I have always enjoyed looking up at the stars.  Perhaps the love comes from dad, who has a powerful telescope and always seems to know when a large satellite will be viewable with the naked eye.  Nevertheless, there is something awe-inspiring by laying on the grass, far from the pollution of city lights, and looking up.  The vastness that hits the eyes is beautiful.  In one way, seeing the dome of stars should make me feel small and insignificant.  However, the experience stirs my soul and causes me to rejoice that I am alive at this moment in time.  It makes me feel anything but small and insignificant.

     For some reason, I have lately been keeping track of the phases of the moon.  Not to the point where I know when the next full moon or new moon will be, but that I know what it is right now.  Everyone has the ability to do this, they just have to look up.  Once I started looking at what phase the moon was in, I could not help but look every evening.  How many other things are right in front of me and I do not take the time to notice.  As a priest, God willing), I want to be able to open my eyes to the people and situations around me.  People want a priest that cares about them and is actually interested in their lives.  I am called to be that priest for them.  With the help of the Holy Spirit, I want to walk over to the person in despair and give them hope.  I want to be able to help them start seeing the stars as a testament of God's love for them, as I do now.  As a society, we get so busy with our earthly business that we do not see anything beyond ourselves.  We need to stop...and simply look up.

   Well, I just finished my first week of Summer Vacation from the Seminary.  However, I feel like it is important to mention that I have not taken a vacation from my vocation.  I have used these first days of Summer Break to strengthen my commitment to keep a "seminarian" mind-set by keeping up with my obligation to pray the Liturgy of the Hours and to always keep Christ in the forefront of my mind.  A biggest help for me is to stay in contact with my seminarian brothers both in the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City as well as from dioceses from around the country.  I am so blessed to be a seminarian and to not only get to know great and holy young men from around the country, but to grow in our friendships to the point that we consider each other brothers.  God really does provide everything I need in order to follow Him.

   I am also getting ready to begin my first Summer Assignment, Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Summer Camp in Wellston, Oklahoma.  I had a meeting yesterday at the Catholic Pastoral Center and learned more about what I will be doing while there.  The Mission Team, of which I am a part of, is responsible for overseeing the the Counselors and campers and making sure that everything goes smoothly and in a safe environment for everyone, especially the campers.  I will also be working with another seminarian in the Chapel by preparing liturgies, music, and helping campers learn to be altar servers.  It will be a great opportunity to share my faith with others and to bring them to Christ.  I am looking forward to use this experience to focus on Christ, no matter how busy and possibly frustrated I get by working with a thousand kids and teenagers.  PRAY FOR ME!!!