So is this like your job?

One of the many blessings of being a Catholic missionary, a lot of people are curious about what exactly does that mean. Tonight I had a few opportunities to share my story. One thing I learned that works the best, is to be yourself. Don't hide anything just be up front and tell it how it is. No one likes people who beat around the bush. One of the best questions I had today was, "So is this like your job?" As a matter of fact, yes this is my job, but it is more than a job because its 24/7 and I am happy doing it. Lord, I thank you for the opportunity in using me to share Your love to others. Help me to improve on my racquet ball skills because humility was in true site tonight.

What's in your heart?

"I am a missionary for FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students) at the University of Nebraska Omaha. 1 Peter 3:15 tell us 'Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope.' Students of UNO what's in your heart? Hopefully we can help you discover the truth. Contact us at uno@focusonline.org FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students) giving students vision for life."

On Friday morning all four of us made a 30 second commercial to aired every once in a while in the radio station here in Nebraska. Each a little a different, but the beginning and ending the same. Basically doing a little PR is lots of fun! I have been pondering this quote for the past five days..."What's in your heart?" How can I challenge others to place God in their hearts first and foremost before everything else, when I know for myself its a constant struggle to do so. My heart is full of so many things that God sometimes is a hidden and doesn't shine forth like He should be.

I ask you and pray for all of us tonight, to allow the Holy Spirit to come to our hearts and let God be number one in our hearts, so that others may see His reflection through us.

Fellowship and Pretty Feet

It's late and I am going to make this a little short. One of the great part of being a FOCUS Missionary is the people you meet on your walk with God. One is particular is this family in Gretna, NE. Sarah and I were welcomed to their home this evening. We spent almost four hours with great conversation, lots of laughter, cookie dough, cookies, and pretty feet at the end.



Lord, Thank you for the simple blessings of faith, hope, and love with the TLC of others. Here we are making our debut in a parade. Thank you, Lord.

I cannot believe We were on the radio

http://www.spiritcatholicradio.com/interviews/FOCUS.mp3

KVSS copied the interview and put it on their site. You can listen to the 30 minute show. So crazy. Remember it was real early, so yeah, just keep that in mind. I thank the Lord for the opporunity to spread His word to even a broader audience.

It was an EARLY start to be out the door by 6:30 AM, but I am grateful to have the opporunity to have been on the radio. I would not have imagined to have more excitement to my day.

I did! My mom and grandmother came to visit this afternoon. I am so blest! I know they love me. My day could not have gotten any better.

On the radio.

Surveys are well looking great. Four days of off and on surveys were a better response than most of us would have excepted. The courage and humilty to ask is one the biggest lessons I learned this week. What is the worst thing someone can tell you, No.

The UNO Catholic Campus Ministry site has been updated. http://www.unoccm.org There is also a little information on FOCUS on there, check it out.

For those that read this blog on a daily basis, I have some news for you. Around 7 am - 8 am central time, the Omaha team for FOCUS will be on the radio. You can hear us live on http://www.kvss.com Pray for us, and our words might be HIS words.

LESSON OF THE WEEK
-Pray. Even if you think you have prayed enough, pray some more.

In order to find people to join FOCUS on a new campus, we do surveys. I spent three and half hours or so today saying this...

Me: "Would like to take a quick survey for me?"
Them: "No, Thanks."

Lord, give us the strength to continue to bring others closer to Christ even if humility and negative energy is the result. It makes the Yeses even that more exciting.

Family...

"Man is made for community." I am not sure who said this quote, but it speaks many languages. No one wants to be alone, its a horrible feeling. The Catholic Church gives you not only that community man is made for, but also a family. I am so blest to have been welcomed into so many families. Yes, I have my parents who I would be no where without, but I have a new family of FOCUS and even closer family of my team here in UNO. We eat as a "family" it seems once a day. We cook, eat, laugh, and clean. It's a great routine and afterwards we just sit around and relax.

Find your community, cherish the good and the bad and live knowing every day is one step closer to heaven.

A few updates:

• KVSS.com - FOCUS team of UNO will be on the radio 7:00-8:00ish AM (CT)
• Road trips are a GREAT thing; nothing like driving more than being in your actual destination; yeah we are a little crazy.
• I bought my comfy chair!
• Our true outreach starts tomorrow, please say a few prayers.

A Story of Love and Courage

Today we had team bonding day. We postponed going to the Zoo and went to the movies. We went to see WTC (World Trade Center). You might be thinking, how much bonding can you have with a movie. This is not just a movie. This is a piece of HISTORY. I know I was crying the whole time and the two men on my team had tears in their eyes as well. I don't even remember crying this much with the movie The Passion.

Only 20 people were pulled from the rubble alive. Port Authority Police Sergeant John McLoughlin and Officer Will Jimeno were numbers 18 and 19. The story is not just based on two survivors, but rather the story of love and courage. These men touched my heart and many others.

In their website http://www.wtcmovie.com you can see interviews of the real men. I advise you to do this. I just finished listening to Will Jimeno and these are a few of his quotes. "Evil will never win." and "I never thought I would witness anything like 9/11, but when I stepped foot in the movie set, I felt I was standing there again."

I had never witnessed such an intense movie, this is reality. It is not a movie of vengeance or hate, but a movie of love, courage, and hope. What brought me to tears the most was a quote from Sergeant John McLoughlin when he saw his wife for the first time after his rescue, he spoke four beautiful words. I won't say them because I don't want to spoil the movie. But love does conquer all. 1 Corinthians 13 doesn't lie.

I advise you to take the Saturday and travel to your nearest movie theatre and watch WTC. Words cannot explain the love you will witness.

The meaning to the word YES

Today is the feast of the Assumption of Mary. On daily e-mails I receive from Saint of the Day states this, "In the light of the Assumption of Mary, it is easy to pray her Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55) with new meaning. In her glory she proclaims the greatness of the Lord and finds joy in God her savior. God has done marvels to her and she leads others to recognize God's holiness. She is the lowly handmaid who deeply reverence her God and has been raised to the heights. From her position of strength she will help the lowly and the poor find justice on earth and she will challenge the rich and powerful to distrust wealth and power as a source of happiness."

When I think of the word YES, I can only think of Mary. Everything she did and lived was done in greatness, humility, and reverence for her God. She brings Jesus to us because of her YES. I can only laugh and ponder about all missionaries in this world. Yes, as a FOCUS missionary, we had to make a YES to the will of the LORD and through reverence, we will become ourselves lowly handmaids of the Lord.

But there are many other Catholic missionaries who answered YES as well. Theresa Kerby, left today for a 9 month adventure to Belize. She will be teaching children in a country where many of us don't even know where it is located. She answered a YES and God's holiness is recognize and it will challenge, but rich and fruit will only explode.

Today let's celebrate all those YES either BIG or small. Give Thanks to Mary for her joyful example.

We have furniture

At a first year campus with FOCUS, you don't have any hand me down items. The first few days were just boxes and air mattresses. But now we have everything you need to make a place feel at home. It might still seem a little bare, but it's home.

I spent the weekend with the Ybarra Family in Lincoln, NE. My campus director took me home with him and I couldn't have felt more at "home." His family knows the meaning of the word hospitality. At times in a new town where you know a feel people, but everything is still the unknown to you, it was great to surround myself with some of "tender loving care."

Tonight, I pray especially for all those individuals who treat strangers with some love. It's through acts of love that people can truly experience the love of God in a small glimpse here on earth.

How are you spending your time?

This afternoon, I have had the whole day to myself. I couldn't help, but think how have I spent my time. Sitting and watching re-runs on television or reading books on lives of saints and our Lord. Will watching the same episode I have seen already truly benefit my life. The answer is NO. So next time you have a little free time, sit back and open a book. I now just have to save enough money to buy a comfy chair!!

At U.N.O. we don't have access to many things. So our team has applied to become undergraduate students, that way we have better access to students and have the perks of being a college student at U.N.O. I never would have imagined filling out a college application so soon, I forgot how expensive everything. It's no wonder people get in debt while in college. I think I am taking Yoga, we will see....

Holiness should be required

Wednesday morning I went to mass and the last lines of the homily still remain in my thoughts, "Holiness is not something anymore for the saints, but something that should be required in life."

I know as a missionary and an American, we find things such as food, gas, electricity, and so forth. We find things that bring us comfort as things that are required in life. Not to mention fame and glory. Does any of us stop and think...Maybe our spiritual well-being is one of the things that should be in our list. Our spiritual well-being should be required in order to live a comfortable life.

Keep my roommate in your prayers, her Grandmother gotten worse and she has had to go home.

Home is now Omaha!

I look around the room with half empty boxes, pillows and blankets on the floor and three amazing individuals. I have been blest to be part of a team with one great chemistry. We have laughter, good times, and tons of excitement. God must have known what He was doing when He placed the four of us here.

For those that do not know, I moved Saturday morning to the "Good Life" of Nebraska. Omaha has welcomed us greatly and I am so grateful to here. Omaha is excited to have us here and we are excited to be here.

We are still all in the stage of getting settled in and wondering what God has planned for us. But all those nerves doesn't stop the excitement in our hearts.

Even though we have a great apartment, the furniture is still on its way here slowly. My roommate and I do have a five gallon fish tank. Today I purchased three pets for us. Their names are Gianna, Vianney, and Joseph. Names of three great saints. Lord, as your assistance along with the saints named earlier, guide our souls to the faithful souls striving for your love.

Til next time, enjoy the life God has blessed you with.

St. John Vianney, Pray for us.

Recommending liturgical prayer, John Vianney would say, "Private prayer is like straw scattered here and there: If you set it on fire it makes a lot of little flames. But gather these straws into a bundle and light them, and you get a mighty fire, rising like a column into the sky; public prayer is like that."

It was so good to be at mass again this morning. My car was in the shop for four days and I didn't have any form of transportation to take me. Yes, I would sit in my room and pray, but being in community with the Holy Eucharist in front of you gives you so much warmth. I thank you Lord, for this gift of Mass.

As for me, its the feast of St. John Vianney, who is the patron Saint that my team in Omaha has picked. He is such a role model. His feast day could not have come in a better time, I leave tomorrow morning. I pray for his graces to pour down upon this frighten little heart of mine. [sigh] The communion antiphon said it the best; Matthew 28:20, "And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age." Lord, thank you for being with me and continue to do in the next few days especially.

Let's give thanks today for the community our Lord has placed us in and that we remember that prayer and guidance for eachother is the most perfect gift we can give one another.

Next time, I will be in Omaha...