Off and running.

As the dust settles, the chicken wire and brown paper comes down, and the many empty pizza boxes are counted I have some time to reflect on the past week. It was one of those weeks that opened my eyes to how much I love what I do, and how much I absolutely need the Holy Spirit to do it. I think the Core Team would echo my sentiment. Last night was a fantastic evening - we were able to meet a lot of new teens, and reconnect with a lot of familiar faces. There was a level of excitement among everyone that was contagious, and the night ended with two of our high school juniors giving great testimonies about their faith.

At the end of the night, though, when the dust settles the Spirit was there.

Because it was all good, but none of it means anything if Christ isn't at the center. Which is what made it so cool; we didn't just put together a massive cave (pictures coming soon), practice a skit, and order a bunch of pizzas just for fun. Or just to get teenagers there. Or to be entertaining. We did it because we want to point to something bigger than us, more than we can ever be - and that is Jesus Christ.

Its the reason we put so much time into planning music for the liturgy, and why Fr. Schuster prepared a special homily, why we had teenagers greeting parishioners as they entered, and why the Core Team met to talk about and pray about this first night. Because its about Jesus.

If we lead teenagers to ourselves, then we fail so miserably. Thankfully, we don't have to. We only need to walk with them in their journey towards Christ, because he has called them already.

So after the paper came down, the dumpsters and recycling bins were full, the soda spills were cleaned up and the teens and team all went home I remembered how thankful I was that I can do this ministry, and I was humbled because really it isn't me doing this ministry at all, but a God who is bigger than we could ever be.

I'm already looking forward to next week - I hope you are too.

Becoming a Hero.

When I was in elementary school, my mother gave me the best gift a boy could get. She gave me a cape. Not just any cape – a cape that she had specially made for me that even had my own special symbol on the back. More than the cape she had given me the license to be what I had always wanted to be – a superhero. You know, as an adult, I’ve found many days where I was wishing I could put that cape back on and fight for justice. All I needed was that cape, and a mask. Well, and of course, I’m going to need some superpowers.

I would first have the power to fly – because this would save me a lot of gas. And when you are fighting for justice you really can’t be filling up for gas all the time.

I would want the power to predict the winning lottery numbers for the next week, because being a superhero seems to be an expensive profession with all the crazy gadgets they have – and I’m going to need some funding.

I would want the power to give people right judgment, and the first person I would use it on is Brett Favre, and the second would be the management of the Milwaukee Brewers.

I would have the super power to create food out of dust, so I could feed the hungry.

I would want the power to make a difference in the world, a lasting change, the power to end war, poverty, hatred, violence, and to help heal people’s hearts.

But as I think about it more, I realize that those things are impossible. I can’t fly. I still haven’t been able to predict the correct lottery numbers. Brett Favre is still going to play for the Vikings. More than that though, I realize I can’t be a superhero because I don’t have the power to feed the hungry, heal the hurting, or to change the world. Some days it’s hard enough just to change myself. It seems to be far more difficult to be a hero.

But maybe my thinking is off, after all, a true hero is not self-proclaimed, rather, they are ordinary people who do extraordinary things when they are called on – it is about a moment when it all comes together. Next Sunday at 6:00 PM the LifeTeen Mass and LifeNights begin again at the Waldo Blvd Worship Site. I want to call on all teenagers to realize their heroic potential this year. Often times, we don’t see ourselves as heroes – maybe because the opportunity has never been presented to us to become one. Next Sunday, we offer you the occasion to be a part of something extraordinary when LifeTeen begins. You don’t need to bring your mask and cape, because you won’t need them. God is calling just you. LifeTeen is not just about teenagers, it’s about a whole community. So I call on parents to consider the ways you may be able to support the ministry through our new program “Parent Life,” of which more information will be available next week. Next week at 6:00 pm, LifeTeen Mass begins with a LifeNight to follow. All parishioners are welcome to the Mass, and high school teens in grades 9-12 are invited to come to the LifeNight afterward and find out just how heroic you can be.

It usually starts with one butterfly in my stomach around August 1st, and by the beginning of September I can feel it in full force - LifeTeen is starting. Over the summer we put in a lot of time, effort, and prayer to plan out the coming year. This means everything we feel the Holy Spirit is calling us to do over the year gets about 80% planned by the time the year starts. It can be a bit overwhelming - especially when we discern that the Holy Spirit is calling us to new areas of ministry, and to re-evaluate our existing ministries.

It brings a certain level of excitement and energy to ministry, and as we approach our start date of September 20th, I am very excited. Here are just a few of the great things we are looking forward to this next year:

• The second-semester pilot of the EDGE Middle School Youth Ministry program
• The beginning of our ministry for parents, Parent Life
• Our 2009-2010 LifeTeen Retreat, where we will be joined by Fr. J from LifeTeen International, along with appearances from our own incredible priests Fr. Schuster and Fr. Dan
• Our first ever EDGE Middle School Retreat
• The new Senior and Junior Core Teams for LifeNights and EDGE
• Confirmation at its new time (2:00 pm) in the Fall and Spring
• Anna Schmidt taking over the EDGE Middle School program, and helping run LifeTeen Special Events

Add to that the great LifeNights, EDGE Nights, Confirmation sessions, and open house events we have planned for the year and I am definitely in awe of how the Holy Spirit is moving in our parish. We have had many great individuals come forward to help serve on the LifeTeen and EDGE Core Teams, and are also excited to have five senior interns helping in our office this year.

All of these things are incredible, but none of them are possible without prayer and without God. As we begin this coming LifeTeen year, I would ask that you keep us in your prayers. Without that, we would simply not be able to do our ministry. I look forward to serving you all as Director of Youth Ministry this coming year, and I have no doubt that Jesus Christ truly has blessed us abundantly. In Him may we be found. Just the thought of it gives me butterflies.

Rock in Christ.