On Being a New Creature: Notes from the East Coast Fraternity Exercises 2011

Last updated on: January 24, 2017 at 6:26 pm by Allison Salerno

On Being a New Creature: Notes from the East Coast Fraternity Exercises 2011 2017-01-24T18:26:37-05:00 Allison Salerno

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

About 10 last night, we celebrated Mass in a huge meeting room at the Hamilton Park Hotel & Conference Center, which bills itself as being designed “with the sophisticated traveler in mind.” Well, we are a motley crew, some 200 adults of varying ages and stages. Father Richard Veras, chaplain to Communion and Liberation, reminded us in his homily that what happens in this conference room during consecration is no different than the apostles encounter with Christ during the Last Supper. The upper room, after all, was nothing special, just the second floor room of a restaurant.

As Christians, he said, we want to strive to overcome the distance between what the Apostles felt when talking with Christ at the Last Supper and understanding something monumental and history-changing was about to happen and what we feel and experience at Mass and in our daily lives. Our lives, he said, need to communicate how Christ lives within us – by the radiance on our faces and the intensity with which we gaze on God and one another.

It’s a tall order, isn’t it? But it’s the task of all Christians, I think, to, as Fr. Rich put it, to cast off the aridity of words, to replace our religiosity with a recognition that Christ is among us, and to let ourselves be generated by Him. This can only happen when we let Christ enter into the day-to-day experiences of our lives.

Great words to meditate on as we headed out in silence, a silence only to be broken by breakfast. But boy, do I miss my family.

Uncategorized

Previous Post

May 20, 2011

Rapture + Zombie Apocalypse = Movies and Beer!

Next Post

May 21, 2011 For Reasons Like Missed Raptures

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Blog News Conversion Story Culture Learning Living Nature Prayer Uncategorized Working

Select a Month June 2016 May 2016 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What does Siloam mean?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Love Gift Received Sent