Role Models

Tonight at "holy hour" the topic we covered was all about role models. Who our role models are and why we chose them, qualities we look for which make a person a great role model, and how, even though we may not think about, all of us are role models to the people around us. We talked about the four cardinal virtues and the three theological virtues (when you put these together, they are also known as the seven heavenly virtues) and how if we want to be good role models for our faith than we need to pray to God for the gift of these virtues in our lives. For those of you who do not know what the above virtues are, they are:

Prudence: proper judgment of reasons for action with regard to appropriateness in a context
Justice: proper judgment regarding individual human interests, rights and desserts
Restraint or Temperance: practicing self-control, abstention, and moderation
Courage or Fortitude: forbearance, endurance, and ability to confront fear and uncertainty, or intimidation
Faith: steadfastness in belief
Hope: desire the kingdom of heaven and eternal life as our happiness, placing our trust in Christ's promises and relying not on our own strength, but on the help of the grace of the Holy Spirit
Love or Charity: selfless, unconditional, and voluntary loving-kindness

So who are my role models? I have quite a few of them. The first two are my parents (the couple in the picture happen to be them). My father, well if you knew him personally than you would understand... he is such a hard worker. He works at a tough and under appreciated job give us kids what we have needed without complaining hardly at all, he volunteers for so many church events, teaches ccd classes, and is friendly to everyone he meets. There are so many people that I meet on the street that look at me and say, "Hey, you must be Danny's kid. You are a McConnell, right?" I love him dearly for everything he does.
My mom is amazing. She taught me all through high school and has helped give me the intelligence that I have. She is the one who always reminds us kids to always keep God first in our minds. All the things she does for us at home go unnoticed way to often. I love her dearly.
Some other role models for me are Mary, the Mother of God, St. Maria Gorretti, Mother Teresa. Taylor Swift (some may laugh at that, but I think the way she deals with the media in such a mature way amazing), Peyton Manning (yes, I am a fan, but I think he does a lot of good outside of football), Mother Teresa, and a few others.

To me, I think that really anyone can be considered a role model, but I think there are certain qualities a person should have that makes them a role model to really look up to. I think that a great role model needs to have integrity in everything they do. I think also that role models should use their actions to let the light of Christ shine through rather than just words. Sometimes I think that words will get nothing across to some people, but actions, well it is hard to ignore those. I think that a good role model does not always think of themselves as a good role model, if that makes since. I think they stay humble about it. I believe that someone who knows what they believe and will not back down from that in a respectful manner is a quality in a role model that is worth noticing.

There is a post I wrote awhile back in April which you can look at here. A lot of times I do not think about how many people look up to me, but the fact is everyone has someone that looks up to them. So since I am one for someone than I need to act like someone who I would choose as a role model. I hope that I have done the people who look up to me justice. I think tonight's "holy hour" was a good one to reflect upon.

Time

Have you ever realized how time seems to be your enemy? It always speeds up when you are having a great time and then when you wish it would speed up through a boring time in your day it always goes by so slowly??? It just hit me today that half of my Summer is over. Classes will begin next month and how I spend my life now will be totally different. I will be consumed with work and school, and helping out with youth group... I won't have much me time at all this upcoming year, and thinking about all that is starting to get to me.
It's funny how plans go. I had a great Summer planned out this year filled with trips to Holiday World and King's Island, camping, going to see family down South, and hanging out with my friends as much as I possibly can, but so far the only thing I have ended up being able to check of this fun "to do" list is hanging out with my friends as much as possible.... Not that that is a bad thing, because it is not, it is just that I started out looking forward to so many things, and for whatever reasons... work mostly... I have not been able to check off more on that list. Luckily, I will be able to check off atleast one more thing on this list and that is my King's Island trip. I am looking forward to hanging out with my friends for the week-end. It should be a great time, and a nice way to kind of end my Summer before I have to buy school supplies and figure all that stuff out.
I guess in some ways having my life focused on God, school, and work is in some ways a blessing. Some of my close friends are leaving this fall for college and whatever the future holds for them, and I am going to miss them terribly. I think the best thing for me is to keep busy so that I don't think about how I won't see them nearly as much. It'll be hard this coming school year without them here with me, but with my schedule time will probably fly past, or at least I hope it does, but as I said before... time seems to be my enemy. I hope I am not dead by the end of this year though!

(Side note: My computer at home is still not fixed, and so that is the reason for my lack of posting... as soon as it's back up and going I will let ya'll all know...)

All About Holiness in A Woman

I was able to be able to check my facebook today, and there happened to be a note that was posted, and the title of it intrigued me. I was quite pleased with what was in this note, and decided to put it on here. I am sure that this probably won't be as interesting to the male readers out there, but I hope that the females get as much out of it as I did. It is quite long, but it is so good that I do not mind it so much.... Enjoy

Holiness in a Woman

I learned something very intriguing from a really amazing priest the other day. He told me that holiness in a man means RESPONSIBILITY. Can he provide for his loved ones? Can he keep his commitments? Can he "take the lead" through mutual respect? I found it quite profound to be able to stick all of what it means to be a holy man into just one word! So that got me thinking. What does it mean to be a holy woman, in just one word?
After googling it for at least a half hour straight, coming up with... absolutely nothing, of course, I decided to ask Mary and found myself looking at a bible verse. Wisdom 7:23-8:21. (I'm not typing it out, so go crack open a bible!) The verse speaks of a peace, wisdom, understanding, beauty, a reflection of eternal light, self-control, and joy. After this multitude of beautiful and strong virtues, the passage goes on to say how "he" then sought this "wisdom," taking her as his bride for his delight, her company, and her heart.
This is what every man seeks AND what God seeks. Why do we want to be holy women? Because we have a longing within ourselves to be desired, fought for, and beautiful. By whom? Ultimately by our Prince charming, our Lord, but if we are called to the sacrament of marriage, we also desire to be holy for our earthly spouse, as well. We want to be holy and beautiful for our princes.
So where do we start? Always with God. In the book, The Restless Heart: Finding Our Spiritual Home in Times of Loneliness, Ronald Rolheiser describes how "before being born, each soul is kissed by God and then goes through life always, in some dark way, remembering that kiss and measuring everything it experiences in relation to that original sweetness." Through this understanding of our deepest longing for love, to be united with God, we need to ask ourselves a VERY important question: ARE we His spouse? And if we desire an earthly spouse, how can we logically think that we can be a man’s spouse if we are not trying to fulfill our deepest calling to be Christ's Spouse?

A Bride of Christ

Here are a few questions that we can ask ourselves to discover if we are striving to be Christ's spouse:
- Do we spend time with Him? I don't like it when people ask how much I "pray." I would much prefer if they ask how many dates I've been on with my Prince lately. Do we go on walks with Him? Talk to Him? BE with Him? Many of us have the opportunity to go to communion daily. This is the time when we are most united with our Heavenly Prince in a radical way. Do we choose BE with Him? Do we rise up, His love, His fair ones, and come away with Him?
- Do we help Him with His work? Our Lord is many things; are you at His side helping him? Our Lord is a teacher; do we enjoy being with children, young and old, and teach His Father’s way? Our Lord is a healer; do we visit the sick, provide a band-aid when needed, and offer looks and touches that will heal the broken hearted? Our Lord is a lover; do we provide charity through praying for the souls in purgatory, giving affection to the ones on earth, and seeking and yearning for the Father's Love and Will? The Lord has many other "occupations"; do we help Him?
- Do we share in His pain and His joy? How have we been given the opportunity to BE with Him--you know what I mean. To be with HIM—THERE. Everyone has a special place where we can just BE with Him. Do we venture out of ourselves to share in the pain that others go through in order to be closer to Christ? Do we visit Him in His Agony through the painful times in our lives when we lose a loved one, feel lonely, have an addiction? Do rise with Him in His Ascension when a baby is born, the sun rises, we receive good news?

The Blessed Mother, Spouse of the Spirit

We can ALWAYS turn to Mary to guide us. She has lived and continues to live as the Spirit's beautiful, immaculate bride! What a sign of Hope for us on earth! We can go and look through the gospel, find when she is mentioned, and ask ourselves how we have actually done what she has done through the Grace of God. We can see what a holy woman would do in our situation—WWMD?
We can also pray the rosary, not just for special intentions or because we "have to," but to learn how to be little Mary's here on earth. How did Mary live that mystery? How was she a spouse in that mystery? How has this mystery become real in our lives? How can we be His spouse in that mystery? For example, the first joyful mystery, the Annunciation: when did we last say "yes" to God? Perhaps it was when we didn't want to wake up early for Sunday or daily mass, but we did anyway because we WANT Him MORE than hours of sleep (although we have to be prudent, too!). Perhaps it was when we helped that little boy put on his winter coat and little gloves and hat to enjoy a snowy day. Perhaps it was when we answered our cell phone when our mom or dad was calling, even though we had a TON of homework and wanted to spend time with friends later.
One of my favorite examples of how we can be like Mary, a holy woman, is through caring for someone who is hurt. Do you remember when we were in elementary school and there were always those one or two girls who always helped everyone? Perhaps someone got hurt in gym; she was always right there so quickly! She always got out of class or didn't participate in an activity because she was the one who helped and stayed with the person who was hurt. Maybe you were that girl; or maybe you were like me, wondering how she could just DO that--forget about herself, know exactly what to say, what to do. But, that's what we're called to do: forget ourselves and simply be Beautiful for Christ.
This is also why girls should love to sing, dance, share the Faith, etc. And this is where Faith comes in. All of these things—going out of ourselves and being like Mary—can be very scary. This is because we have this feeling like we don't know HOW to do these things: to be Beautiful. But, the Truth is... we do know how when Christ is beside us. He is the one who is doing the true healing, the passionate dancing, the on-tune singing; we just have to give Him our little yes of action and He will be there LEADING us.

A Woman Existing

A couple years ago I wrote a poem that I entitled, "Pure Existence." The poem is about knowing that my soul mate is out there somewhere. He is strong and gentle and knows that I am out there somewhere, too. The end of the poem asks a very importance question that we all wonder in our hearts: Will he wait for me? Am I worth waiting for? Is my pure existence enough?
In order to answer this question, we need to first discover what it means to exist. In order to exist, we have to be there, present, and respondent. I can think of many times that I have not existed in this world. One of the simplest examples that I experience quite often is in a clothing store. I really like clothes shopping, but there is a part of it that I absolutely despise. I will be in a clothing store with my mom, who is talking to me, but when I spot that cute shirt or dress or skirt, I stop existing. I don't hear a thing that my mom says. I have trained myself to say a few uh-huh's and ya's, but I'm not really there. Instead of my existence, that dress is existing. The same thing happens a lot if I'm single and a cute young man walks by. I simply don't exist, but that guy has LIFE, let me tell you. In fact, he has MY whole life in his hands right then. But, is that enough? Will he notice me?
No. Not really. He may notice the way I look, but not my heart--not my true existence. Why? I'm not even existing right then! God says that we first have to Exist in order to be noticed. How do we exist? We become His spouse. What true man of God can resist the Church? What true man of God can resist Mary? What true man of God can resist a Bride of Christ? Jesus' princess? A lily immaculately white? A rose in full bloom? A young woman Existing. We look so many places to be irresistible, captivating; yet so many times we fail to go straight to the most remarkable, captivating beauty in this world and the next: God. We, as women reflect the Beauty of God in a Real, True way. Remember how we can live out the Annunciation? God chose a young woman to bring His Son into this world--to Exist! He chose US! In the words of Our Lord and JPII--Be Not Afraid!

One Word

Have you been wondering what I came up with (through the Grace of God, of course) as the word to describe True Holiness in Women? Well, here it is: Support. Do we feel lonely? Do we try to pray, but still feel lonely? Do we feel useless? Do we feel like we are not needed? Do we feel like we are not Existing as Women? Then we are not supporting the way God intended us to.
Mother Teresa. Talk about a woman who lived out her calling. She supported her Bridegroom with His work with the poor. She supported human dignity through every person that she touched. Women give their bodies and their lives to support. Wives support their husbands by respecting and challenging their True calling to manhood. Mothers support their children by caring for and cherishing their True calling to be God’s children. Christian women, especially those called to the religious life, support Christ by being His Bride. Women support.
Each and every day we need to support. If we give this over to God, He will provide amazing opportunities to fulfill our calling as women. We just have to receive those opportunities. They were there our whole lives. Right in front of our eyes is the way that we are fulfilled. Right in front of our eyes is the face of Christ, staring back at us asking for our support in His work. We just need to receive this gift of womanhood. In the spirit of Mary say YES to be HOLY!

Ave Maria!

"God Bless the U.S.A."

As I said in a post below, this morning I was able to attend the patriotic rosary held at a local parish. It was a beautiful ceremony. For a patriotic rosary, you pray each Hail Mary for a state and on the glory be beads you pray for certain people in the government, and the armed forces... things like that. In between each decade we sang a patriotic song. I was very excited this year, because they decided to sing one of my very favorite Patriotic songs. It amazed me though, at how many people said they heard it for the first time this morning. It's such a great song, that I decided to post it on my blog...
Random thing here...after the rosary, I was walking out of the Church into the gathering area. It made me happy because as I was beginning to leave the priest, Fr. Mike, a good family friend, came up to me and seemed upset that I would leave without saying hi and giving him a hug. I should have known better though, because I have known Fr. Mike for years now. He said, in a joking manner, that he was upset that I have not come up and visited him more often. I love Fr. Mike to death!

God Bless The USA
by Lee Greenwood

If tomorrow all
the things were gone,
I’d worked for all my life.
And I had to start again,
with just my children and my wife.
I’d thank my lucky
stars,
to be livin here today.
‘Cause the flag still stands for freedom,
and they can’t take that away.
And I’m proud to be an
American,
where at least I know I’m free.
And I wont forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.
And I gladly stand up,
next to you and defend her still today.
‘Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land,
God bless the USA.
From the lakes of Minnesota,
to the hills of Tennessee.
Across the plains of Texas,
From sea to shining sea.
From Detroit down to Houston,
and New York to L.A.
Well there's pride in every American heart,
and its time we stand and say.
That I’m proud to be an
American,
where at least I know I’m free.
And I wont forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.
And I gladly stand up,
next to you and defend her still today.
‘Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land,
God bless the USA.
And I’m proud to be and American,
where at least I know I’m free.
And I wont forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.
And I gladly stand up,
next to you and defend her still today.
‘Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land,
God bless the USA.

"Prayer for Our Troops"

In honor of the 4th of July I decided to put up the prayer for our troops. I found this prayer on the internet a few months ago, and I pray it everyday. Whenever I really think about those men and women serving our country, I still feel so thankful that they are willing to lay down their life for the millions of people they do not even know. It amazes me, and I wish I could do more for them, but I guess prayer is one of the best things I can do for them, so that's what I do.


Prayer for Our Troops

Almighty God, our Source of strength and courage, we ask Thee to guide the leaders of nations in the ways of peace and justice and enduring freedom for the peoples of the world.
In these times of peril and war against terrorism listen to our prayers for the men and women serving in our armed forces, our military leaders and our allies. Protect them all from harm as they go into battle on land, in the sea and in the air.
Take away whatever fear from their hearts and enable them to overcome swiftly and decisively the violence and cruelty of the enemy.
Protect them from the hatred of others and bolster their personal pride of being American as they rid our world of the works of darkness and weapons of mass destruction.
Console their loved ones and family members who remain on the home front. Gently dry the tears of those who mourn for the wounded in battle and those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice.
Oh God, bless them with Thy presence. Grant us homeland security. May Thy Peace, the fruit of justice, truth and mercy, reign in America and throughout the world. Amen.

St. Maria Goretti

Every year on 4th of July, since I was about in highschool, my family goes to a local parish where we go to Mass and then say a patriotic rosary afterwords. Today, I was supposed to meet my Dad there, but for some reason he did not show up. I instead sat by some very close family friends. As I was sitting there, it hit me that this Monday will be St. Maria Goretti's feast day. Maria Goretti happened to be my Confirmation saint. What was really cool was that as I realized this it hit me that my confirmation sponsor was the woman I was sitting with. It was kind of cool. I was thinking to myself. "Man, it's funny that I realized my confirmation saint's feast day is coming up as I am sitting here in Mass with my Confirmation sponsor." Go figure...
I just love St. Maria Goretti. The reason I decided on her as my Confirmation saint is because I of her story. She fought so hard to keep her purity for God, and ended up dying for it. I was always brought up, obviously, to save sex for marriage and all that. I think that deciding to save yourself or not is most definitly a very personal decision that should be respected, and unfortunately that is not always the case....It was not until I was about 14 when I really truly decided that that is what I wanted to work for. I did not want to fall for a guy and put myself in the position where I could give up my virginity, and so when I heard about St. Maria Goretti. I kind of picked her out as a "role model" and pray to her often still to help me out in that particular department. I like to think of her as my own personal cheer leader up there in heaven. I decided to post the Maria Goretti's prayer below. Good stuff right there.

Official Prayer to St. Maria Goretti

Oh Saint Maria
Goretti who, strengthened by God's grace, did not hesitate even at the age of
twelve to shed your blood and sacrifice life itself to defend your virginal
purity, look graciously on the unhappy human race which has strayed far from the
path of eternal salvation. Teach us all, and especially youth,with what courage
and promptitude we should flee for the love of Jesus anything that could offend
Him or stain our souls with sin. Obtain for us from our Lord victory in
temptation, comfort in the sorrows of life, and the grace which we earnestly beg
of thee (here insert intention), and may we one day enjoy with thee the
imperishable glory of Heaven. Amen.

"The Child Spirit"

I think that I need to work on trusting as a little child trusts....


The Child Spirit
July 2

Does the way seem a stony one? Not one stone can impede your progress. Courage. Face the future, but face it only with a brave and happy heart. Do not seek to see it. YOU are robbing it Faith of her sublime sweetness if you do this.
Just know that all is well and that Faith is not seeing, but believing, is the barque that will bear you to safety, over stormy waters. "According to your faith be it done unto you" was my injunction to those who sought healing of Me.
If for wonder working, if for healing, if for salvation faith was so necessary then the reason is clear why I urged that all who sought entrance into My Kingdom must become as little children. Faith is the child-atitude.
Seek in every way to become child-like. Seek, seek, seek, until you find, until the years have added to your nature that of the trusting child. Not only for it's simple trust must you copy the child-spirit, but for it's joy in life. It's ready laughter. It's lack of criticism, it's desire to share with all men. Ask much that you become as little children, friendly and loving towards all. Not critical. Not fearful.
"Except ye...become as little children ye cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven."