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April 2017 · Issue I

Scripture Reflection

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; Upon those who lived in a land of gloom a light has shone. You have brought them abundant joy and great rejoicing. They rejoice before you as people rejoice at harvest. (Isaiah 9:1-2)

There are many things in our lives that demand 100%. We feel committed to our families, our careers, our faith life, maintaining healthy lifestyles; the list is long and never-ending. We move through our days cramming in as many things as possible with the hope that when we go to bed each night, we feel accomplished. But more often than not, this desire to achieve success leaves us feeling empty and constantly thirsting for more.

I often find myself making checklists of things that need my attention and focus. It’s easy to become obsessed with how much work needs to be done, and to lose sight of the bigger picture. This Lent, I have felt that God is asking me to slow down my thoughts. Being at peace with God and trusting in His work is not something that we can schedule into our day, but rather it’s an attitude of our hearts.

Shifting our hearts towards the light is not easily mastered. When we become obsessed with the checklists, the darkness seems to weave its way into our thoughts and attitudes, and we feel dragged down and tired. But we must be patient and still in our hearts as we remember the promise that God gives us, to be with us and offer us a peace that we simply cannot find in the successes of the material world. Just as the crops of the harvest await the sun’s rising each day, so too does our journey of faith – the patient walk towards the light.

Jenna Warner '16

Fractio Verbi

In his weekly Fractio Verbi podcast, Fr. Charlie Gordon, C.S.C., breaks open each Sunday's readings in 4-6 minute reflections:

Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion

5th Sunday in Lent, Cycle A

4th Sunday in Lent, Cycle A

3rd Sunday in Lent, Cycle A

2nd Sunday of Lent, Cycle A

Best of

Portland Magazine

"The Christ-Bearer" by Christopher Hoke

Maybe we are all somehow Saint Christopher.

Read here.

Meet our C.S.C.s

Name: Fr. Jim Gallagher, C.S.C.

Hometown: South Bend, Indiana

Years as a C.S.C.: 10

Assignment at UP: Director of Campus Ministry and Pastoral Resident of Corrado Hall

Favorite Scripture Passage: Come to me all you who are weary and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28)

Favorite Saint: The Blessed Mother with St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Maximilian Kolbe as backup

How did you know you wanted to be a priest?
It was something on my mind since I was a kid. After college and working a couple years it had not gone away and I was tired of trying to ignore it.

What made you choose the Congregation of Holy Cross?
I grew up in a Holy Cross parish, had Holy Cross brothers at my high school and went to a Holy Cross university. To top it off, when I moved across the country to take a job after college, I landed once again in a Holy Cross parish. So, in part it is because they were all I ever knew. Yet when I looked deeper into who Holy Cross is and the ministry they do in parishes, classrooms, and missions as well as the commitment to community life, I saw a community that would be a good fit for me.

What is one way you see God’s light in everyday life?
When I see the good that God does with my feeble efforts to be coherent, caring, and organized, I cannot but see the great light of God shining forth in my life and in the world.

What are your hobbies?
Spending time with friends, wandering about in wilderness, and reading.

What is your favorite thing about UP?
The sense that one gets among the students, faculty, and staff that we are all in this together. The beauty of campus is also quite appreciated.

Alumni, we encourage you to consider submitting your own scripture reflection for inclusion in an upcoming edition of this newsletter.

Please email "Light from The Bluff" editor Katie Mitchell Franz at mitchelk@up.edu for more information.

alumni@up.edu | 503.943.73285000 N. Willamette Blvd., Portland, OR 97203

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