Tag: faith

  • How My Puppy Helps Me View Every Moment as a Chance to Encounter God

    How My Puppy Helps Me View Every Moment as a Chance to Encounter God

    puppy sonia while hiking looking back at the camera with a background of fall foliage and mountains
    The author’s puppy Sonia

    If dogs had resumes, they would boast a long list of services. As personal trainers, they get us off the couch to exercise. As wellness gurus, they lower blood pressure and help us de-stress. And as therapists, dogs provide comfort and companionship, especially in times of sorrow and loneliness. 

    One occupation that should be added to this list is spiritual guide. My husband and I had been talking about getting a dog for a few months, as we both wanted a canine companion for all our hiking adventures. Even though I enjoyed many pets of all kinds throughout my life, it wasn’t until my husband and I adopted our 6-month-old schnauzer/shepherd/malinois mix on May 16, 2021, that I realized I could strengthen my own faith through my relationship with her. In just our few months together so far, our “pandemic puppy” Sonia has already taught me to encounter life in the way that God intends for us: with joy, praise, and gratitude. 

    RELATED: A Gratitude Meditation

    Approach each day with an abundance of joy.

    Wake up at 5:30 a.m., walk the dog, make breakfast, take the subway, go to work, take the subway, walk the dog, make dinner, walk the dog, sleep… And get up the next day to do it all over again. Having a routine is a good thing, but I can easily find myself simply going through the motions. I sometimes feel stuck in a cycle, stressed, or exhausted. I just want to make it to the weekend. 

    However, this mindset does not reflect a life rooted in faith. When we approach each day through the lens of joy, we can see all the ways in which God works in our lives. Suddenly, the seeming invisibility of God’s grace becomes visible.

    My puppy reminds me to take on each day with deep, spiritual joy. She inches her way towards my pillow and licks my face to celebrate the morning. She looks deeply into my eyes, glad to start each new day with me, no matter how much I grumble to roll out of bed. What a reminder for me to gaze in the same way at her. At the world. And most importantly, our Lord. Sonia walks to the park each morning with a skip in her step, wagging her tail. That’s when I remember to remain joyful in the Lord’s presence each and every day.

    RELATED: Will I See My Pets in Heaven?

    the author's puppy Sonia looking very cute on a fall hike

    Appreciate where you are in the present moment.

    My husband and I have gone camping with Sonia four times since we adopted her, most recently during the prime of autumn, when peak foliage cascaded through the Catskill Mountains. Every day after a campfire breakfast, we went on a six-mile hike through forests and meadows, around lakes and waterfalls, and up mountain peaks. Sonia was curious about frogs and fallen leaves; I was moved by God’s ability to restore and heal me in the woods.

    It was bittersweet to return to the city after a week in the wilderness without Wi-Fi, and I was nervous that Sonia would not adjust well. I was afraid that my garden and city park would suddenly seem boring and small to her.

    But perhaps I was projecting my own reticence to return to reality onto her, because when we got back to Brooklyn, she literally pulled me to the park, ready to romp with her canine friends, chase squirrels, and collect sticks. Nothing had changed, only where we were. I realized that every moment is precious, no matter where I am. This is the inner spiritual wonder that God wants us to feel. There is grace in every moment, even in times of longing or suffering. 

    RELATED: A Gratitude Retreat

    Be grateful for the people you’re with.

    A sweet, spunky pup who was found malnourished in Tijuana, Mexico, Sonia fortunately felt comfortable with us when we first met her. She quickly became an indispensable part of our family. As such, whenever my husband or I return from work, she greets us as if we hadn’t seen each other in years: wagging her tail, widely smiling, barking happily. In fact, she warmly welcomes all of our family and friends, even our cat, Shadow (who has yet to reciprocate Sonia’s friendly advances). This generosity of spirit reminds me to praise God for every person I encounter in my day: my husband, my family, my coworkers, and neighbors who stop me to chat. It’s through the people in our lives that God works his graces and shows his love. We should be grateful for their presence and consequently God’s presence in our lives through them.

    Adopting a puppy came with challenges, but it was a big blessing in our lives. I thank God every day for Sonia and know that I should approach my life and the people in it with deep gratitude and joy. Moreover, I should encounter the Lord in the big-hearted, unconditional way that Sonia loves me.

    Originally published November 22, 2021.

  • Memorial Day and the Power of Remembrance

    Memorial Day and the Power of Remembrance

    Photo by John Hill on Pexels

    While I was growing up, my family emphasized that calling to mind those who gave their lives to sacrifice for our country is always necessary and important. 

    We visited the cemetery on all major holidays to spend time at my grandparents’ graves. We traveled there on Thanksgiving, the week of Christmas, and Easter Sunday. My parents, my three brothers, and I would climb into the car after Mass and head to the cemetery.

    If we were at my paternal grandfather’s grave, we would all exit the car once we arrived and say a prayer at the tombstone. After a few minutes, my mom would bring us back to the car and my dad would stay behind at the grave of his father. If we were at my maternal grandmother’s grave, the opposite happened. Dad would usher us to the car and Mom would stay behind for a few extra minutes. 

    RELATED: Virtual Memorial Day Retreat: Remembering Those Who Serve 

    This was their intimate time alone with the parent they had lost. We honored their memory by going to the cemetery as a family, but I also remember that image of my mother or father spending one-on-one time with the grave as I peered out the car window looking at them. It was as if they were talking to their respective parent as if they were still alive and could hear them. They were remembering them by continuing their relationship with them. I was drawn into this moment because I witnessed my mom and dad love their own parent even beyond their death. 

    My maternal grandmother is buried at an armed services cemetery on Long Island because her husband served in the military. All the tombstones there are the same rectangle shape and the same color, white. The uniform aisles of tombstones evoke something inside of me that brings me to honor those who gave their lives and the family members of those who served. Every visit is like a miniature Memorial Day. 

    Today, we are called to remember and honor the sacrificial love of countless men and women who gave everything so we could live in our beautiful country. The challenge is to honor them even when it is not Memorial Day. 

    RELATED: What Should Catholics Do on Memorial Day?

    When I visited the cemetery as a child, I was so reflective of my grandparents’ lives as well as grateful for the love of my parents. I was more attentive to my relationship with them because I was reminded of how short and fragile life is. 

    But then, I would go back to my routine until the next holiday and forget how important it is to remember those who came before me so that I could live (literally in the case of my grandparents being my ancestors). On this Memorial Day, we are invited to take that focus towards those who died in service. How can we be more intentional about giving them honor and respect?

    Our Catholic faith offers two great connections that are easy and powerful. One, pray for veterans, those who died in the line of duty, and those current service men and women at Mass on Memorial Day weekend. The Eucharist is the memorial of Christ’s suffering, death, and resurrection. We do not simply call to mind what Christ did; those mysteries are made to present to us. As the Son of God died so that we could live, we can pray especially for those who died for our country so that we could have the freedoms we do today.

    RELATED: How Prayer Cards Help Me Honor the Holy Souls That Have Gone Before Me

    Second, pray a decade of the Rosary or an entire Rosary for our veterans. We can pray for those who have died and those who have returned from the armed forces. We know that so many returning service people struggle to reacclimate into society. Pray that they may find work and know their value. 

    Memorial Day is always the last Monday in May, a month dedicated to honoring the Mother of God. Praying for Mary’s intercession allows us to call to mind the fact that she is guiding all of her children, wherever they find themselves.

    Whatever you do for Memorial Day, make it something that serves as a powerful and lasting reminder of just how blessed we are to have people in our age and in our history who live out the sacrificial love of Christ. May we honor them by respecting that love and mirroring it in our own lives as best we can.