Tag: Nathalie Shultz

While sitting down to write the reflection for today’s Gospel I was stuck on what to say. I have felt lukewarm in my faith lately, struggling to find the passion and fire that I typically have since converting to the Catholic faith. Life has been so crazy, but good, and I tend to lose track of all the things I need to be grateful for when I hit a slump in faith.

After reading the Gospel a few times I started to think about the word transfiguration. When I think of this word I think of being changed or transformed, and ultimately becoming the saints we are destined to become. We are called to be dazzling and pure with the Lord, and Christ has purchased for us the rewards that we may gain in eternal life. How can I not think of this and automatically be on my knees in thanksgiving?

If I am being honest, I think it is easier to live a life of lukewarm faith, going through the motions. It is harder to stand up for what is right, to live a life full of joy, and to trust God in all the ways He is transforming us. While struggling with depression and anxiety, it is easier for me to feel sorry for myself rather than reflect upon all of the blessings in my life. Anxiety is very debilitating and I pray for all those that carry this cross on a daily basis – be encouraged that with continual prayer and pursuit of Christ He will help us carry this cross on a daily basis, even when we don’t realize it. No matter your cross, ask yourself one question: how is God using this cross to make you more like Christ?

I believe that ultimately this is what God was speaking to me through today’s Gospel: we are all called to be transformed, and we have to go through the highs and lows of spiritual life in order to reach this transformation. We must experience all of these facets of the human experience so that we may more fully realize our call to live according to our original state in Creation and our identity in the Lord.  

Look to St. Teresa of Calcutta for inspiration: she experienced silence while praying to God for decades of her life, but she consistently chose joy and pursued Christ. She exercised virtue and good will in choosing the road that wasn’t easy, a road that was narrow, a road full of trials – ultimately this road led to sainthood and deep relationship with Christ.

Be strong, be brave, and be persistent. No matter how many times you are knocked down ask Christ to help you back up. He is always there and will always be there – all He desires is that we ask great things of Him and trust. Please know of my prayers for you as we all endure the daily struggle and grow in virtue as we choose Love over comfort.

“Joy is prayer; joy is strength; joy is love; joy is a net of love by which you can catch souls.” –St. Teresa of Calcutta

Contact the author

“If we wish to follow Christ closely, we cannot choose an easy, quiet life.  It will be a demanding life, but full of joy.” –Pope Francis

Today’s Gospel reading quotes Christ saying, “Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” (Matthew 10:39). Over the past few years I have had times of feeling like I am right where I belong, and other times I have felt completely out of sorts. There have been joys and their have been trials in life. Navigating the ups and downs of having an anxiety disorder, moving away from my hometown, and changing jobs multiple times have caused me great distress and ultimately increased my desire to follow Christ.

When we face the struggles of life it can be debilitating. Time and time again I have difficulty taking the trials that come my way in stride – I prefer to feel sorry for myself, be depressed, and ultimately feel hopeless. I don’t prefer this approach to trials because it feels good, but rather because it is easier. It is easier to feel bad for myself and feel as though I am being persecuted, and it is much harder to focus upon the positives in life and how God has blessed me along the journey of life thus far.

The road to Heaven is narrow. With the call to carry our cross and follow Christ we are automatically embracing the suffering that will come our way, because we will always face suffering in this life.  When we maintain our peace and trust in God’s promises we grow in relationship with Him through leaning on Him more and more. When we give up control, lose our life for the Kingdom, embrace the suffering, and go wherever Christ calls without reservation He will bless our endeavors beyond our wildest dreams – we belong to Him and we find our lives in Him.

“Pain and suffering have come into your life, but remember pain, sorrow, suffering are but the kiss of Jesus – a sign that you have come so close to Him that He can kiss you.” –St. Teresa of Calcutta

Contact the author

“I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else. –C.S. Lewis

I often think about what it would be like to walk alongside Christ. What if he knocked on my door and asked to go for a walk, or what if He came into the house and sat on our couch? I wish that I could experience Him in the way that the apostles did while they spent time with Him before His ascension into Heaven, the way that the individuals encountered Him on the Road to Emmaus.

While I often imagine what these happenings would be like I am simultaneously wondering if I would truly believe Christ was physically present with me, would my heart be on fire due to His presence, or would I need proof of His presence by touching His side and wounds like St. Thomas the Apostle did?

St. Thomas said he would not believe Christ had appeared to the rest of the apostles unless he could see Christ’s wounds and put his hand into Christ’s side. How often do we doubt God’s presence and power in our own lives, wanting physical signs of God?  I tend to pray for signs, even though I know God does not want me to test Him – rather He wants me to trust with an open heart all of His promises. How do we let our soul ascent to the Heavens rather than let our hearts get stuck in the mud? The answer lies in the Sacraments that God has given us in the Church.

God knows that as humans we need our senses to be engaged so that we can be further drawn into the mysteries of our faith.  When you have trouble believing in God’s presence look to the sacraments. God gives us a physical sign of His love through the graces He provides in the sacraments instituted by Christ. While it takes a great leap of faith to believe in the sacraments, who God is, and all that the Church teaches we must remember that the road to Heaven is narrow and will ask great things of us. God sent His only Son to help us walk this narrow path with an open heart and faith in Christ’s promises. If we look to the life of Christ on earth we can be more assured than ever of the truth of who God really is: Shepherd, Bread of Life, the Lamb, and the Light.

No matter the trials we face in believing in God and all of His promises He walks gently beside us through our times of disbelief and doubt, desiring for us to reach out and ask for help when we have trouble trusting in His goodness.  The trials we face of unbelief help us to rely more upon our Lord, and ultimately the times we stumble make the triumphs in faith so much sweeter, increasing our strength on our faith journey towards sainthood.

“Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what you believe. –St. Augustine

Contact the author

“What have I done with my baptism and confirmation? Is Christ really at the center of my life? Do I have time for prayer in my life? Do I live my life as a vocation and mission?”

– Pope St. John Paul II

I have always found water to be beautiful and terrifying all at the same time. One minute water can be still as glass and other times it chops and crashes against the shore. Some individuals will not step into open water, while others go swimming with sharks. I believe that water demands respect – you have to understand the elements and how they work together to impact the terrain ahead.

My great trust in the water started when I was 4, the point in time where I started to take swim lessons. I was that kid that would jump into the deep end with no fear, and so my parents wanted me to start lessons as soon as possible so that I developed an understanding of water. From these lessons, I grew stronger in the water and began swimming competitively. By the time I was 5, I started to compete in meets, and this continued for 14 years of my life. After a 9 year break from swimming, I am finally training again and competing in meets this weekend.

While I have a pretty strong comfort level in the water I still know not to underestimate its power (whether in a pool or open water). When it comes to open water settings the current and tides are major factors of how safe the water is. The weather also determines a good day for embarking on an open water journey.

Why do I keep going on about water? Well, today is the day in history that Pope St. John Paul II was baptized in Wadowice, Poland. One of the greatest saints of all time began his journey in Christ at this key moment in history, and his story is all of our stories.

When we receive God’s grace through baptism it may seem incidental to some. While we receive three drops of water in the name of the Trinity, so much is happening beyond what we can see at the moment. Our baptism signifies our joining the body of Christ, and when we join Christ on this adventure we welcome the calm and stormy seas of life – we say yes to all He wants to give us. More often than not we will be walking towards Christ upon the stormy sea, but the grace of our baptism demands that we follow Him no matter where He leads.

Our Lord is the ultimate Navigator of the waters, so much so that He can cast out demons, calm the storm, and heal the blind. He can move mountains, part the seas, and change water into wine. When we receive our baptism we embark on the seas of life that will test our faith to limits that we are unaware of in the present moment.  Do we call upon our baptismal graces in our times of doubt, fear, and hopelessness? Do we ask great things of God because He is God, and in turn expect great things to happen according to His will?

I remember being baptized when I was 21 – I was fully submerged three times in the name of the Trinity. This was a beautiful moment in my faith journey, and I admit that I didn’t understand everything that was happening within me at that moment. Looking back in time I can see the moments I called upon my baptismal promises so that I could navigate the seas of life through the various calls that God gave me – becoming Catholic, saying yes to marrying my amazing husband, and even moving to another city within the same week of getting married.

Times of consistency and times of conversion will continue to ebb and flow like a river in and out of our lives. How do we respond to these seasons? My desire is to give God my yes with all that He brings my way, trusting in the graces of my baptism and all of the sacraments. I challenge you to meditate upon the rivers of life that God has brought you through up to this point, including all of the turbulence and smooth currents. How have you responded to these times in your life – with fear, doubt, hope, or trust? How can you see your baptism and the promises God has made to you through these times in your life?

Now that I am swimming again in the pool I am learning to listen to my body and know my limits, while not being afraid to try new things. I pray that you learn from the past experiences God has brought you through and that you ultimately learn to trust Him when He asks you to stay away or enter into various waters – this is the Heart of Baptism. He is the ultimate Navigator – He will keep you safe wherever the waters may take you on your journey to Heaven and Sainthood.

“You cannot be half a saint. You must be a whole saint or no saint at all.” -St. Therese of Lisieux

Contact the author