This past week: through the lens of “friends”

I’ll start by stating: I’m not fully informed on Twitter etiquette.

So, my friend Kathryn tweets at me and I want to share it with all ya’lls. Am I supposed to erase her account evidence (for safety reasons) or am I supposed to let everyone see it and follow her (you know, the whole social media thing).

I really don’t know. I erred on the side of “safety first.” You now don’t know her account. Ha.

Anyway, last month Kathryn tweets this:

Honestly, I don’t think I understand what was going on when she tweeted this. I could still be off. But, I do have some ideas.

While on my lovely retreat last weekend one of the speakers mentioned that Satan would like for us to be unhappy and hopeless and lonely.

That struck me, the part about being lonely. Think about it, it’s God who says, “Gosh, it’s not good for man to be alone.” (#paraphrase).

Yeah, you all just mentally jumped to dating/ courting/ marriage, didn’t you? It was a logical jump, and a solid one, but I was honestly going somewhere else with the story. Come back.

I was more exploring this idea of a faith community…the idea of holy friendship.

While on retreat, Mark Shea pointed out that groups of friends can have a powerful impact on the world. He pointed out C.S Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien and the other Inklings. My mind jumped to St. Francis (oh, hello again!), St. Claire, St. Anthony, and St. Dominic. I’m reading a book about St. Maximilian Kolbe, and many of his friends are on their way to sainthood as well.

Shoooooot.

There’s just something about people who are holy that make you want to be holy faster, you know?

Guys, I know like a million people who may some day be canonized. (“Canonized” means named a saint…it has less to do with being killed via canon which is kind of what it sounds like, I know). I thought I’d just give a run-down, really fast, of the holy folk I encountered over the course of the week.

Monday

I went to lunch with a certain Father Simon. I think he thought I had pressing things to divulge, which is why he initially agreed to meeting. But, I didn’t. We chatted about the Camino and hockey and then he began talking about Evangelization and our personal gifts of the Holy Spirit and inspiring/ shaking the faithful into a better understanding of their faith.

I wish I had a great sound byte to give you about holiness and Jesus and goodness. But, I don’t. I just have this memory of staring across a little table in the middle of a architectural-gem-of-a-building, eating soup and sharing our life experiences. I guess friendship can be simple, too, like soup with friends.

Tuesday

I went to adoration for some prayer time. In front of me was a guy I knew from college, but haven’t seen in probably a year. He was sitting in the front row, praying quietly. It’s because he has a quiet heart, probably.

This guy, Ziad, has always reminded me of the Joseph character from the film “The Nativity Story.” Ziad is Chaldean for starters, so he has the olive complexion and a thick, dark beard. But, it’s more than that. We interacted with each other in the pro-life group on campus. It’s fair to say that he ranks as one of the most generous men I’ve ever met. He will sacrifice his time without a second thought. He unwaveringly dedicates himself to the causes he believes in. He’s supportive and caring.

His silent, giving nature has always struck me. And, last Tuesday, I reflected on it as I sat behind him and his friend. And it was inspiring again.

Wednesday

I made Kathryn come with me to see Les Miserables even though I know she hates the musical. (I win exactly zero friend awards.)

We’re also working on a musical together, which is a thousand levels of fun and one million levels of overwhelming.

“I wrote a song [for the musical] in adoration,” she said, “can I sing it to you?”

Ummmm, YES.

And she did.

Because it is winter, it was dark out and I tilted my head back in the cold night air and looked up at the stars and listened to her sing about Jesus in a parking lot. It was beautiful.

The song was deep and the lyrics were heartfelt. Shoooooot, girl. That play is going to be something to see.

Thursday

I technically arrived home from Les Miserables early Thursday morning, and I found a note on my pillow, dropped off by my friend who wrote THE KINDEST words about our faith adventures together.

And then I woke up to go to work and went to check Facebook. A young man from my sister’s university noticed an event I was planning and made hardcore, gentle, sweet suggestions to make it holier and more meaningful. And I was like, “WHO ARE YOU?? YOU’RE NOT EVEN INVITED TO MY EVENT AND YOU’RE MAKING IT BETTER!” And I can’t even share the rest of the good things he said, because they’re so beautiful I can’t stand it.

You two, both of you, should know that you are treasures to the church. Good work, men, good work.

Friday

This actually starts last Friday. There’s a green screen at my work. People film things in front of the green screen and then add other effects later. Most of us are aware that this process exists.

For everyone else, I hate to break it to you, alien movies just aren’t what they used to be…back in the day Hollywood used real aliens and stuff. Today they’re computer-generated. I’m sorry to be this person in your life.

What most of you probably don’t know (I assume this because I didn’t know it…is that weird?) is that blond hair can be finicky on a green screen. I’m not sure if this is because of the shine or some other fine quality associated with the flaxen-haired. What I do know is: I have blond hair. Therefore the guys in the back room will sometimes call me to the studio so they can tweak things like lighting BEFORE actual-important blond people show up to record.

And I was back there this time last week. They guys were filming. Trying to create some content they gave me the cue: “Tell us what you’re doing this weekend” so that I would start talking and they would have film of a (blond) person talking and motioning with her hands.

So, I said a few things, motioned a few motions and went back to my desk.

And then one of the guys came to my desk and said, “You’re going to dinner and praying and going dancing tonight with some guys you met LAST NIGHT? What kinds of places do you go to where people invite you to PRAY and then dance on a Friday???”

And then I laughed. It is kind of funny/ awesome that I get to know praying/ dancing people.

But, by the grace of the good and loving God, I do. I know people who invite me to pray, invite me to dance, sing me songs about Jesus, live lives of generosity, eat soup with me, and write me THE KINDEST things about spirituality.

So, thanks guys.

Maybe sometimes my job is hard, the winter is cold, and things go wrong.

But, I have you. And we can attain sainthood yet!

Oh, and I’m joining praying-and-dancing friends again tonight.

Happy Friday.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us. ~Hebrews 12:1~