You Are What You Think

When trying to decide on what to name me, my mother picked up the bible. She did this at a time in her life where she wasn’t even going to church, much less reading the bible. My name, Timothy Daniel, came from two prominent figures in scripture. I like my name. I’m actually a little glad she didn’t read more than the names of the books in the bible and come up with a name like Ammihud Gamaliel for me.

When I was a teen and my mother told me the story of how she came up with my name I decided that I should read those two books of the bible. I was amazed at how much I could relate to both Daniel and Timothy. I got so much from reading them. God really knew what he was doing when he led my mother to pick up the bible to find my name.

One scripture passage that has really touched my life is from the First Letter to Timothy: “Let no one have contempt for your youth, but set an example for those who believe, in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity.” (1 Tim. 4:12). Anyone who has ever been involved in youth ministry is intimately aware of this passage.

The passage applies to all—not just the youth. We are all called to set an example. We all need to monitor our speech and conduct so that it reflects Christ. We need to love as Christ loved. We need to have faith that God will guide us and we need to remain pure in our thoughts and actions.

It is so easy to say the right things to be a Christian, but so much more difficult to actually live it out. Why is it so difficult? I have asked, and heard others ask: “God, why do you have to make life so difficult?” It’s an interesting question. However, it pushes blame on God for our state in life. God did not cause us the trials and errors we experience in life. We did. God gave us free will to choose to follow Him or not to follow Him. It is our choice to not set an example.

So, if it is so hard, how do we do it? How do we actually live out a Christian example. There are many tools available to us to help us live a Christ-like life. One of the most important tools at our disposal is the Sacred Scriptures. This is, literally (according to the Catholic Church), the Word of God. It’s our manual. We need to immerse ourselves in the scriptures—to read it every day. We become what dominates our thoughts. If our thoughts are dominated by the Word of God then we will become more like Christ.

I'm Back!

After taking some time to reflect on God's will in my life regarding the future of my blog. I have discovered that I truly do enjoy writing this blog and I will continue to do so.

The problem I was running in to was I started to focus more on the pleasure of seeing how many people read my blog than on the message I was sharing. I became obsessive with getting the hits to my blog up, looking at my Google Analytics chart daily--sometimes several times a day. I also felt the need to post something just for the sake of posting something. This was a completely wrong way to look at writing my blog and having this as a ministry.

I do still feel God calling me to share my views, insights, and experiences in my faith. I need to focus more on selflessly sharing my faith instead of selfishly getting people to view my blog. So, I have implemented a few things. First of all, I have deleted the Google Analytics code from my blog so I will no longer know how many people view it. I will try to write at least once a week, but I will not hold myself to that. I will write only when inspired by God to share something. I will continue to post links to it on Facebook and Twitter, but I will no longer obsess with "getting the message out". The links on Facebook and Twitter will serve only as a way to let people that enjoy reading my blog know that I have written a new blog post. Finally, and most importantly, I will pray before I post anything to discern whether or not God wants me to share what write with others.

I do ask a favor of all that read my blog. If you enjoy what you read, if you are inspired by it, share it with someone.

I Need a Break

I've been writing this blog for a little more than a year now. When I first started writing the blog I had two main goals in mind: (1) To minister to the teens that are in my youth ministry program; (2) To let my blog serve as my online "journal" to help me to grow in my own faith. While my blog has served those two purposes (the second to a greater degree than the first) I feel that lately I have lost sight of the original purposes of writing.

Readership of my blog over the past year has grown from just a few hits per month to a few hundred hits per month. While this can be seen as a good thing in the terms of ministry, in terms of my personal perspective, it has been damaging. Lately, my focus has been more on increasing traffic to my blog than on ministering to myself and others. I have a sense of pride in accomplishing what I have in my writing. I have indeed grown in my faith through writing this blog over the past year. The impact on the teens I minster to is a bit more difficult to measure, but I pray that it has had a positive impact on them as well. However, the pride I have been feeling lately about all of this has been a self-righteous pride. I just hope and pray that the pride I'm feeling is not coming out in my writing.

So, I need a break. I need to take some time off to realign my priorities. I need a dose of humility by removing myself from the source of my self-righteous pride. Most importantly, I need to pray. I need to pray about the future of this ministry. I need to pray that I would be able to serve God and not myself in writing my blog. I need to discern whether or not God wants me to continue writing.

I don't know when, or if, I will write again. I thank you all for stopping by and reading what I have written. I thank all of you who have written kind words about my blog. Please pray for me as I discern its future.

Doers of the Word: A Book Review

I recently read Doers of the Word by Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan as a part of the reviewer program for The Catholic Company. I have been wanting to read on of his books for a long time as was excited when I saw it as a part of the program.

This book is not what I expected it to be. I expected it to be a typical book on faith and spiritually. While it is a book on faith and spirituality, it is set up differently than a standard book. It is set up as a series of short essays on a range of Catholic subjects. I really enjoyed this format because in my busy schedule I don't have a lot of time to sit down and read long chapters.

Abp. Dolan does a fantastic job at helping readers to understand the precepts of our faith, from the Sacraments, to the liturgical calendar, to Mary and the Saints. He closes the book out with a chapter entitled "Workers in the Vineyard." This is our call to action. Abp. Dolan takes key issues in our Catholic faith and explains, in plain English, the reason for our stance and the need for us to take a stand on these issues that plague our society. The issues he tackles range from abortion to caring for the sick.

I really enjoyed reading Abp. Dolan's book. I looked forward to picking it up every day and am longing to read more of his work.

(Required Big Brother Disclosure: I received this book for free in return for writing an honest review of it.)

Jesus Is Irrelevant!

Yep, you read it correctly! Jesus is irrelevant. The Catholic Church, too, is irrelevant. We, as a people, have become enlightened and no longer need the restrictive rules and guidelines set forth by Christ and the Church. The Church is run by a bunch of old curmudgeons. That's right, I said curmudgeons. They have no right to tell me what to do or how to live my life! Their rules are outdated and arbitrary.

This is how I started my high school youth group meeting the other day. It certainly got their attention (got yours too!). I was pointing out the way many people feel about the Catholic Church and religion in general. It's a shame that so many people feel this way.

I believe that many people have this bad attitude towards Christianity and religion because they feel it restricts their freedom. They feel that the teachings of Christ and the Church is too restrictive and that they need to change their rules (or eliminate them) in an effort to be more "inclusive" and respectful of others who feel differently.

What they fail to see, is that Christ and the Church calls us to a life of discipline, not to restrict us or exclude us, but to lead us to a life of happiness. Christ doesn't want us to be disciplined for His sake, but for ours. Lack of discipline leads to slavery. I used the example of an alcoholic in my youth group meeting. No one wakes up in the morning and says "I want to be an alcoholic!" But, through a lack of discipline in their alcohol consumption, alcoholics eventually become addicted to it and slaves to it. You can take that same analogy and apply it to any vice--money, sex, drugs, etc. Without rules--without discipline--there is no freedom.

The Catholic Church is not irrelevant. The rules in place are there for a reason. The Church calls us to a life of discipline to free us from the bonds of sin. The more I come to understand the things the Catholic Church teaches the more I see that living a life of discipline is an important aspect in our faith journey. Now, if only I could be more disciplined...

Thank God For Our Priests!

This year in the Catholic Church is "The Year for Priests." I've spent a lot of time thinking about the priesthood over the years. Our priests are, for the most part, wonderful men of God who are trying to lead others closer to Christ. And they don't get enough credit. Take a moment and think about the priests that are in your life--both past and present. I know, for myself, I have oftentimes been critical of the priests that I have come across in my life. I have not given them enough credit. I have criticized them for the way they say the Mass. I have criticized them for having too much of a focus on money--and not enough of a focus on faith. I do not give them the benefit of the doubt.

Our priests work hard. They have a lot on their plates. They are charged with "running the business" of the parish in addition to feeding the spiritual needs of their flock. This is not an easy task. Their jobs are often 24/7. They sacrifice an awful lot and get very little in turn. All we do is ask them for more and criticize them for what they are doing.

My perspective on the priesthood has changed over the years. Working in a parish full time has helped to change my perspective. The priests I work with in my parishes truly are wonderful men. We need to thank the priests in our lives. They sacrifice much more than their vows call for. They deserve our love. They deserve our respect. They deserve our gratitude--regardless of how you feel they run the parish or say the Mass. Do you think you could do all they do and hold it together as well as they do? I don't think I could.

They deserve our prayers.

Prayer for Priests taken from the USCCB.
Dear Lord,
we pray that the Blessed Mother
wrap her mantle around your priests
and through her intercession
strengthen them for their ministry.
We pray that Mary will guide your priests
to follow her own words,
“Do whatever He tells you” (Jn 2:5).
May your priests have the heart of St. Joseph,
Mary’s most chaste spouse.
May the Blessed Mother’s own pierced heart
inspire them to embrace
all who suffer at the foot of the cross.
May your priests be holy,
filled with the fire of your love
seeking nothing but your greater glory
and the salvation of souls.
Amen.
Saint John Vianney, pray for us.

I'm Too Busy....

I'm just too busy. I'm too busy to take care of my self physically. I don't often eat healthy. I don't exercise or get enough sleep. I'm just too busy.

I'm too busy to nurture the relationships in my life. I'm too busy to spend good, quality time with my wife. I'm too busy to play with my kids. I'm too busy to mend the broken relationships with my siblings and my parents. I just don't have time to give the love that my family deserves.

I'm too busy to develop my mind. I don't have time to sit down and read a book or article that will stretch me intellectually--that will help expand my world view and give a clearer picture of life.

I'm too busy to pray. I don't take the time I need to spend in silence talking with God. I am too busy to find a spiritual director. Even if I did have one, I'd be too busy to receive the much needed direction.

What am I too busy doing? I don't know. I'm too busy keeping busy. God gives us enough time every day to do the things He wants us to do. Why do I find it difficult to take care of myself physically, emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually? Why do I find it difficult to find the time to do what God wants me to do? Because I'm too busy doing what I want to do.

What are you too busy doing?

Heavenly Father, Give me the grace to see what you want me to do. Give me the strength to give up what I want to do and, instead, to do what you want me to do. For it is in doing your will that I will find the time to do what needs to be done. It is in doing your will that I will find true happiness.

“Lack of prayer is the cause of lack of time.” – Peter Kreeft