Feast Before the Fast!

Every year I make a New Year's resolution. I like to think that I'm not one for making them, but I do! This year I thought I would make it simple: pray everyday, eat healthy and exercise regularly. It doesn't seem that hard... But i am pretty sure I had thrown the baby out with the bath water and completely given up on my resolutions by about 2pm on New Year's Day. Why? Because New Year's Day was just another day; nothing had changed except the date.

I justified eating all the Christmas leftovers and the delicious Nana-tastic treats because come January 1st I would be "good." I would make time for God each day. I would eat healthily, and go back to treats being treats. I would get back into running. I would make choices that were good for me. But that was not the case. I had lunch with some friends on New Year's Day and I travelled interstate. I did not eat healthily and I did not exercise. I can't remember if I made any time for God, but I definitely felt like I failed at some of my New Year's resolution, therefore I failed at the whole thing.

Fast forward two whole months. I spent one whole month away for work in which time I snacked like I have never snacked before! I didn't exercise much because I injured my shoulder and I allowed it to become an excuse. I worked ridiculous hours and put work before sleep, and then sleep before prayer. And I find myself two months into the year and feeling like I missed the point of making a resolution. Making a resolution is about making a decision to do or not do something with firmness or decisiveness. There was nothing firm about the decision I made - I caved after only 14 hours of the 8,760 hours in this year.

Today is Shrove Tuesday. And I feel that tomorrow is another opportunity to make some resolutions. It's like a new year... And how I have approached this past week has been a similar way to my New Year's resolutions, especially today. I ate four Freddo Frogs today. Is this something I would normally do? Nope. But today is all about the feast before the fast. Or at least that's how I justified eating multiple servings more than I normally would... Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday which marks the beginning of Lent.

This year I have planned what I want Lent to look like. I have decided what I will abstain from, how I will fast, what my alms giving will be and if I will take up anything extra. And I have prepared for this to begin tomorrow in the same way I prepared for my New Year's resolution - by going all out and then cutting everything off completely. My history would expect me to fail. But I know I won't and the reason is Jesus.

When I made a resolution two months ago it was about me. When I wake up tomorrow and stay firm in the decisions I've made for Lent it is because they aren't about me - they're about Jesus. If I had to pick between eating chocolate again and eternal life with Christ I know I would be picking option B. How I live for the next 40 days isn't going to end at Easter; it's a continual journey through life. Whilst giving up a sweet food or bad habit that distracts us from God during Lent might be hard, the challenge is worth it. And I say challenge because if it was easy I wouldn't be giving that up. My small sacrifice will be NOTHING compared to Christ's sacrifice on the Cross; just as my joy at Easter will be nothing compared to the joy of eternal life in union with God.

So here's to a new resolution that I won't give up on at 2pm tomorrow!

Cheers!
(Because who drinks anything other than water in Lent!) 

I am made for more

This morning I was listening to a few of the talks from SEEK 2017. I have heard most of the speakers I was listening to before, but for some reason I kept listening to them today. Had I heard their testimony before? Yes. Had I heard their insights before? In general, yes. But for some reason I knew I needed to keep watching these videos. And I am so glad I did.

          

You can check out the talks I watched here:

Leah Darrow's Talk SEEK 2017

Crystalina Evert's Talk SEEK 2107

Lisa Cotter's Talk SEEK 2017

Something has been stirring in me for quite some time. I just read a book called Lioness Arising by Lisa Bevere and IT SPOKE TO ME! As I got closer and closer to the end I was waiting for a moment. A moment where I clearly knew what was stirring in me, and what I was being called to do. But I am yet to have such a moment. I know I have been created to do great things in this world, but I do not know what these great things are. I also know 2017 is going to be a year of doing great things. Again I do not know what these great tings are! So I am taking control of life! When an opportunity arises, I take it! And I want to be bold in my choices!

Tonight I did something I wouldn't normally do. I posted about my journey with Weight Watchers.

As a kid I was picked on for being fat. As a teenager I was very self conscious about my size and weight, but I didn't talk about it. As an adult I didn't think I could ever lose weight so I owned my size and tried to be healthy... I wasn't a fan of clothes shopping... I ordered a bridesmaid dress, made to fit, online for a friend's wedding and it arrived a few months later. But it didn't fit. It was too small. Getting a dress with a few weeks before the wedding was a task, but I happened! And in that time I made a choice to do something different. With the support of a close friend I joined Weight Watchers 15 months ago and have lost 23 kilos since. At first I didn't want people to know. I was nervous and still skeptical. But it worked! Everyday I make choices about what to eat and exercising. I eat what I want. I love ice cream and eat it regularly! I have asthma and have never been able to run, but I set a goal and ran 5km for the first time in 2016! I enjoy running now and my body tells me that it wants to exercise! I like that I have accountability and people with me on this journey. I'm so close to my weight loss goal, but it's not about the weight. It's about having more energy, being confident, eating and feeling healthier, sleeping better, trying new things, reducing health risks, and living life to the full! #testimonytime #weightwatchers #weightwatchersaunz #winningatlife #notashamed #fearfullyandwonderfullymade

I felt so convicted to do so. But the moment I went to press the 'post' button something within me changed and I hesitated. Was I doing the right thing? What would other people think of me? And then that little part of me that is all about taking chances and being bold took over and the button was pressed and there was no going back. (Technically I can delete the post, but that's not how I roll. Plus it's taking the easy way out!) And for a moment I was proud that I did something I wouldn't normally do, and I chose for posting this to be a good thing.

Leah Darrow reminded me this morning that I am brave and I am strong and that I was made for more. And with this reminder I realised that I can't just sit around and wait for things to happen to me. I've known this for a while, but I haven't acted out of this place in a long time. I realised that I was created for SO MUCH MORE. I have no idea what the more is. But I am going into 2017 with the attitude that I am made for more. I know the more is going to be great. I know that this more means greater fruitfulness in my life. I know this more want always be easy, but I am ready! And I want whatever comes my way - or whatever I steer into the path of by taking control and taking chances.

A Journey of Discernment

Every young Catholic knows that at some point they have to discern their vocation. There comes a point at which you can no longer just think that you’ll get to it later in life because now is just not the right time. And that’s been my experience. For three years I volunteered with NET Ministries and told myself it was not the right time to discern my vocation. I spent so many nights talking to the girls on my teams about how I just wanted to be married already or how I wanted to join a religious order already. But the reality is I did not, and still do not want to go on the journey to get to those points in my life.

After putting it off for so long I decided that now is the time. I can’t just sit around and wait for God to turn up one day and say ‘Rozlyn, I want you to be a religious sister and this is the order for you’ or ‘Rozlyn, I want you to be married. And I want you to marry this very attractive, saintly, young Catholic man!’ He just isn’t going to do that. So instead I need to go on a journey with Him. I need to try and listen to what He is saying to me in prayer, in scripture and through other people. So this morning I decided that I should pray about my vocation.

A vocation is a call from God. A lot of people think it’s about a job or career, but for me it’s so much more. It’s about how I can live my life serving God; living fully the call He has placed on my life. And trying to work out what that call is actually is not hard. I am called to be a saint. Anyone who knows me knows that I have a deep love and admiration for St Therese of Lisieux.

“Then, as I reflected that I was born for great things, and sought the means to attain them, it was made known to me interiorly that my personal glory would never reveal itself before the eyes of men, but would consist in becoming a Saint.” 

St Therese of Lisieux, Story of a Soul

She knew she was called to be a saint. She knew that she was called to be holy. And I believe I am called to be a saint. But how I am meant to live my life, in a practical sense, to live this calling is what I do not know.

You see, for me there’s a big part of me that wants to get married and spend my days trying to get my potential husband and children to heaven. But there’s this other part of me that wants to live my life devoted solely to Christ, living in community with other women who have the same desire. And that’s where I am torn. Both of these things are good. In fact, they’re very good. I know that the deepest desires of my heart - the desire to live my life for God; the desire to be a mother; the desire to teach - will be fulfilled in either vocation.

So this morning I sat down and tried to write down how I feel about the journey to my vocation and what I realised is that I’m scared. I am so scared of making the wrong decision. I am scared of missing an opportunity. I am scared of not serving God how He wants me to serve Him. And at that point I looked to Jesus crucified on the Cross.

Ten years ago, this August, I went to Cologne, Germany for World Youth Day and while I was there I purchased a Crucifix. This Crucifix has hung upon the walls of the places I’ve lived (minus the NET houses I lived in.) It has provided me comfort and hope. It has been the place I’ve looked to and realised my sinful nature. It has been dropped and broken. It has been put back together, just as Jesus’ death on the Cross has put me back together.

The Crucifix I bought almost ten years ago.

And this morning I looked to the Cross and asked Jesus if He was scared. He died on a Cross. His call was to die for me. And for you. I’m on board for laying down my life for Christ, but I would struggle give of myself in that way for people who would persecute and hate me. But Jesus did. He knew He would be crucified. He felt our human emotions, so surely he felt scared, right? I’m scared and I’m trying to choose between two good and holy things. I don’t think of these things as going to Calvary. I think of them as having abundant life - living in the Resurrected Christ.

I think we can become so focused on the end goal we forget the journey. The journey to choosing our vocation isn’t carrying a cross. It’s walking with Christ and probably most of the time we’ll only realise after we’ve walked the journey, that our hearts were burning within us and Christ was with us; teaching us and guiding us the whole time. We just don’t recognise it. Instead, just like the two men on the road to Emmaus, we talk about God and his call, rather than talking to Him and living His call.

Right now, in this part of my journey, I know I am not called to be married. Or a religious sister. I am called to be single, but to go on a journey with Christ, even though I am scared. I am going to live the call to be a saint. There’ll be times when it will feel like I’m on the road to Calvary, and others, the road to Emmaus. The end point is not the day I make vows; the end point is getting to Heaven. And the journey of discernment I take towards vows, whether they are religious or marriage vows, is still about the journey to sainthood.

The First Four Weeks in Sydney!

I can’t believe we’ve been in Sydney for four weeks already! Time has flown and it has been a great start to what looks like being an absolutely incredible year!

We were welcomed to Sydney by Bernard and Emma from Catholic Youth Services and driven to our home we unpacked and got ourselves settled. The feeling of being back in Sydney was surreal; so much was the same, but so much had changed. We were straight into ministry with City Silence the very next day and then an encounter day on the Friday. Sydney is a big city. Schools are big and year levels are big, at least for a six person NET Team! Our first encounter day was attended by 160 year 10 students. Whether we liked it or not, the training wheels were off. It was a great day and we learned a lot about our ministry and working together as a team. In some ways it felt like we were learning to fly because we’d been pushed out of the nest! But the biggest thing I remember about this day was being greeted, by name, by a student who I had ministered to on my first year of NET. We often give so much to God and do what He asks of us, but don’t often get to see the fruits of our labour, which is ultimately God’s work any way! But it was a blessing to see the faith, alive and vibrant, in a young person and know that you helped in some way.

We’ve done seven encounter days already, ministering to almost a thousand young people. I’ve had the privilege of sharing a couple of talks and leading one encounter day. A highlight would have to be driving six hours to a campsite near Gunnedah for a day. It was a very short visit, but one well worth it! On our way we had dinner in Singleton; where the World’s Largest Sun Dial calls home, encountered some wildlife on the country roads late at night and visited the Big Golden Guitar in Tamworth! Another highlight would be on another encounter day getting to pray individually with all the students in my small group, and then to my surprise one of the students praying for me. It was a beautiful moment and one I want forget any time soon.

At the Big Golden Guitar in Tamworth

We are kept busy with lots of other ministry. Catholic Youth Services held a welcome BBQ for us and have been keeping us on our toes with regular events. Each week we go to City Silence at St Mary’s Cathedral. Young people from across Sydney gather together for an hour of adoration and then head out for dinner. After going to Six30 Holy Hour regularly, it is like having a little bit of Melbourne with me! And on Wednesday nights we’ve started back up Chill ‘n’ Chat. My team in 2012 kicked off the first ever Chill ‘n’ Chat, last year’s team kept it going, making it bigger and better, and this year we get to continue this great event, starting with a Lenten program. We’ve also begun planning for the Catholic Youth Services Camp next month which is something I am looking forward to.

We’ve also been exploring, heading into Darling Harbour one night for Team Time. Team Time is one of my favourite times of the week. We stop doing ministry, preparing for ministry, or any of the other tasks we need to get done, and spend a couple of hours hanging out as a team. Other than heading into Darling Harbour, we have played many a game of Articulate – which is my favourite board game, and in honour of St Patrick’s Day (and Sarah’s Irish heritage!) we held our own St Patrick’s Day Parade as we were unable to get into the city for the Sydney Parade! This is by far one of the funniest nights we have had. Instructions were to make a float/dress up in something related to St Patrick’s Day. These instructions were interpreted in many different ways. Nick dressed as ‘Irish Man: Ireland’s first ever superhero’. Sarah dressed as ‘The Girl From Belfast’. Steph as an Irish gypsy. Josh decorated his skateboard and wrote some spoken word. I don’t know what Paul dressed as, but there was a lot of green! And I dressed as a rainbow with a pot of gold! (I unfortunately lost my laptop charger, so I can't get photos off my camera at the moment to show any pictures from this great night.)

Us at Darling Harbour

We’ve got lots on over the next few weeks. More encounter days! More City Silence! More Chill ‘n’ Chat! Starting to minister at a couple of universities! And a whole bunch of other random stuff, including having our supervisors visit is in a couple of weeks! I'm sure time is going to fly, but I'm looking forward to what is next.

 

Called. Equipped. Commissioned.

Called, equipped and then commissioned. Or should it be commissioned, called and equipped?

Over the past few weeks I have spent some time reflecting on what I have been called, equipped and commissioned for. I can tell you that God planted a little ‘NET seed’ in my heart almost ten years ago. He laid it in fertile soil and attended to it regularly. At times it looked like it would never grow into anything more than a tiny little sprout, but eventually after much care, maintenance and watering the seedling grew into a calling that I could no longer avoid saying no to. That's how I know that I am called to serve in Sydney on the Catholic Youth Services NET Team in 2014.

And I know that I have been equipped to do so. I spent six weeks on training earlier this year to specifically get ready for this year. But something I don’t think about is that God has been preparing me for this particular call since the day I was born. I believe that everything happens for a reason. And I believe that everything that has happened in my life has brought me to where I am now and will take me to the places I’m going in the future - even though I don’t know where or what they will be. It’s not a coincidence that I was on this team in 2012. God planned that. And He is going to use my experiences from that year to do His work this year. Two years ago I would not have thought I would be doing a third year, but God was preparing me for it without me even realising!

 

2014 Netters, Staff and Freedom Staff

On Friday 21^st February fifty-one Netters were commissioned by the Archbishop of the Brisbane, Mark Coleridge, to share the Good News to the youth of Australia. We were asked three questions:

• Are you prepared to witness to Jesus, the Risen Lord, in all your words and actions?
• Through the ministry of proclaiming the Gospel, are you prepared to help others encounter God, our Father, through Jesus Christ whom He has sent?
• Are you prepared to be joyful witnesses who are willing to sacrifice your lives so that the Kingdom may be proclaimed and the Church established in the midst of the world?

To each question we all answered ‘we are’. 

The word commission has several meanings, but can be defined as a duty or task committed to a person or group to perform or the authority to undertake certain duties. This year I have been commissioned to encourage young people to love Jesus and embrace the Church, by witnessing to Jesus in all my words and actions, proclaiming the Gospel, and being a joyful witness. Essentially I have been commissioned to bring the Good News to others, but wasn’t this what I was commissioned to do in baptism? The Catechism of the Catholic Church says ‘“reborn as sons of God (the baptised) must profess before men the faith they have received from God through the Church” and participate in the apostolic and missionary activity of the people of God’ (CCC 1270) and in Ad Gentes, the Decree on the Missionary Activity of the Church, it states that every single disciple of Jesus ‘has the duty of spreading the Faith’. (AG 23) Which leaves me wondering if I was called and then commissioned, or commissioned and then called to this mission...

 

Either way on February 21^st we were sent out to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ to this country. And it has been a great journey thus far. As training came to an end we prepared for our first Encounter Days and then ran them. We had a few last minute things to learn on training, we visited the CarmeliteSisters in Ormiston. And then it was time for us to head to Sydney. We were warmly welcomed by the staff of Catholic Youth Services and have settled in. We’ve been busy since the day we arrived, but there’ll be more about that another time.

It is a privilege that God would call me to serve here in Sydney again in 2014. It is not at all what I would have picked. But I know He has been preparing me for this for a very long time and is going to be even more amazing than I could ever imagine. For now I’m going to put the question of which came first; the call or the commission, in the same basket as the chicken and the egg!

 

The Great Commission - Matthew 28:19



My commission reminds me of the theme for World Youth Day last year; 'go and make disciples of all nations.' (Matthew 28:19) The full text of Pope Francis' homily from the World Youth Day Mass on Copacabana Beach can be found here, but here are some words for reflection:

 

"Where does Jesus send us? There are no borders, no limits: he sends us to
everyone. The Gospel is for everyone, not just for some. It is not only
for those who seem closer to us, more receptive, more welcoming. It is for
everyone. Do not be afraid to go and to bring Christ into every area of life,
to the fringes of society, even to those who seem farthest away, most
indifferent. The Lord seeks all, he wants everyone to feel the warmth
of his mercy and his love."