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Glory to God

The Sounds of Summer

/ Weekly Message

Dear Friends,

Birds singing and insects humming: the sounds of summer surround us. It seems that nature is doing its best to glorify God. After my friend’s dog passed away recently, a tough loss as the pet had largely belonged to her late husband, a priest friend told her, “He reached his created limit glorifying God, bringing joy to us humans for the years he was with us.” This was quite consoling to her, and it so clearly stated the mission of a beloved pet. In the midst of a summer full of life, it was a good reminder to value each moment and to rejoice in a creature who had spent his life glorifying God.

I wish it were that simple for me, and at the same time I remind myself that it is that simple. I give glory to God by loving and serving Him. My very existence, just by being, glorifies Him if I want it to. As a human person I have the extra step, the extra privilege, of willing to glorify God, and this is where it seems many of us humans can get stuck.

Questions come up: “Do I really want to do this?” “Is it worth it?” “Does God really care if I …?” Yet every time I choose God’s glory, it gives me life. It’s like the sound of summer humming through my soul. The thought that I was made for this rings in my mind. My heart is full with peace and joy.

As summer rolls on, I hope that each of us can spend some time rejoicing in God’s creation, simply glorifying Him by being, and that each of us takes full advantage of our privilege of willing to glorify Him ourselves.

Count on my prayers!

Nicole Buchholz

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Regnum Christi Spirituality Center Ask a Priest

“Ask a Priest: How Can I Be Noble and Generous in Spirit?”

/ Ask a Priest
Q: Can you help me understand the virtue of magnanimity? Is this a virtue we can actually work on? Kind regards. –C.S.

Answered by Fr. Edward McIlmail, LC

A: Magnanimity refers to a person’s ability to do great things without being concerned about praise or thanks. The key to this virtue is humility, to do great things (which could in practice be little acts of charity) without seeking yourself or your own aggrandizement.

In spiritual terms, it means to do everything simply for the love and glory of God and for others.

There are probably various ways to approach the practice of this. Here are a few quick suggestions.

First, treat everyone as you would Christ himself. This includes the neighbor who annoys you, the co-worker who tests your patience, the relative who seems like a thorn in the side. By treating everyone well, you purify your motives. You do it not for what it will bring you, but because it is the kind of charity that Christ invites us to practice.

Second, learn to give all your successes back to God. Thank him for the good things that happen to you. And when you get a compliment, treat it like a hot potato. Give God the glory (“It was the Holy Spirit who made that a success …”), or pass on the compliment to others (“Miss Smith was really the driving force behind the project”). Do all that, and little by little you live more in God’s presence and do things solely for him. (For more reading see Donald DeMarco’s article.)

Third, don’t shy away from a “great” idea that might come to mind, such as pursuing a priestly or consecrated vocation or starting a new apostolate. That great idea could be an inspiration from the Holy Spirit.

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Regnum Christi Spirituality Center Ask a Priest

“Ask a Priest: How Can I Become a Saint?”

/ Ask a Priest
Q: I really want to be a saint. I want to serve Jesus and inspire others too. I want to love and adore Jesus like crazy, and live my life in a way that glorifies him. I want it so much! I read books about people who become saints, and it really inspires me. What can I do to become a holier person? -S.G.

Answered by Fr. Edward McIlmail, LC

A: It is good to hear that you want to love Our Lord and live a life that glorifies him. Holiness is a goal we should all be striving for. Jesus is probably giving you a lot of spiritual consolations as a way to draw you closer to him.

To maintain your focus on Jesus, you need to build on the solid ground of prayer, good works, and the sacraments. I mention this right away because those wonderful consolations you might be feeling right now will eventually evaporate.

There will come a moment – next week, next month or next year – when things suddenly seem dry and tough in the spiritual life. At that point you will wonder whether Jesus is giving up on you. He isn’t. And he won’t. When the consolations disappear, that will be a moment to mature in your love for Christ.

Which brings us back to that solid ground of the spiritual life. It would be good to dedicate times to prayer each day – morning, midday and evening – and then stick to the schedule. Prayer is the key to the spiritual life. You will progress only to the extent that you are united to Jesus. A helpful resource for the prayer life is The Better Part.

You might consider doing spiritual exercises (for more reading see here) of eight days or, if that isn’t practical, of three or four days. Or at least think about doing the online retreats at RC Spirituality.

It might be helpful to think about compiling a “program of life.” This is a kind of business plan for the spiritual life. You try to define your weaknesses and your strengths, and then you come up with a concrete plan to help weed out the former and build the latter. You could read more about the program of life here.

It helps, too, to get involved in some kind of Church-related project or volunteer work. A faith lived well will lead us to reach out to build the Church and help others.

Also helpful would be a spiritual director or regular confessor who could guide you on an ongoing basis. I hope some of this helps. God bless.

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Alex Kucera

Atlanta

Alex Kucera has lived in Atlanta, GA, for the last 46 years. He is one of 9 children, married to his wife Karmen, and has 3 girls, one grandson, and a granddaughter on the way. Alex joined Regnum Christi in 2007. Out of the gate, he joined the Helping Hands Medical Missions apostolate and is still participating today with the Ghana Friendship Mission.

In 2009, Alex was asked to be the Atlanta RC Renewal Coordinator for the Atlanta Locality to help the RC members with the RC renewal process. Alex became a Group Leader in 2012 for four of the Atlanta Men’s Section Teams and continues today. Running in parallel, in 2013, Alex became a Team Leader and shepherded a large team of good men.

Alex was honored to be the Atlanta Mission Coordinator between 2010 to 2022 (12 years), coordinating 5-8 Holy Week Mission teams across Georgia. He also created and coordinated missions at a parish in Athens, GA, for 9 years. Alex continues to coordinate Holy Week Missions, Advent Missions, and Monthly missions at Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Cumming, GA.

From 2016 to 2022, Alex also served as the Men’s Section Assistant in Atlanta. He loved working with the Men’s Section Director, the Legionaries, Consecrated, and Women’s Section leadership teams.

Alex is exceptionally grateful to the Legionaries, Consecrated, and many RC members who he’s journeyed shoulder to shoulder, growing his relationship with Christ and others along the way. He knows that there is only one way, that’s Christ’s Way, with others!