June 17, 2007
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Mountains!!
So now I am in Denver for the next four weeks at the lovely Regis University. All the novices from around the United States are gathered here to take a Jesuit History course. It is a very beautiful campus, but my favorite thing is to see the mountains in the distance; it is like seeing an old friend. *sigh* I miss the West so much! It’s pretty neat, too, to meet all these different novices and to hear differences between how the various novitiates do their thing. It’ll be weird being back in a college setting again though, having had a year off! But it is all part of Jesuit formation, so I might as well get used to it!
Just because I am a curious person, I wanted to pose a question to you. I sometimes think about the story of Solomon, about how God offered to grant him one wish. What if God offered you the same? What would you wish for?
I’ve often thought of many things. Oftentimes I think I would wish for wings. Many other times I wish for the ability to heal people, or to at least bear their suffering for them. Sometimes I wish I could know every academic thing, the contents of everything ever written. Sometimes I wish I could read/write and understand every language that ever existed.
But then I think about these things and others and I start to feel like they would be pretty selfish wishes, so I often try to think of wishes that would be more unselfish. Often during these times I wish for simpler things, like a chance to spend a day with Mary or a particular saint (I want to save meeting God for Heaven some day, God willing.) Or sometimes I wish I could constantly hear the music of Heaven. But even these simple wishes seem a little selfish. Basically, I’ve thought about what I would wish for for many years but I’ve never figured out what my wish would be.
So I’m curious what others might ask for; maybe I’ll finally decide on something myself!
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Comments (9)
Some of those wishes might seem selfish, but they are ones I’ve thought of before to ask from God, too. Maybe not the wings thing, or particular saints, but I’m Lutheran, so I don’t know my saints as well as you Catholics do.
My wish would be more along the lines of having foresight into the future, knowing what the world faces if we continue in our own paths and what even simple acts could do to improve it. I’m sort of selfish to a degree with that wish, wanting to also see the path ahead for myself, too, but for knowing what can be done to help the world with some of it’s problems, I think that’s justified.
Another one is just for the care and protection of my friends and family in all that they do in their lives, because they’re important to me. I know that is only a select group of peoples and seems selfish to a smaller degree, but I like the idea.
Otherwise it’s just God’s help and guidance in helping me to make the right decisions in my own life, even when others tempt me to stray from that moral high ground I’ve followed for so long…
Hope you have a great time in Denver, Scribe! I know a few Wartburg grads currently living there or in the area, but I’ve never been to Denver myself. I’m afraid altitude sickness would affect me too much…
Have a great week!
Yay!!! We need to get together
There’s sooo much we can do. Let me know, I’ll be up there Friday picking up my mom at the Airport. Shoot me an e-mail.
Hmmm… what would I ask God for? A pony?
When I was 7 years old, my Dad was in Syria, I was missing him quite a bit, so I’d pray for him. I asked God to grant me one wish, just show me a rainbow the next morning if my Dad was going to be ok. I was shocked when I walked outside the next day and saw an amazing rainbow plastered across the sky. It was in such a position, I couldn’t miss it as I walked out of the house. That small event, perhaps insignificant to an adult, rocked my world. Later that year I got to travel to the Holy Land, and my faith blossomed.
So, I think I used up my wish
But if I had another one I’d ask for the ability to find inspiration in anything.
How about the knowledge, wisdom, willpower, and resources to change the world for the betterment of mankind?
I always thought that going to Heaven would be peoples’ default answer. I mean, because if you’re even the tiniest bit insecure, it’s not a bad thing to ask for.
But then, in my case I actually asked for something and got it, and it was more immediate.
Yep, I’m a young’un. The only thing that keeps me on here is being able to read blogs by people like you.
Hope you’re having a fantastic time in Denver – it’s beautiful out there.
I don’t even have to think of what I’d wish for: the faith of my family in God; the afterlife is too eternal for the momentary bliss of a mortal’s selfish actions.
I got your email & thanks for the link! I’ll have to look at it someday when the parents aren’t home.
Well, seeing you’re reading the novels, would you be interested in owning a copy of Sacrifice? I have the hardcover I’d be willing to send you. Just let me know your address by e-mail and I’ll get it in the mail soon. I think it might have to wait until my next paycheck, July 6 to be mailed out, though. Let me know.
I totally agree with that column. It sums up what it is to be a Star Wars fan. A lot of us just stop defending the mess and accept the films, novels, video games and comics for what they are.
E-mailing me might be best, stopping you from reading my post, too… I really spoiled the book. Let me know if you want my copy of Sacrifice. Hope you have a great week and keep enjoying Denver!
i would wish for everyone in the world to be happy.
I think I might wish for more grace… the ability to truly love everyone on their level and to understand them. Or maybe just knowing better what God wants of me and the courage to do it. But wings would be pretty dang awesome too.