Alright, I have a new favorite T.V. show “Stangers Among Bears.” I just finished watching the first episode on the Animal Planet channel. It was amazing!!! So here is the premise: A man named Charlie is a big-time bear hunter all his life, then he has a major change of heart. He stops hunting and decides to radically live among the bears. He lives on this open property with wild, untamed bears. Through his relationship he has befriended the bears and the bears are at peace with Charlie.

It’s all pretty wild. I really hope this T.V. show stays interesting and does not take some crazy turn. Like where the bears eat Charlie,
because that would be sad for me, and especially Charlie.

So here is my quick God connection. The artist formally known as Paul or Saul (Saint Paul), like Charlie, was big-time hunter of those he feared or felt threatened his way of life. Paul and Charlie had a major change of heart. I would say a full 180º. Think about this: Paul was one of the biggest persecutors of Christians. God speaks directly to him. He then lives among the people, among the Christians. Charlie lives among the bears. It is through Paul’s life in the communities he visited that the peace of Jesus Christ was brought to them.

Paul, who we know today as Saint Paul, changed the world as we know it forever. God chose this man to witness his very life to us. God chose a man that was a cold-blooded killer. God changed this man’s heart. God had him bring His very peace to the people, His very word, His very love. God chose Saint Paul to turn the world upside down. Thank you, God, for Saint Paul. By the way, this is the year of St. Paul. Take some time today to think how God wants your life to change 180º.

If you don’t know the story of St. Paul, you might want to do a little research. Now, the more I think about it, I have made this great connection between St. Paul and Charlie. Hmmm…my new friend, Charlie, might be in more danger than he thinks. He might just lose his life for what he is convicted about.

When I was 4, nap time with my great-grandmother was important. When I was 5, my crayons fought with my legos for what was more important to me. When I turned 13, name-brand shoes were important. I think I also remember something called British Knights or BK’s. Now that I am 32, I wonder what is important to me now……..

About 2000 years ago, a Man about my age ate a final meal with His friends. At the meal, He took bread and wine and gave it to His Friends. But He did not just give them bread and wine. He gave them what is important to me on this day. This Man gave Himself. It was from this meal that this Man I speak of would be betrayed by one of His friends. I have been betrayed and I am sure you have experienced betrayal. The type of betrayal this Man experienced is beyond any type of betrayal I can imagine. His friend kissed Him on the cheek and turned Him over to a group of thugs. The thugs beat Him and humiliated Him. His day in court was nothing but a way to mock and abuse Him further. He received the sentence of death. I try to understand capital punishment as it is today, but nothing today can begin to compare to how He would be put to death. He would carry the wood to the mountain top where His death would take place. It is on the mountain where He would hang for what I have done.

This is all important to me. What is also important to me today is that it did not end with His death, but what happened after His death. He would lay in a tomb dead for three days. What is important to me is that He did not remain dead.

“Fight and you may die. Run and you will live….. at least awhile. And dying in your bed many years from now, would you be willing to trade all the days from this day to that…… for one chance, just one chance, to come back here as young men and tell our enemies that they may take our lives but they will never take our freedom!”

I am watching Braveheart for the probably the 12th time and somehow it gets better and better every time I watch it. William Wallace is my hero. Ok well actually Jesus is my hero, but William Wallace makes me think about Jesus.

“Fight and you may die. Run and you will live……at least awhile.” Every time I hear William Wallace say these words there is something in my heart that stirs in me to fight. I want to fight!!!! I do not want to run.

So the question becomes what to fight for in my life. The answer I believe is in William Wallace’s last line…”They may take our lives but they will never take our freedom.” I want to fight for freedom. And not just any kind of freedom, but the kind of freedom that John Paul II talks about “Freedom is not the ability to do whatever, but authentic freedom is the power to do what I ought. “ Will you fight with me for a true authentic freedom? Let us do what we ought and experience a freedom in Jesus Christ. This freedom may have boundaries of morality and purity, but it is greater than any freedom the world could promise me without limits. So let us fight and die in the Risen Christ!!!!

I am going on 8 days without shaving my face. Really for no reason. It is starting to itch me and I am tempted on shaving it, but I wonder if there is a cause worthy of me not shaving. Like Fr. Pat gave up shaving for lent, which is a good cause, but lent is almost over. So comment me back with a reason to let me grow a beard. Like I will not shave till the lettuce workers get better pay or lunch ladies get better working conditions or less homework.




-St. Therese of Lisieux