Happy birthday, Kenosis!

Today is the first birthday of Kenosis: Teen Disciples for Love and Life. What a year! It is not accidental that our birthday is on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross. The model of Kenosis is the self-emptying of Christ, which was a fruitful gift of self.

And a birthday gift of a good quote on suffering and the cross is in order. That's not to say that the first year of Kenosis has been a cross! But on this day when we reflect on the joy of embracing the cross leading to the resurrection, it seems like a fitting reminder --

"Suffering is like a kiss that Jesus hanging from the cross bestows on persons whom He loves in a special way. Because of this love He wants to associate them in the work of the redemption." -- St. Bonaventure

Pope Benedict: Do not be afraid!

Pope Benedict XVI recently closed his visit to Ancona, Italy with an address to engaged couples, as seen in the video in my last post. To read the entire address, click here.

"Dear young people, do not be afraid to face these challenges! Never lose hope. Have courage, also in difficulties, remaining firm in the faith. Be sure that, in every circumstance, you are loved and protected by the love of God, which is our strength. Because of this, it is important that an encounter with him, above all in personal and community prayer, be constant, faithful -- precisely as the path for your love: to love God and to feel that he loves me. Nothing can separate us from the love of God!"

Pope Benedict speaks to engaged couples

"A Great Yes to Love"

If you don't receive the Knight's of Columbus "Columbia" magazine, or if you don't know someone who does, be sure to read Kate Iadipaolo's thoughts in the August issue.

To give you a start:

Before I was married, my own vision of marriage was overwhelmed by a darkly grim sense of duty. The overture to the drama was simply, "Make it work, make it work." To me, marriage seemed to be a heavy yoke of meeting responsibilities. Only when I met the one God prepared to be my husband did that veil of grim duty lift. My future husband made me laugh. He listened. We prayed and studied and danced, and our love became more gift than duty. Our relationship, engagement and marriage brought more in the way of peace than anxiety.

As with any marriage, there are difficult moments — moments that cost us something of our independence or the sinfulness to which we sadly cling — but we have experienced that vast horizon of the other. The beauty of it points me onward, reminding me that the prize is worth the bumpy ride.

Sometimes the demands are not as simple as spinning my daughter about in the laundry basket. Sometimes, my "Yes" requires more in the way of self-mastery. How often have my own husband's legitimate wishes been met with joyless reluctance, hesitation or even worse, silence? Counting my husband and three children, my home boasts four sets of the softest brown eyes I have ever known. In these eyes, I have beauty enough to last me a lifetime.

One would think I would realize that the greater the costs, the more abundant the blessings. But I, yet a fearful pilgrim, am still caught up in counting costs more than blessings. I am comforted by the pope's reminder that the one-flesh union of marriage journeys the path of our lives "until the man and woman become one spirit as well." Speaking in his May 13 address, Benedict added that a our bodies teach us "the value of time, of that slow maturation in love." There is time for me yet.

But it really is a terrific read! Find it here.

Quote book

"After all, young people are always searching for the beauty in love. They want their love to be beautiful. If they give in to weakness, following models of behavior that can rightly be considered a 'scandal in the contemporary world' (and these are, unfortunately, widely diffused models), in the depths of their hearts they still desire a beautiful and pure love. This is as true of boys as it is of girls. Ultimately, they know that only God can give them this love. As a result, they are willing to follow Christ, without caring about the sacrifices this may entail." -- John Paul II

What's Kenosis all about?

Ruah Woods' banquet was last night. What a wonderful event!

Check out the Kenosis promo video we unveiled at the banquet. The video was created by two Kenosis teens and features the testimonies of many of our high school students from the Tri-State area.

Ruah Woods Final from TheUG on Vimeo.

The Ultimate Chivalry Week

I am continually impressed by the Catholic campus ministry at Southeast Missouri State University. It's not just because their campus minister is a very good friend of mine. Every year they have an outstanding list of programs and opportunities for students to engage their faith.

Thus, it wasn't a total surprise -- but still exciting -- to read of one of the students' latest initiatives: Ultimate Chivalry Week. The Catholic men involved explain:

We want to show the young women on campus that they're worth ourt time and effort. Here's the plan. Every day next week dress up. Church clothes. Show the ladies they deserve your best ... your best dress but more importantly your best actions. Take the time next week to be a gentleman. That means women won't need to touch the doors to the UC, or Towers, or any dorm, or any building. Try other stuff: pick up a girl's tray when she's done eating. Help a young woman in your dorm carry her clothes hamper to the elevator. Whatever you do, show women they deserve respect.

Thursday will be the all out day. We're asking for suit and tie if you can pull it off.

Some clarifications. First, we're not trying to say women are inferior. They can open doors and carry trays. That's not the point. The point is that women are so awesome they deserve to be served.

Second, this isn't an opprotunity to be a player. We're not doing this to look good. We're doing this to show good...the good in every girl's heart. That means be prudent in how you approach the chivalry thing. If you keep asking to carry the same girl's books, she might get the wrong ideas. You'll have the rest of your life to find Mrs. Right. Next week isn't that time.

Finally, invite other men. If only a handful of guys commit to this, there won't be much of a message. How awesome would it be to see every guy on campus dressed up by next Friday? Let's shoot for it! Thanks and God Bless!

It would be awesome to see similar movements on college campuses throughout the country. For more info, see the facebook event page here.