for many years, she did parish work.  I joined a faith-sharing group that Ann led that prepared us for the new translation of the Roman Missal back in fall 2011.  After graduating from college, I had a discussion with them about becoming a Eucharistic minister, as I pondered my worthiness to serve in that role, and their insights helped me decide to take my part in this ministry.

We kept a strong relationship going for all four years I was in college.  And they were with me all the way to the end, even attending my graduation ceremony.  (Notably, none of their own three sons, for one reason or another, attended their college graduation ceremonies.)  It was so special to have them there, to count them among the important relationships in life, right up there with my own family.

The closest I came to tears the whole day of my college graduation was when I bid farewell to Dan and Ann after we had dinner at a restaurant to celebrate.  While my time in college had reached a natural end, there were no such strong signs to signal an end to my relationship with Dan and Ann, so I felt wistful about having to leave them.

But our relationship definitely did not cease on May 19, 2013.  It has continued marvelously.  I've gone back to Valparaiso from time to time, and I always make a point to let them know I'm coming so we can arrange to visit together, which has happened most times I've come back.  It's nice that my relationship with them continues to provide a connection for me back to Valparaiso and the St. Teresa's community, beyond connections I have with those on campus.

The summer after I graduated from ValpU, they came to visit me in Oak Park, and I delighted in the opportunity to show them the place where I grow up and which shaped me so significantly.  They were so eager to be at my MLIS graduation that they pretty much invited themselves.  I was so pleased that they came, and that they could continue to join in the celebration of my subsequent achievements in life, just as I do for this Golden Wedding Anniversary for them.

So that's why I was in Valparaiso past Sunday, to attend 8 AM Mass at St. Teresa's, just like in old times.  I was there to accompany them along with Ann's sister Pat.  The four of us brought the gifts up to the altar before the Eucharist prayer, a wonderful gesture of how we've shared a relationship grounded in faith, by which we offer ourselves to be nourished by the Bread of Life and extend that nourishment, which were are pondering more closely in these weeks of August as the Gospel readings take us through the Bread of Life discourse in John 6.  Indeed, we experienced familial love together in the way that Christ made God's love real to us by becoming intimately present to us, a wonderful insight Father Chris discussed in his homily, the idea of having an intimate relationship.

After communion, Father Chris offered them a blessing before the gathered community.  I was privileged to accompany them up before the altar.  As Father Chris began, he said they could look lovingly into each other's eyes.  Clearly, while they share great love that brought them together 50 years ago, that love has not stayed between the two of them, as it has flowed forth to be a blessing to others.  Indeed, it continues to be made anew, just like it did four years ago when their first grandchild entered the world.

I also stayed around for a reception where the St. Teresa's community celebrated their anniversary, and then I continued visiting with them and Pat over lunch at their home.

They've had quite a life together, which was well represented in a collage of photos displayed in a slide show at the reception, not only in all the places they've lived, but also in all the places they've traveled, and all the work they've done and contributions they've made.

It was also notable to ponder the state of the world at the time they were married:  They had a poster with a listing of significant events in 1968, and anyone who knows anything about that year from study or from living through it knows that was a tumultous year.  Also on display was a newspaper article about their wedding.  Ann lived in a small Illinois town, and that's why the wedding made the newspaper.  The reporter noted details like the dress Ann wore, the bridesmaid's dress, and even the places from which the wedding guests came, and the dress Ann wore when they departed for their honeymoon.

With all the grandeur and splendor in the typical trappings of a wedding, there's also something very grand, yet simple and humble, about the act of two people committing themselves to each other in love before God and people.  They may not know what lies ahead, but making that commitment gives them a firm foundation for everything that goes beyond what's humanly possible.  And it's amazing to think of what God can do with such a commitment, because of how it impacts so many people beyond just the husband and wife.

Indeed, I am so blessed that we have had this relationship for the past 9 years, and that I've been the recipient of the blessings of their 50 years together.

While 50 years is definitely a milestone to mark, what makes this celebration so grand is the quality of the love Dan and Ann have shared, and the ways they have poured it forth, as an example of the love Christ has poured out for His Church that we may know God and draw closer to Him.

Dan and Ann, I commend you to the grace of God on this joyful occasion, and may the light of God's love continue to watch over you and prosper you for all the years ahead, and all who will continue to benefit from the love between you before God.

To the left of me is Dan, and to the right of me is Ann.  We are posing outside St. Teresa's following Mass, most likely taken by a fellow parishioner sometime during the Easter Season of my freshmen year in 2010.  Truly, Dan and Ann's 50 years together have been a source of joy and blessing for me, just like St. Teresa's has, because they ground their love in faith.

A New Western-style Realization of the United States

Ten years ago, on Saturday, August 16, 2008, my family and I concluded a wonderful trip to Colorado.

Every trip I've taken has had some kind of notable impact on me, and this 2008 Colorado trip was no exception, having led me to a particularly notable realization about my relationship to the United States as I neared home at the very end of the trip.  To mark this occasion, I use this blog post to share my reflection at the end of an account I wrote about the trip.

I have to say, this was a truly remarkable vacation, for a number of reasons.  Certainly the location was a great place: up in the Rocky Mountains.  Indeed, the mountains themselves made the location even better suited for a vacation like this.

What was nice about this trip was that, although we had been to the Rockies on vacation before, we had never been to this particular area in northern Colorado.  Thus, I had the wonderful opportunity to get to know another town a little better.  And we spent plenty of time exploring the town: We walked through the Lincoln Avenue Business District (and went to church in the same area), rode our bikes around the area, and got a great view of it all from the top of Mount Werner.  I also enjoyed getting to know the history of the town at the Tread of the Pioneers Museum, which I recognized this time as something really enjoyable.  Even going to church gave me a sense of the town, for while at church, the announcement was made about a special project to expand the church to suit the expanding population of the town in the past few decades.

Another wonderful excursion we had in the mountains was at Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP).  Being close by, I requested we go there for a day outing.  The nice thing was that we went to an area of RMNP that we hadn’t seen the last time we went there, on our trip to Estes Park.  On that trip, we focused more on exploring the eastern park of RMNP.  This time, we entered by way of Granby and Grand Lake (where there’s actually a big lake), and explored the western part of RMNP.  For sure, the most interesting thing I did was wade all the way across the Colorado River, which I hadn’t realized has its origins in RMNP.  Additionally, I liked seeing the Holzwarth Historic Site.  Our journey finally led to the point at which our explorations stopped the last time: at the Milner Pass.  Indeed, there is so much rich beauty to view in America’s national parks, and I always enjoy visiting them.

One of the best things about this vacation was when we went to Denver toward the end of the week to visit with Great Aunt Carmen and our other relatives who live in the area.  Indeed, I can remember how excited I was to see Aunt Carmen.  The excitement began to build as we left Steamboat Springs and headed east.  As we entered the western Denver metro area on I-70, my excitement began to build even more.  And it just continued as we went onto I-76, then exited onto Pecos Road, then went on Elmwood Lane.  The final rush came when we turned on to Greenwood Boulevard, and there she was, Aunt Carmen, standing out in front, talking with the neighbors—and what a rush of joyful excitement I felt when I saw her as we pulled into the driveway.

As soon as we settled into the house, I discovered something about Aunt Carmen that I hadn’t really noticed before:  She is probably one of the nicest people I know.  She was so welcoming while we were in her house, and she made sure we felt comfortable and let us settle in like our own home, letting us have whatever.  I can never remember anyone ever being so hospitable like Aunt Carmen, and it made me feel so good—so much, in fact, that I wished we could have stayed longer.

Another remarkable moment came later that day.  I remembered this tall hill whose base was at Greenwood Boulevard that went way up for a few blocks last time I was at Aunt Carmen’s house.  I decided to walk up the hill and see what I could see.  So I walked up, and the sight at the top was totally amazing.  I could see the lights of the inner city of Denver off to the south, and to the west, I could see the tops of the mountains of the Rockies’ Front Range.  Off further to the south, there were some storm clouds, and there was lightning flashing from them.  And toward the east of that, I saw a clear sky with a near-full moon.  It was a sight to behold, and one that I can only get in Denver.

The next day I had the wonderful opportunity to visit with a number of my Denver cousins.  I got to meet my newest cousin, Leonard III.  Later, we visited with a number of others at Aunt Carmen’s house, sitting the evening away, chatting and having a good time doing what Aunt Carmen says and does best: “party, party, party”.  (That makes me want to add that not only is Aunt Carmen an enormously kind person, she’s also very lively and likes to keep things upbeat, making it even nicer to be around her.)  It was so good to visit with everybody.  And it was certainly long overdue, for it had been seven years since we all last visited Denver, stayed at Aunt Carmen’s house, and visited with everyone there.  That’s what made it especially good to visit with our Denver relatives.

There was one other person we visited while in Denver, though we didn’t have the opportunity to actually see him.  It had been a few months since Great Uncle Leonard passed away.  He had been interred at Fort Logan National Military Cemetery, having been given the honor for his military service in the Korean War.  I wanted to make sure we visited his grave to pay our respects to a person I had only wished I had gotten to see a little more of.  So while we were driving around on Friday, we stopped at the cemetery and visited his grave.  I laid a few flowers I found at the Yampa River Botanic Gardens and a note on his grave.  It was an honor to do such to a veteran, having had the same sentiments about visiting Grandpa Martin’s grave at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery in Illinois.

The last truly remarkable moment of the vacation occurred as we headed home.  While driving into Steamboat Springs, we saw a number of signs on USFR 40 advertising the FM Light and Sons Store, which sells mainly Western-style apparel.  The signs started as soon as we left the town of Kremmling, which was about 50 miles away.  At about 25 miles away, there was a sign for a $5 Western Cowboy-style hat.  When we visited the store on Sunday, I debated whether or not I should buy the hat.  I decided to wait on it, to see how much I would spend in the next few days.  By Thursday, the day we left Steamboat Springs, I decided to buy the hat, feeling iffy about buying a tchotchke.

As we moved through the airport on the way to our flight back home, I recognized that my new hat wouldn’t fit in my luggage, so I would have to wear it home.  So I wore it onto the plane, onto the CTA bus, onto the CTA train, and then along the short walk home from the CTA station.  As I walked, I felt something inside of me, declaring that I am now a Westerner:  I may not be a Westerner by birth right, or even by where I live, but I truly felt at that moment that my experience on this vacation had made me into a true Westerner, at least an honorary one at that.  I bore this new honorary title with great feeling as I returned to my home in the land of the prairies.

But you know, what’s great is that whether I’m in the prairies, in the mountains, or anywhere in between, this is all part of America, this grand, beautiful county that I love.  And as an American, it’s all there for me to revel in, because of the efforts of those like Uncle Leonard and Grandpa Martin, who sacrificed so much to keep our country the way it is.  Now they have the high honor of lying in rest in national military cemeteries, where we come to honor them and what they did.  They made sure this country stayed in such a state, so I could truly be proud to be a part of it all.  Indeed, it’s all before me, waiting for me to step forth into it and have it.

On Thursday, August 14, 2008, on the way from Steamboat Springs, CO, to Denver, I asked Dad to pull our rental Jeep Commander over to the side of the road so he could get this photo of me posing in my FM Light and Sons hat.

P.S. If you're interested in reading the whole account, please feel free to contact me.

In Tribute to Tom Skilling and his 40 Years on WGN

The world of weather and TV broadcasting takes note of a special anniversary today, as Tom Skilling (#117 on my Illinois 200 list) marks 40 years since he started doing the weather on air on WGN-TV Channel 9 (#118) in Chicago, on August 13, 1978.

Certainly, such a long time of being on air is remarkable in and of itself.  But such longevity speaks to the passion that has continued to drive Tom Skilling in his work.  Indeed, it's hard to say if there are any who match his enthusiasm for telling people about the weather, which has definitely led to his achievement of such a milestone, all the while becoming one of the most esteemed and well-established TV meteorologists in the United States.  The SuperStation allows WGN News to be broadcasted all over the United States, and even into Canada, so, hence, he has become widely known and respected.  I sense that some of that prestige must have rubbed off on Jim Ramsey (#119), who retired at the end of 2017 as a WGN-TV meteorologist, after 42 years on the air, doing a superb job in his work.

The format of the WGN newscasts, which are hour-long, rather than 1/2 hour, give Tom plenty of time to go in-depth with his weather reports, giving a bigger picture of what's happening with the atmosphere, even delving into some of the science behind the current weather situation.  Sometimes he extends that big picture to Alaska, where he goes frequently.  It's really something to watch him go on and on.  In the time I was studying meteorology at Valparaiso University, and even afterward, I could really latch on to his discussion of the current weather.  I remember asking a professor in atmospheric dynamics class a question about something he said on the broadcast, which connected with something we were to learn later on in my junior year at ValpU.

He has done much to support emerging meteorologists, as many of my friends who went on the track into broadcast meteorology interned with him.  I even saw their names appear on the weather page in The Chicago Tribune (#120), where his face has appeared as long as I can remember.  As a boy, I would look at the weather page on a regular basis day by day, and learn much from reading the responses to questions submitted to the "Ask Tom Why" column (#121).

He's also done much for the general public outside weather broadcasting.  He's been involved with the WGN-TV/Fermilab Severe Weather Seminar (#122) that have been held annually at Fermilab (#123).  That was the first opportunity I had to see him in person.  I was pleased that my Dad drove me all the way out to Batavia on a Saturday my freshman year of high school for an entire afternoon all about weather.  And just like on camera, he was in his element hosting this seminar, helping people learn more about the science of severe weather and how to prepare for and respond to it.  He just kept going on and on after each presentation with the speaker.  He showed that same kind of spirit even when I watched the seminar on the Internet livestream in later years.

It was also moving when WGN aired a special report about his efforts to lose weight, which surely offered insights and encouragement to those in a similar struggle with weight.

And then there was his unforgettable storm chasing trip, which gave him a chance to get out of his windowless WGN office--to think of a meteorologist, especially someone as renowned as Tom Skilling, not having a window in his office.  It sure looked like a thrilling experience, and certainly took a frightening turn when a tornado chased his group in close range.

Speaking of being up close, the ValpU meteorology department was privileged to host him as a speaker in December 2012.  I didn't actually get to attend his talk because I was already booked for a field trip.  But when I returned to campus, while he had already finished his talk, he was still in the room of the presentation talking with students.  He was so kind to spend so much extra time with us, and then even pose for photos, as a number of us lined up for our turn.  Being right there in his presence and talking with him, I could truly sense his brilliance and the warmth of his personality.  It was just like in the response to a letter I sent him in 7th grade for a class assignment in which I sought information from him about how to become a meteorologist.

That's what has made it a pleasure to tune in to WGN News to hear him tell about the weather.

And that's reason for me to applaud Tom Skilling on his milestone today.

There I am, with Tom Skilling, the real deal.  My great friend Richard took this photo of me with Tom the day he spoke for the meteorology department at ValpU.  I kindly returned the favor and took a picture of Richard with Tom.

The Centennial of the Symbol of Nelson Mandela

It was on July 18, 1918, when Nelson Mandela was born.  100 years later, he is widely recognized as a leading figure in the struggle for greater equality and freedom in South Africa for all people, and a symbol for the struggle for justice for all.

I first became aware of the Apartheid period in South Africa when I read a book on that country from the library later on in elementary school.  In 6th grade, we studied South Africa as part of Arts and Culture class.  Being aware of what happened with Jim Crow in the United States, I was able to see the same struggle against injustice in a different country.

It's incredible to think of the stature Nelson Mandela gained from being a political prisoner because he was part of something much larger than himself.  Indeed, while the government could imprison a freedom fighter, it could not imprison freedom itself, and Nelson came to embody that struggle for freedom.

And the work he did gives us much inspiration to continue striving in the task at hand for us, which former President Barack Obama laid out in this speech as the primary speaker of the 2018 Annual Nelson Mandela Lecture.  It's pretty notable that the first African-American president of the United States was invited--or perhaps as Mr. Obama put it, strongly persuaded--to give a lecture in honor of the first black African to serve as South Africa's president.

He talked about doing more to give to help others in the midst of a capitalist system that locks up much in the world's wealth in the hands of a few, and to engage in meaningful dialogue, as the current sociopolitical environment has led to toxic divisiveness.  He further called for better relations since the people of the world are becoming so interconnected in many aspects.  And he expressed great hope in the energy young people have, and encouraged them to get going with the work.

Indeed, may we draw energy from a symbol like Nelson Mandela and press forth in the long walk to freedom, not only in having the laws that allow us to be free, but to take hold of the responsibility that freedom entails to make a better world for all, living righteously before the God Who desires for us to be free.

Patriotic Greetings 2018: the USA and Identity

Patriotic Greetings!

These notable days at the start of July are so meaningful for me, because they speak in large part about how the United States was formed.  And in recalling these events on these days, I once again become more aware of who I am in the midst of this history.

Tensions between Great Britain and the 13 North American colonies over various issues, including taxation without representation, broke out in armed conflict on April 19, 1775, and ignited increased momentum away from reconciliation efforts and toward separation from Britain.

On June 7, 1776, in a session the Continental Congress, Virginia delegate Richard Henry Lee offered the following resolution: "Resolved. That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved".

To give sufficient time for delegates from other colonies to determine what course of action they should take, a vote on this resolution was scheduled for July 1.  Meanwhile, a committee was appointed to draft a written statement that would be used should Congress vote for independence.

When July 1 arrived, a lengthy discussion on independence ensued in Congress.  When it didn't appear the measure had unanimous support, the Congress decided to hold another vote the following day.  During the course of that night, several circumstances fell into the right place, and on the morning of July 2, 1776, the colonies assembled in Congress voted unanimously in favor of the independence resolution.

They then turned to the draft of the written statement, which they discussed over the course of the next two days.  On July 4, Congress officially adopted the Declaration of Independence, and it was distributed to the general public.

After several more years of armed conflict, a decisive American victory at Yorktown led to peace negotiations, culminating in the Treaty of Paris 1783, which ended the conflict and by which Britain officially recognized the independence of the United States.

It's an occasion like Independence Day that truly makes me think much about who I am as a US citizen, and the ways we as the people of the United States define ourselves.  Certainly having celebrations on these days at the start of July is a statement about who we are as a people, based on what brought this country into existence and the celebrations established in the spirit of those circumstances.

A sense of place is a significant part of definition.  Visiting the places related to certain people or events gives us a better sense of their context.  That's why I was so delighted to have the chance to visit Philadelphia two years ago to experience the context of how the United States and its government were formed.  Fortunately, I had opportunities to experience other parts of that narrative of the creation of the US in previous trips, like to Williamsburg in the summer of 2009.  And 15 years ago this summer, on a family trip to North Carolina's Outer Banks, we visited Mount Vernon and Monticello.  Being at the homes of these Founding Fathers was a great way to experience the essence of who they were.  Also on that trip in 2003, we visited Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, a place that speaks to how this land was settled by Europeans, and even the aboriginal peoples who lived here before Europeans arrived.  That sets context for how the United States became an independent nation.

I also think back 10 years ago to summer 2008 when my family took a trip to Colorado.  On my way back home, I wore a Western-style that I bought at FM Light and Sons, a clothing store in Steamboat Springs.  As we got closer to our final arrival home, I felt myself having been drawn into the concept of the Western United States by having experienced it during that trip.  My whole sense of being a US citizen was reinvigorated by realizing the definition of the Western United States is very much a part of the overall identity of the USA, in which I share in equal measure.  As I reflect back on that trip, I think about John Mellencamp's song, "This is Our Country", which I first heard performed at the Boston Pops concert on July 4 a few years ago, and I was immediately taken to it.  As varied as our circumstances are, as John sings, "this is our country," for we share a common experience as one country. 

My personal sense of identity as a US citizen has been shaped by the sense of place that I call home, which I've been thinking about more deeply when it comes to this state of Illinois, because of the Illinois Bicentennial Commemoration that is happening throughout this year of 2018.  It's a time when we think about what Illinois is all about, and its part in the scope of the United States as a whole, much as I think about my own place in Illinois, and how my sense of being an Illinoisan speaks to who I am as a US citizen.  I've already taken some short road trips to places that allow me to engage with better understanding of what this place of Illinois is and plan for more such trips.

When it comes to thinking about how Illinois came into existence, I realize how important of a role vision plays.  European explorers came to these lands and saw what it could become.  When Louis Joliet and Father Marquette were passing through what is now the Chicago Metro Area, they had to portage from the Des Plaines River to the South Branch of the Chicago River.  They noted that a short canal through the prairie there would provide a link from the Atlantic Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico.  Less than 200 years later, the Illinois and Michigan Canal was built and provided that link that helped Chicago grow rapidly.  This was probably beyond the imaginings of James Monroe:  I have been reading through the book This Day in Illinois History, by Jeff Ruetsche, which tells how James Monroe explored what is now Illinois in the late 18th Century and didn't think much would come of the land as he gazed out over the wide open prairies.  Many years later, on December 3, 1818, he was President of the United States and affixed his signature to the paperwork that admitted Illinois as the 21st State of the USA.  And to think of how much Illinois has grown in the 200 years since, thanks in part to people who could see beyond what was right in front of them and see potential for what it could be.

Thus, ideas are also so crucial a part of identity, and they were important in the founding of the United States.  In the midst of the proceedings, a group of people deliberately focused on creating a country based on certain principles of freedom.  In our present time, there's much debate and discussion on how to make those principles a reality for everyone, often with conflicting opinions.  We can see in the recent Supreme Court decision Masterpiece Cakeshop vs. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, a debate of the desires of homosexual couples to be free from discrimination versus the desires of Christians to be free from having to violate their conscience rights while operating a business to provide for themselves.  Grappling with how to make these rights a reality for all people shapes our identity in significant ways.

On that family trip 15 years ago, my Mom bought a CD of patriotic music, and one of the songs on the album was "America, the Dream Goes On".  

I stumbled across that song in another album recently, and hearing the lyrics got me thinking.  There is so much from our past that influences who we are today, yet as we join the narrative, we are part of shaping it, too, just as people from generation to generation shaped it.  One line says, "the more we remember the way we began the closer we get to the best we can be".  The sentiments in that line speak to why I spend time engaging with our history, and use these High Patriotic Days to remember aspects of that history, because a sense of what we've been allows me to position myself to being part of making this country the best it can be in the sense of doing what is right within and contributing positively to the world around us.

One of my favorite movies is National Treasure, starring Nicholas Cage as Ben Gates, which I certainly think about around this time of year.  While Ben seeks after an immense treasure, he also recognizes the treasure that is the Declaration of Independence, and upholds its value as he draws inspiration from it for seeing things from a nobler perspective.

When I went to see the musical Hamilton last October, there was a line that was repeated at different points in the singing: "History has its eyes on you."  Indeed, we are going to have an effect on the course this country will take, just as did those who were involved in past events, like in those summer days in 1776.  Just as we look back on what others did in history, like in those summer days of 1776, in the future, others will look back upon what we have done to bring us to where they ended up.  It gives us a challenge and an opportunity to do what is right and work to shape the course of events to make a positive impact.

And even now, we can consider the perspective of those viewing the United States from outside.  Despite imperfections exhibited by the people of the US now and in the past, somehow, people are still drawn to come here, as they have been for years, for a variety of reasons.  It's definitely exciting to see immigrants participate in our society:  I remember what it was like when I worked the polls as an election judge in April 2017 and was there to witness a woman vote for the first time the day after being naturalized a US citizen.  

Furthermore, I'm very much aware of the presence of immigrants during my workdays because my supervisor and one of my coworkers are from different parts of Asia.  A few months ago, my coworker checked out a citizenship test guidebook, and as she thumbed through it, she picked out questions randomly to ask us in the workroom.  Through something like the citizenship test, which speaks to what the United States is all about, we who are already part of the United States, as natural-born or naturalized citizens, convey a sense of identity.

So we join together in a common experience as people of the United States, which is so eloquently expressed in George Washington's 1796 Farewell Address: "Citizens, by birth or choice, of a common country, that country has a right to concentrate your affections. The name of American, which belongs to you in your national capacity, must always exalt the just pride of patriotism more than any appellation derived from local discriminations....the independence and liberty you possess are the work of joint counsels, and joint efforts of common dangers, sufferings, and successes."  This concept of a common experience makes me think of 

I truly believe that the United States is a country notable for its commitment to ideals of freedom, which give us an important role to play as the US citizenry as we express our identity through those ideals.  The American's Creed is a statement written in the early part of the 20th Century that I feel offers a great summary for what this country is:

"I believe in the United States of America as a government of the people, by the people, for the people; whose just powers are derived from the consent of the governed, a democracy in a republic, a sovereign Nation of many sovereign States; a perfect union, one and inseparable; established upon those principles of freedom, equality, justice, and humanity for which American patriots sacrificed their lives and fortunes.

"I therefore believe it is my duty to my country to love it, to support its Constitution, to obey its laws, to respect its flag, and to defend it against all enemies."

The United States was notable in being founded on the highest principles, and there was a wide recognition of them as a gift of God Almighty.  May this occasion of Independence Day motivate us to stand firm in those principles and pursue the noble work of making them a reality for all, and being free to do what is right and noble.

Here's to celebrating the United States of America and those noble ideals that are part of its identity.

To the Spirit of God and the Spirit of America,

Paul

I thank Carolyn DeCoursey at Maze Branch Library in Oak Park for getting this photo of me posing with The Signers: the 56 Stories Behind the Declaration of Independence by Dennis B. Fradin.  I discovered this book at the Dole Branch Library in Oak Park when I was a middle schooler, and from it, I learned much of the history about how the United States became independent in 1776.  Indeed, libraries have given me access to knowledge that has helped better acquaint me with my identity as a US citizen.

P.S. This is my annual Patriotic Greetings note for 2018.

Here are links to view the versions of these notes that appear on my blog for 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017.

Like with any of my blog posts, please feel free to share this note with others.

While this note has been in electronic version since 2013, a paper copy is always available.  Please contact me if you would like one, and where I should send it.

Matters of the Heart

June 8 this year is the date for the Feast of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, when we recall how He reveals the depths of the Father's Great Love for us, even to the point of pouring out Himself for us.

This Feast on this date has notable timing this year.  The day before, June 7, marks 10 years since my cousin Greg and his wife Melissa married.

It was a special and very memorable day for me.  It was the first time I had ever attended a wedding ceremony.  And indeed, throughout my life, I had seen married couples and was fully aware of the effects of the love they expressed to one another and how they impacted me.

This was the first time, though, I saw how two people pledged their love and commitment to one another.  There was a sense of seriousness to the moment, as making such a commitment and entering into this vocation is not to be taken lightly.  I remember some words my Mom shared with the two of them, and sensing from just being a close observer how serious and profound this act was that they would be making.

I was also filled with a sense of joy on this occasion because I could see how much they loved each other, and it was wondrous to see them join themselves together in the love they shared.

And they continue to abound in that love, sharing it with one another, and now with their three fine children:  There's even more reason for celebration as their oldest, daughter Ava, turns 5 on June 12 this year, the same day her younger brother Micah turns 1.

Oh, what a delight to be in the glow of such celebration, even reminiscent of June 8, 1957, when my Grandpa Martin and Grandma Dorothy married.  It's amazing to think of how the effects of the love they shared and pledged themselves to that day have continued forth to the family we have now.

There's another reason for celebration on June 8:  Half a mile west of the church where my grandparents were married, and 48 years later, I had my final day as a student at Percy Julian Middle School, and in the evening was the graduation ceremony.

Being in middle school was the most wonderful thing that happened to me while growing up.  It was a time in my life when I discovered my passions and engaged with them fully through opportunities I had at school, and even outside of school.  By engaging my passions, I forged a sense of identity that I still carry with me today.

I've been back to visit Julian over a dozen times since June 8, 2005, with multiple occasion during just the month of May 2018 alone.  When I go back, I am reacquainted with those reasons why those years were so memorable and special.

I've been reading through Matthew Kelly's book Perfectly Yourself, in which states that God desires for us to be the best version of ourselves.  When it comes to my middle school days, I feel that was a time of life when I was truly myself because of the opportunities I had to engage with what truly resonated with me, and forged a sense of what really matters.

Most of all, I found a passion for my faith, that was stirred deep in my heart.  Indeed, I recognized the passionate love God has for me, and I responded by living passionately for him, in ways that would become more pronounced in later years, especially in teaching Religious Education, another experience in which I lived passionately by pouring myself out for my students.

And so upon the occasion of the Feast of the Most Sacred Heart, I come before God to engage passionately in relationship with Him, that I may continue to grow in love with Him that is expressed toward others.