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July 8, 2008
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Faith Formation Update is a free monthly e-newsletter for catechetical leaders with a focus on parish catechesis beyond textbooks and classrooms. We are in catechetical hiatus. This is the season for restoration and renewal. Faith Formation Update invites you to consider summer playtime as your holy cause. We offer some thoughts on the call to restore yourself by enjoying a few playful endeavors. Share your views and program ideas about this month’s topic on our online bulletin board, “Faith Formation Forum.” —Jeanne Hunt
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The Greeks have a word for the balance of body, mind
and soul: arête. Achieving arête is the homework for every catechist
this summer. While most of us are adept at one or the other parts of our self—we
may easily find time to pray, sort out our issues or exercise—to keep all three in
good balance requires discipline and mindfulness. This summer break is the perfect time
to devote to a bit of body, mind and spirit work.
In a profound sense this connection can be called dancing with the
divine. Susan Saint Sing, a member of the U.S World Rowing team, writes of this balance
in her book Spirituality
of Sport: Balancing Body and Soul: “A child at play is in touch with the
purest essence of the energy of God…an athlete in touch with an inner core of peace
and strength has an advantage by tapping into the energy of the universe—the playfulness
of God.” This connection is at the heart of all sport, play, dance and competition.
It has a restorative effect. Many athletes believe they are most closely present to God
in the activity of their sport.
As we look forward to this summer’s Olympics, I encourage you
to engage your body in some energetic play. Arête is a balm for the spirit of a weary
catechist. Walk, swim, dance and play with gusto. Saint Sing says, “To know that
we are…more than just body is a gift. To know that we are body and soul is to live
in the hope and the fact of the Resurrection.” Summer’s grace is leisure. Summer’s
hope is personal resurrection. |
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“Summertime” and “In
the Good Old Summertime.” What other songs that speak of the ease and fun of summer
come to mind?
The summer months invite us to adopt a slower pace, to take a break
from the breakneck speed of our work and play a little bit.
Yet it’s difficult for some of us to play, especially when there
are so many important things that need to be done. And sometimes we’re convinced
that we’re the only ones who can do things right.
As catechetical leaders, spouses, parents, members of religious communities,
etc., we carry a lot of responsibilities. Yet we never have to carry any load alone. That
is a key message of our Christian faith—one that we work so hard to convey to others
through our ministry.
Franciscan Father Richard Rohr has something to say to those of us
who find ourselves in the trap of trying to earn our salvation, who sometimes forget that
grace is a gift. He reminds us that surrender is critical to our growth in relationship
with God. It’s part of discovering “the true way of spirituality, the true
way of wisdom.” Click here (Windows
Media | RealMedia)
to listen to a selection I’ve chosen for you from Father Rohr’s audio presentation, Letting
Go: A Spirituality of Subtraction.
Use this for your summer “reading.” Share it with others
who are also seeking better balance in their lives. Give yourself time and permission to
rest in God, trust in God, enjoy the awesome gift of your life. In the long run, it’s
likely the most crucial thing on your summer “to do” list. Don’t waste
any more time. Begin right now. |
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Summertime is always such a hopeful time, with all
the celebrations of graduations and—most especially—weddings. With all the
smiling faces, words of encouragement and congratulations, and all the new beginnings,
you can’t help but feel good about the prospects for success and happiness in abundance.
But once the “new” wears off, the reality can often be daunting.
One area that is often overlooked until later in a relationship is
how the individuals involved in a marriage relate to their faith. Two books from St. Anthony
Messenger Press take an eye-opening look at this reality. Father Bob Hater’s book, When
a Catholic Marries a Non-Catholic, explores the challenges that spouses share when
one of them comes from another Christian denomination, another faith or no faith at all.
Father Hater offers helpful insights for those couples who are confronting these challenges
in their own marriage.
But what about the believer whose spouse doesn’t share the other’s
appreciation for faith and religion in his or her life? Together
But Alone: When God Means Something Different to Your Spouse, by Donna Erickson
Couch, helps you take an honest look at this trying situation. With practical suggestions
about how to compromise about expressions of faith, resolve scheduling conflicts and talk
about spiritual issues that may separate spouses, this book can be extremely helpful.
A reminder: A complete list of suggested resources for the Year of
Paul can be found in our special
resources for the Year of Paul section in our online catalog. Take a look at what we
have to offer. |
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Share your ideas on adult faith formation at our online bulletin board. Our editors will screen and post your thoughts, and you can learn from others' ideas. Submit your ideas by clicking here. |
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