Thy Geekdom Come Posted October 15, 2004 Share Posted October 15, 2004 Okay...I want to thank you all for your prayers and advice in my earlier discernment thread. As you know, the Year of the Eucharist has begun. What you may not know is that the Newman Center (the most orthodox parish in the most orthodox diocese in the United States) here was holding a 40 Hours Devotion and I was blessed to have time on my schedule to go... The Year of the Eucharist has borne its first fruits... Jen and I have been chatting for some time now about our vocations and have been trying to share advice and direction. Well, I love Steubenville and I have thought once or twice aimlessly about looking into it, but never gave it much concern. Jen mentioned recently how much she was struggling with calculus and how she was taking it as yet another sign that she was called to do theology instead. I have always wanted to do theology at some point, particularly working with youth, writing theological books, giving lectures, etc., but wanted to start with getting my Latin degree, settling down, doing all that, etc., and then getting the theology degree. Well, Jen's remarkable courage in dropping all, taking up her cross, and following Christ had inspired me. I started feeling those same things stirring in me and we discussed it. We both had a strong desire to go to study theology. Well, I thought mostly of the Univerity of Dallas...good theology program...good classics program... Jen, meanwhile, was thinking of Steubenville. My mind started returning to Steubenville and within a couple hours, both of us felt very strongly called to it. So I posted my other thread, and got excellent advice from many parties, among whom I would most like to honor Theoketos...his ideas on the timing conflict between Latin and Theology were exceedingly helpful. Now, I'm going to describe my prayers, but I say this only to give the context of what happened and the glory of God, please don't take it as bragging, because I rarely mention my prayer habits publically... Anyway...Tuesday afternoon, I fill in for Adoration for a friend and pray about it. Not much of an answer, but I did get a nice feeling out of it...lots of calm. Afterward, I helped with the Bible Study (the guy in charge knows his apologetics, but not his systematic theology, so I help with the deeper questions, and there's always one in every group, lol). I went to choir and Mass and the 40 Hours Devotion began...extremely tired...pray a rosary...it felt great...the best rosary I've ever had (I have to thank MaxK, Picchick's brother, who gave me the rosary I was using), but not much of an answer to my questions about God's plan. Wednesday morning, I'm on my way to class and I get this feeling of God's presence. I like to say, "speak Lord, your servant is listening," and I had this intense urging to look at the study abroad and grad school programs at Steubenville. I go and check it out. I chatted with Teresa (Mrs. Bro. Adam) about it. Wednesday night, I go to 40 Hours Devotion, pray the rosary, say some litanies, then go to Mass (or it came to me, rather, lol). Thursday, early morning, I wanted an early morning hour...I was exhausted...my knees hurt and by the end, all I could do was burn ardently for my replacement to arrive. She came just when I considered getting up and leaving (there were about three others there...I couldn't have left if there weren't others present). I felt like God was testing me with a Dark Night (thank God I found out that wasn't true...the thought of it scares me half to death). Thursday night, I went back at 9 PM for another hour. When I prayed, I could tell something was different...I finished a litany to St. Joseph just at the right time before a Rosary started and I finished it again after the Rosary just before Mass. I was asking the intercession of St. Joseph on another matter, which I will not discuss here. For some reason, I felt lighter...God seemed to be telling me not to worry, but just to trust in Him. Mass started and the homily was about the Real Presence...it was a beatiful homily... So we get to the end of Mass and I had just received Our Lord and I was kneeling there thanking God while the choir sang the meditation hymn. [i]Soul of Christ, save me, Body of Christ...[/i] Then come the announcements at the end of Mass. [i]Tonight is community night, there will be snacks and fellowship in the union after Mass... Also, Mark McGuire, the head of Graduate Enrollment at the University of Steubenville, will be in the union to speak with anyone interested.[/i] I just stood there in shock while it soaked in... What were the odds? It couldn't be...it was... Then I tried to sing the recessional hymn, but I was half laughing from being deliriously happy... I rushed down to the union as soon as I was done with all my priorities and went to meet him. I didn't want to look too rushed or excited, so I stood patiently while he finished with someone else. Then he came up to me as I gathered up pamphlets and a business card... We began talking and I couldn't hold it in...I told him everything, and that includes everything about my experience as well as Jen's and Adam's and Teresa's. *hopes the Janke's don't mind* He knew of Carson Weber... Well, he was ecstatic, methinks, and seemed very enthusiastic about it all...he said something about a saint who didn't believe in coincidences when I said that I didn't believe in them and he seemed very excited about the unusual circumstances surrounding all of us. I told him that I thought the Year of the Eucharist was already bearing fruit, and he concurred immediately. We started chatting for the longest time... About an hour and a half later, I walked one of the girls home (a tradition here is that the Newman Center girls always have a male escort to their dorms)... So that's it. Now we also discussed whether I should go there fro grad school or switch for undergrad. They have a decent classics department, and it would give me time to gather the prerequisites I need for theology and philosophy to get into the Theology Grad School...course I could get here... Plus, he did make a couple very valid points: 1. It's not much more expensive than the state school I'm at now. 2. The tone is much more religious and I wouldn't have to worry about being in the midst of Babylon on campus... Additionally, I may be able to get some scholarships, now that I have more time than I did when leaving seminary... Hmmm...more discernment for me... Oh, yeah...and I told him about Phatmass...he might be stopping in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piccoli Fiori JMJ Posted October 15, 2004 Share Posted October 15, 2004 (edited) I've heard a lot of this from Jennie... Very cool stuff... Edited October 15, 2004 by FutureNunJMJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thy Geekdom Come Posted October 15, 2004 Author Share Posted October 15, 2004 [quote name='FutureNunJMJ' date='Oct 15 2004, 03:32 AM'] I've heard a lot of this from Jennie... [/quote] Well, I'm sorry, next time ask God to make my vocational experiences more entertaining so they'll make better reruns! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piccoli Fiori JMJ Posted October 15, 2004 Share Posted October 15, 2004 Didn't mean it to sound that way Micah, it is all such great news! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thy Geekdom Come Posted October 15, 2004 Author Share Posted October 15, 2004 [quote name='FutureNunJMJ' date='Oct 15 2004, 03:35 AM'] Didn't mean it to sound that way Micah, it is all such great news! [/quote] I know, I know! I was just kidding! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StColette Posted October 15, 2004 Share Posted October 15, 2004 *cries and smiles* I don't have words to describe what I feel right now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piccoli Fiori JMJ Posted October 15, 2004 Share Posted October 15, 2004 This has got to be great for the both of you! Congrats! It's exciting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
franciscanheart Posted October 15, 2004 Share Posted October 15, 2004 this is wonderful news!! im so happy for both of you!! congratulations you two!! God bless you both now and always!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
azaelia Posted October 15, 2004 Share Posted October 15, 2004 That's awesome, Micah! Steubie is awesome! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dUSt Posted October 15, 2004 Share Posted October 15, 2004 Cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piccoli Fiori JMJ Posted October 15, 2004 Share Posted October 15, 2004 Great. Now they want me to join them in Ohio... I would sooooooo go only if Mom was cool with it, WHich I doubt... Oh well! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lil Red Posted October 15, 2004 Share Posted October 15, 2004 ness Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thy Geekdom Come Posted October 15, 2004 Author Share Posted October 15, 2004 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.R.D Posted October 15, 2004 Share Posted October 15, 2004 What do you have to make on ur SAT to get into Stubie???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paladin D Posted October 15, 2004 Share Posted October 15, 2004 What do we do exactly during the [b]Year of the Eucharist[/b]? I've heard about it taking place, but I don't know any of the details. What is it for specifically? What is it about? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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