Hello!

In the fall of 1996, I was cast in a musical called Canticle of the Plains, being performed at another local church, St Timothy’s. It was based on the life of St Francis. The man who was casting it was Tom Booth, a very gifted songwriter with an even greater gift of authentic faith for Jesus. The musical was written by “some guy” named Rich Mullins, who wrote a song (that everybody on the planet seemed to know) called “Awesome God.”

I was cast in the role of “Ivory,” who was the best friend of Frank (aka St. Francis). Ivory’s character played piano in a saloon and was rather worldly. Here’s the freaky thing: I paid my way through the first three years of college by playing piano in a hotel bar—talk about spiritual typecasting! Anyway, I spent two weeks with Rich Mullins and Mitch McVicker learning the part and songs of Ivory.

During the rehearsing for that musical, a job opening came up at St Tim’s. I prayed a lot about it and definitely heard Jesus calling me forward (an important note if you’re in discernment—God calls you always to something, not just away from something; and it’s about God being more present in your life). I started working there part-time in January of 1997. For the first two months, I struggled a lot with getting to know people. So in March, on the youth retreat, I asked God to give me an opportunity to come closer to the community I was serving.

That Monday night, upon returning home, we learned that one of our resident priests was dying of colon cancer. That night, about 75 people stayed in the courtyard of the rectory and sang and prayed until midnight, keeping vigil with a man who had poured out his life in service of God, Church, and the Kingdom. It was the first of many very moving experiences in which I encountered Jesus in the messiness of life. This was only the beginning of my time at St Tim’s, but already I knew Jesus was saying, “Come closer.”

The most immediate way I encountered this call to intimacy was at the 6 PM Life Teen mass each Sunday night. Every week, I would see hundreds of teenagers coming to worship God, hear His word, and be changed by His grace as we celebrated Eucharist. I’m not sure what denomination you are, but for me the most intimate moment of the story of Christ happens before his suffering in the Garden. Around a table with those most intimate, he takes bread and wine, calls it his body and blood, gives it to his disciples, and says, “Do this in remembrance of me.” After that moment, one of his disciples leaned on his chest. There was so much intimacy between them that his friend could lean into the presence of God; and that’s what He wants for us all.

God wants us to remember Him to the point of union. Not nostalgia at a distance, not pleasant thoughts, but intimate union. Our God deserves nothing less from us. He is not content for you to show up on Sunday, sing your songs, or give your message and not connect with Him or with the people around you. Jesus Christ is the God of the oppressed and lonely, the struggling and the shameful. He comes to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comforted. He loves us all enough to say, “Come closer.” So will you?

from: devoted2youth