A Catechetical Tool for Parish Life Destiny Issue An Encounter with Your Destiny BY MARY BETH NEWKUMET y kids and I always tussle during the “God was a code word for the mystery and summer about how they will fill their grandeur of the universe, the wellspring of Mlazy days. The school year pace of awe, a reminder that there was something homework, sports and scouts is gone at the core of existence that all his equa- for now, so the “electronic wallpaper” tions could only graze.” of videos, computer games and televi- sion entices. Their boredom is almost EVADING THE QUESTIONS frenetic as they itch for some virtual These “ultimate questions” are excitement. I tell them to move away pondered internally by every human from the screens and go outside. Take person whether they acknowledge them a walk. Look up at the sky. Turn over a or not. But who has time, you may be rock. Listen to the wind. wondering, to think such big thoughts in I am considered a mean mother. the midst of our whirlwind days? This is My motive for booting them outside is precisely the point. If you haven’t thought manifold. I want them to get some fresh air and much about the ultimate meaning of your life, your exercise and play with their friends. But more destiny, then what are your whirlwind days for? importantly, I want them to notice the natural world. As crazy as it sounds, it is a challenge for continued on page 2 modern kids to develop a sense of wonder about the complexity of nature and the grandeur of the uni- IN THIS ISSUE V OLUME 6, ISSUE 4 verse. There is just so much else to distract them. 1 Life With Jesus THE ULTIMATE QUESTIONS Why is it so important for them to pay attention 3 Life On Sunday to the natural world? Because it is a sign post to An Eternal Destiny “something out there.” Deep within each human 4 Life At Home person is a recognition of the splendor of nature, a Discovering A splendor that could not have reasonably sprung up Marian Destiny on its own. Wonder at creation leads to awe, and awe leads to the consideration that some great mystery 5 Life At Home must be behind all this. At some point every person A Passion for internally poses the “ultimate questions”: Who did Their Destiny Mary, the first all this? What is my relationship to this mysterious Life In The Parish presence? And given my insignificance in the scheme 6 Steward of Christ Destined to be One of things, what is my destiny? Even scientists as brilliant as Albert Einstein have 7 Life In The World wondered about this mystery: “To Einstein,” Dennis Who Do the Crowds Say That I Am? Overbye wrote in The New York Times Magazine, continued from page 1 “The basic human drama is the was outrageous 2,000 years ago; it grand mysterious universe. failure to perceive the meaning of continues to be so today. Yet our As believers in this revelation, life, to live without a meaning,” whole destiny depends on whether we no longer have to quake at our says Pope John Paul II. In fact, the we take this claim seriously. insignificance beneath the vast entanglements of modern life can Jesus of Nazareth, a carpenter’s nightime sky. We do not have to enable some people to go for years Son, placed himself right in the evade life’s questions. Through the — sometimes even a lifetime — middle of the mystery, approached life of the Church, Christ calls us evading life’s ultimate questions, this mysterious presence as a to know him in an intimate, famil- grasping for meaning in meaning- Father and told us that we could iar way — so that our ultimate less things. Consequently, many only know this Father by knowing destiny is a destiny that is known, people live with a deep restlessness, him, for he and the Father were loved and serenely awaiting fulfill- hounded, almost haunted by One. He taught with authority, for- ment thanks to our everyday Someone they sense is there, but gave sins and read hearts. He per- encounter with his mysterious will not acknowledge. When St. formed countless signs showing loving presence. ❖ Edith Stein was searching for how he easily controlled the natur- meaning in her life, she could al world. He challenged — and ful- sense the presence of this Someone filled — perceived divine laws. He Life After Sunday out there, yet tried to avoid it: “I acted like he was God. am making plans for the future,” President she wrote to a friend, “and am SURRENDER TO YOUR DESTINY John M. Capobianco arranging my immediate life Vice President The most dramatic choice for accordingly. But I am deeply Mary Beth Newkumet each human person is deciding convinced that there is something whether they believe this claim of Executive Assistant looming in the offing that will Jesus Christ. Do you believe that Jessica K. Love upset all my projects. I mean the what this man proclaimed is true, true and living faith which I still Theological Advisor and that his living presence can refuse to assent to, which I prevent Msgr. Lorenzo Albacete still be encountered during your from becoming active in me.” own time, at this point in history? This is the decision of faith. Life After Sunday is a “I AM YOUR DESTINY” Deciding that Jesus is your destiny catechetical tool for parish life Those who do seek to begin a is a profound choice that can not created by Lumen Catechetical relationship with this great mys- be mistaken for “belonging to a Consultants, Inc., a 501(C)3 not- tery are faced with a different kind religion” or “going to Church.” for-profit educational consulting of challenge: how to define — and Because it was such a dramatic firm that helps Catholic organi- touch — the Creator of heaven moment for her, Jewish-born St. zations communicate a life with and earth, a creator who can not Edith Stein, describes her conver- Christ lived fully through his be grasped or contained. This sion in Christ as “a total suspen- Church. @ Copyright 1999, would seem like an insurmount- sion of all mental activity in which 2002. May not be reproduced able problem, except for the aston- one can make neither plans nor without permission granted. ishing fact that the mystery has decision, in which one can do made itself known. Says Msgr. nothing, but in which, having Lumen Catechetical Luigi Giussani in his book, The given over all things to the divine Consultants, Inc. Religious Sense: “The Christian will, one surrenders entirely to P.O. Box 1761 message is this: a man who ate, one’s destiny.” Silver Spring, MD 20915 walked, and lived the normal life of Yes, Jesus is our destiny 1-800-473-7980 or a man proclaimed, ‘I am your des- because only he can bring us mere 301-593-1066 tiny,’‘I am he of whom the whole mortals into full communion Fax: 301-593-1689 cosmos is made’. ” with this mysterious presence, www.lifeaftersunday.com This is an outrageous claim. It this Father, the creator of the 2 ÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑ Life After Sunday An Eternal Destiny Getting There… The Feast of the Triumph of the ften a crisis in life causes us Holy Cross is September 14. This to ponder our destiny. year, try to celebrate this wonderful OProblems such as sickness, feast anew in your home by dust- separation and death karate-chop ing off the crucifix and making it a our carefully propped-up exis- place of family prayer. Perhaps it tence, reminding us that we are can be placed in the middle of the powerless to hold back hardship table at dinnertime. If you don’t and misfortune. “Where might have a cross or don’t wear one, the human being seek the answer in what “fate” has planned for the feast of the Holy Cross is a to dramatic questions such as them. reminder to include these pain, the suffering of the innocent Men and women who have important sacramentals in your life and death,” reminds Pope John recognized the presence of Jesus after Sunday with Christ. The cross Paul II, “if not in the light stream- Christ in their lives know that is a sign of the depths to which “fate” does not play a part in their ing from the mystery of Christ’s Christ went to give himself to man, eternal destiny. Therefore suffer- passion, death and resurrection?” to be our eternal destiny.❖ (Faith and Reason). ing and death, while terrible, has Each Sunday, the celebration no ultimate power over them. The on the cross, but through this gift of Mass shows us that — united secret of the cross is that suffering of himself, we also experience his in love with Christ — the passion in union with Christ allows you triumphant resurrection and the of the cross must be our destiny, to live without fear. How can this reality of his eternal life. This fact too. This worries many Catholics. be? Because those who live in — and his living presence among When they consider saints who Christ experience an interior us — enables us to carry our actually seem to “enjoy” suffering, place of deep peace and love that crosses with grace and dignity. these believers wonder if this is no crushing sorrow can reach. “Let the little whistling, chilling what they have to endure to be “My Jesus,” wrote St. Vincent wind blow above your head and “truly Catholic.” Is this yet anoth- Pallotti, “You know that I will be blast nothing of your dear interior er outrageous Christian require- sure of being really one with you.