Overall, it was a good week

Hey friends!

I've been on a vacation from summer school for the past week. I enjoyed some time with my brother, the prodigal son, who might actually end up moving home. We had loads of good talks while I was his personal taxi all around. I got into some new music (Annuals, Dr. Dog) that he gave to me and I got to enjoy a wonderful 4th of July celebration with some close family friends and relocated yankees. I'm headed back to the Abbey tomorrow for finals week. I only have two finals and two or three papers to write but it still sounds intimidating! Please pray for my self-discipline and motivation to increase. Also, please pray for my sister who's having a bit of a tough time. If you want to drop a letter by the house to show her some love, she would greatly appreciate it. I'll be finishing up summer school on Thursday and beginning an Internship with Liz Sams at St. Mary's on the 20th. It's going to be great! I'm loving life. Thanks for the prayers and support! May the Church continue to pray for and support each other. Remember our faithful shepherds in this year of the priest.

Here's a quick fact I learned in summer school. The occupation of shepherd wasn't a glorious occupation back in Jesus' time. Jesus uses the image of shepherd to prove that He brings beauty from the mess. Oftentimes, the lowly have the greatest inner joy. Do you have an inner joy that keeps you going on rainy days? He can make glory and joy out of pain. Remember, Jesus didn't create pain, He gave us free will. Mankind messed up and Jesus takes what we have done and shapes it into something new. All glory and praise be to God! Have a blessed week brothers and sisters!

Matt

A beautiful prayer for daily spiritual renewal

“O merciful God, fill our hearts, we pray, with the graces of your Holy Spirit; with love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, humility, and self-control. Teach us to love those who hate us; to pray for those who despitefully use us; that we may be the children of your love, our Father, who makes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. In adversity grant us grace to be patient; in prosperity keep us humble; may we guard the door of our lips; may we lightly esteem the pleasures of this world, and thirst after heavenly things; through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Prayer of Anselm, 1033-1109 AD)

The Beauty of Literature

Good day! 

I'm currently in summer school at the Abbey as most of you know and I just wanted to let you in on a little tidbit of the joy that my imagination delights in through the gift of American literature. Imagine you are about to enter into a forest. You get out of your car or off your bike, walk up to the trailhead and upon a tree there rests a sign, crudely carved onto an old piece of driftwood. It reads: 

"Stranger, if thou hast learned a truth which needs

No school of long experience, that the world 

Is full of guilt and misery, and hast seen 

Enough of all its sorrows, crimes, and cares, 

To tire thee of it, enter this wild wood

And view the haunts of nature. The calm shade

Shall bring a kindred calm, and the sweet breeze

That makes the green leaves dance, shall waft a balm

To thy sick heart. Though wilt find nothing here

Of all that pained thee in the haunts of men, 

And made thee loathe thy life. The primal curse

Fell, it is true, upon the unsinning earth, 

But not in vengance. God hath yoked to guilt

Her pale tormentor, Misery. Hence these shades

Are still the abode of gladness; the thick roof 

Of green and stirring branches is alive 

And musical with birds, that sing and sport

In wantonness of spirit; while below

The squirrel, with raised paws and form erect, 

Chirps merrily. Throngs of insects in the shade 

Try their thin wings and dance in the warm beam. 

That waked them into life. Even the green trees

Partake the deep contentment; as they bend 

To the soft winds, the sun from the blue sky 

Looks in and sheds a blessing on the scene. 

Scarce less the cleft-born wildflower seems to enjoy

Existence, than the winged plunderer

That sucks its sweets. The mossy rocks themselves, 

And the old and ponderous trunks of prostrate trees

That lead from knoll to knoll a causeway rude, 

Or bridge the sunken brook, and their dark roots, 

With all their roots upon them, twisting high, 

Breathe fixed tranquility. The rivulet

Sends forth glad sounds, and tripping o'er its bed

Of pebbly sands, or leaping down the rocks

Seems, with continuous laughter, to rejoice

In its own being. Softly tread the marge, 

Lest from her midway perch thou scare the wren

That dips her bill in water. The cool wind, 

That stirs the stream in play, shall come to thee, 

Like one that loves thee nor will let thee pass

Ungreeted, and shall give its light embrace.

Inscription for the Entrance to a Wood - William Cullen Bryant

If you had trouble reading it, go back and reread it. Read it according to the punctuation, not the line breaks. 

This poem brings me so much joy! Think of the rivulet (a small brook or stream) that "sends forth glad sounds, and tripping o'er its bed of pebbly sands, or leaping down the rock seems, with continuous laughter, to rejoice in its own being." WHOA! I spent last summer as a camp counselor and this poem takes me back to so many places and so many times when I sat upon rocks amidst the stream just listening to the river. God bless your day! I hope this poem brought you some peace or a much needed break from work. 

Matt

In Christ Alone

Hey all, 

I've been at summer school for about a week now and I wanted to take a quick second to reflect on what I've been thinking about for the past week. I learned there are a few very important things in life: friends, faith, fellowship, and fun. Friends and fellowship have occupied a lot of my time here during the first week and I really enjoy just hanging out with the guys. Finding a good group of friends is very beneficial to well being. During my first few years at college, a lot of my friends from high school came to me saying "Matt I like my school but I'm not having any fun because I can't find a good group of friends who share my same values and are fun to hang out with". I've been blessed with the gift of good friends. Friends I can hang out with, pray with, drink with, exercise with, etc. It's a true blessing. FAITH: I'm really attached to my relationship with Christ. Like everyone, I sometimes stray and I sometimes deny Him or forget to talk with Him, but He's always there, waiting. That's the biggest blessing in my life. Tomorrow, I get to receive the very flesh and blood of God. I think that's pretty amazing!!! The last F is for FUN! I've been having loads of fun this week in between looking for a job and going to class. I've been biking at the US National Whitewater Center, running, working out at the Y, playing basketball, reading classic American literature, watching Band of Brothers.. LOADS of fun stuff! What a blessing to have that freedom. Basically, God is good! I hope you can take the upcoming week to seize the day! Make a concrete plan and stick to it. I plan to finish reading Wild at Heart, run 3 miles twice this week, and find a job. Make some goals and execute them! God bless you and please pray for me as I will for you. 

Matt the disciple

Peace be with you

Thanksgiving

This post is in thanksgiving to all those who supported me on my Italian journey. I really really really appreciate all the prayers, donations, and love given to me over the past few months. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have had the ability to go on this life changing journey and for that I'm very grateful. 

Today I was taking a trip to Ace hardware to pick up some washers, the wrong ones I might add, and I thought about how wonderful life is. Especially mine! I have so many opportunities in everyday situations. You do too! Just look at the little things that we take for granted. First of all it was a gorgeous day outside to be power washing! So I got in my dad's Jeep and it started (some people's cars don't start, some people don't have cars). I turned on the radio (we live in a country where we can decide what we listen to and a large variety is provided for us) but I didn't like any of the music so I popped in a CD (what kinda crazy technology is it that a circular piece of plastic with a little groovy design can hold the music of our choice!!!). The roads were well maintained give or take a few small blemishes. The traffic lights function. I drove right next door to fill up the tank and gas wasn't outrageous. I also bought this gas with a little piece of plastic that knew it was me because of a little magnetic strip (again, crazy technology). I think you get the point. There is so much in life that we can be thankful for! From living in Cary, NC, I know that we kind of exist in a bubble where whatever we need is right at our fingertips and I think we sometimes take that for granted. I know I used to say "oh my gosh, Cary is so boring!" You can't do anything without paying a fortune ($9 movies) but that's just a pessimistic outlook. The other day I stopped by Bond Lake and realized I can go fishing for FREE!!! Right here in Cary, NC!!! I can go for a run in some of the best maintained parks around. I can ride my bike on the millions of sidewalks here, spend some time contemplating life at our many available Catholic churches (we aren't persecuted for our religion like China). WE ARE SO BLESSED!!! I guess I'm just kind of rambling now but I've made my point. Today, step outside and take a deep breath. Thank God for all He's provided you with! If it's hot, go outside, sweat a little, and then step right back into your air-conditioned home! If it's raining, get a little wet, then go dry off with a towel and enjoy the sound of the rain from under your roof. Enjoy life! Grab it by the horns and go for a ride. God bless your day!!! 

Peace be with you. 

Matt

New Direction

Hello Friends! 

I've decided to use this blog as a window into my life for you to look at. I find people really interesting and sometimes we can affect each other in such a profound way by simply telling each other our story. Hopefully you will find mine interesting enough to keep an open ear. God has given me many many gifts and I hope to actualize their potentiality. Maybe come along with me, offer me your input, tell me your story.

This morning I was given the opportunity to go to the most wonderful celebration. Mass! Besides God's beautiful mercy of saving us by His sacrifice, He decided to give us His body to sustain our weak and trembling flesh. The Gospel was about the importance of Jesus leaving the apostles so that the Advocate (Holy Spirit) could be sent down. Msgr. Tim suggested the importance of the Holy Spirit and how He can sometimes be the little brother of the Trinity. We focus a lot on the Father and the Son but do we ask the Holy Spirit, the very presence of God to intervene in our daily lives? What a blessing the Holy Spirit is! 

I just recently tested out the wonderful waters of creativity through iphoto. I made an official picture book to represent the essence of my recent journey. Loads of joyful pictures fill its pages with quotes interspersed throughout to show that I actually learned something over in Italy. It wasn't all fun and games... just mostly. The book should be here by Friday so hopefully I'll have it at the party on Saturday. 

Monday's gone and the week is in motion. Take advantage of the next four days to get something done and maybe ask Mary to guide you on your path. 

Peace be with you

Matt

Check this out

Hey everybody! 

I'm back in America and I'm having a great time at home! I recently received an email from a close friend with an interesting video. It highlights the importance of God's most precious gift, children. Today we are living in a small family culture. Let's get some big Catholic families out there! This video is only to show how important children are in one aspect, not to emphasize the message at the end. Although, evangelizing Muslims from the oppressive Islam is very important too. 

Thy Kingdom Come!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-3X5hIFXYU