How to Explain

When I originally conceived this essay, I wanted to explain how I spent my Sunday. What I thought about, what I prayed about, what I thought about praying about, where I went. It was arranged in a completely accessible linear fashion. But, how would my story translate to non Catholics, to non Christians. Is there something universal in my activities?


My activities are amusing to me sometime. I am always making deals with myself. I am always filled with all types of crazy yet conventional thoughts created by great literature and big budget Hollywood films.


Sunday began with thoughts of the night before at the Dominican House of Study Spring Gala and Silent Auction. I briefly reconstructed the evening into interesting little bits and ordered it in a more literary way. My morning began with brief prayer and then I began writing.


I stopped writing and then planned my day. I planned to attend Mass at 11:30 AM and then return to the Cathedral around 2:30 to photograph the Spanish Stations of the Cross.


How completely cautious and conventional this is. Where is the passion, where is the energy? Is it possible to share my exuberance, my excitement without sounding too zealous, too fervent? Is it possible to create a document which makes going to Mass appear like a great way to spend an afternoon?



As a Cathedral of Saint Matthew the Apostle Altar Server my spirituality has deepened; my love and enjoyment of the Mass has grown exponentially; my sense of goodness, kindness, and holiness has increased. I look for signs of goodness, kindness, and holiness in my actions and the actions of others.



I was asked to carry the Cross in the procession during the 11:30 Mass. Although I frequently have fears of dropping the Cross because of my own personal lack of strength, carrying the Cross helps me focus on the Mass more completely.



How can such a beautiful ceremony be described in such a way to personalize the experience, bring it alive with hope and yet, encourage curiosity with appearing to encourage curiosity.


What is it that makes attending Mass unique for me? Why do I attend Mass? There is a wonderful feeling which I experience sometime while being an Altar Server. There is a moment when I am able to forget myself for a moment, forget my own silly pettiness and hope and pray for someone else’s happiness and security. Attending Mass is more than prayers, attending Mass is more than receiving Communion. Here is a chance to hear God’s voice, here is a chance to answer the call. Here is a chance to love your neighbor as you love yourself. Is there a way to say that simply, gently in a manner which could help someone want to walk into the Cathedral and ask about being Catholic, about being an adopted child of God.



After the 11:30 AM Mass I remembered that there was a special Mass in honor of Archbishop Oscar Romero of El Salvador who was assassinated thirty-one years ago while saying Mass. I quickly left the Cathedral, returned home, picked up my camera.


I returned shortly after the 1:00 PM Spanish Mass had started. How great it was to see all of the faces in the Cathedral. How great it was to hear the choir singing, to hear the guitar playing, the congregation singing.


Remembering Archbishop Oscar Romero is important for all Christians who want to follow in the footsteps of Christ Jesus. His life was both cautious and bold, his words were erudite, brash, and inspiring. Archbishop Romero’s life presented the beauty of and the danger of Christ Jesus’s social justice teaching captured in the Beatitudes.


There is much to learn from his life. His approach was slow, filled with reflection and prayer. He provided a valuable lesson about involvement in dealing with the marginalized people and their oppressors. He started out with hope, with love. He studied the issue and prayed about the conditions of the poor, and those who were in opposition to the government. His decisions were not always the most popular decisions, the most popular statements but they were the correct ones for the situations, for his country. There is nothing worse than ignoring social injustice.



Archbishop Romero reminds us about the living water, about being shocking, about doing the right thing and not being afraid of making the greatest sacrifice.


How can all of this be shared with others in a conversational, non threatening way.

Remembering Those In Need - Simple Lenten Meal

“A PREACHING THAT DOES NOT POINT OUT SIN is not the preaching of the gospel. A preaching that makes sinners feel good, so that they are secured in their sinful state, betrays the gospel's call. A preaching that does not discomfit sinners but lulls them in their sin leaves Zebulun and Naphtali in the shadow of death”—(Jan. 22, 1978). Archbishop Oscar Romero.


As Christians we must never allow ourselves to become complacent, to accept the status quo. We must always be trying to learn more about how to follow in the footsteps of Jesus, how to be more loyal servants for God. Each day we should give thanks for all of our blessings. Each day we should pray for equality and social justice for everyone. As Christians we must be prepared to make sacrifices in the name of God, for the glory of God.

The Social Justice and Community Services Ministry at the Cathedral of Saint Matthew the Apostle sponsored the Simple Lenten Meal. The Spanish Prayer Group prepared and served the meal. Parishioners spoke about an orphanage in Peru that needs to purchase a van to transport patients from the orphanage to the hospital. After that discussion there was a little discussion about Archbishop Oscar Romero of El Salvador.

Each moment of our lives presents a chance for us to proclaim God’s works, to praise him, to offer him thanks. Each moment of our lives presents an opportunity for us to seek fairness for everyone, to seek social justice for everyone. As Christians it is not enough to have definitions for words; we must also have understanding. We hear so many words every day, with so many being lost, misunderstood.

How often do we hear freedom, liberty, dignity, peace, liberation? How often do we really truly understand the context. It is not enough to have dictionary definitions; these words must ignite something within our souls and hearts; these words must provoke some universal thoughts for all mankind; these words ask us to look beyond our neighborhood, beyond our town, beyond our state, beyond our country; all human beings deserve the same basic things, freedom, peace, liberty, dignity.

Each day of our lives we should strive to help our neighbors, strive to become closer to God, strive to increase the goodness, kindness, and holiness which emanates from within us.

Technology does not change man’s basic instincts; human beings have always been sinners controlled and influenced by all types of desires and impulses. Jealousy, greed, selfishness can lead individuals and entire nations in the wrong direction. Archbishop spoke out against the injustice and the abuse of the poor people in El Salvador. By doing so he became a role model for us, reminding us to have compassion and empathy for our neighbors, reminding us to seek the Truth, share the Truth.

Thirty-one years ago today, Archbishop Oscar Romero was assassinated while saying Mass.