by Fr. Justin Fulton
This past Friday I had an opportunity to pick up my mother and head to Nebraska City to watch a Lourdes Knights football game. While I have always been enamored by the genius of eight-man football, I must admit we did not primarily go to the game to watch football.
Mom’s granddaughter and my niece Cecilia was cheering during the first half of the football game. CeCe just started kindergarten at Lourdes Central in Nebraska City, and many of her friends participated in a cheerleading camp and had the opportunity to cheer at the game with the high school cheerleaders. It was a beautiful Friday night in Nebraska. CeCe and friends did an extraordinary job cheering the Knights to victory, and everybody had a ball!
When I was driving back to Lincoln up Highway 2, I decided to turn the radio off and simply listen to the rhythm of the road. I found it a good chance to detox from a long work-week and simply be still and think.
I found myself thinking about the gift of life and the gift of our human connectedness. I thought of the gift of our Catholic faith. I thought of God smiling at all of His children and how He sees everything.
He sees His children in Heaven, in Purgatory, and on earth at the same time. He sees it all, He is in control of it all, and even though we may not see it—He is orchestrating beautiful opportunities so that we may all live closer together on this earth. He is giving us the chance to be with Him fully in Heaven.
At that football game, I was with my family. I also ran into good friends from college and high school who are now grown up, married, and have families of their own. I met some of their kids for the first time. It was so neat to get to see another generation of kids whose parent I know very well, and to find the similarities between parents and children. I found out an old high school schoolmate of mine and their spouse are now taking instructions in the RCIA to possibly become Catholic.
I met parishioners who I had prayed Mass with before who I never had the opportunity to meet face-to-face. I met fellow board members on a non-profit, fellow priests, and many other brothers and sisters in Christ. As I drove back to Lincoln, I thanked God the Father for allowing His children to celebrate life, faith, cheering, community, and football.
On behalf of Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska, thank you for sharing and living your faith in Jesus Christ. Thank you for your support of us. Thank you for putting your good names alongside our good services and endorsing us so that we may help Christ grow His Kingdom through our apostolate.
May we all give thanks for the gift of our Catholic faith and the gift of our lives. May we not just keep the faith—may we share the faith.
May God bless us always!
