MAKING ALL THINGS NEW

Since this past summer, a  Scripture passage from St. Paul’s letter to the Philippians has kept coming up in my prayer, and I think it presents a vision for living out 2019 with hopefulness and optimism.  I’ve mentioned this thought to several friends, and they agreed, so I wanted to share it with you.

“I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:13)

St. Paul wrote his letter to the Philippians while in prison, and he wanted the Christians in Philippi to know that he saw all the hardships he was experiencing as his opportunity to share in the sufferings of Christ.  I think the encouragement flowing from this passage can be a great companion for us this year, especially as we struggle to overcome the difficulties which will surely come our way and strive to be the people God calls us to be.

I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that St. Ignatius drew great consolation from these words of St. Paul.  As he recovered from the battle wounds which nearly took his life, Ignatius realized that he wanted to do more for God and devote his life to Him.  Ignatius felt called to travel to the Holy Land, an arduous trip in those days.

On his way to the port of Barcelona, Ignatius wanted to get right with God through the Sacrament of Reconciliation.  His first stop was a monastery high in the mountains. That’s the monastery you see in this photo.The Benedictine monks settled on Montserrat in the ninth century, and their monastery home has been known for centuries as a place where pilgrims can come to pray.  St. Ignatius,  with his leg still not fully healed, climbed up this rugged mountain and stayed several days, meeting with a holy monk who offered just the spiritual help and healing Ignatius needed. Of course, there is much more to this story, but for today, we’ll leave it at that.

So, as we continue to move through the first month of 2019, I think it important to ask ourselves about the goals we have set.  For some, they’ve already given up and they are right back where they were.  In fact, statistics show that most people give up on their New Year resolutions/goals within weeks.

But, what if this passage above could be our grounding for our desire to persevere with what we set out to do?  I know for me, I love the idea that Christ is walking right beside me as I go through my day, to both challenge and encourage me.  How much more could I accomplish if I realized Christ is right there to give me strength?  Ignatius would add, I think, that whatever it is we hope to do and achieve this year, our main desire in those things must be to do more for God.  If we accomplish what we set out to do, let God have the glory, not us.

If you have a list of goals for 2019, go back and pray about them.  Where can you find God in them?  How can God be glorified in your successful accomplishment of them?  Let’s spend the next week prayerfully considering these questions.  The Lord who gave St. Paul strength, who gave St. Ignatius strength, is our Lord too.  Jesus is the same, yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8).  Let’s choose our 2019 goals wisely through prayer, and then surrender them to the Lord.  Tell him that you want to achieve these goals, not for your benefit, (although you will certainly benefit, maybe in unexpected ways) but for his glory.  God will give you the strength to do anything, if you ask.  If we do this, I have great confidence that when we arrive at the end of 2019, we will ask ourselves how was it we had such little faith.  For when the Lord gives us the strength, all things are possible.

I’m excited to be offering several Ignatian retreats in 2019, and I’m grateful to once again partner with Bon Secours Retreat Center in Marriottsville, MD where they will be held.  Although the best options are the weekend retreats, my day retreats throughout the year have become popular and are a nice option for those who just want to check out how some key Ignatian spiritual practices can strengthen their relationship with God and improve their lives.  To register, please click here to link up with the Bon Secours website.  I hope you’ll prayerfully consider joining us on one of these upcoming transformative retreats.  If you have any questions, feel free to email me at paul@makingallthingsnew.com.

 Let’s make 2019 the year we get back on track so we can do more for God!

Feb. 23 Prayer Walking/Rules for Eating- This day-long retreat will focus on ways we can improve our health, both physically and spiritually.  Walking is one of the easiest and cost-effective ways to exercise and when we add prayer, great things happen!  St. Ignatius of Loyola integrated rules/guidelines for eating into his Spiritual Exercises knowing that for many people, paying more attention to what and how they eat can help their spiritual life. This retreat is led by Paul Gallagher.

May 17-19  The Ignatian Way- This weekend retreat provides retreatants with some key Ignatian spiritual practices which can help them grow in all areas of their lives.  This retreat is led by Paul Gallagher and Nancy Marshall-Bickel.

Aug. 17   Everyday Discernment- St. Ignatius was a master of discernment, both for big and small things.  We know that even the smallest decisions can have an impact on our lives.  Come join us as we learn what discernment is, and how an Ignatian framework for making decisions can benefit everyone. This day-long retreat is led by Paul Gallagher.

Nov 15-17  Making All Things New- This is our signature weekend retreat, based on my doctoral work.  We’ll spend our weekend looking at the connection between spirituality and health, primarily through the lens of Ignatian Spirituality.  We also integrate healthy eating, cooking and prayer walking sessions into our time together.  This transformative retreat will include an opportunity for retreatants to participate in a twelve week online retreat starting in January, 2020. This retreat is lead by Paul Gallagher and Nancy Marshall-Bickel.

“Come, let us climb the Lord’s mountain, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may instruct us in his ways, and we may walk in this paths.”  Isaiah 2:3

We’ll soon be entering the first full week of 2019, and I’ve been working one of my goals for this year, and that’s to do more healthy home cooking.  My first attempt was this Lentil Soup, and I was happy how it turned out.  Like all soups and stews, this one tastes better the next day.  I used smoked paprika, but feel free to use regular if that what’s you have on hand.

New Year Lentil Soup

Serves 8

2 tb. olive oil

1 12 oz. bag Wegman’s frozen Mirepoix (diced carrots, onions, and celery) or 3 fresh carrots, diced, two medium onions diced, 2 stalks celery diced

1 tsp. minced garlic

1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes

1 1/2 cup dry lentils (I used French Green)

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ground pepper

3/4 cup red wine

2 bay leaves

1 32 oz. vegetable broth (low sodium)

1 sprig fresh parsley, chopped

1/2 tsp. paprika

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

In soup pot, bring eight cups of water to boil.  Add lentils and bay leaves.  Cover pot and gently boil for 30 minutes or until lentils are tender.  Discard cooking liquid, saving lentils and bay leaves.

In second pot, add olive oil and heat.  Add vegetables and garlic; sauté until translucent about ten minutes. Add wine.  Simmer two minutes.

Add in:  vegetable broth, cooked lentils, bay leaves, tomatoes, salt, pepper and paprika. Bring to boil, then reduce heat, cover pot and simmer for one hour.

Before serving, add parmesan cheese and parsley. Enjoy!

Merry Christmas!  May God bless you and those you love with the joy which can only come from Him, the One who knows our name and whose mercy is without end.

For a child is born to us, a son given to us; upon his shoulder dominion rests.  They name him Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero, Father-Forever, Prince of Peace.   (Isaiah 9:5)

Happy New Year, and welcome to 2019.

O God, we praise
You and acknowledge You
to be the supreme Lord.
Everlasting Father, all the earth worships You.
All the angels, the heavens and all angelic powers,
All the cherubim and seraphim, continually cry to you:
Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Hosts!
Heaven and earth are full of the majesty of Your glory.
The glorious choir of the apostles,
The wonderful company of prophets,
The white-robed army of martyrs, praise You.
Holy Church throughout the world acknowledges You:
The Father of infinite majesty;
Your adorable, true and only Son;
Also the Holy Spirit, the Comforter.
O Christ, You are the King of glory!
You are the everlasting Son of the Father.
When You took it upon Yourself to deliver humanity,
You did not disdain the Virgin’s womb.
Having overcome the sting of death,
You opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers.
You sit at the right hand of God in the glory of the Father
We believe that You will come to be our Judge.
We, therefore, beg You to help Your servants
whom You have redeemed with Your Precious Blood.
Let them be numbered with Your saints in everlasting glory.

Save Your
people, O Lord, and bless Your inheritance!
Govern them, and raise them up forever.
Every day we thank You.
And we praise Your name forever; yes, forever and ever.
O Lord, deign to keep us from sin this day.
Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us.
Let your mercy, O lord be upon us, for we have hoped in You.
O Lord, in you I have put my trust; never let me be put to shame.

In the Catholic Tradition, this third Sunday in Advent is known as Gaudate (Rejoice) Sunday. The name is drawn from the Second Reading at Mass, Paul’s Letter to the Philippians:

“Rejoice in the Lord always.  I shall say it again: rejoice!  Your kindness should be known by all.  The Lord is near.  Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God.  Then, the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus” (4:4-7).

I have recently been taking an online course in Positive Psychology.  It’s been enlightening, to say the least, and it’s really helped me see how easy it is to fall into the sea of negativity many find themselves in at the present time.  While there certainly are  negative events going on, our call, I believe, is to acknowledge them, but don’t get stuck in them, consuming much of our energy on them.  Let’s face it, there is much in our lives worthy of rejoicing about, and to be grateful for.  It’s time to get unstuck from that useless anxiety that takes away our joy.  It’s time to be better known for our kindness to others rather than the unnecessary burdens we place on them.

For these remaining days of Advent, let’s begin and end our day with a mini reflection on something/someone in our lives we should rejoice about.  We are so blessed, and we have much to be grateful for.  Let’s end our Advent with a glorious bang, celebrating with joy the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ.  That day will soon be upon us!

Like many Americans, I was deeply touched by the way our country honored President George H.W. Bush, who was buried next to his wife and daughter yesterday in College Station, Texas.  At the funeral held at his hometown church, his closest friend James Baker noted, “George Bush was a charter member of the Greatest Generation.”  My parents were part of that generation, and my father fought in the Pacific in World War II.  Many of this great generation, including President Bush and my parents, have died, and their passing, leaves a void that does not appear to be filled anytime soon. Many of the adjectives used to describe President Bush: Integrity. Kindness. Dignity. Humor. Empathy. Loyalty. Generosity. Truth, could also be used to describe many others from this Greatest Generation.  As more than a few TV pundits have noted, the same cannot be said of many of those who have come after them.  We have a lot to do if we want to catch up, and I believe we have it in us to do just that.

Actually, we can start today.  If you spend just one week working on one of those adjectives describing President Bush, you would make a difference.  Slowly, over time, working on developing a life of Integrity, Kindness, Dignity, Humor, Empathy, Loyalty, Generosity, Truth, and I would add Faith, will change your life and might just change the world.  The road will not be easy, but it will be worth it in the end.

Americans of President Bush’s generation were shaped by the Great Depression and World War II.  During those two events, many lost everything, including their lives.  Those who survived had a different perspective of life than most of us today, who seem to take everything for granted, driven more by a sense of entitlement than service.

I think this quote, coming from a friend of the late president, noted that many in the Greatest Generation seemed to live life from this perspective: “Every new day is going to be a gift I will not squander.”   As we quickly move towards a New Year, I think it would be powerful and helpful if more of us could adopt this perspective as a New Year’s Resolution.  Friends, there is a God-given greatness in each and every one of us.  It’s time for us to activate that greatness and live each day as a gift, honoring God in all that we do.

I led my last retreat for 2018  yesterday, and it was a great day. About twenty of us spent our time together reflecting on our desire to not only look for Emmanuel, but also find Him in the everyday rhythm of our busy lives. Of course, this isn’t always easy, but each of us can use the days of Advent (there are plenty of days left) to be a bit more reflective, a bit more sensitive to God’s presence.  Let’s face it, for most people, the season of Advent is taken up with shopping, decorating, parties and lots (too much?) of food and drink, with many disconnected from the singular event of Christ’s birth.  Sadly, these special days are mistakenly focused on US, rather than HIM.  By prayerfully changing our focus, we can continue our Advent journey with a desire for holiness.

In the past, most people did not think they were called to be holy.  That was for special people, not those of us with day jobs.  Now, the Church teaches that there is a “universal call to holiness,” that each person should be striving to be holy as they go about their daily living.  Just think of the positive impact that would be made if everyone were trying to be holy, not just at church, but also at work, at home, in their neighborhoods, with every person they  encounter each day.  That would not just be a life changer, but a world changer.

As I brought up on yesterday’s retreat, St. Ignatius’s Daily Examen is a great spiritual practice to help us review our day, discerning how our desire for holiness was played out that particular day.  Were we successful, or did we completely miss the mark? It  takes about twenty minutes to do an Examen, and some choose to do the prayer at the end of the day before going to bed.  Others use the quiet of early morning, praying while sipping their cup of coffee. No matter what time of day/night you pray the Examen, just do it.  It’s a habit worth forming, and your life will be better because if it.

Over the span of 2018, I was blessed to lead quite a few retreats, and each one was rooted in Ignatian Spirituality, which I’ve adopted as my own.  I think it is the perfect spirituality for our time, right now.  Recently, I finalized my retreat schedule through 2021.  Can you believe it?  There’s nothing else in my life which is planned that far out, but the Maryland Retreat Center I use is a busy place, and being able to offer multiple retreats each year, properly spread out and with various topics, makes a lot of sense.  I’m grateful that these retreats are popular and now, some people are even flying in to make them!  God is so good.

My retreats in 2019 include weekend and day retreats, and I hope you’ll click on the link above and see if there might be something which would work for you.  I hope to see you in the New Year, but in the meantime, let’s use this Advent season to strive for holiness, look for God in all things, develop the habit of praying the Daily Examen,  and to pray for our country and world, both of which are so greatly in need of prayer.

On this Thanksgiving Day, I wish you and those you love abundant blessings.  Don’t eat too much!

Psalm 100

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all you lands!  Serve the Lord with gladness!  Come into his presence with singing!

Know that the Lord is God!  It is he that made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise!  Give thanks to him, bless his name!

For the Lord is good; his mercy endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.

I have been doing a lot of travel for work recently, and yesterday I had a long drive home through rural Pennsylvania.  As I got onto the main highway, I realized right away the roads had been treated already, in preparation for the snow due today. This got me thinking, and I can’t remember such an early snow.  The official start of winter is more than a month away, but as I look out my second floor window, nice, big white snowflakes are falling fast, headed to the ground.  There will be shoveling (or maybe just pushing) to do later, but for now, it’s beautiful and peaceful.

It’s been a long time since my last post, and as they say, “life got in the way.”  I’m leading a retreat this weekend, and that will get me back on track.  My Ignatian Way retreat helps retreatants get a little taste of Ignatian Spirituality.  I looked at the registration list last night, and it’s nice to see several familiar names, and I’m grateful they are coming back for deeper look.

I’ve got lots on the horizon right now, and I’m committed to bring you into the loop through my blog postings.  My sense today is that we are all in need of some major encouragement.  While the snow swirls around my window, other dark clouds seem to be swirling around our country, the church, relationships, where else?  Just like we can’t stop the snow from falling, so much of what’s happening is outside our control.  What we can control, however , is our response to whatever it is that’s happening.  I would propose that our response should always be rooted in our trust in God and his infinite love and mercy towards us.  To me, that’s the only approach worth taking.