Well, the last time I wrote here I was when I was blogging for IMPACT 2009 in Saskatoon. It's time for more blogging, but this time you get the insider look, the personal touch, the struggles, the love, the mission.....
The title of my blog reminded me of the great rock god Led Zeppelin: "Been a long lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely time!!!" (Robin sings/screams at the top of her lungs.....) It HAS been a long time for me, a long time since I was on mission, a long time since I've had to be this extroverted and energetic, a long time since I've had to sacrifice as much as I have in the last week. I was curious, so I looked up the lyrics to that great musical piece, and found that other lyrics applied in my circumstance. Here's a sample:
"Its been a long time since I rock and rolled,
Its been a long time since I did the stroll.
Ooh, let me get it back, let me get it back,
Let me get it back, baby, where I come from.
Its been a long time, been a long time,
Been a long lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely time.
Its been a long time since the book of love,
I can't count the tears of a life with no love.
Open your arms, opens your arms,
Open your arms, baby, let my love come running in.
Its been a long time, been a long time,
Been a long lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely time."
This song also implies that the desire of the heart is happening NOW, and in my case I can say that it's true. I've been longing to give the love of Jesus in a big way. I've seen a lot of glory in my life, but now is the time to be transformed "from glory to glory" as our IMPACT theme says (2 Corinthians 3:18). I'm going to open my arms and let the love come running in, but I hope it runs out from me too. I'm going to rock and roll and do the stroll. Let's do it!
We had our first Sunday in the parishes this past Sunday. St. Pius X is probably one of the most welcoming communities I've ever seen, and so is the University of Calgary Catholic Community. I see God's hand in a big way in my parish placement. There are a lot of families and different ages represented at St. Pius: our parish priest is the gentle and soft-spoken Fr. Silvano, a holy and faithful Filipino priest. There are two deacons at St. Pius as well. I had the pleasure of listening to Deacon Stephen preach this past Sunday, and the man is ON FIRE. He spoke about God's love and how we're taught in stages: first we learn to love our neighbor as ourselves, then to love as we love Jesus, and then to love as Jesus has loved us. He brought the IMPACT mission into his homily too...
I'm very excited about the U of C Catholic Community. Before coming to Calgary I had had many convos with various people from Calgary about the community and the bridging role of the St. Pius team for the new Calgary staff team this fall! All that talk, and I've been placed here, able to be a bridge as much as possible. The community is already on board for Cornerstones, music, you name it. Eden, the sacristan, got us working right away: I got to bear the cross for mass last night. Fr. Thao is our Vietnamese bundle of joy at U of C Catholic. I have never seen someone vibrate so completely as when Fr. Thao laughs. What a great university student chaplain!!
More to come, so stay tuned!
Memorare:
Remember O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thine intercession, was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my mother; to thee I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me. AMEN.
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