40 by {the end} of 40 or #40x40

I'm weird.  I know it.  I not only know it, but I embrace it.  Keep reading and you will discover one of many reasons why.

Today is my birthday.  I turned 39 today.  While other people consider their 40th birthday a big milestone, I consider today - my 39th birthday - a big milestone.

In fact your birthday is a celebration of the completion of that year on earth.  So today begins my 40th year on earth.  There is a lot I want to do this year.

I have made a list of 40 things I want to accomplish before my 40th birthday - before the celebration of the completion of my 40th year on this earth.  Everyone needs accountability partners and, so, it will be you dear readers - or reader (assuming I can at least one person to read and follow along).

And now your are wondering what is on the list.  Don't worry - the list is coming and, no, I won't reveal one at a time.  You will get it in one fell swoop - soon and very soon.  I have to give you a reason to come back, right?

The capital "J" Jouney

Last night I had a dream about taking a trip.  I was at the airport and had a stack of airplane tickets.  I would hit at least a dozen different cities before I reached my final destination.  The route wasn't direct, but I still got the final destination.

This got me thinking...

We are all on a journey.  Many of us take detours.  We get sidetracked.  We lose focus.  What is wonderful is that God is with us our entire journey.  The route we choose may not be the simplest or easiest, but He joins us for the ride regardless.  If we get completely off track, He is there to guide us back.

There is more than one route to our destination.  Everyone's trip looks a little bit different.  We all take different modes of transportation, are going different speeds, and have different people accompanying us.  The constant for each of us is God.

The more things change...

It's Cyber Monday and consumerism continues.  For each sale that is advertised I feel that there is one blog post, Facebook post or tweet encouraging folks to slow down, focus on what is important, and remember the reason for the season.

I think that most of us think that this is a problem that we, as a society, are only experiencing now, but that isn't the case at all.  This has been something that people have been struggling with for decades, generations, centuries.

I go to a Marist parish and work at Marist School, therefore Marist spirituality has a great impact on my day-to-day life.  

Each Sunday in the church bulletin there is a section on Marist Spirituality and this week's section hit me like a ton a bricks.

The spiritual founder of the Society of Mary, Jean Claude Colin found himself in the age of enlightenment.  There were fundamental changes in the eighteenth century in scientific, technological, intellectual and moral ideas.  He described it as follows: "We should be very clear that our age is one of pride and arrogance.  People call it an age of enlightenment, and in material terms that may be true, but in religious terms, it is a century of the profoundest ignorance."  (Founder Speaks Doc. 117:2)

Now I don't know exactly when this Fr. Colin said these words, but the Society of Mary was approved as a religious order by Pope Gregory XVI in 1836.  

The exact words used to describe French society in 1836 could be used to describe American society in 2013 - 177 years later.

The more things change the more things stay the same.

Marists were fighting the good fight then and I continue to fight the good fight now.  

Peace Internal

Nothing brings me internal peace quite like being at Mass on Sunday morning. 

Photo: Ayshalsu, Creative Commons

It may be because my best childhood memories are those of being at daily Mass with my grandmother as a toddler.

It may be because of the music.

It may because of the routine. 

It may be because there is no better way for me to begin my week. 

I wish I could explain it, but I think Philippians 4:7 does the best job: 

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.