"My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going."
Five Questions for John
September 29, 2020
The time has come to share some bittersweet news. I've now been the Director of Youth Ministry for a little over a year here at MPB, but my time in that position is drawing to a close. After a summer of discerning what's next, I've made the big decision to move back to Pennsylvania. Simply put, it's just "home".
But before I head east, I wanted to take the opportunity to share my heart one last time with this beautiful community. Thank you for welcoming me and supporting Youth Ministry with your wild enthusiasm over the last year. The ministry practically exploded with excitement from the very first Youth Groups back in October of 2019, and I can't wait to see how that enthusiasm carries through into the ministry's next chapter. The Youth Ministry Volunteers and the Staff here at MPB are hard at work to plan what's next, but I know that whatever it is will be just as amazing and wonderful as this past year has been.
But before I head east, I wanted to take the opportunity to share my heart one last time with this beautiful community. Thank you for welcoming me and supporting Youth Ministry with your wild enthusiasm over the last year. The ministry practically exploded with excitement from the very first Youth Groups back in October of 2019, and I can't wait to see how that enthusiasm carries through into the ministry's next chapter. The Youth Ministry Volunteers and the Staff here at MPB are hard at work to plan what's next, but I know that whatever it is will be just as amazing and wonderful as this past year has been.
Now, I'm sure everyone has a lot of questions. So today's Touchstone is my attempt to address them! But, of course, there's always a degree of uncertainty in the air when big changes happen. (You'd think at this point in 2020, we would be comfortable with that!) That's why I've chosen Thomas Merton's well-known "I don't know..." prayer as today's Word. I beg you to pray for me and what awaits me in PA, and most especially I ask you to pray for what's next with Youth Ministry here at MPB.
Know that I will be holding you all in my heart as I head east. I will always cherish this short time I've spent at MPB, and I know that it has all been for Good. Thank you for being who you are, and please — if nothing else — remember that God loves you very, very much.
Love,
john livingston
Director of Youth Ministry
Love,
john livingston
Director of Youth Ministry
.
In this same vein, as an accompanying song I went scavenging through my own archives to find a favorite piece that I used to sing fairly often. Not really a church composition, per se, it is a song by Stephen Schwartz about being open and prepared enough to recognize when something amazing comes along and being ready take a chance, make the change necessary and embrace the unimagined possibilities of a greater, joy-filled life.
I hope you are all continuing to be well and to actively and intentionally hunt the good moments and savor them when you can.
God Bless,
Fr. Pat
Tuesday of the Twenty Sixth Week in Ordinary Time
The Merton Prayer
My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going.
I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end.
nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following your will
does not mean that I am actually doing so.
But I believe that the desire to please you
does in fact please you.
And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing.
I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.
And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road,
though I may know nothing about it.
Therefore will I trust you always though
I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death.
I will not fear, for you are ever with me,
and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.
I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end.
nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following your will
does not mean that I am actually doing so.
But I believe that the desire to please you
does in fact please you.
And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing.
I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.
And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road,
though I may know nothing about it.
Therefore will I trust you always though
I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death.
I will not fear, for you are ever with me,
and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.
"Heart Runs" by John Mark McMillan
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