Passions

It seems that the days preceding and following Valentine's Day all have been pointing me toward passions and passionate people.

A talk by Sr. Laurie Brink, OP, on "Paul and the Politics of Love" started my thoughts rolling. She spoke passionately about Paul's concern for the Corinthians and helped us see the parallel challenges from their times to our own. Paul urges the community to look beyond the divisions and what separates, to see with and through love unity in the Body of Christ.

The backstage tour of the Lyric was sponsored as a fundraiser by the Lyric's Opera Guild Board. These are people passionate about the opera. Volunteers told us about the history of the Lyric, the dedication of the founders. They spoke with great enthusiasm about the props, wigs, wardrobe and armory. A chorister, percussionist and lighting tech shared about make-up, music and effects that come together to create a lavish feast for the senses.

Charis Ministries gatherered a group of people passionate about those in their 20s and 30s from around the country. Everyone had been part of a grant that I had been working on with Fr. Michael prior to leaving Charis. From New York to San Francisco, Boston to Plainfield, Atlanta, Athens, St. Petersburg, Baton Rouge, Cincinnati, Versailles, Detroit, Joliet and Chicago. They represented national ministries, campus ministries, dioceses and parishes. Such great work is going on and such great need (cf. Mike's Googling God comments). This project was part of what was hard for me leaving Charis. I was grateful to participate and to realize that by recruiting other passionate people to take on parts of the project, the grant partners, their ministries and Charis were better served than if had I continued to juggle with other Charis responsibilities.

Charis also invited Mike to speak at their "Living Ignatian" series (see link in the sidebar). During his talk entitled "Finding God in the Crossroads" he shared a little of his journey to turn his passion for retreats into a great career and the Ignatian process of discernment. Where does "your deep gladness meet the worlds deep need?" he asked. And "if responsbilities take care of themselves and the choice was wide open, what would you do tomorrow?" "How to you want to BE, not what do you want to DO?" Timely questions as I continue to listen for my passion and desire to reemerge from hibernation. In the meantime, cooking for family and friends, a little light housekeeping and projects, walking, napping and being attentive to people and the world I encounter, each embodying God's love and grace are enough for me.