The Journey of Life and the Abundant Life

I once again arrive at that day that is totally unlike the other days of the calendar year for me.

The amount of well-wishes and gifts tangible and otherwise that I receive in celebration of my birthday is plenty of reason for me to consider how much of a gift that life is, and how I come to that realization because of all the people who have been part of it.

From the start, many people have given of themselves to me.  And my life has taken on a whole new dimension because of the ways I've given to others, especially in recent years.  The relationships I have built with my 225 current and former Religious Education students, and their families, speak to the power of how I've discovered who I truly am through giving of myself to invest in them.

I have written often about the impact that teaching RE has had on me, and for good reason.  The experience brings together the most significant parts of my life.  As I spend time with these middle schoolers, I'm reminded of how my middle school years truly defined me, especially in forming my understanding of faith for myself.  This aspect of personal growth and development poised me to be truly impacted by the experience of my own Confirmation, even as it happened at the beginning of my time in high school.

Every Confirmation liturgy I've attended in my time as a RE catechist stirs something inside of me, and so, in some respects, makes it an emotional experience.  Over the past month, I attended Confirmation Masses on two different Saturdays for my students.  Most were confirmed at my home parish at Ascension on February 19, and some others at nearby St. Giles Parish on the north side of Oak Park on March 12.  Both days were cold, but I could feel the fire of the Holy Spirit at work.  It was similar to the cold day of February 6 for Confirmation last year.  This year, we were back to having a Mass with a Bishop present.

In fact, on February 19, I intended to get up around 7 AM, but my body aroused me at what felt like 5 AM from the sheer excitement of what was coming that day.

As typical with other Confirmation liturgies, I really felt a sense of celebration at the Mass at 10 AM on the morning of February 19, fully aware of how much I had invested in these students to accompany them to this Kairos moment in their lives.  And it was special to join them in company with family, and also family friends, some of whom were their parents' friends from years back, now serving as Confirmation sponsors.

Bishop Birmingham celebrated the Mass that day, and he spoke eloquently in his homily about how Confirmation is meant to equip us to go out to be more fully aware of the needs of the world around us and to do our part to meet them.

It was a touching moment when I approached each student after her/his turn with Bishop Birmingham for the sacrament and acknowledged them with words of blessing.

Once Mass concluded, I felt so energized as I made the rounds to visit with the students and literally cheer them on with pom-poms.  I lingered for a long time after Mass ended until the Church was empty.  Then I stayed to pray quietly.

I was truly filled with the energy of the Holy Spirit, all the way down to my Holy Spirit socks.  

I bought them at the gift shop of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception on my way back from Florida in March 2021, and this day was the first time I wore them for a Confirmation Mass.  

I also wore the same suit and tie that my grandma gave me that I wore for the first time at my Valparaiso University graduation on Pentecost Sunday, May 19, 2013.  It's fitting for me to wear that suit because teaching RE is an important part of how I've lived out my faith experiences from college, which were crowned on that Pentecost Sunday.

I wore it again, along with the Holy Spirit socks, 3 weeks later for the Confirmation Mass at 10:30 AM at St. Giles, with 13 students from Ascension, and 5 of mine among them.  All of those who were mentors in the Confirmation preparation process at St. Giles announced the names of their students at Mass, and I was granted the honor of announcing the names of the group from Ascension.  It reminded me of how humbling it was last year when I announced the names of the students in the 2021 group.

This day was a nice opportunity to connect with the students in the Sunday 8th grade RE class, in addition to mine.  And it was great to connect with the families of the students and their family friends, too, especially those families who have older children that are former students of mine.

There was a great opening hymn for the Mass, speaking about how we're a pilgrim people and the role of the Holy Spirit in our journey.

It was a special moment when I stood before the assembly and announced the names of the Ascension group.  I was fully aware of how much I have invested in them, and the tremendous blessing they have been in my life these past few months.  I also recognized that through other parts of the Confirmation process, I was able to be present to even the Sunday students.  Different from the Mass at Ascension, as I announced each student, I included her/his saint name, which was a special touch recognizing the new stage of life they enter as confirmed Roman Catholics.

Here I am, announcing the names of the Ascension students at the first St. Giles Confirmation Mass on March 12.  This photo is courtesy of the St. Giles YouTube channel.

The celebrant was Bishop Turley, the Bishop Emeritus of Chulucanas, Peru.  He spoke so insightfully about how the Holy Spirit truly transforms us to make God known in the world as His witnesses.

As the students came to Bishop Turley one by one, I had a great view from my seat up front.  Once the Ascension students had their turn, I made the rounds to acknowledge them with words of blessing.

And once again, when Mass was over, I reveled in the atmosphere as I went around to visit with the families.  Alex, the St. Giles sacraments coordinator, invited me to lunch at the rectory, served to staff and volunteers participating in the Masses, along with Bishop Turley, Bishop Casey (the celebrant for the next Mass in the afternoon), St. Giles pastor Father Carl, and Ascension resident priest Father Rex.  It was a merry atmosphere.

When it was time for me to leave, I bade farewell to Father Rex, who remarked that he was arranging an Uber ride.  I immediately offered to drive him back to Ascension, which was on my way.  As I drove, I continued to revel in the grand experience we just had.  I reflected on how impactful my own Confirmation was in my life.  As I drove past Percy Julian Middle School, I pointed to the building shared with Father Rex about how my years as a student there defined me, directing my journey of faith to where it has led me now.

I told Father Rex I wanted to get a selfie to remember our memorable car ride back from St. Giles, and he agreed to join in a pose.

In some respects, the car ride home was as amazing as attending the Confirmation Mass itself, and provided a wonderful way to cap off the experience by reflecting on what I felt the meaning was of what we had just experienced, which was stirring in my heart, reminding me of the marvelous work God has done in my life, adding one amazing thing on top of another.

In fact, just yesterday, I gathered with the students in my class at the Lenten weekly Tuesday evening Mass held at Ascension.  It was a great follow-up to the amazing day on Saturday, seeing my students participate in the worship life of the Church.  To cap it off, my class aide got a birthday card for me, and passed it around for the students to sign.  After Mass, a group of them handed it me.  I was truly touched by the gesture, because they are a significant reason why I am celebrating with great joy today.  And I was so glad to celebrate the eve of my birthday by being with them.

Certainly, we don't have mountaintop experiences all the time in life.  Yet, I acknowledge that I can draw from these mountaintops that God is truly at work all the time in life by the power of His Holy Spirit, and how He invites me to become aware of it every day.

Truly, in the spirit of what St. Catherine of Siena said, the journey to Heaven is Heaven itself.

So on this day, as I celebrate the gift of life, I rejoice in the Abundant Life to which God has invited me to enter more deeply day by day, and how I truly experienced it, and the joy of these foretastes of Heaven I had at these Confirmation Masses.

And I give thanks that I have encountered an important part of my identity by taking from the gifts I have been given and handing them in Religious Education class on to the awesome students who are a huge blessing in my life.

The Quarter Century of Arthur

I got quite nostalgic as the PBS show Arthur came to its final episode on February 21, 2022.

I watched it for years as a kid.  The episodes had wonderful content, and were so down-to-earth in portraying real life, at home with families, at school, and out in the community, like at the fine establishment of the Sugar Bowl.  Indeed, I learned lots, like the concept of a half-birthday.  That's what kept me constantly watching it.

And I'm sure that great quality is what kept it going on TV for so long.  To think that the characters stayed the same age through the entire run gave it, in what I read in one article, a sort of eternal quality.  It's almost surprising that it reached its end.  Nevertheless, it had a great run, a show with a high number of episodes because of high quality.

In fact, I think about the episode when the Mary Moo Cow Show reaches its end as I ponder the reality that Arthur has now reached its end.

And I have so many wonderful memories of show.  Here are 25:

1. I really enjoyed the song "Having Fun isn't Hard when you've got Library Card", in "Arthur's Almost Live Not Real Music Festival", and that whole episode was really cool.

2. It was fun watching "Arthur's Family Vacation", and connecting it with some of my own vacation experiences, like a family trip to the Outer Banks.

3. There was something quaint about the episode "Grandpa Dave's Old Country Farm".

4. I enjoyed jamming with the Backstreet Boys on the hourlong episode of the same title.

5. I enjoyed "Arthur's Perfect Christmas", not only seeing Arthur's observance of Christmas, but also how his friends observed Christmas, and other holidays.

6. There was something wonderful about the appearance of Mr. Rogers on the show and his interactions with Arthur, his family, and his class.

7. It was exciting to see Arthur's family travel to Washington, D.C.

8. I'll avoid spoilers of specifics, but the episode "The Return of the King" had an exciting conclusion.

9. "The Blizzard" had a heartwarming conclusion, and an exciting build-up to when the weather situation got intense.

10. When I watched "My Music Rules", I liked seeing Yo-Yo Ma, who helped the characters appreciate music.

11. I enjoyed "The Shore Thing" and all the ways the characters attempted to reach the Ocean Zone, and what they enjoyed in the process.

12. It was amazing to see the efforts of the characters to set a World Record, and how they decided to engage in teamwork to do a world record together.

13. I like the explorations they had in "The Cave".

14. I liked the conclusion of "Brother, Can You Spare a Clarinet?" and the circumstances that led to it as Binky struggled to express his musical desires.

15. There was excitement in "Muffy Goes Metropolitan" when she traveled to Crown City.

16. It was exciting to see Arthur and his classmates stage a play for "Elwood City Turns 100!", and to get a feel for Elwood City history.  That episode also featured an appearance of Larry King in his studio.

17. It was heartwarming to see Buster's enthusiasm to embrace the Amish way of life, and how he found a great way to channel it at the end.

18. Given my geographical interests, I enjoyed the story of "Dear Adil", when Arthur corresponded with Adil in Turkey as a pen pal.

19. I was intrigued that "Big Horns George" featured Koko Taylor as a guest star, and I got jamming to that music a bit.

20. I liked the episode "Postcards from Buster", seeing the travels of Buster, his dad, and the Read family in New York City, mixed with live footage.  This episode led to a spin-off show by the same title, and I enjoyed seeing the places Buster traveled.

21. "Arthur's Birthday" was an episode that had a great, celebratory ending.

22. I liked seeing all the effort that Arthur and D.W. spearheaded to throw an appreciation party for Grandma Thora, even ending up in a crazy situation of making cake late at night.

23. I liked hearing "A Word from Holly Holland", who won a contest with an idea for an Arthur episode.  In the span of just a couple of minutes or so, we viewers got to see glimpses of her life in Canadian, OK.

24. It was amazing to see "Arthur Bounces Back" with his cool moon boots and how he put them to good use.

25. Arthur and his friends discussed ideas to create a holiday to alleviate the dreariness of winter, and I found some of them to be rather humorous.

So there are plenty of memories that will stay with me and other fans for a long time beyond its conclusion on February 21, 2022, because of so many wonderful days in Elwood City.

Annual Government Speeches Round-up for 2022

Eyes turned their attention to the US House Chamber on March 1, 2022, for President Biden's first official State of the Union Address.  The first major topic of the speech was the current situation in Ukraine, and making a clear statement of solidarity with a country that Russia unjustly attacked.  Other major topics included the response to the ongoing pandemic and the economy.  Tied into the economy was infrastructure.  He also discussed addressing the providing of quality, affordable healthcare.

I see some validity to many of his proposals to enhance the quality of life in America.  I'm pleased that he proposes funding the police, which would help address some of the problems with crime that communities face.  I also see plenty of room for debate on the best ways to address his concerns and implement the proposals.

One thing that struck me about his discussion on the response to the pandemic was that it's time to get students back in school full-time and end the temporary closure of businesses.  I feel like there were suitable ways to do so a long time ago.  His statement that it should happen now doesn't seem to carry much weight.

I was greatly displeased to hear his insistence on protecting women's right to abortion.  I think it's very questionable to say it's a constitutionally-affirmed right.  I'm also concerned about his remark that there's an onslaught of laws against transgender individuals, because those laws are intended to bring us back from going off a cliff that will cause greater harm by allowing harmful procedures on those with gender dysphoria.

He ended his speech with an optimistic tone, declaring that we're strong as a people.  I would agree with that, and I hope that going forward, we take the right steps to tap into our strength as a people.

I enjoyed listening to Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds's Republican Response to the State of the Union Address.  She indicated that the Biden administration has taken ineffective steps in implementing its foreign policy agenda that has exacerbated conflicts throughout the world.  I felt that her speech had a very down-to-earth touch to it when she addressed the problems people experienced with inflation decades ago.  She also discussed that people in the USA are getting frustrated with the level of control that the Biden administration is trying to exert on the people, and citing examples of how Republican governors are taking steps to allow people to flourish.

As an aside, I have to say, I liked the backdrop of the Iowa State Capitol as she gave her remarks.  It reminded me of how earnestly I wanted to visit the capitol there when I was a kid, and how excited I was when it happened on a family road trip to Colorado.

Back on a snowy February 2, Governor Pritzker delivered the 2022 Illinois State of the State Address.  I was intrigued by the metaphor he used at the start of his speech, saying that the first sign of civilization was caring for health needs.  His remarks focused on how he intends to direct state resources and balance the budget to ensure people's needs are met, especially with healthcare and other resources like childcare.  He also proposed helping people by slashing taxes on groceries that would help mitigate the effects of inflation.  Many of his proposals have merit, and again, I think there is room for debate on how to implement them.  I was pretty displeased when he insisted on upholding abortion rights as a way of empowering women, because I firmly believe abortion doesn't empower women, and all the bills he's signed into law expanding abortion access will do more harm than good, flying in the face of the metaphor he used to start his speech.

Here's to hoping that the talking leads to good action in service to the people of Illinois and the USA as we all do our part in response to these proposals and determine the best course of action.

Springtime in Sports

It was a notable coincidence of events that the Lunar New Year was on February 1, 2022, and the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics opened days later on February 4.

I always enjoy watching the opening and closing ceremonies as I see the world come together as the athletes parade into the stadium, and also to see the artistic program whereby the host country displays aspects of its identity and culture.

I remember that the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics Opening Ceremony was quite ostentatious, as a sign that China was intent on impressing the world with the spotlight focused on it.

The opening ceremony this time around was a bit more subdued, which was a little more to my liking, but still rich with cultural elements.  There was an artistic display of the different parts of the Lunar Year, with the four major seasons further divided into specific stages.

In fact, I learned that the Lunar New Year is considered the Spring Festival, but not because it's in spring.  Rather, in the depths of winter, the human heart's desire for spring emerges, and that signals the start of the journey toward spring in earnest.  From there came the dazzling display of the green grass.  And then the snowflakes descended all about the stadium, with a celebratory song focused on winter.  The snowflakes even figured into the design of the Olympic cauldron, which I didn't find nearly as impressive, because it was hard to see the flame since it was rather small compared to other Olympic cauldrons I've seen.  

The snowflakes figured in again prominently in the closing ceremony.  I was also intrigued by the imagery of the willow fig as a sign of farewell that's part of Chinese hospitality.  And it was great to all the promotional videos for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina, highlighting the amenities of Milan and the natural wonder of the mountain scenery in Cortina.  As usual, the ceremony ended with quite a party.

I was glad that I was able to catch more of the coverage of these Olympic games, finally having access to Peacock.  I watched some of the primetime NBC coverage, which included the bobsled event, and through Peacock, I watched some of the curling events, including much of the gold medal women's curling match between Great Britain and Japan.

Thinking about the various cultural elements on display in the ceremonies, I return to that idea of the spring festival in the depths of winter: There's something pretty profound to think about how the initial deep yearning for spring that emerges in the depths of winter is the start of the spring season, long before the typical signs of spring emerge in the natural world.  It speaks to how the human heart yearns for difficulties to end and give way to renewal and goodness.

It's true that these Olympic games were in the shadow of controversies, including China's human rights abuses that triggered diplomatic boycotts, and then a rebuff from the Chinese powers that be when a member of the Uyghur ethnic group be one of the two people to light the Olympic cauldron.  Of course, I wouldn't have known that unless the commentary during the opening ceremony mentioned it.

I enjoy watching the Olympics, though I'm not a big fan of watching sports in general.  There's something so inspiring about the idea of athletes coming from all over the world to engage in spirited competition, and in quite a large variety of sports.  There's a great opportunity for character building in sports.

I sensed it while watching the curling match between Japan and Great Britain.  Both teams were intently aiming to win the gold medal.  At one point, it was clear the Japanese team was having some issues and ultimately just wasn't able to pull it off successfully.  In the end, though, all the players could take satisfaction in playing a good game.

Despite all the troubles in the world, which certainly cast a shadow on these Olympic games, I still feel a sense of hope that the world can still come together in a meaningful way like at the Olympics.  I don't think the song "Imagine", which is practically a staple at Olympic ceremonies, really presents the right kind of vision.  I much prefer "I Believe", performed so amazingly by Nikki Yanofsky back in 2010, and I played it every day during the Olympic event.

And so the Olympics is an event that still resonates with me deeply.  I have a great appreciation for the geography of the many nations in the world, which developed at an early age, and I feel inspired see ing them engage in sports, to be Higher, Faster, Stronger, Together, as the Olympic motto now states.  Indeed, I see great principles in the idea of the Olympics that gives us a vision of what our world could be.

Heather and Zach: Glory to God and Joy to the World

Each year on December 25, we celebrate the Birth of Christ, when God manifested Himself to us in His fullness.

Now that God has come to Earth to be with us, He continues to manifest Himself in so many ways, as we celebrate throughout the Christmas Season and beyond.

The Christmas Season 2021-22 was special because of how God manifested Himself anew at the wedding of my longtime college roommate Zach and his wife Heather.

Following my graduation, we've kept in contact along with a group of other close ValpU friends.

He first shared with our group that he had started a relationship with Heather in the fall of 2020.  By summer 2021, they were engaged.  Soon after, he asked me if I would be a groomsman at his wedding, and I gladly accepted.

Heather and Zach scheduled their wedding for New Year's Eve 2021.  It was certainly a momentous way to conclude the year, and I felt the grand nature of the day from the moment I awoke.  After attending Mass for the final time of 2021 to enter into a deeper spirit of prayer for the day's occasion, having breakfast, and tending to some other matters, I departed Oak Park shortly before 11 AM.

I got on I-290, and then drove I-94 south, all the way onto IL 394 and then east on US 30 into  Lake County in northwest Indiana.  I arrived at Zach's condo around noon.  He soon arrived with friends Matthew and Roy, my fellow groomsmen.  We then suited up in our tuxedos.  I had never dressed up so much before in my life, and had never even put on a bowtie, although the one for this tuxedo was a clip-on bowtie.  I certainly like the way the tuxedo looked, and commend Heather and Zach for the great choices they made for the wedding party outfits.  As we got ourselves dressed, Mark, the photographer arrived, and got some shots of us.  From the start, he demonstrated himself to be so personable and friendly.  He even helped me put on my bowtie.

Once we were dressed, we headed to the Grand Old Lady, the Historic Lake County Courthouse in Crown Point, arriving by 1 PM.  On the way there, Roy got on his laptop to do an hour of work for his job.  After getting out of Avila, while walking to the courthouse, a couple of people took notice of how Roy and I were dressed.  Someone asked if there was an event.  Another person said we looked "sharp".  Once used as the official building for Lake County government offices, the courthouse is now a historic museum site with some shops and rental venues.  There, we did lots of photographs with the whole wedding party.  It was at this time that I first met Heather, arrayed in all her wedding glory.  Around 3 PM, members of Zach's and Heather's families arrived to take photos.  In between photo shoots, we engaged in friendly conversation with the security monitor at the building and the bridesmaids.  Delaney in particular was eager to use this opportunity to get to know us, Zach's friends, and peppered us with lots of questions.  We concluded shortly before 4 PM, and headed to Avalon Manor in Merrillville, the venue for the wedding.

Upon arriving, we got ourselves situated in the room where the ceremony would be held, and then had a rehearsal.  Donna, Heather's mom, helped direct us groomsmen for our escort duties, first for the grandmothers, then the mothers, and then the bridesmaids.  Zach's Uncle, Pastor Jim, also directed us and did a practice of the vows, using a small black book of prayers.  Having been informed that I would be the best man, I took the opportunity to make myself ready embrace the role for the ceremony and the celebration afterward.  After the rehearsal, the guests started arriving in greater numbers.  Zach had people he knows from the martial arts studio where he works serve as ushers.

At 5:30, the ceremony began.  I escorted Zach's grandmother, Harriet, who he calls Mimi, up to her seat.  After the other grandmothers present were seated, I escorted Zach's mom Elizabeth to her seat, who was followed by Heather's mom.  And then, after Matthew and Roy escorted their bridesmaids up the aisle, I escorted Teresa, the maid of honor, up the aisle.

Then, Heather processed up the aisle escorted by her dad, Paul, as we heard the music "Trumpet Voluntary".  And when they reached Pastor Jim, he began the prayers of the ceremony.  While I knew that serving as best man was quite an honor, as I stood beside Zach, it dawned on me how immense of an honor it was.  Perhaps it really hit me when Pastor Jim announced it was time for the presentation of the rings.  I reached into my tuxedo pocket and produced the small box with both of their rings, the symbols of their marriage covenant.  

Before the ceremony, I took this picture with the ring box, held over the wedding program.  (All photos in this blog post are mine, unless otherwise noted.)

Shortly thereafter, Zach turned to me and quietly whispered for me to open up the box of the matzoh crackers for communion.

Pastor Jim led Heather and Zach in their vows to love each other.  He also stated that they would be faithful in living out their marriage vows by growing in relationship with God.  He then asked each of them if they would love the Lord with all of who they are, as a way to reinforce their vows.

Following the rings, Heather and Zach both stepped through the arch and went to a table by themselves to share in communion, as a way to reinforce the meaning of the covenant into which they were entering.  Pastor Jim invited the assembly to pray for them.

The communion table

When they came back to the front of the assembly, we sang "Be Thou my Vision".  It is one of Zach's favorite hymns, and, as he explained before the ceremony, he made sure that we sang five verses, including one I had never heard of before, beginning with "Be Thou my battleshield, sword for the fight..."

Then, Pastor Jim, at the request of Heather and Zach, explained the Gospel message and invited those in the assembly to make a profession of faith.

And then came the moment when he invited them to kiss, and they almost did it too soon.  Since I was standing to Zach's side, all I could see was his back as he and Heather kissed, but I was exuberant nonetheless, as Pastor Jim then presented Mr. and Mrs. Mashburn, and we cheered.

Then it came the recessional, and I did my escort duties in reverse.

The ceremony then gave way to the cocktail hour, from 6-7 PM.  For the next few minutes, Mark got more photos of the wedding party and family members.  Once he got the photos, I went into the banquet room to enjoy some appetizers, which included a veggie tray, bruschetta, and meatballs.

Shortly before 7 PM, all those in the wedding party lined up at the entrance to the banquet room.  Then the DJ introduced us as we made our entrances.  We gathered around the cake table, where Heather and Zach cut the cake and gave each other pieces.  

Here is the wedding cake as it appears during the cocktail hour. It was a yellow cake inside.

Soon after, it was time for remarks.

The DJ invited Teresa to the microphone to give the maid of honor speech.  She gave tribute to Heather as a great friend from college, and shared a story that following college, when they had gone their separate ways, Heather, in another state, insisted that Teresa needed a cake for her birthday and made it happen.  Teresa ended her remarks by saying, "Zach, you're a lucky guy."

Subsequently, the DJ invited me to the microphone for the best man speech.  I walked to the microphone aware of a flood of memories with Zach, which gave me so much material, to the point I could have easily talked right into the designated dinnertime.

But I had a few notes ready that I jotted down early in the day, and I started by saying that my remarks were beginning deja vu to Teresa's, because I also met Zach in college.  We first met about 2 weeks before moving to ValpU.  On the morning of Friday, August 7, 2009, I met him at Chicago Union Station as he walked off the City of New Orleans train--and I made a point to sing the name "City of New Orleans", like in the song.  We spent a day sightseeing in Chicago.  It was clear from that first day together that we were going to hit it off so well.

I stated that before I went to college, my Mom prayed I would get a good roommate, and then I turned to Zach and said "You were a wonderful answer to that prayer."  

Zach is a friend who I could confide in, as I opened up like never before in my life as we grew in friendship.  I could go to him for consolation when I was in a difficult situation, especially when I was so terribly homesick, just as he turned to me for consolation when he needed it.  We could commiserate over physics class, like i-hats, j-hats, coordinate systems, and torque pronounced by Professor Stanislaus in a most intriguing accent.  Then there were also all the technicalities of Introduction to Meteorological Observation and Analysis class at 8:15 on Tuesday and Thursday mornings.  And I was intrigued by his enthusiasm for taco-ism.

He was also someone who affirmed me as a person of faith, because of his own embrace of faith.  I remarked that I was so inspired by what they wrote on the homepage of the wedding website, that they discerned God was calling them to marriage, which is a covenantal relationship meant to be grounded in faith, a relationship with God.  They truly have demonstrated that they have what it takes to have a successful marriage, because they are committed to putting Christ at the center of their relationship, grounding it in the solid rock of faith.  They have truly opened themselves to the love God first showed us, and continues to make known to our world, now as Heather and Zach live out their marriage covenant.  And so I concluded my remarks with an encouraging word to go forth and bless the world.

And then, I went to my spot at the table, picked up my champagne glass, and offered a toast to the happy couple.  As I returned to my seat, Zach reached out his hand to shake mine, in what I saw was a gesture of deep gratitude for the tribute I offered them.  I was so pleased with how my speech unfolded. Since I tend to be verbose, I was glad that I could concisely capture the spirit of so many memories to offer them tribute, and furthermore to start on a note of faith and end on a note of faith.

Heather's dad Paul subsequently offered remarks.  Following him, Pastor Jim offered remarks, expressing how wonderful it was in such challenging times to see young people like Heather and Zach do something so wondrous as committing themselves to each other in marriage.  He then offered a prayer.  And after it, we feasted.

First came salad, and the server also took drink orders.  Then, we had quite a great spread of food:  mostaccioli with sausage, beef pot roast, chicken, mashed potatoes with gravy, and green beans, as you can see on my plate in the photo below.  They did a great job with all the food choices for the celebration.

Following dinner, our attention turned to the dance floor with the first dances.  I was so delighted that Heather and Zach's first dance had as its soundtrack "Once upon a Dream" from Sleeping Beauty., which you can see in the two photos below.

Following Heather's dance with her dad, the floor was opened for everyone to dance.  I approached Teresa and asked if I could have the honor of dancing with the maid of honor, and she gladly accepted.

The merriment continued with a great repertoire of music to accompany more dancing.  At one point, Zach and some of his martial arts students got on the dance floor to do a synchronized routine.  There were also the customary tosses of the bride's bouquet and the garter.  There was also a photo booth, which was set up to take multiple consecutive pictures so people could do creative poses, which we could then put in a scrapbook.  And at the request of Heather and Zach, we did coloring pages as a keepsake for them. Mine is in the photo below.

At 10 PM, the DJ announced that Heather and Zach were going to be sent off, but also noted the secret that they would come right back.  So we all lined up in the hallway outside the banquet room with bells on the ends of sticks and created a canopy for them as they walked out.

Back in the banquet room, the servers brought out a taco bar, as you can see in the photo below, which is absolutely something that speaks to who Zach is.

After a little while, Roy, Rogenique, and I got ready to leave together and we went around to say our farewells.  As part of their itinerary for the next part of their vacation time, they came back to stay with me in Oak Park.  It was a rather temperate night out as we departed.  We rang in the New Year as I was driving on I-94 on the South Side of Chicago, near Chicago State University.

Upon reaching my home, we got in, got settled, and then went to sleep.  Rogenique and Roy ended up spending all of New Year's Day in Oak Park with us since they rescheduled their canceled flight for Sunday, which was a wonderful way to carry out the joyful and merry spirit of celebration we shared the day prior.  Before the snow came down in great intensity, I drove them around for a couple of hours to see the sights in Riverside, Oak Park, and River Forest, some that have historic significance, and places significant to me.  

Here are the three of us posing for a selfie in Avila while in Riverside.

Once we got back home, we enjoyed a lunch of tamales, while the snowfall intensified.  

Mom or Dad photographed the three of us enjoying our tamales.

It was the first time Rogenique, who grew up in southern California, had ever experienced a significant snowfall event.  A little while after lunch, we went out front, and Rogenique danced around a little in the snow, and then we built a small snowman, as seen in the photo below.  

Then it was back inside to get cozy and stay warm.  The following morning, on Epiphany Sunday, I drove them to O'Hare Airport for their flight south to Florida for visiting his parents in Sebring.

There was indeed so much over these couple of days that stirred me deep inside.  And how wonderful that all of us who gathered for Heather and Zach's wedding will come annually to New Year's Eve to mark the end of each calendar year, and also rejoice in Heather and Zach as they mark another year of marriage that began on such a lovely day.

It was so appropriate to have such a time of celebration in the Christmas Season.  First of all, Christmas is so much about relationships, since God sent His Son to us so that He could relate to us more closely.  I am delighted that I could be present for Zach and Heather for such a special day in their lives.  Zach is certainly blessed to be married to Heather, certainly because of her embrace of faith.  I also remember group phone calls with our friend group in the months after they started dating.  I would hear Heather's voice in the background on Zach's end of the line, and I would think to myself how she sounded like such a pleasant person.

And it was so wonderful to continue experiencing friendship with Zach in such a special way after all the experiences that he and I shared together in college.  It was clear from that first day together when we were sightseeing in Chicago that our relationship was going to be great.  And I felt like being friends with him allowed me to remake myself in meaningful ways.  I could open up to him like with no other friend I had before in life, most especially on the day we both moved to college, and my emotions welled up intensely because I was so seriously homesick.  He continued to offer me consolation when I needed it as my homesickness continued, and through other stresses and challenges in college.

We shared a lot in classes, as we were both meteorology majors.  We sat through the same storm chasing videos in Severe Storms class, and then had the experience of actual storm chasing just a week or so after the semester with that class concluded.

Zach was also a friend I could share my joys with, like when I had a "fun hangover" after participating in Trivia Night at St. Teresa's.  He also collaborated with Josh, another mutual friend on our residence hall floor, to get me cake and balloons when I celebrated my birthday for the first time during my college years.  I was so delighted that I ate the cake, even though I had already brushed my teeth.  And it was also fun sharing Stuart Shepherd's Stoplight videos with their clever political commentary.

In those first few weeks of college, Zach remarked that we had "lucked out" getting assigned together.  But my relationship with him reinforces why I agree firmly with the words of Obi-Wan Kenobi:  "In my experience, there's no such thing as luck."  And in light of my Mom's prayers, I know that we were blessed to be together, which was a mostly random assignment, except for the fact that we both selected the "Study-intensive" accommodations option on our housing form.  And we had such a good rooming situation being together that we decided to stay together when we made our housing selections for the subsequent two years.

Even after going our separate ways, our strong bonds of friendship have continued.  Indeed, it was an honor and delight for me that he attended my master's graduation ceremony when I obtained my MLIS degree, along with Dan and Ann Ruggaber, who brought him there with them.  And then, with the wedding day, it was like bringing our friendship full circle, back to northwest Indiana, in the same region where we went to college and our friendship flourished, certainly also along with the experiences we shared with Matthew and Roy, making the joys of friendship so much a part of the wedding.  Yes, indeed, like the song, we are friends for life.

Oh what a joy it was to celebrate such a close friend on that wedding day, and very much in keeping with the spirit of Christmas Season, for Christmas Day, and the other feasts of the season, celebrate how God made Himself known to us through Christ in the world.  And in these feasts, we realize that God continues to make Himself present in the world.  He is now doing so through the marriage covenant relationship of Heather and Zach.

It reminds me of the words attributed to St. Teresa of Avila: "Christ has no body now but yours. No hands, no feet but yours. Yours are the eyes through which he looks compassion on the world. Yours are the feet with which He walks to do good. Yours are the hands with which He blesses all the world. Christ has no body now on Earth but yours."

A song version of these words concludes with this verse: "Through every gift give back to those in need; as Christ has blessed, so now be His blessing. With every gift, a benediction be to the people of God."

Truly, Heather and Zach are a blessing to the world, starting by how they blessed all of us gathered for their wedding day.

Not too long ago on Relevant Radio, I heard a discussion in which someone mentioned that the idea of a woman and a man committing themselves to each other in marriage for life is crazy, but that's what makes it so beautiful.  The spouses can count on each other because they bind themselves to vows that are so strong.

God first showed us love through Christ, ultimately in the Paschal Mystery of His death and resurrection.  God has filled married couples with that love.  And in committing themselves to each other in the name of that Love, they show God's love to the world, and show that He is still present and alive among us.  In that regard, this wedding day had a transcendent quality to it:  Seeing Heather and Zach together is truly a picture of Heaven on Earth, even as it is a sign of Immanuel, God with us.

Glory to God in the Highest!

Here are Heather and Zach, shortly after the ceremony, as Mr. and Mrs. Mashburn.

Here is Zach and I posing, as I'm holding my taco plate, taken by a fellow guest.

Gifts 2021/2022: Reflecting in the Spirit of the Magi

In the customary exchanging of gifts for the Feast of Christmas, we see signs of God's greatest gift in His Son Jesus Christ, Who reveals the Father to us and enlightens the world with true love.

It is such a great celebration on December 25 that it flows forth into successive days as we continue to unpack the great mystery of the Incarnation by which we come to know God.

I certainly had a wonderful time at Mass on the morning of December 25, feeling such a great exuberance especially in the singing of the hymns. I have enjoyed playing hymns on the piano at home, going through the Christmas section in the old Ascension Parish hymnal I have throughout the Christmas Season.  And I have continued to marvel at the beauty of the decorations inside Ascension Church each time I attend Mass.

Thinking of Father Larry McNally's custom in his Epiphany Sunday homily, I now use the gifts of the Magi as a guide to reflect on gifts I gave and received, which extended out to days before and after December 25.

Gifts I Gave

Gold: My Mom wanted to get a cherry strudel from an Austrian bakery at the Chicago Christkindlmarket, but had two unsuccessful attempts.  I went to Mass at St. Peter's on the Fourth Sunday of Advent, and following Mass, I walked one block north to the market.  I got in a long time that snaked around the Daley Center and then into the throngs of people.  It was my first time there in a while, and I noted that 2021 marked the 25th year of the market.

Frankincense: On the Second Sunday of Advent, I went to attend Mass celebrated by Father Ted Mauch.  I got to know him during his final diaconal assignment at St. Teresa's and was present for his priestly ordination.  I was eager for the chance to reconnect with him.  I'm grateful for the woman on staff at his parish who gave me his schedule so I could offer him the gift of my presence on the weekend of his anniversary of ordination and first Mass.

Myrrh: My Uncle Bernie welcomed a guest into his home early in the morning on Christmas Eve, and we had the opportunity to meet him at our gathering there on Christmas Day.  He had quite a journey to the USA from Sierra Leone, and is awaiting asylum.  Our family's gathering speaks to the importance of presence as we offered him a welcome through our whole time of gathering.

Gifts I Received

Gold: Later on in the Christmas Season, on New Year's Eve, I had the blessed honor of attending the wedding of my longtime college roommate Zach, and served the role of best man.  He offered me and the other two groomsmen, who are also mutual friends, a desk organizer as a gift.  Zach also gave me some historical document facsimiles.  (And yes, I will publish a post about this incredible experience on my blog.)

Frankincense: One of my RE students gave me a gift from her family, a nice note and an Amazon gift card.

Myrrh: My Dad got me multigrain waffles from Trader Joe's.

Each year, I am reminded of how glorious the Feast of Christmas is, because the unseen God mysteriously and marvelously made Himself visible to us in Christ, Who was born in the flesh, and dwells with us always.  Through Him, we can enter more deeply into relationship with God the Father, Who is constantly making His presence known all around us in the world.

So now we abide with Him Who has entered into time, and remains with us throughout 2022 and beyond.

20 + C + M + B + 22

Glory to God in the Highest, and on Earth, peace, goodwill, to people on whom His favor rests!

Grapes of Anticipation 2022

Happy New Year 2022!

Here we are, back at that "blank slate" day, marveling at what could be possible in the year ahead.

Once again, I use the Spanish custom of 12 grapes at New Year to guide my reflections on what I anticipate.

Grape #1: With gladness I look forward to the 30th anniversary of our family's move to Oak Park, fully aware of how much my home has shaped me for the better.

Grape #2: I joyfully look forward to celebrating the 20th anniversary of starting at Julian in September because of the great impact my Julian years continue to have on me.  The anniversary of my 8th grade graduation, June 8, falls on a Wednesday this year, at 17 years, and that alignment will surely add a special touch to my commemoration.

Grape #3: I look forward to doing my part to celebrate Mom and Dad's 40th wedding anniversary on September 4.

Grape #4: I look forward to participating in the democratic process of the republic with the 2022 elections, with the Illinois primaries moved to a different date, in June, this year.

Grape #5: I look forward to seeing coverage of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.

Grape #6: I look ahead to finding new books and getting a chance to read.

Grape #7: I'm eager to see the next steps the US Roman Catholic bishops will take in implementing the Eucharistic Revival.

Grape #8: I look forward to more travel, with plans coming together for a family trip in Washington, D.C.

Grape #9: While I'm eager to be part of Open House Chicago 2022, OHC 2021 made me more aware of various sites in Chicagoland. I'm eager to keep exploring throughout the year, including the National Shrine of St. Mother Frances Xavier Cabrini for the Jubilee year marking the 75th anniversary of her canonization.

Grape #10: The St. Augustine Mission anticipates opening its new school in 2022, and I look forward to following the news.

Grape #11: Given that two close college friends married in 2021, I'm looking forward to hearing more about their lives in marriage and what they'll experience throughout 2022 in their first year of marriage.

Grape #12: I eagerly await Confirmation day this year, as I accompany yet another group of students to this important moment in their lives.

So I now commend 2022 to God's grace, as I marvel at seeing God, always constant, at work as the years go by and to see the new ways God's grace flows forth upon us.