Called to Love Christ through His Children

excited and nervous
for Back to School Night

I didn't begin to consider a college major as a "calling" until recently.  Well, January.  Actually, I can pinpoint the exact time because it was during a particular conversation with a lovely lady with whom I now work and, in fact, happened during this visit.  Anyway... For most of college I considered a major to be more or less of a label: this person is math or science, this person is English, this person is Music, this person is Education, etc.  When I chose my major I did not approach it as something to be discerned, I simply wanted a major that would directly relate to whatever my vocation is, and I ultimately chose Education; specifically, Early Childhood: if religious life, many orders teach or, if marriage, how much more self-explanatory does it get?  But since then and -- truthfully -- post the aforementioned conversation, I've begun to realize that teaching -- as well as all other college majors -- is a calling.  And the more I pray about my own education and my current employment, the more I realize that it is what I'm called to do at this time in my life.

The school where I teach hosted its Back to School Night at the end of August and I had the opportunity to meet many of the parents whose children I teach.  As I shook one Mom's hand and she mentioned her daughter's name, I instantaneously said, "Oh, I love her so much!" (background: she's a returning student who I met during my weeks of subbing at the very end of the school year).  This Mom was so touched and said something that amounted to: "It is such a great blessing and a joy as a parent to know that those who are teaching my child really and truly love my child."  I hadn't even thought of that, but realized that my reaction had been that genuine.  This Mom's affirmation gave me food for thought.

I do love these children and am sooooo thankful that I'm now teaching in a Catholic school.  I don't have to remind myself to not verbally praise the Lord in any way, shape, or form and that is seriously a great blessing.  The first time I visited, I left marveling at what a difference there is when God is allowed into the classroom.  It makes sense: 1 John 4:7-8 states plainly that God is love; excluding God from the classroom and the school at large is the equivalent of excluding love... and suddenly Mondays sound so much more miserable than they already {sometimes}are!

I suppose it's completely natural for a 22 year old Catholic young woman like myself to be considering her future and part of me is tempted to believe marriage or religious life will "fix" everything (I don't actually believe that at all, but I'm sure many single ladies out there will be able to relate)...  So last week, as I cleaned and refilled small bottles that the children will use for their polishing work, my phone vibrated to alert me of a new text message.  I opened it and read...

"Where God has put you, that is your vocation.  It is not what we do but how much love we put into it." -- Bl. Teresa of Calcutta

I've already clearly said that I firmly believe God has called me to work at this particular school now;  it's exciting to remember that God is using this moment to prepare me for the future, but to also remember that He has called me to this moment and used my experience with homeschool and college to prepare me for now!  The smallest things like this text message remind me that even cleaning a bottle of polish for the child's later use is something beautiful when done with love.  And now when -- at the end of each school day -- I make my way around the classroom to tidy things, I pray for the children who make the classroom room experience the amazing, beautiful thing that it is.

Life is full of beautiful -- if little -- lessons and I truly believe that each one is to prepare you for the next.  Although choosing a major for college is a big thing, it's still smaller than discerning one's vocation.  I'm so thankful and happy to work in a Catholic school, to celebrate the Liturgical year with children, and to embrace all the goodness, simplicity, and beauty that comes with it.

We Still Sing

"Sing we now of Christmas
Sing we all Noel
Of the Lord and Savior
We the tidings tell."

Eight of us met that night for Christmas caroling at the nursing home. What an incredibly beautiful experience. Though Christmas was still ten days away, it felt as if Christmas came to us that night.

Or maybe not Christmas...but Christ who came and was indeed in our midst.

We walked through the dimly lit halls, eight voices lifted in song, altos and sopranos mingling in harmony. As we passed each room, we would pause at the door to finish the song, then ask for any requests. "Silent Night" was the one most often chosen--for who isn't touched by the holy wonder of that song?

Later as I reflected on the gifts of girlfriends and kindness and music, I realized the evening held even deeper meaning behind it.

Every one of the young women who caroled has a burden she carries, a struggle amid the joys of life. Family discord, death of a loved one, infertility, breakups, loneliness, health problems-- crosses we don't choose but we seek to carry them in the footsteps of our Savior.

Yet every one of us sang that night. Though we feel the weight of our burdens, we know that our God--Emmanuel--brings us hope, peace, and salvation.

So we still sing.

And the residents of the nursing home. They lay in bed, watching us with a light in their eyes. Some of them can't even make it to a chair without assistance. Lonely, secluded, forgotten they live there--even though they deserve respect, love, and admiration for their age and wisdom. So when I saw their lips begin to move...as they attempted to sing with us that night...everything within me melted.

Because they still sing, too.

What are your struggles today, dear friend? Do you feel overcome by the burdens you carry? Perhaps if you quiet your soul for a moment, you will hear the sweet sound of His love for you. He is singing over you right now, rejoicing over you, and renewing you (Zephaniah 3:17). I know the crosses are heavy. But there is always hope. So we young women are singing anyway. The nursing home residents are singing. And our loving Father is singing.

Will you sing with us, too?

Sharing Your Zucchini Bread

I love zucchini bread. There’s nothing like it in the world. Soft summertime goodness with butter spread on top. I could eat a whole loaf all by myself.

So when I baked the first loaf of the season, somehow it stayed quietly hidden on the shelf of my refrigerator while a couple dozen friends came and went during a get-together this month. A crazy-fun day and night of sports and fireworks and food, nonstop talking and laughter…but no zucchini bread.


In my defense, I really didn’t think much about it the whole time. Yet after they left, visions of sugarplums  zucchini bread danced through my head and I happily remembered the loaf on that second shelf.


But I was about to eat a slice of humble pie instead.


It was that small comment he made about how we’re called to share. Just a brief mention, then a new topic. But it kept sinking deeper into my heart. At first I petulantly rolled my eyes inwardly. I mean, really. I baked cupcakes and hosted breakfast and played chauffeur and opened my home to a dozen college students (though I loved every minute). Surely I wasn’t *gulp* selfish. It was just a little loaf of zucchini bread. Cupcakes are way cooler than that, right?


That wasn’t the point, a voice within gently prodded.                                 


This wasn’t about cupcakes or zucchini bread. It was about my heart.


We’re called to share…everything. To open up without reserve. Holding nothing back. Remembering that everything we have is a gift. We are only stewards of this great gift of life and all it contains. We must live with open hands that receive with gratitude and share with generosity. He is the Giver (James 1:17). We must be the same. With tangible things, yes, but also with our time and our talents. We can share our material blessings by living simply, cleaning out closets, giving that last cookie to a sibling, sponsoring a child overseas. And we can share our spiritual blessings by sharing the Gospel and the gift of salvation, or sharing both our struggles and our joys with honesty and humility.  


What is your zucchini bread? Is there something you keep quietly hidden away in the corner of your refrigerator, your closet…your heart? Where do you hold back in serving God or others? What struggles do you have with sharing your heart, your possessions, or your life?

Love, Solidarity, and Faith

---by Christina Cavanaro

When I went with 14 participants from Saint Anselm College of Manchester, N.H., to Costa Rica in March 2012, I could not have fathomed the experience we had during our week-long stay.

We set off to a rural area in Costa Rica to work with Christian Foundation for Children and Aging (CFCA) in building a house for a family in need. Some of us had never left the country, spoken Spanish or done service. I expected to learn many things from the trip, but the most powerful were moments of construction, but not of the house itself.

Though it felt almost miraculous to see the house nearly complete within our stay, the most powerful formations I experienced were much more personal:

We were able to connect through values much more powerful than common language or culture, which were love and laughter. We all worried about our ability to connect with the family and community we were serving with the language barrier; however, almost instantly, we felt the wall dividing us break down little by little. I was repeatedly moved by the ways each of our participants and people in the community overcame the difficulties in communication.

 We were in awe of the beauty of Costa Rica and the welcome we received. The CFCA employees were incredibly helpful, whether they were explaining local greetings, showing us wildlife or giving us a more in-depth understanding of the community we were immersed in. They treated us like one of their own.

We met the family in front of their small house on the outskirts of a small neighborhood in which many Nicaraguan refugees had settled. Their home, like many in this neighborhood, was built with scrap wood and corrugated metal with one line of electricity.

I was floored by the perseverance and grace that everyone in the community seemed to radiate. With so many in need, especially the family we were given the privilege to work with, there was always room for joy, for music and for one another. Adolescents and young adults who were given scholarships through CFCA came to help us build. One young woman took an hour-long bus ride to come help. She told me that she felt it was only right to help give back because she has received so much help from CFCA. She did so with joy. I felt so blessed to meet her and the other students who helped us throughout the week. It was amazing and unifying to meet fellow students, so much like ourselves, similar both in interests and values, but surrounded by such different cultures and lifestyles.

The stark differences in culture were refreshing and inspiring. Coming from a culture with prominent social media, technology and individualism, the integral role of love and relationship was humbling. It was clear that we had much to learn from the people of Costa Rica. Their emphasis on relationships, family and love represented one of the most basic Christian values that can sometimes be lost in the world we live in.

It seems so natural to love one another, but the way in which the people there represented that covenant, with such grace and innate devotion, reminded me what our mission truly is in life - to love without end, to live in solidarity and to have faith.

Service and solidarity are not only essential to the Christian values of love and mercy, but also to social justice. Today's youth have the power to bring about social change, make a difference and provide for their community. As Mother Teresa said, “Love begins at the home, and it is not how much we do, but how much love we put into that action.” Any and all contributions will make a difference, and there is no way to measure how that difference may change the world we live in. Service exemplifies love and brings humility and joy to all those who experience it. The experience of service is a gift that should be practiced as frequently and differently as possible.

Do not let the opportunity to serve pass you by. The rewards it brings extend farther than one can possibly fathom, and that experience is irreplaceable. 

 Christina is 21 and lives in Norwell, Massachusetts. She enjoys spending time with her friends and family – her twin brother, Jimmy, and her parents Jim and Nancy. She also likes horses, playing rugby and doing service. 

CFCA was founded in 1981 by lay Catholics acting on the Gospel call to serve the poor. It now has more than 250,000 U.S. sponsors supporting children, youth and the aging worldwide. To learn how you can help, visit http://hopeforafamily.org.

Praying to End Abortion

Have you ever prayed outside of an abortion clinic and encountered hostile stares, rude words and negative reactions?

Or have you ever prayed outside of a clinic for weeks at a time and all that happened was... nothing? No babies were saved, no pregnant women changed their minds and no clinic workers suddenly converted? Were you left wondering why your prayers didn't seem to have any visible answer?

Have you ever just felt discouraged about your work as a pro-lifer?

I know I have. Praying outside of abortion clinics can be scary and hard (I've chronicled a little bit about my struggles with it on my personal blog). It takes a much thicker skin than I've got. Not to mention that in all my years of praying, I've never once seen a woman change her mind about going in (admittedly I don't have that much experience).

If you're starting to feel as though your pro-life witness isn't doing much to help, here are a few little tips to keep you going.

1. Women need your witness. I just read an article about a young woman who didn't want to have an abortion and was secretly hoping that pro-lifers would stop her from entering the clinic. That article made me kick myself for every time I've skipped out on praying outside a clinic (and it inspired me to write this blog post). The truth is that every time we stand out there to witness against the outrage that is abortion - and more importantly, to stand up for the beauty and dignity of human life - something good will come of it, even if we can't see the results directly. I hope you read that article and get inspired too!

2. Men need your witness. When I prayed outside a clinic with some girl friends a few months back, several men stopped to thank us for being there. It can be even harder for men to speak out against abortion than for women, but men are often as deeply wounded by abortion as women are. They need our witness and prayers as much as women do.

3. Prayer transcends time and space. Just because you can't see the effects of your praying doesn't mean there aren't effects. God can take those prayers and apply them to a woman hundreds of miles away who needs that extra bit of help, or transfer them to next month, or to yesterday. The economy of grace is an amazing thing and totally beyond our comprehension. The one thing we do know is that prayer works.

I would love to hear any other tips you ladies have. What kind of work do you do for the pro-life cause? How do you motivate yourself to keep going when you get discouraged? Have you ever been  there when a pregnant woman changed her mind about having an abortion?

Reflection on Reading II of this past Sunday

“Beloved, we are God’s children now;

what we shall be has not yet been revealed.

We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him…”

(1 John 3:2)

Am I willing to just be a child? A child throwing myself into the arms of my Father? A child waiting for his identity to be fully revealed, but who trusts the Lord to reveal it little by little? A soul who knows that the revelation of Divine Will for me will make me more like Him, if I cooperate and surrender to that revelation?

Why We Serve

Thank you.

Today I heard those words so. many. times. They were heartfelt. Sometimes with tired eyes that looked into mine and pierced my own heart. Other times the eyes couldn’t quite meet mine because of shame or embarrassment or burdens that weighed them down.

Eyes and voices that belonged to the patients I served today at the monthly free clinic run by two local hospitals.

They gave thanks for the little we were giving them.

And somehow, each time I heard those words and felt the honest appreciation behind them, I connected to that person. These were my brothers and sisters. I only gave because of what I have been given.

Salvation. Love. Grace. In abundance.

The radio song on the way to the clinic was a perfect reminder of this.

I want to love because you loved.

I want to give because you gave.

I want to reach my hand out to the lost

Because I know Your hand will save. ("Only You Can Save," -Chris Sligh)

This is why we serve. This is why we love.

Because He did first.

He washed feet. He embraced lepers. He fed five thousand. And every time He saw not only the need…but also the people themselves.

Service isn’t simply about one person giving to another in need. It’s about creating a relationship between two children of God. About seeing God in the other and serving Him in that person. It’s beautiful and powerful and life-changing, this encounter with our God.

He may not look like we expect. But He is out there, every day, waiting. Seek Him and you will find Him. (Jeremiah 29:12)

Know and remember that you are loved. Immensely and immeasurably.

Now share that love with others and see the One who first loved you (1 John 4:19).

Ministry Without a Name

I’ve done a lot of volunteering in the years gone by. I’ve walked dogs at the animal shelter. I’ve played bingo with the nursing home residents. I’ve been a youth leader and a choir member and a server at the soup kitchen.

And it was beautiful. Each time taught me about serving and loving—and how we are all so very much the same at heart.

But during a season of heartache and burnout combined, I drew back. I pulled out of each ministry and sought silence more, simplicity more--Jesus more.

I found that sometimes when we’re in ministry, we focus more on serving than on the One we serve. Sometimes pride creeps in with the labels that accompany our deeds or committees or outreach. We feel justified by our contributions to a named ministry. Sometimes we forget that we are only the vessel.

When I dropped those ministries, it was humbling. My labels were stripped. I had no ‘proof’ that I was a ‘good Christian.’ I couldn’t list all the things that showed I loved Jesus.

Slowly I began to focus more on living out that love in each moment. Maybe each moment could be turned into a ministry. A nameless ministry. One where I served God in every person I met, not just those in my choir or my youth group.

When I could no longer hold on to titles and labels for security, I found myself holding more tightly to Him and finding my security in trusting that He would use anything I gave him each day. When I no longer had to focus on a busy schedule, I found myself focusing more on the random opportunities He sent to share His grace and love—sometimes with words, sometimes by actions.

I’m involved once again in a few named ministries, like the pastoral council and junior high CCD. And I love it. But my quiet time away taught me much.

Sometimes the greatest ministries are the ones without a name.

Fearless

Long ago I picked up the guitar and learned to strum a few chords. My first song was Taylor Swift’s “Teardrops on my Guitar.” My little teenage self adored the melody and lyrics and my fingers were able to pick up the rhythm, so I sang and played my heart out.

I still enjoy her shallow-but-catchy songs when I hear them on the radio thumbing through channels.

And I still really want her hair.

She has an album title song called “Fearless.” It’s cute, fun, and all about that adorable boy who makes her fearless.

But…(you knew there had to be a ‘but’, right?)

I can’t help but wonder about the true meaning of "fearless" when I hear the song lyrics:

And I don't know how it gets better than this

You take my hand and drag me headfirst, fearless

And I don't know why but with you I dance

In a storm in my best dress, fearless

What if true fearlessness is more than dancing in the rain?

Maybe being fearless is more about…

Dressing modestly when no one seems to care.

Praying before a meal in public at school or a restaurant (just talked to my CCD students about this one!)

Taking care of a wife with Alzheimers.

Walking away from the gossip at work—even if you’ll be the next topic because of it.

Going on a mission trip over spring break instead of to the beach. (love my little bros!)

Quietly, faithfully praying for the world from a chair in a nursing home. (I am so blessed to know this woman!)

The fearless people I know do the right thing even when it’s hard.

They speak up for what’s right even when everyone else disagrees.

They spend time on their knees to find the strength to stand against evil.

They are not afraid of what the world thinks of them because they know we were not made for this world alone (John 18:36).

What are your examples of what it means to be fearless?

What Can We Do?

Ladies, I read a great article in First Things today calling for the Catholic Church in the United States to focus on four main, practical objectives for the new year:

1. The ending of abortion

2. The return of large families

3. The renewal of classical education

4. The building of better churches.

What a great set of objectives! As the author of the article says, these correspond to the most pressing needs of the Church in the West.

Now, we're just a few young women. Most of us are in high school or college. We don't hold positions of power and we're not beginning families or building churches any time soon.

But we are the John Paul II Generation and we are a crucial part of the New Evangelization. So I want to ask for your ideas and advice. What can we do to further these objectives?

I have some ideas over on my personal blog too.