JVC

I just want to thank everyone who
endured,
contributed,
encouraged,
read through,
acted as a reference for,
and in general made me feel good about
my jvc application!

I finished it this evening and I feel really good about what I wrote. I feel like I expressed the sentiment that I had hoped to and that it was an honest articulation of myself. I really loved the process of filling out the application. It never felt tedious or purposeless. Everything had meaning to me. And even if I don't get accepted, I'm actually really happy I got to fill out the application. I think I know myself better now.

Here's a bit of what I wrote about my communal prayer life. This was one of my favorite questions to reflect on and then put into words:

Like many Catholics, I've attended mass every Sunday since I was a baby. When I lived at home, I would go with my family and since coming to college I either go by myself or with friends. I go to daily mass about once a week depending on my schedule or how my life is going. Mass helps me to center myself and feel connected to the entire Catholic community. Being able to sit and reflect, have communion, distribute communion as a Eucharistic minister, and sing hymns, all remind me of the active role God plays in my life everyday. I don't question why my life is the way it is. I just thank God for all of the good things in my life and accept that He knows why there is bad. I trust that bad or unfair things happen for a reason. I don't try to know everything; I merely ask that my faith be strengthened and my heart be widened. Therefore mass is vital in nourishing my relationship with God. I once told a close friend that going to mass with her and two other friends made me feel like I was in true communion with the Spirit. I felt like the bond God had produced within us was fully realized when we were celebrating mass together. Community prayer is such an uplifting and comforting experience. Hearing others offer up prayers of reflection during Seekers bible study or on retreats has strengthened my faith monumentally. To be able to hear what others need and what they are thankful for has served to broaden my understanding of how God works distinctly in each individual’s life. Many of my friends ask me to pray for them when they are going through a difficult situation and I also ask for prayers from them. This strengthens our relationship with one another and brings a positive energy in times when despair usually takes over. Communal prayer is one of the greatest blessings I have become a part of over the past few years.