Resurrection Magazine Easter 2021 Vol 2:1

RESURRECTION MAGAZINE EASTER 2021 VOL. 2:1

RISING TOWARD EASTER

A RULE OF LIFE

A NEW MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS

FR. STEVE ANNOUNCES THE GOOD NEWS OF CHRIST'S RISING AND THE LONG CELEBRATION OF EASTER.

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF OUR SISTERS AS THEY LIVE OUT THEIR VOCATION OF SPIRITUAL MOTHERHOOD.

JIM OWENS REFLECTS ON RECENT TRENDS IN MENTAL HEALTH AND THE IMPORTANCE OF GOD'S WISDOM.

MISSION DRIVEN

AUTHENTICALLY CATHOLIC

SUPPORTIVE OF FAMILIES

WHO WE ARE Located in the heart of the city of Lansing, the Church of the Resurrection exists to help everyone in our parish family live in the light and hope of the resurrection.

IN THIS ISSUE RISING TOWARD EASTER A PLACE FOR YOUTH

4

JAY JONG 5

A RULE OF LIFE LIVING IN LOVE

FR. STEVE MATTSON

BEN POHL 6

CRAIG GALER 8

IN THE DESERT TODD O'BRIEN

9

BOOKS FOR INTERESTING TIMES BEN POHL 10 A NEW MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS JIM OWENS 12 SONG AND CHANT

GUINE CHRISTIAN 14

CALLED BY NAME: A MEDITATION MARY GATES 15

FRONT COVER ART Noli me tangere by Giotto di Bondone (1267-1337).

For a meditation on the painting, please see pg. 15.

EDITORIAL

T

he Lord is risen! This is the season of hope and many of the articles in this issue remind us to, as St. Peter tells us, “…always be prepared to give an answer to everyone that asks you to give an account of the hope that is in you.” (1 Pet 3:15) With the vaccination program well underway, the physical toll of the pandemic is beginning to look less threatening and yet, for many of us the psychological toll has had a much greater impact on our lives. In his fascinating piece on the mental-health fallout from the difficulties of the last year, counselor Jim Owens still finds room for hope. He proposes a response to the staggering increase in mental illness, by allowing the wisdom of Sacred Scripture to seep into us, but also by seeking practical help through counseling. This approach, he says, can help us navigate and survive the dangerous rapids of mental exhaustion and anxiety that have swamped so many of us over these many months.

There are a number of ways in which our parishioners have chosen to combat the isolation and the oppressive rootlessness of the past year. Todd O’Brien explains how the rigors of the Exodus 90 program have helped him focus on what is most important in his life. Jay Jong, our Youth Minister, outlines the work he has been doing to offer the youth of our parish a real experience of the life of faith and an encounter with the person of Jesus. And Ben Pohl relates how the book studies that have been going on at our parish are also addressing many of the anxieties of the current times.

Even in the stresses and strains of the past year, beauty can still be a source of healing and hope. Guine Christian tells us one way in which she has been a vehicle of that hope through her chant podcast, “Take a Chants on Me,” by allowing the beauty of this ancient form of liturgical song to raise us up.

We hear from Craig Galer of yet another sign of hope: the rediscovery of the beauty of the sacrament of marriage through the “Living in Love” program.

He explains how the Lord has brought healing and renewal to his own marriage and how he and his wife, Jenn, have been a conduit of hope to others. As Craig says, “Strong marriages are the key to strong families, strong children, and strong parishes.”

And finally, we have an article which describes the vocation and daily routine of the Dominican Sisters of Mary the Mother of the Eucharist. The sisters who live among us and share the life of our parish are living witnesses to the hope that there is life beyond this “vale of tears.” Their dedication, commitment to a life of prayer, and sheer exuberance inspire us to think more deeply about what the Lord is calling us to in our own lives.

Easter is indeed the season of hope and in response to all that life can throw at us, the resurrected Lord equips us, strengthens us and gives us hope. In these pages you will find some ways in which the Lord has done just that.

EDITORIAL TEAM EDITOR SEAN O’NEILL MANAGING EDITOR

BEN POHL

Page 3

RISING TOWARD EASTER FR. STEVE MATTSON

Christ is risen!

He is risen indeed!

T

oday we celebrate the pinnacle of the liturgical year, as we recall the triumph of our Lord Jesus Christ over sin and death. We will sing the Gloria and Alleluia with exuberance, reminding ourselves and all the world that we have been saved.

For me, the joy of celebrating Easter this year will be greater than ever before, because our celebration is “open” and not restricted as it was last year. I can only imagine how much you are rejoicing this year.

It breaks my heart to think of how hard it must have been for you to have been barred from partaking

of the Sacred Mysteries in person for so long.

Indeed, what a difference a year makes! Thank you for your witness of faith, hope, and love. As hard as it has been, you have remained faithful. Since last Pentecost, when we were finally able to gather together in relatively large numbers, we have seen a steady increase in the number of faithful who have gathered together for Mass. Today, as we celebrate Christ’s Resurrection, my

hope is that the sadness and suffering of this nearly year-long “Lent” will be transformed into a glorious ongoing celebration of our Resurrection Life.

We are given eight days (an Octave) and after that a week of weeks until Pentecost to celebrate the best thing that has ever happened— Christ’s Resurrection. In another six weeks, we will celebrate the Ascension and then, with all the Church, we will anticipate the “Gift of the

My hope is that the sadness and suffering of this nearly year-long “Lent” will be transformed into a glorious ongoing celebration of our Resurrection Life.

Father,” which is the Holy Spirit, at Pentecost.

Thanks be to God, the Holy Spirit changes everything, including ourselves, if we will let Him. The Lord has committed Himself to transforming us, more and more, into the Image of Christ. This transformation occurs most powerfully through the challenges and trials of this life. We might well think of them as the “Good Fridays” of our lives.

Today, we are invited to rejoice that we are not “stuck” on Good Friday, but having died with Him we hear the glorious word once again, “He is risen!”

As we celebrate the 50 Days of the Easter Season, may we all open our hearts and minds to the Easter graces that God offers. By the power of the Holy Spirit, may we live more fully our Resurrection Life, bearing witness to Christ in our homes, workplaces, and world. Come, Holy Spirit!

Page 5

A PLACE FOR YOUTH JAY JONG

Y

oung people need good role models and mentors. With the increasing prevalence of a “celebrity mindset” and the culture of “influencers,” it is more important than ever for young people to have role models and mentors that not only have high moral character but are also genuine and accessible. At Resurrection and in the city of Lansing, our youth group team helps reinforce the spiritual truths that teens have already learned at home, in school, and in church, while demonstrating what it looks like as the faith matures.

Like role models, the community of other teens is also important. In an age of bullying and gossip, hatefulness and deceit, young people need other peers who can support them, lift them up, and challenge them without judgement. Youth group is not for those who have it all figured out, but those who are trying to figure things out.

“I go to youth group to connect with others who are seeking a stronger faith and to grow in my relationship with God,” says Emma. “Youth group offers a safe space where everyone is free to be themselves and it’s one of the highlights of my week.”

Our youth group team helps reinforce the spiritual truths that teens have already learned at home, in school, and in church, while demonstrating what it looks like as the faith matures. activate our faith through hearing God’s voice for ourselves, for each other, and receiving more from God during prayer ministry. We have recently seen more stepping out in faith as the teens have begun praying for others in their schools and classrooms. Worship is also a key part of experiencing God’s presence as we lift Him up in song and celebration.

We encourage teens to experience God and their faith through activations, stepping out in boldness, and challenging them to live out their mission. We

Our core objectives at youth group are to provide (1) solid Catholic teaching, (2) a welcoming, supportive community, (3) examples of living out the mission of the daily Christian life in the power of the Holy Spirit, and (4) to help teens enter into a more intimate relationship with God through a deeper prayer life. Youth group is an opportunity for teens to connect with God in an environment tailored specifically for them. As one of our youth, Elizabeth, says, “Youth group is a place to go no matter where your relationship with God is, where everyone is welcome.” I highly encourage any teens to come try it out, or even give it a second look.

“I go to youth group to connect with others who are seeking a stronger faith and to grow in my relationship with God.”

For more information, contact Youth Minister Jay Jong at jjong@corlansing.org or visit facebook.com/groups/catholicyouthlansing

A RULE OF LIFE BEN POHL

A

s I sat in the convent parlor, finishing my interview with the sisters, I watched as the novices slowly made their way into the chapel. A bell soon rang for Evening Prayer and my time was up. As I said my goodbyes and walked home, I considered the beauty of the sisters’ vow of obedience. The vow is certainly made to Christ and their order’s superiors.

But in a special way this counter cultural vow is fulfilled by the daily obedience to a rule of life that constrains in order to make free.

The Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist here at Resurrection begin a typical day at 5:00 am when they rise and prepare for their Holy Hour with the Lord. After Mass and breakfast, they’re off to Resurrection School and Lansing Catholic High School. “We hear so often in our formation that ‘you can’t give what you don’t have,’” remarks Sr. James Karol as she considers the apostolic impact of their morning routine. “If you don’t already have that relationship within, then you wouldn’t be able to bring it to your students.”

When they return home, they make a visit to our Lord in the convent chapel and take time to cook, socialize, and complete household chores. Each time

the sisters arrive at or depart from the convent, or Lansing Catholic, they make a brief visit to our Lord, making tangible the words of the Psalmist, “The Lord will watch over your coming and going” (Ps 121:8).

At 5:00 pm the sisters follow the sound of the bell into the chapel for Evening Prayer and their daily Rosary. After dinner and recreation the day begins to wind down at 7:30 pm with spiritual reading and Night Prayer. Each sister then takes time for personal prayer and makes her preparations for the coming day before silence at 10:00 pm.

Their daily schedule is punctuated by bells in the way of monastic life, from morning until night. “We have a lot of bells in our life,” Sr. Mary André shares, with a laugh, “But on Good Friday and Holy Saturday we don’t ring bells, even for prayer.”

The sisters return to the Mother House in Ann Arbor for the Triduum, and experience together the hushed time after Good Friday and before Easter. All this waiting leads to great joy in the celebration of our Lord’s Resurrection at the Easter Vigil. “When the bells come back,” recalls Sr. Mary Lawrence with excitement, “it’s a really big deal at the Mother House. [During the Gloria] two sisters

Page 7

The Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist have an array of catechetical and inspirational content on Lumen Ecclesiae Digital.

get to ring the really big bell in the bell tower… and you need two sisters to ring this thing!”

The rhythm of the liturgical year is marked not only by sounds but also sights and tastes! Each Holy Week they wear black before shedding it for the celebration of Easter. The black of this seasonal garb is how the Dominican order received the nickname “Blackfriars.” Their chapel changes throughout the liturgical year as they adorn it with flowers for feast days, while also feasting at meals times with special treats. On the weekends the sisters have extra time for recreation, which they spend playing board games, cards, engaging in arts and crafts, or taking a long walk together. Sr. Mary André loves a walk to the duck ponds in Groesbeck neighborhood, and Sr. Mary Lawrence enjoys time spent on the Lansing River Trail. “We had a great game of 3on3 [basketball] yesterday,” shares Sr. Mary André – a nice perk of having novices in town.

“The apostolate of prayer is probably our primary ministry…our fidelity to prayer in some ways mirrors the fidelity of moms [who] get up in the middle of the night for their kids.”

The rule of life of the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist draws them into a deeper relationship with the Lord and with each other, while also allowing them to fulfill their mission to preach to the next generation (the Dominicans are the “Order of Preachers” after all). But their

You'll find courses on a variety of topics to accessible lessons on virtues as well as vocation stories from the Sisters. Visit goledigital.org.

“We have an opportunity to practice our spiritual motherhood because, especially for me, I literally look at the school from my [seat] in the chapel. regimented life is not structured simply to allow them the time to preach and teach, or even to do so more effectively. Here Sr. Mary Lawrence provides a deeper understanding of their apostolate: “We have an opportunity to practice our spiritual motherhood because, especially for me, I literally look at the school from my [seat] in the chapel… my [bedroom] looks directly at the school, so I’m constantly reminded that I’m here… for all those God puts in my path.” Further, their schedule of frequent prayer reflects their vocation of spiritual motherhood. As Sr. Mary André sees it, “The apostolate of prayer is probably our primary ministry…our fidelity to prayer in some ways mirrors the fidelity of moms [who] get up in the middle of the night for their kids.”

As I arrived home that evening after my interview with the sisters I felt compelled to pause and pray the Angelus, thanking God for the witness of these spiritual mothers and all who respond to Lord’s call in this way. Their lives are a sign for me of the Kingdom of God and the holiness for which we have all been made. St. Dominic and Mary, Mother of the Eucharist, pray for us.

LIVING IN LOVE CRAIG GALER

M

y wife Jenn and I have been married for 40 years. We have eight children and nine grandchildren (with two more on the way!). Several years ago, the Lord put a desire in our hearts to get involved in marriage ministry at Resurrection. However, for a variety of reasons, the opportunity never seemed to come along.

Then in 2013, out of the blue, we got a phone call from the leaders of a marriage retreat taking place two weeks later called Living in Love. Unknown to us, Fr. Steve had called the leaders asking if we could be on their next retreat which turned out to be within walking distance from our house!

God had finally opened a door for us.

The Living in Love retreat blew our minds, to put it candidly. We’d always considered ourselves to have a good marriage, and we did, but the retreat showed us new possibilities for making our strong marriage even stronger.

We’d always considered ourselves to have a good marriage, and we did, but the retreat showed us new possibilities for making our strong marriage even stronger.

Both Jenn and I had studied John Paul II’s Theology of the Body and deeply appreciated his core idea of making a gift of ourselves to each other. But the retreat showed us how to make the teaching practical in our daily lives. We learned more deeply how God designed our sexuality – our masculinity and femininity –

and how He uses our built-in attraction to draw us out of ourselves and, thus, to make us more holy.

We looked in-depth at the formation, both good and bad, that we had received from our families of origin and the effects on our marriage of the culture we live in. We saw our need for healing from the various ways we had been wounded over the course of our lives, how those wounds had affected our marriage, and how we can be instruments of healing for each other. As we digested the information presented to us, we began to see each other, and our marriage, in deeper, richer ways. We found our marriage going to a place we had never dreamed possible.

Jenn and I started with a desire to minister to married couples, and ended up having our own marriage ministered to. The world we live in can be a very hostile place for marriage, especially Catholic sacramental marriage as God intends it to be. But, by the grace of the Sacrament of Matrimony, empowered by the Holy Spirit, we can overcome the world.

Strong marriages are the key to strong families, strong children, and strong parishes. We owe it to ourselves, and to the Church, to care for our marriages and let them shine as lights to the world.

Living in Love offers marriage education courses and marriage enrichment retreats.

Some offerings are on pause due to the pandemic. Visit livinginlove.org for current offerings and more details.

Page 9

IN THE DESERT TODD O'BRIEN

L

ent has become one of my favorite seasons.

Especially when the men of the parish begin to talk seriously about “taking on Exodus 90”. I decided to do Exodus 90 the night before it was supposed to start. I had some areas that I had been personally and spiritually struggling with for a number of years and I was looking for literally any excuse to get them out of my life for good. I had tried many things, but none had worked. About eight hours before kickoff I decided to go for it. I have been doing CrossFit for eight years and my friends will tell you that I have a weird affinity for punishment. So, ninety days “in the desert”, cold showers, no beer, no media, 18-20hr fasts, and double workouts on fast days? Sounded like a good time! …

The Irish are curious people. But my time in Exodus was not without real challenge. There can be no lying to oneself in the desert. You are revealed. One morning during my daily prayer time, my life was changed.

There can be no lying to oneself in the desert.

You are revealed.

I had a mantra that was core to me for years--I had t-shirts displaying it and a decal of it on my car. It was a shield with the words “FAITH FAMILY FREEDOM”. I wore that shirt so much my friends teased me about it.

I always thought of the freedom part to mean, freedom in the traditional American sense. But on this morning in the desert, The Father very powerfully & clearly revealed to me that freedom was actually meant to be freedom from the thing that had been plaguing me. I felt like Paul being struck blind but in reverse. My eyes were fully opened. The Father had been foreshadowing this revelation for me for years. He had it in the works and was waiting for my heart to be ready for the change.

Exodus 90 has become a monument in my life. It has become the second most important spiritual experience of my life- right behind my reconversion after university.

Throughout those 90 days I was revealed, reflected on that and took action on what I saw. My wife noticed the change and told me she was seeing me grow as a man, father and husband. That’s what we want to hear, right?

I found some keys to Exodus 90 along the way as I

[Exodus 90] has become the second most important spiritual experience of my life- right behind my reconversion after university. embraced the process and leaned into the revelations I was receiving. I gave myself over to the disciplines 110%.

I kept myself mentally motivated through self-talk. My staple was, “You know what your grandfather would call all this? He’d call it Tuesday. Harden up, Todd.”

The biggest lie Satan whispers to men about Exodus 90 is: “You haven’t prepared for this level of spiritual discipline; you can’t do it”. That’s a lie. You can. The process is the practice! None of the twelve apostles had time to prepare to respond to Christ. It’s call and come.

I answered the call and ran into that desert after Jesus.

That journey changed my life. Before, I was weighed down and seeking freedom; afterward, I had been set free, found new depths in God the Father and, in the end, found more of my true self too. I put in the work, and the Lord accomplished it--All glory to God. The desert is calling. Walk hard…FAITH. FAMILY. FREEDOM. Interested in Exodus 90? Visit exodus90.com to join over 30,000 men on the path to freedom.

BOOKS FOR INTERESTING TIMES BEN POHL

“M

ay you live in interesting times.”

This expression is often employed sarcastically, and in reference to times like our own. The assumption being that we are all better off and happier in uninteresting times, and in our day, the sentiment seems quite true. However, for the Christian who has eyes to see, there has never been a time that could be considered uninteresting. Every year is “the year of our Lord,” and every year marks another opportunity for His creation to be made “new.”

“It was a no-brainer for me to sign up for the book study...because the author is a woman who knows she is loved and I want to be one too. while treating in particular the reality of racism in our nation and our Church, both past and present.

This is not say that 2020 was just like any other year. A pandemic, lockdowns, civil unrest, a contentious election season, all in addition to the daily human drama that colors each of our lives.

Perhaps some of us have wanted to close our eyes, stop our ears, and cry, “Enough!” But as the story of Queen Esther has taught us, have we not been made Christians “for such a time as this?” (Es 4:14).

Currents times have called us to not only examine how we relate to our neighbor, but also how we relate to God and ourselves. Loved as I Am is a window into the healing journey of Sr. Miriam James Heidland, a religious sister and speaker at many of the conferences of the John Paul II Healing Center. The book is a short but penetrating journey into the healing love of Jesus. Sr. Miriam shares with beautiful vulnerability her own story of healing, while inviting the reader to take a step towards the God who is our healer.

As the year 2020 came to a close, it was time to step back and look at the world with fresh eyes. To “be transformed” by the renewal of our minds, that we might “prove what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Rom 12:12). Four book studies were launched at our parish, covering a variety of contemporary topics. Open Wide Our Hearts, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ pastoral letter against racism, offers a Catholic perspective on one of the most pressing social issues facing our nation and Church. As our Bishops remind us, “When we start to see some people as ‘them’ and others as ‘us,’ we fail to love” (pg. 17). “But Christ heals all divisions, including those that are at the core of racism” (pgs. 17-18). The letter reflects on the Biblical call to justice for all members of the human family,

“It was a no-brainer for me to sign up for the book study,” says Marie, “because the author is a woman who knows she is loved and I want to be one too.

The prompts to answer the reflection questions as honestly as I can is the invitation I need for the truth I know intellectually to seep into and throughout my heart. I know better now that I can make choices to encounter God’s love for me, just as easily as I’ve so often chosen in the past not to encounter his love; for me this study is an encounter with God’s love.”

Page 11

NEW! RESURRECTION LIFE PODCAST Did you know? Resurrection has launched a new podcast. Tune in for interviews, teachings, spirtual reflections, and even original poems. To listen, visit corlansing.org/resurrection-life-podcast.

A third book, Live Not by Lies: A Manual for Christian Dissidents, by Rod Dreher, considers our socio-political lives, the challenges we face today, and lessons from the recent past. As Quentin so aptly puts it, “Live Not by Lies shows how political attacks on faith and tolerance can only be overcome by an effective recognition of the inseparable connection between truth and freedom. In other words, Dreher’s work provides readers with a practical understanding of how the spiritual life and the political life have influenced one another in history and how evolutions in the relationship between these two will shape the future of American society and culture. For this reason, his book is tremendously helpful for those intent on living according to the truth in a volatile political and social atmosphere.”

Resurrection is planning to launch two further book studies, one on Ralph Martin’s book, A Church in Crisis: Pathways Forward, and the other on Patrick Lencioni’s, The Three Big Questions for a Frantic Family.

These books continue our reflection on the present age by looking at two further important spheres of life: the Church and the family. Were we made for such a time as this? Each book and group study is an opportunity to respond with a faith-filled “Yes!”

POPE FRANCIS ON PARISH LIFE "The parish is not an outdated institution; precisely because it possesses great flexibility, it can assume quite different contours depending on the openness and missionary creativity of the pastor and the community. While certainly not the only institution which evangelizes, if the parish proves capable of self-renewal and constant adaptivity, it continues to be 'the Church living in the midst of the homes of her sons and daughters' (St. John Paul II, Christifideles

Laici, 26)...The parish is the presence of the Church in a given territory, an environment for hearing God’s word, for growth in the Christian life, for dialogue, proclamation, charitable outreach, worship and celebration. In all its activities the parish encourages and trains its members to be evangelizers. It is a community of communities, a sanctuary where the thirsty come to drink in the midst of their journey, and a centre of constant missionary outreach" (Evangelii Gaudium, 28).

A NEW MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS JIM OWENS

L

ate last summer, amidst the throes of our global pandemic, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) quietly published research (tinyurl. com/mhpandemic) findings on the pandemic’s effects on mental health in the United States. What they found is not at all surprising: incidence of mental illness is up more than 50% across the board. From my view as a counselor, I’ve noticed that not only is incidence up 50%, but so is severity.

Regrettably, the mental and emotional suffering in this nation has grown both wider, and deeper.

In real numbers this means that, on any given day, 30% of us are experiencing an Anxiety Disorder in the form of overwhelming worry, dread, fear, and racing thoughts. We can barely fall asleep at night. And about half of that number will be suffering from a Depressive Disorder marked by debilitating feelings of helplessness, emptiness, hopelessness, and self-harm. Some of us can barely get out of bed in the morning. Tragically, more than 1 in 10 surveyed were seriously considering ending their life.

The report also showed that alcohol and other drug abuse is way up, as are other addictive behaviors which allow us to either distract our worried minds, or hijack our brain’s dopamine reward system. And if we aren’t drowning our pain in alcohol (88%) or marijuana

(37%), we’re TV binge-watching, social media surfing, shopping, and overeating all so that we can have even just a moment’s respite. Regrettably, not only do these behaviors not address our pain, they result in us feeling even worse when we’re not doing these things, which is how the cycle of addiction begins.

For all this tragedy, though, we have perhaps the most notable finding of this research: while young adults ages 18-24 have fared the worst in almost every way (by nearly double), the prevalence of covid-related mental illness decreased markedly with age. Anxiety and depressive disorders for individuals age 65 and older were 800% less than young adults, and 400% less than the average. That’s right, the older we get, the more we are insulated from the psychological impact of traumatic events.

Why? Well, it’s not just aging that accounts for this, it’s wisdom. Usually, the older we get, the more wisdom we possess, all of which points to this truism: Wisdom is an antidote to fear.

Is fear the root of all mental illness? Certainly not.

There can be many roots depending on the individual, some of which are undoubtedly biological in nature.

But that fact doesn’t dispute the reality that much of our mental and emotional suffering is also rooted in our psychology (i.e. our view of ourselves and the world), and in particular to the irrational fears we carry around

Page 13

CHRISTMAS ISSUE Did you miss VOL 1:3 of Resurrection Magazine? Don’t worry!

You can view and download previous issues at corlansing.org/magazine.

in our heads. We are all familiar with the common fears: fears of being rejected, found unlovable, of failing, and others. But worst among them is probably the unholy fear that God has either forgotten or forsaken us in the midst of our suffering. Let me assure you, He has not. The author of Proverbs 9:10 exhorts us to maintain, instead, a holy fear of the Lord: “Fear in the Lord is the beginning of wisdom”. There is, in fact, a holy fear that brings us wisdom.

So how can we be sure that our fear is a holy, reverent one, leading us to God’s wisdom? (1) Read wisdom. The Bible is the best place to start (I’m partial to the book of Sirach), but our Doctors of the Catholic tradition have translated much of the Lord’s wisdom to us in their writings, too. I’ve been

We are all familiar with the common fears...

But worst among them is probably the unholy fear that God has either forgotten or forsaken us in the midst of our suffering. Let me assure you, He has not. re-reading St. Teresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross for years trying to soak up their wisdom. Find a book you are drawn to and read it. Then re-read it, slowly, taking notes, talking to someone about it, and praying to the Lord for His wisdom to be yours.

(2) Get counseling. And I’m not just saying that because I’m a counselor. The counselors I’ve trained over the past 16 years have answered the call to a vocation. Let the Lord use those counselors to guide you out of your pain. A word of advice on selecting a counselor: All counselors are roughly equally skilled, however, the

outcomes of counseling vary because outcomes are not correlated directly to skill, they are correlated primarily to therapeutic alliance. Therapeutic alliance refers to the quality of the trust and working relationship you have with your counselor. This can be measured. On the Session Rating Scale that I use with my clients, I must earn a score of 36 out of 40. A strong therapeutic alliance predicts good outcomes.

Shop around for a counselor who regularly measures your alliance and your outcomes.

The differences for how we experience the vicissitudes of life have as much to do with our individual psychology as anything else.

Ultimately, hardship in this life is unavoidable, but the antidote to suffering in our suffering is to gain God’s perspective. With His wisdom we can actually do as James writes: “Consider it all joy when you encounter various trials” (Jm 1:2).

If you or someone you know is suffering, get help.

Make an appointment with a counselor (online options are available in most cases these days), or reach out to Resurrection Church to schedule a prayer ministry appointment. Or give a good, wise friend a call. God is Trinity, a communion of persons, and we were made in His image. We were made by Relationship and for Relationship.

We were meant to walk through life together.

The chart on pg. 12 and the CDC study referenced by Jim can be viewed by visiting www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/pdfs/ mm6932a1-H.pdf

SONG AND CHANT GUINE CHRISTIAN

D

uring my senior year in high school, I faced a difficult question: whether to study music or theology in college. Pursuing a music career seemed self-evident from early childhood when, as a toddler, I would hold court on the arm of the living room sofa and make my extended family sing with me. One of the defining moments of my decision process was a retreat where Sister Ann Shields prayed with me about this choice. She said, “You may not think this is a real answer, the Lord says you will sing for Him”.

Little did I know her words would gain such great depth in the years to come.

I did study catechetics and theology in college, and have spent more than ten years in ministry of one kind or another, but now serve mainly in the area of music, as most Resurrection parishioners know. In 2018, I was given the opportunity to deepen my understanding of the Church’s musical heritage by attending a five-day chant workshop at St. Meinrad Archabbey in Indiana.

Until that point, I’d thought of chant as mostly outdated, elitist, even torturingly boring – but now I see it as timeless, singular, and rich with meaning.

My experience deepened both my desire to see chant take “pride of place” in liturgy (as the Second Vatican Council called for) and my determination not to pit it against other forms of music. Like so many things, Catholics can approach different kinds of music with a “both/and” mentality, and it is my tremendous privilege as a church musician to belong to a parish which encourages this.

I’d thought of chant as mostly outdated, elitist, even torturingly boring – but now I see it as timeless, singular, and rich with meaning.

When I returned from “chant camp” (as the workshop is affectionately called) I was inspired to start a chant podcast. "Take a Chants on Me" drops weekly episodes averaging fifteen minutes in length; each episode considers one chant, “proper” to either an upcoming Sunday Mass or upcoming feast day. You hear a recording of the chant, a translation of the Latin, learn a bitesize amount about the music, reflect on applying that text to one’s faith life or an idea for deepening our ‘liturgical living’ at home. It always closes with a segment called ‘The Sunday Playlist’, featuring music spanning a variety of genres, whose themes or lyrics match the given chant’s scriptural foundation.

More than ever, the Lord has called me to labor in his vineyard as a musician: to “sing for Him” and to build musical bridges within the Church. Brothers and sisters, let us never lose the ideal of music that is true, good, and beautiful - whatever the genre.

Are you nterested in Take a Chants on Me? You can listen now at soundcloud. com/chantpodcast or for updates visit facebook. com/chantpodcast.

Page 15

CALLED BY NAME A MEDITATION MARY GATES

S

he knows it’s Him when He speaks her name.

The long awaited One, the victorious One, the resurrected One - He says her name.

How many times had He said it before? In travels and teaching and friendship, He’d surely called her by name. She heard her name, spoken by the one who made her, loved her, called her. She had found forgiveness and healing and wholeness in Him - the One who knew her name. In Him she had found the font of love and mercy. Here again at the empty tomb, here amidst weeping and loss, He speaks her name once more, and she knows it is Him. Have I gone to the tomb, looking and seeking? Have I sought the One who makes me whole? Do I dare to believe that He knows my name? Have I looked up from my weeping and confusion, seen His face, heard Him inviting me to repent, to follow, to trust? Do I go again and again to the One who is love and mercy? Do I drink from the fountain of

everlasting life? Do I listen as He speaks my name?

Noli me tangere, touch me not, the risen One says.

For He is going to the Father. The God-man: born, suffered, crucified and risen, returning to the Father who sent Him. Victorious and resurrected, not void - the slain and spotless lamb goes to make a way for her. And a way for us.

I have seen the Lord, she tells the others. The tomb is empty, but we need not weep. Death could not hold Him - He has risen as He said He would. I have seen the Lord, who calls us by name. The One who loves us is going to the Father to make a way.

May we, with Mary Magdalene, announce the good news of knowing Jesus and being known

by Him. May we profess daily the truth of the risen Christ. May we, with our words and our lives, proclaim the joy of the empty tomb: I have seen the Lord. He is risen, He is risen indeed.

ABOUT "NOLI ME TANGERE" This work of the Italian artist Giotto di Bondone depicts the meeting of Mary Magdalene and Jesus after His resurrection. It is one of a series of frescoes which adorn the Scrovegni Chapel in Padua. Giotto completed the frescoes at the beginning of the 14th century. They cover the lives of Joachim and Anne,

the life of our Blessed Mother, Christ's life and death, and more. Giotto is known for his natural style which broke with the then prevalent Byzantine tradition, laying the groundwork for many of the most famous painters of Western Christianity.

MEMORIES OF MIDNIGHT EASTER VIGIL MASS ANA BRAGA-HENEBRY

B

lesséd fire, candles blest: Light leads us inside A dim familiar interior—EXULTET! Darkness torn!

A timbre so profound, the tones fan tiny flames, Like Love’s Light, spreading bonfire sparks.

The softness of her hands guides my child-fingers Up and down the black, square, sacred ink.

Cloistered lungs lend voice, bring life To notes in mother’s own worn missal.

Memories cling fierce to Paschal bells resounding ’Cross Alleluias and Glorias rung-riding, “Heaven is again at hand! Our Savior is rising!”

Ana has been writing since she can remember, although poetry is a more rare exercise. She scribbled poems in childhood, memorized poetry in Catholic school, and her Masters thesis project dealt with the translation of Portuguese Catholic poetry into English. Ana once won a national award for a poem entitled Matthew Twenty-Five.

www.corlansing.org

1505 E. Michigan Avenue, Lansing, MI 48912

(517) 482-4749