Reflection by Victor Amador ’17
Reflection by Victor Amador ’17
Light From The Bluff
September 2020 - Issue 42
To our readers near and far, please join us in prayer as the West Coast continues to feel the effects of the devastating wildfires.  
“Amidst the sudden sadness of the fires, we continue our prayers for an end to the pandemic... Replace the fear and sadness in our hearts with hope in your limitless grace. Send forth your Spirit and renew the face of the earth! Amen.”
Full prayer by Fr. Dan Parrish, C.S.C., can be found here.

Scripture Reflection

“And in the morning, a great while before day, Jesus rose and went out to a lonely place, and there he prayed.” 
Mark 1:35
When I read this verse, I hear the silent stillness of a world just beginning to stir from sleep. I see the soft glow of dawn approaching. I feel the gentle morning breeze upon my face. Christ had been miraculously healing His people late into the night; and once this new day began, He would be preaching all over Galilee. Between these ministries, Christ sought out solitude to be still in the presence of His Father through prayer.
During my time on The Bluff, I struggled with both prayer and solitude. Despite my involvement in Campus Ministry, my own personal relationship with Christ was hurting. My faith became almost exclusively focused on tangible experiences of community and, as a result, I lost interest in things like personal prayer and Eucharistic Adoration. I felt they lacked any kind of concrete benefit. How could personal prayer be more important than taking action, serving others, or being in community?
I was so wrong, and this misunderstanding of the nature of prayer had major consequences. As involved as I was at UP, I was constantly in a state of profound loneliness. When I limited God to tangible experiences of community, the silence of solitude became deafening. I had a deep fear of missing out and would go out of my way to avoid being alone with myself. The thought of seeking out “a lonely place” for prayer terrified me.
Thankfully, God has loved and worked on me, even when I didn’t realize it. In the past year particularly, I have rediscovered the deep intimacy of inviting the Lord into the stillness of my heart. I realize now that the Lord does not expect us to get by in this world by our own strength. He wants to be close to us, walk beside us, and work through us in this messy, broken world. I had my hands on the wheel and told Christ I’d ask Him for directions every now and then. Now I know that He wants me to rest in His arms while He carries me. Even Christ, as we see in this verse, took time away from healing others to be alone in prayer. Do I somehow think I need prayer any less than Christ did?
It’s still a journey, but I find myself much more comfortable when moments of solitude present themselves. I try to view these moments as Christ wanting me all to Himself for a bit, and I embrace the time to be still with Him through prayer. I have noticed my service to others has been more fruitful, my relationships have been more vibrant, and I am slowly overcoming the obstacles to loving God, myself, and others as I make time to seek out that “lonely place” with our Lord.
Reflection by Victor Amador ’17
See below for a prayer of St. Padre Pio that was also included in this reflection
Each month we feature a member of the UP community using Scripture to reflect on a time of transformation or growth in their faith. If you're interested in contributing to a future issue, please email kuenzi@up.edu for more information.

Best of Portland Magazine 

Portland Magazine
"Miller's Folly" by Brian Doyle
“It would be a cozy swimming hole, he told his wife. He set to work with his sons and grandsons. They dug the hole and cleared away the mud. Instantly the pond filled with frogs and mud. They lugged the froggy mud away with streaming shovels. The pond immediately filled up again..."
Read more here.

Media of the Month

"Highlands (Song of Ascent)" by Hillsong United
This month's media piece is a song from Hillsong United, a popular worship band originating from Sydney, Australia. Their song "Highlands" describes finding God and experiencing his faithfulness throughout difficulties and heartache.
Listen here.

A Prayer for September

“Stay with me, Lord, for it is necessary to have You present so that I do not forget You. You know how easily I abandon You. Stay with me, Lord, because I am weak and I need Your strength, that I may not fall so often. Stay with me, Lord, for You are my life, and without You, I am without fervor. Stay with me, Lord, for You are my light, and without You, I am in darkness. Stay with me, Lord, to show me Your will. Stay with me, Lord, so that I hear Your voice and follow You. Stay with me, Lord, for I desire to love You very much, and always be in Your company. Stay with me, Lord, if You wish me to be faithful to You. Stay with me, Lord, for as poor as my soul is, I want it to be a place of consolation for You, a nest of love.” Prayer of St. Padre Pio. Feast Day September 23

Our Lady of Sorrows: September 15

On the feast day of Our Lady of Sorrows, the patroness of the Congregation of Holy Cross, we recall Mary’s profound sorrow at the foot of Jesus’ cross, as well as her unfailing hope. We are invited to turn to Mary as our own mother, entrusting our sorrows to her intercession and sharing in her hope.
You are invited to join the UP community virtually for a Mass celebrating this feast on Tuesday, September 15 at 5 p.m. PST. In addition, any prayer requests received through our Grotto Prayer Request form by 12 p.m. noon today (Monday) will also be offered at this Mass.

Annual Zahm Lecture: September 16

All are invited to this virtual event hosted by the Garaventa Center at the University of Portland!
  • From the Big Bang to The Saint John’s Bible:
    The Role of Astonishment in a Scientist’s Journey to Integrate Faith and Reason
  • Wednesday, September 16, 2020
  • Live Zoom Webinar at 5 p.m. PST
Dr. Gintaras Duda, Catholic cosmologist and Chair of Physics at Creighton University, asks: how can we reconcile science with belief in a personal Christian God? Astonishment and wonder offer one route for this fundamental reconciliation. Dr. Duda will stress the fundamental need for theological and philosophical perspectives on some of the biggest questions in cosmology today.
Learn more here
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