The Brave and the Beautiful

I have yet to see the Disney movie, "Brave" about the adventures of Princess Merida as she shoots arrows and battles to save her mother. From what I have heard, though, Merida breaks the traditional Disney Princess mold in that she's daring, active, natural in her beauty, and the hero(ine) who does the saving (instead of the damsel in need of a savior).

Recently, she was crowned the 11th Princess in Disney's line-up of royalty, and like all celebrity make-overs for a big event, Merida received enhanced curves, lengthened eyelashes, sparkled eyes, softer eyes and stylized hair. She was also de-bowed; the weapon used throughout her story was stripped from her for her Princess Portrait (click here for an image from The Guardian with the before and after). Why? Princesses, and therefore value in this marketing strategy, are only derived from beauty and can't involve anything but being beautiful once crowned.

Surprisingly, and thankfully, only days after her coronation, Disney reversed Merida's extreme makeover. Due to an overwhelming response from parents who voiced outrage over this emphasis on physical appearance, Disney re-instituted the real Merida sans airbrushing, surgery, botox, make-up and other appearance enhancing techniques. In doing so, Disney displayed immense courage in also re-instituting why so many young girls were attracted to Merida:

Beauty emanates from within.

As the father of two daughters, I feel I have the incredible responsibility of teaching them what is beautiful. I have the task of doting on them not just because of what they look like but instead for who they are. I must allow them to be than just pretty and do more than just need saved. I must show them a future that for them could entail, potentially, more than just being pretty - especially in finding value in how pretty the world says that they are (check out this letter a father wrote to his daughter about her future husband: letter). I must teach them that God created them fearfully and wonderfully and beautifully. I need to guide them to give their hearts to Jesus so that any man who hopes to win them must go to Jesus first...and then me.

I do this each and every day in every interaction with them, my wife, and any other woman in my life. I'm blessed to have the most incredible and incredibly beautiful wife in the world. The way that I show Emily my love paints a very detailed picture as to how my daughters will view love in their own lives. Emily sets the example of womanhood. I add the detail of how a woman is to be loved, treated and valued. I must show my daughters that Emily stands holding my hand next to me, not sitting behind me. I must show them that true womanhood is more than a pretty face. 

My daughters are beautiful. As a father, my willingness to show them affection and attention will significantly impact their future understandings of beauty and love. Studies prove that their relationship with me, their father, will dictate their propensity to engage in pre-marital sex, eating disorders and drug use. It will determine their self-esteem, body image and self-worth. It will hopefully make them courageous enough to live in a world that defines and sees beauty with a different definition and through a different lens. Prayerfully, my relationship with them will make them brave enough to understand that they aren't loved because they're beautiful but rather they are beautiful because they are loved. 

By me. By my wife. But most importantly by God. 

Witness

HEBREWS 12:1 - Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us rid ourselves of every sin and burden that clings to us and run with perseverance the race marked out before us while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of our faith. 

Class of 2013, this past school year we have focused on this scripture passage from St. Paul’s letter to the Hebrews in many and various ways. We’ve talked about the cloud and how we need to surround one another with love and support. We mentioned how difficult it would be to run with a heavy backpack or full arms. We focused in on the fact that perseverance involves commitment, determination and grit. We stated the importance of keeping our sights set on our goals, dreams, aspirations and even more importantly Jesus. We unpacked the word RUN - READ, UNCOVER, NOTICE - and how an emphasis on the words of this acronym could lead us to more knowledge, an enhanced ability to solve problems, and more purposeful eyes to see areas in our lives and world in need of our help and assistance.

Since we have so many great people - parents, teachers, classmates - surrounding us, supporting us, loving us, we are able to do wonderful things. Since we are encouraged to leave behind our baggage that would otherwise weigh us down, we are more capable of carrying out the work that God has entrusted us to do. And, since we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, we can come to truly understand what specific work God has in store for us. When we have great people around us, when we put aside those faults and failings that make us less than who God created us to be, when we remain committed to Jesus despite all of the many distractions and disturbances in life, we are able to RUN. St. Paul, obviously, uses the words RUN and RACE as metaphors. His strong athletic language compares the spiritual and sporting lives. It conjures up images of athletes spent after expending a great effort. When talking about running a race he promotes the urgency with which we need to live our lives. RUN, don’t walk. PERSEVERE, don’t quit. COMMIT, don’t waver. PREVAIL, don’t endure.

RUN. With all your heart. For your heart. To show your heart. RUN. 

Look around you. Notice the cloud of witnesses that are surrounding you. Look at your classmates. Look at your teachers. Look at your families. They are all around you today. They are next to you, they are behind you, they are at your side, they have your back. They RUN with you. They RUN to you. They RUN because of you. They will always be with you.

RUN. With all your heart. For your heart. To show your heart. RUN. 

Don’t look back. Focus on Jesus. Don’t carry the loads of sin, doubt, worry, and fear. Focus on Jesus. Don’t stop. Keep going. Press on. Focus on Jesus. Look straight ahead. RUN. He will always be there waiting, hoping and loving.

To close, I offer to you a poem inspired by your 8th grade books and the wonderful witness you have been to me and our entire school community:

WITNESS

RUN deep. 
RUN and PLAY for you are filled with God’s embrace. 
Bask in His beauty and glory, you have been one of his most stunning works since birth. 
RUN unshackled. 
RUN because you choose. 
Fight the wicked. 
Protect all from harm. 
Spread the peace. 
Remember to smile. 
RUN. 
Your never ending song goes on. 
Your pyramid touches the sky, rising to mythical stars, wandering through space and defying gravity. 
RUN. 
Follow your heartbeat quick and rise up again. 
Search. 
Shine brighter than before over mountains never climbed and oceans never swam. RUN. 
Remain healed despite rain, corroded steel and broken shells beneath your feet. 
You are not a fail. 
Like a Titan you were made for power. 
You were made to RUN. 
RUN into the great hall. 
Give them one more reason to remember the name. 
It was everyone’s dream one time ago, evermore to be a happy ending. 
Into His arms. 
His spirit lights up. 
RUN the race, your race. 
Fight the battle. 
Keep the faith.
He’s at the finish line.
RUN. 

Class of 2013, may God continue to bless you and may you run your race with perseverance and may you win. We congratulate you, we will miss you. Good luck. God bless and GO IRISH.  

Perfectly Imperfect

A self-proclaimed perfectionist, I am the furthest thing from perfect. I make mistakes all the time. I make bad decisions. I do things that I regret. Even just right there, I misspelled regret (I actually did it again when writing it for a second time!). The perfectionist in me, though, fixed it.

The difference between a sinner and a saint isn't that the saint never fails. It's that after failing, the saint picks himself back up and tries again.

Only two perfect people ever walked the face of the Earth: Jesus and His Mother Mary. That's it. Even John the Baptist, who was probably pretty darn good, said that he was unfit to even loosen the strap on Jesus's sandals. We know Peter's fallible story. Paul was Saul. Augustine needed his mother to advocate on his behalf in prayer in order to turn more fully toward God. Ignatius had aspirations to be a hero in physical warfare, not spiritual.

The Communion of Saints is filled with reformed sinners. It's not that they didn't sin; it's that they continued to get back up after falling.

I wouldn't have a job (or at least the job that I currently hold) without imperfections.

Life would be pretty boring without imperfections.

Faith would be unnecessary without imperfections. We'd have no need for a Savior. We'd have no need for each other.

Life would be perfectly imperfect without imperfections.

In this way, being imperfect isn't a bad thing. It's doesn't make me bad. It doesn't make salvation an unattainable goal. It makes me human. God doesn't expect me to be perfect. He expects me to try.

How awesome would it be if in our schools we found a way to humbly accept our imperfections while at the same time not settling for them? Envision how incredible schools could be if administrators admitted that they were wrong. Imagine if parents and families embraced the fact that their children make mistakes. Consider the tremendous growth that teachers could experience by pledging to a spirit of continuous improvement. See the irony in the fact that places of education - Catholic schools included - have existence because of imperfections and yet have such a difficult time coming to terms with them.

It's not complacency with mediocrity. It's not pessimism. It's acceptance.

I am imperfect and God loves me. You are imperfect and God loves you. Every student and teacher and parent and family member and administrator in every school - Catholic and public and private alike - are imperfect and loved by God.

This acceptance doesn't keep me or us in the mud. It liberates us to get back up no matter how many times we fall face down into it.

Get back up. Get back up. Get back up.

You are perfectly imperfect and you are perfectly loved.

Accept it.

And get back up.

The Law

We have certain non-negotiable rules that Elizabeth must follow:

-Look both ways before crossing the street (which for now is also coupled with having to hold either my or Emily's hand).

-Give Catherine another toy if you take one from her.

-Hold our hand in a parking lot.

-Pray before going to bed.

My brother and I (above) recently completed a Tough Mudder mud run. The race has certain non-negotiables, too. They make participants recite and abide by the following pledge: "I understand that the Tough Mudder is not a race but a challenge. I put teamwork and camaraderie before my course time. I do not whine - kids whine. I help my fellow Mudders complete the course. I overcome all fears."

Also recently, I had the opportunity to visit one of Elizabeth's toddler classes at a local Christian church. Attached to a school, the teacher in charge of the program did a wonderful job engaging both the students and the parents. As such, we engaged in a conversation about what I did for a living. After finding out that I was a principal of a Catholic school, she asked what our law was regarding teachers. 

Law? I immediately thought of certification laws, and safe environment mandates, and Level II background screenings. Confused, I asked her to clarify. 

She stated that all of the teachers in the schools attached to this particular sect of Christianity come from the same college. In this way, all of the people that work in their schools and for their churches have the same formation. 

"How do you know that your teachers follow the philosophy as you or the Catholic Church?" she asked.

I was at a loss to respond. The question continues to resonate with me almost one month later. How do principals of Catholic schools know that teachers they hire / employ are quality in both an educational and Catholic sense? Only so much can be gleaned from an interview. Reputation lives in the unsteady hands of other people. Even direct observations are corrupted by the the observer effect. Teachers within our Catholic schools have various backgrounds, experience, knowledge levels and faith lives. 

We must have faith in things unable to be seen.

So, this question about the law of Catholic school teachers lead my leadership-oriented mind to think about it from a broader perspective - what is the law of a Catholic school?

In looking for answers, I came across some great resources. First, Archbishop Miller writes:

A Catholic school should be inspired by a supernatural vision, founded on Christian anthropology, animated by communion and community, imbued with a Catholic worldview throughout its curriculum, and sustained by gospel witness. These benchmarks help to answer the critical question: Is this a Catholic school according to the mind of the Church (http://www.catholiceducation.org/articles/education/ed0395.htm)?

The Pastoral Council on the Church in the Modern World states, "the Catholic school sets out to be a school for the human person and of human persons." 

Finally, the Center for Catholic School Effectiveness (School of Education, Loyola University Chicago), in partnership with the Roche Center for Catholic Education (School of Education, Boston College) compiled an entire set of defining characteristics, domains, standards and benchmarks to help Catholic schools determine their Catholicity, viability, academic excellence and success. The defining characteristics are as follows:

Catholic schools must be centered in the person of Jesus Christ.

Catholic schools must contribute to the evangelizing mission of the Church.

Catholic schools must be distinguished by excellence.

Catholic schools must be committed to educate the whole child.

Catholic schools must be steeped in a Catholic worldview.

Catholic schools must be sustained by Gospel witness.

Catholic schools must be shaped by Communion and community.

Catholic schools must be accessible to all students.

Catholic schools must be established by the expressed authority of the Bishop.

(from: http://www.catholicschoolstandards.org/files/Catholic_School_Standards_03-12.pdf)

Miss any one of these and you miss one of the defining characteristics of a Catholic school. Many dioceses across the country are moving to using this set of criteria to conduct school accreditations. Catholic schools everywhere would be wise to use them as a self-assessment to help them more closely live out the mission of Catholic education. 

It may not be the law (yet), but it helps to level the playing field across the broad range of Catholic schools and provides concrete goals for bearing the title Catholic. 

As for me and my school, it will act as a set of non-negotiables (like ensuring that I write at least one blog post a month), as we strive to serve the Lord. 

I Can't Shut Up

I've always wondered why Jesus told the blind man to stay silent about receiving his sight. I would think it some sort of masterful reverse psychology if it wasn't for the fact that Jesus wouldn't / couldn't / didn't need to manipulate people in this way. He was truth and lived in perfect accordance with who God created Him to be. He wouldn't have said it if He didn't mean it. He couldn't have said it if He didn't mean it. 

Instead of trying to analyze Jesus's motive here, outside of truly not wanting to draw attention to Himself, I am more intrigued by why the man who had been blind disobeys Jesus by spreading this good news and the Good News. As you can see there is some sort of contradiction here. Either Jesus is going against His nature - which can't be the case - or the formerly blind man blatantly, after having been the recipient of a miracle, disregards Jesus's desire and speaks. 

Perhaps it is because the man who had regained his sight couldn't do otherwise than proclaim it. He had literally been transformed by Jesus. The man's personal encounter with Jesus left the man changed in such a way that he was different than the person he was before meeting Jesus. It's the same reason that keeping a surprise of any sort is so darn hard. We have a desire to share news with others, but specifically good news. This man, blind from birth, now had sight! What could have been better? How could he not share that with others? 

In a similar way, I feel that I can't shut up about the joy of the Resurrection. I don't intend to blog as frequently as I had during Lent; I just couldn't seem to go to bed tonight, though. 

I just couldn't shut up. Don't be afraid to proclaim the Good News of Christ's Resurrection. Don't buy into the worldly message that Easter is over. 

It has only just begun. 

Happy Easter...for 49 more days. 

Don't shut up about it. Alleluia! 

It Is Finished

This marks my 40th blog from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday. Technically, I failed in my attempt to compose 40 blogs over the course of the 40 days of Lent. We are currently in the season of the Triduum, the Church's shortest liturgical season and the period of time from Holy Thursday night until Holy Saturday's Easter Vigil. So, number 40 should have come before sundown on Thursday. Regardless, the task is complete.

It is finished.

As I've reflected over these past few days about what I'd say in this final blog, I've thought a lot about the irony in that my final blog, 40/40, would be about simplifying our lives. We are bombarded by messages. Think about the number of texts, emails, phone calls, and pieces of mail you receive on any given day. Then, think about the number of things that you "should" be checking up on - news, work or school related updates, financial statements, bills, church bulletins and other source of information in which you have a vested interest. Now, sprinkle in all of the Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, blogs and any other social media sights that you're plugged into and you have, in paragraph form, all of the ways that you are being inundated with information in a day.

Well, almost. Add in any time spent watching TV, listening to the radio, actually talking with real, live humans and then you have all of the ways in which you receive information in a day. Consider, though, which of these ways actually fill you with life? How many of your emails or texts? How many of the songs to which you listen? How about Facebook, Twitter, etc. updates? Does it really matter that Miley Cyrus just ate dinner? Does it really matter that this is the 40th blog out of 40 between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday?

How would our lives be different with less information bombarding us? Or, how would your life be different if you only devoted time to the things - hopefully people - that really matter? How would our lives be different if one of the sources of information bombarding us was actually God? This isn't to say that He's not communicating; it is to say that we're not listening. How different would your life be if you actually had more time to hear God's word and then had more time and energy to actually listen to it?

I don't participate in many of the informational avenues mentioned above; remember that my phone is still dumb. I don't respond to work emails past 9 p.m. I barely text. I make a point to connect with my wife and daughters every day. I don't watch TV. And, I don't make or take enough time to hear and listen to God's word. I already feel saturated.

So, again, I feel it is ironic that I have potentially saturated the lives of those who have been with me over the past 40 blogs with just another noisy gong banging for their attention and doing nothing more than numbing their heads. I am sorry if my musings have done anything except point you to God. I hope they have been life giving. I hope that they have been insightful. I hope and pray that even one of them has caused you to reflect more, pray more, laugh more, cry more, love more, live more.

But, I hope that they haven't just added to the clutter.

Despite the extra burden of writing a blog a day (more or less), I feel that this exercise really has brought me closer to Jesus. Taking the time to create as opposed to just receive has kept a lot of unwelcome information away. It has forced me to search for sources of inspiration. It has challenged me to live with the eyes, ears and heart of faith straining my senses and my sensibilities to see, hear and accept God's messages.

I have tried, in my incredibly limited way, to pass these messages along.

So here is one final message: It is finished; it's also time to begin.

Soon and very soon there won't be any more crying and there won't be any more dying; we are going to see the King.

My Lenten journey is just about over. Yours is, too. In the spirit of this blog post I plan to go off line for at least a few days. But, true to the spirit of this message, I won't stop blogging. Lent is over. Easter, however, is about to begin.

Don't be fooled by the messages - He's in the tomb, the stone is too large for anyone to move, there is no hope, He is dead. In this way, be careful and purposeful about what gets your time and attention. Both are precious and valuable and worthy of your intentionality as to how they are allotted.

Give them to God. Give everything to God.

Seek Him. Find Him. Hear Him. Listen to Him. Follow Him.

You won't find Him or His messages in the tomb. The stone is rolled away...Sunday's coming.

Good Friday

Elizabeth and Catherine visited Disney World for the first time today. Please know that I'm somewhat ashamed to have taken my family to the happiest place on earth on such an important day within the liturgical calendar. My conscience definitely reminded me more than once of the juxtaposition between this Friday and Good Friday.

For anyone who has been to the park over what Disney terms "Spring Break" (the weeks before and after Easter), you will know that the crowds offer some semblance of penance, though. It was packed. Also, trying to keep kids from melting down at this superlatively happy place presents, at times, a huge challenge.

Of course these reasons for justifying this trip are absurd and I offer them in jest. But, I did seriously reflect on Good Friday, despite being surrounded by such festivity. 

First and perhaps most obviously, I think that part of what makes Disney so successful, at perhaps what is a subconscious level, is that its stories touch on archetypal themes of good vs. evil and that everyone - no matter their origin - has an important part to play within this battle. These types of stories resonate with us. They give allow us to believe that there is something magical about our lives, something at work that we cannot quite explain. While I doubt that they would admit it, and I feel almost sacrilegious claiming it, but Disney's story is ultimately a Christian story.

The goodness of their unfailingly optimistic leader, Mickey Mouse, is downright saccharine at times. How can someone continuously be so darn happy, especially when Pluto hides the keys to his Mickey Mobile or when Donald gets the gang into a bind with Pete? The overall positivity of all cast members (Disney speak for employees) as well as any Disney story is parallel to the Christian message. Good will win. It will always win. 

This connection goes even deeper. The Disney story, unexpectedly because of this emphasis on being happy, does not discount the real presence of evil within the world. Even their parking lots are separated and labeled as heroes and villains. Evil is present and real. Life can be hard. People can be mean. Bad things happen. Good, however, will still win. Good, however, will always win. 

Christ, the real Incarnate of goodness, can be condemned. He can be betrayed. He can be whipped, humiliated, tortured, mocked and even killed. But good will win. Good will always win. 

Today is called Good Friday because we know the story doesn't end today. It doesn't end in death. Evil doesn't triumph. Good has to win. The story has to have a happy ending. Sunday has to come. Sunday will come. Sunday will always come.

Today was a good Friday; however, it pales in comparison to Good Friday. Good - Christ - will always win, even over the memories created at the happiest place on earth. 

Today. Tomorrow. Sunday. Always.

Christ will always win.