Our Pilgrimage

From our Lay Directors: 

Hello, fellow pilgrims! This greeting came to mind often while I was attending the Eucharistic Revival in Indianapolis. What a blessing it was for me to be able to attend! 

It isn’t a greeting just for a large revival or a pilgrimage or a Cursillo weekend! We are all pilgrims on the journey from earth to heaven. One of my favorite hymns, “The Servant Song”, has this verse: “We are pilgrims on a journey, we are travelers on the road. We are here to help each other, walk the mile and share the load.” I found myself singing this as I navigated the wide, crowded hallways of the Indianapolis Convention Center where some of the presentations took place. 

The lives we live aren’t easy. I say often, to myself and others, that this isn’t heaven. Dr. Ben Akers gave a thought-filled talk on offering our bodies as a living sacrifice. He reminded us of the importance of praying a Morning Offering. Telling Jesus daily that we will serve Him with all that we are! When we offer up the difficulties of our lives - difficult jobs, difficult people, difficult situations (loss, health, etc.) to the suffering of Jesus on the Cross, these offerings take on a salvific meaning. We understand that the sacrifices we make for those living a Cursillo weekend are so much more powerful than something we do for our own sakes because they are connected to Jesus! When we sacrifice for others, we make those sacrifices holy. 

Romans 12:1: I urge you, therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, your spiritual worship.  

De Colores  

Kathy Otermat and John Lyons

Summer a Time for Celebrations and a Picnic!

Lay Director  

July is such a time of celebration. We remember the founding of our country with parades and fireworks, concerts and barbecues. Our gardens (or the gardens of friends) are beginning to yield their bounty, with lots to enjoy and share. It is a great month for vacationing, with warm weather and sunny skies. 

How can we celebrate the gift of our faith this month? I tend to limit the celebrations of my faith to the big feasts, Christmas and Easter, and the times when family and friends are receiving Sacraments for the first time. I know that there are people who celebrate the anniversary of their (or family members’) Baptism, First Communion, or Confirmation.  How about widening our celebrations to include the gift of our faith, especially this month which lends itself to gatherings?

 As Cursillistas, we have learned to better see the presence of God in our everyday lives. Who hasn’t been touched by a rainbow or the smile of a small child? Who hasn’t received an unexpected blessing in a time when it was so needed (and knew where it came from)? Who hasn’t learned something profound in a book or during a homily or while singing a hymn – new or old – because our hearts were open to receive that learning? 

Take some time this month to ponder the gift of faith. Whether it’s with friends at a gathering, or just by ourselves at a Mass, sitting by the lake, walking through a park, riding through the countryside, anywhere at all. We are so blessed by the gift of faith bestowed upon us. Let’s celebrate! There is an opportunity this month to gather together to celebrate the gift of Cursillo. Our annual picnic will be held at Bernie and Joanie Rumschlag’s home, 2851 S. County Road 591, Tiffin, on July 21st starting at 2 pm. We’ll share a potluck meal and then celebrate at an Ultreya! Hope you can come! DeColores! 

DeColores! John Lyons   Kathy Otermat

God's Will, Just Do It!

Our Ark Spiritual Directors Article

“For whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.” Mark 3:35

How many times a day do we say “thy will be done”?

How many times a day are we consciously doing God’s will? God’s will isn’t “out there somewhere”.

It is right in front of us most days if we are open to seeing it. Often, we don’t have our eyes open to see what God wants us to do. We are looking past what is right in front of us. We look past what God wants us to do thinking that we have no talent to do anything; or that God’s will is some great task or that we have to do a lot of research, prayer and discernment before we can determine God’s will for us.

Most often, it is right in front of us. God’s will is to love others. Love isn’t feelings of tenderness. It is patience, kindness, not being rude, etc.

After Fr. Walter Ciszek reflected on the Our Father and realized that he was not doing God’s will but what he thought God wanted him to do, it changed his life. A story is told of him vigorously digging a ditch in the winter in a Siberian labor camp while the other prisoners did as little as they could. A fellow prisoner asked why he was working so hard. Fr. Ciszek responded that he gave his life to God and wherever he is, must be where God wants him to be and whatever he is supposed to do must be what God wants him to do. God must want him to dig the ditch, so- he must do it to the best of his ability because he is doing it for God.

The child, spouse, neighbor, parishioner, stranger right in front of you wanting you to do something; is what God wants you to do. The opportunity to do something for someone at church, in the community, in your own home, is what God wants you to do. Just do it.

Deacon Andy Mcmahon