Happy Feast Day St. Jerome

JMJ
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Happy feast day to my confirmation saint - Jerome - scholar, translator, and theologian. Jerome was the foremost biblical scholar of the ancient Church. His translation of the Bible, along with his commentaries and homilies on the biblical books, have made him a major intellectual force in the Western Church. Jerome was intemperate in controversy, and any correspondence with him tended to degenerate into a flame war. (His friendship with Augustine, conducted by letter, nearly ended before it began. Fortunately Augustine sized him up correctly, soothed his feelings, and was extremely tactful thereafter.) His hot temper, pride of learning, and extravagant promotion of asceticism involved him in many bitter controversies over questions of theology and of Bible interpretation. However, he was candid at times in admitting his failings, and was never ambitious for either worldly or churchly honors. He was a militant champion of orthodoxy, a tireless worker, and a scholar of rare gifts. To learn more about this great saint visit his biography on Catholic Encyclopedia.

As to the reason why I felt called to Saint Jerome as my confirmation saint, well there could be a multitude of reasons - his devotion, his study, his orthodoxy - but in the end it was only one thing, which I'll get too. You see at the time of confirmation I had no clue as to the meaning of this saint's life or works, he was simply a name I found on-line. (Which at the time, the simple act of logging on to the Internet was a feat of strength, much less actually searching for anything.) As it turns out he was calling me to himself so that he could yell at me for not being holy enough, and point me back toward the Church. (I tell ya, he's a feisty old guy.) So in the end God allowed me to chose this fiery saint as my guide and commander as I was confirmed in my mission. In the end, however, my final and only reason for choosing Saint Jerome - which I presented to my priest and religious educators, whom I can only assume lost all hope for the next generation - stated that he was a doctor who lived in the desert, which I thought was funny enough to be cool. I mean really, why would a doctor live in the desert, nobody gets a cold in the desert.

Alas, this is what you had to work with Jerome, nonetheless, happy feast day. Oh, and if you get the chance, just let me know why you went to practice medicine in the desert, that's just strange!

If not Love?

"I did not find it that exciting," he said, as he walked the other direction. These words seemed to linger in my heart and in my mind as I went on with the rest of my day. Not out of anger or of self-doubt, but out of sheer astonishment.
Referencing an event earlier in the day, one that I hope gives you a glimpse of what it gave me, a good friend of mine made this comment. It was in relation to our visit earlier that day to St. Benedict's Nursing Home in Niles, Illinois. Within the grounds of St. Benedict's live eighty-three men and women, priests and nuns, all of whom God loves immeasurably and completely. They come from different backgrounds, careers, and stories. Some come hurt, and others out of age, each with his or her own identity. As you visit each of these children of God, you see in them the eyes of Christ peering back at you from years of hardship and suffering, and in this we see the paradox of the cross.
While visiting with the different residents I came across Susan, who, though she could not tell me her own name, was able to ask to be taken to her husband. For me this was something beautiful and to be cherished, and in fact I had been told earlier in the day that there was such a couple living at the end of the south wing. We eventually reached the doorway leading into Susan's room and there on their bed was her husband fast asleep. When we entered he slowly rolled over and a smile came across Chester's - that was his name - face as he looked upon his wife. After a bit of small conversation and introductions (Chester as it turns out can communicate much more clearly than Susan), I found out that the two have been married for sixty-five years, and that Chester found his wife more beautiful at ninety-two than he did the day they married. As I was about to depart the two seemed to motioned at one another, and Chester quietly asked me to bring Susan over to his bedside. There the two lovers embraced one another's hands and with the words, "still warm after all these years," Chester laid back down to sleep.
I look forward to spending more time with this couple, and to hearing more of their story. But, as to why I bring it up in the light of my friend's remark, "I did not find it that exciting," well it has to do my astonishment. You see, I want to know, what there is to be excited about, if not Love? True Love! Gift of Self for the Glory of God!

Beginning Again

JMJ
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Last weekend a good friend of mine, Jasmine P., set me straight on what it meant to blog, and that it required more than two entries a month. Thus, in an attempt to avoid being ousted by the blogging community I have begun typing again, for which I apologize to you all. May God bless you!
If you are looking forward to a short update on my time at Mundelein Seminary, I'll do my best but you see that's hard for me. However, very soon I plan on taking a nap and so that offers me even more incentive to keep this quick. My last entry came directly before a trip to Conception, MO for a soccer/volleyball tournament, and so I'll begin there. We drove down through torrents of rain and wind, and brought back two trophy's in the brilliant sunlight. The next week was spent recovering from the matches, setting down a schedule of prayer, and spending time with the guys in my cam (abbreviated Italian for dorm). The latter two of these, prayer and brotherhood, have truly been the heart of my time here at Mundelein.
Prayer is a constant focus, as it has been my heart and strength. For a reference you can look at Chesterton's character, Innocent Smith in Manalive, and from that you will see what I mean. In this novella Innocent, stands trial for murder, polygamy, and general insanity, yet in the end it was him simply understanding what it truly means to live life, to awaken to the joy God. Now in the book, Innocent shoots at his professors and goes on one hundred honeymoons to realize what it means to be alive, but somehow I think the formation directors here at Mundelein would look down on this sort of behavior.
Brotherhood has meant numerous things and all of them intriguing(at least to me). We, as a cam, have designed a flag so as to claim territory on campus. Its fantastic! We have played ball, golf, soccer, and sailed. We have traveled to the city and roamed in the country. We have prayed and we have played, and honestly that not to bad of a combination.
Lastly, I would just like to say a word of thanks to all the Apostle's and Collaborator's who made last weekend's conference so wonderful. The warmth and joy that I felt and bore witness too was beautiful. I'll write again soon, but until then may His peace be with you.

Classes, Chior, and Competition

JMJ

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And thus I emerge from my long hiatus and re-enter into the blogging realm. While these short quips are not much I hope they are at least enough to share with you some of my more unique experiences while at seminary. These blogs are really my answer to a challenge. For it has been said that my communication on the device known as the telephone is a bit lacking, hence I avoid it all together and blog. In doing so I may be a fool, but at least I am avoiding the gravity of seriousness.

Now on to more important matters like my time here at Mundelein. Tomorrow will mark my last day of my first week of philosophy and Latin classes. To help you visualize this reality I have attached a symbol of a time honored, but perhaps foolish tradition of a picture on the first day of classes. Why the first day and not the last day, I haven't the slightest clue. It would seem that one would want to take a picture of the last day, as t hat is when we would be most joyous and mature, and avoid the first day of ignorance. Nonetheless, here is the picture, take it as you will.

Nothing that precedes this next paragraph really has any bearing on the focus of this blog, so I hope you did not read all of it, and if you did...well I guess that is true love. In this blog I wanted to share with you my time thus far in classes, choir, and competition. First, Classes. Well ,thus far I have learned that Christ is the ideal, and that I am not him. This revelation was a good one, as it allowed me to rejoice in my lack of gravity and self-belief. (Which in fact makes life much lighter, and less like an asylum.) From that lesson I have moved on to philosophy and Latin, as well as catechism and spirituality, which are all good things...very light indeed.

Choir has been a new experience all together. While our director is not that of St. Lawrence's, no indeed her stature and gender don't allow for it, she does sing very well and somehow manages to keep 220 men on key. This is her feat, and it is impressive. The actual class and practicing is done outside of the chapel in a small second story room. It is there that we make the majority of our mistakes, thank God. So far all has gone well and I am truly learning quite a bit about my voice and practices of singing. However, she has also explained to me that this does not involve laughing during the performance, which I take issue with, but that is just my issue so I won't worry too much about it.

Lastly, my competition experience since coming to seminary has been interesting. Tomorrow, I head out for a weekend of soccer and volleyball in conception, Mo, which ought to be a great time. There are about 25 of us who are running away from the seminary for the weekend, but we sorrowfully planed our escape route directly toward another seminary. Nonetheless, the weekend should be a great time to relax and be with some of my new found brothers. Other than these few updates and the various unremembered or unmentioned experiences this has been my life thus far. As my life here unfolds I'll try to keep you in the know, as I continue to yearn for levity. Peace be with you!