Vamos Tod@s al Banquete!

Vamos Tod@s al Banquete!

Some people say that they have seen heaven; in fact, there is a recent bestseller that documents the story of a young boy who had a vision of paradise. Usually, people describe heaven as having bright lights, puffy white clouds, golden ornamentation, angel choirs, and peaceful people sublimely floating around in white robes. While these symbols have come into our religious imagination to explain eternal life with God, I don't think that they adequately describe heaven.

This past Sunday I think I got a glimpse of what heaven may actually be like. Mass this Sunday ended with a extraordinary celebration—a Eucharistic procession through the streets of Antigua. While this kind of worship is almost unheard of in the United States, here in Guatemala processions are a reminder that God is everywhere and walks with us in our streets. Here's what happened: The Blessed Sacrament was exposed in the monstrance, a golden sunburst surrounding a pure, white disc of unleavened bread. Six people carried a canopy over the priest who held the monstrance wrapped tenderly in his vestments. Slowly, the people of God trickled out of the pews to follow behind Jesus in the Sacrament. As tiny flames flickered, beads of wax rolled down the small white tapers that each person held.

As we exited the sanctuary, I was certain that we were Someplace else not quite in the world. We tread over a trail of soft pine needles and rose petals; a band burst into a joyful marching tune at the back of the procession as a more traditional drummer pounded away at the front; church bells clanged and clinked hastily as the sound of fire crackers cut the air with a poppity-pow-pop-pop; brightly colored confetti fell from above; people sang. Some people wore veils in humble reverence and others wore scapulars the size of postcards. A little girl dressed as an angel led the way followed by an altar server carrying the Cross flanked by two pink candles that spiraled towards the sky. Someone swang a thurible the size of a small pumpkin through the air as clouds of incense billowed out and filled the street with the sweet scent of burning sap.

Most importantly, as the priest pointed out, in this procession it doesn't matter who is first or who is last; what matters is that we walk together and that we walk with our God.  God invites us all to work in his vineyard.

With all of its strange sounds, smells, and sights, this procession is just a reminder—a reminder of something that we can so easily forget in the United States; that is, that every Mass is a celebration. Something extraordinary is occurring. This Eucharistic celebration is a reflection of the heavenly banquet God has prepared for us. It is a celebration of thanksgiving (as the word “Eucharist” connotes). If you have any doubts about this, I suggest reading The Lamb's Supper by Dr. Scott Hahn. This is a brilliant but accessible account of one convert's realization that the Eucharist is a sharing in the heavenly banquet. As Fr. G. Ronald Murphy, SJ, often reminds his students, the symbols and the rituals in the sacramental life of the Church are all about one thing: realization. In the sacraments heaven dips down, the earth swings skyward, and the two embrace if only for a brief second. We are invited to be somewhere else. We are invited to sit at God's welcome table.   

Snapshots of Guatemala

Here I am with backpack in tow ready for my first day of language school. I can´t say that everyday has been as exciting as the first...but it is what it is.

This is the street where I live. The Volcán de Agua looming in the distance.

Home of Franciscan Friars and the Tomb of Santo Hermano Pedro, here is the Iglesia San Francisco. This is the church where my fellow missionaries and I typically attend daily Mass. It is conveniently located between my house and the language school.

Devotees of Santo Hermano Pedro place candles outside of his tomb when asking for his intercession. Hundreds of pilgrims thank Hermano Pedro for miraculous cures.

September 15 marked Independence Day for Central America. There were tons of parades. This is one of them. They really love drums in their marching bands here, by the way. Another tradition is the running of the torch of liberty from town to town. I participated in one of these runs that was about 20 kilometers (12 miles). Don´t worry: I didn´t run the whole thing. That torch sure gets heavy though!

Volcán Pacaya: My fellow missionaries and I summited this active volcano yesterday. No big deal. Of course, many Star Wars and Lord of the Rings allusions were made. No matter what each of us imagined, it truly was an adventure that included roasting marshmallows at the top.

Until next time!

Goal Met!

As of today, I have met and exceeded my goal by $90.40! I cannot express how grateful I am to all of you who have donated in support of this amazing mission. Thank you to those of you who have supported me in any way that you could. The smallest donations mattered! The prayers mattered! The words of encouragement mean the world to me! Thank you all and thank God for the many gifts that He has graciously bestowed upon me. I could not have done this without all of you and with God through whom we do all good things!

May Peace be with all of you!
Kevin

A Guatemalan Home

¡He llegado en Guatemala! For those of you who were wondering, I have safely arrived in Antigua, Guatemala, and things are going well. I will be living in this town of cobblestone streets, Barroque churches, and vibrant textiles for the next month. I am staying with a lively Guatemalan grandmother named Marta. She feeds me well, so no worries!

I am very excited to be back in another culture, but it is so different from home. Upon arriving at my gate in Atlanta, I stepped into another country. The primary language immediately changed to Spanish and only 4 or 5 other passengers were gringos like me. The Atlanta airport is a place where so many cultures collide and literally cross paths. The Guatemalans on the flight with me were very friendly despite our differences. Throughout the flight I noticed a sense of excitement, and everyone seemed quite happy to be on board. As we breached the clouds and could catch our first glimpse of Guatemala City, this anticipation was almost tangible. A collective breath of amazement was released as everyone tried to hold back smiles--and it was contagious. Faces beamed. Quiet but joyful chatter filled the cabin. It was amazing to be surrounded by people coming home. Yes, I was a stranger but was at once consoled and welcomed.

This was a great realization--this, Central America, is a home to many people, and they are very happy to be here. Here they can be themselves and see their families. I know where my home will always be...no matter how far away I am physically.

At the exact moment that the plane touched the ground, and the pilot began his welcome, an applause broke out throughout the plane. I´ve never experienced that before! Such excitement to have made it safely home!

How I Got to Where I'm Going #2: Love in Action

With less than one week remaining before shipping off to Central America, I continue to reflect upon those stepping stones that have led me to choose the life of missionary. I firmly believe that my faith is call to action. Being a follower of Christ requires a vibrant, living faith. I wrote the following reflection for the SEARCH retreat in February 2007, my senior year of high school. I have kept the talk completely intact, so I realize that some of it sounds kind of funny if you've never been on SEARCH. It is amazing to read these words and see that even several years ago God was preparing me for the vocation I am living now. Here it goes:

Hello, my name is Kevin Kuehl. My talk for you is Love in Action. Please join hands for a prayer:

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

God of Love, You continually call each of us to action. Help us to respond to that call with loving enthusiasm. We thank you for Your amazing gift of love and the ability to share that love. Help us to love one another as You love each of us. Fill us with Your Spirit of Love that we may do everything for the glory of Your Name. Amen.

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Take a minute to think about the people that you love…You probably immediately thought about your mom, your dad, your brothers and sisters, or your closest friends. Now, think about all of the people that God loves…That’s right, God loves everyone, and He is calling all of us to do the same. God has given all of us His love, and now He is calling us to share it with our families, our friends, our neighbors, our enemies…with everyone. But we can’t just sit here and say, “Sure, I love everybody”; we have to do something even greater. We must respond to God’s call with action. Please open your Bible to page 1398 James chapter 2 verses 14 to 18:

What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister has nothing to wear and has no food for the day, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well," but you do not give them the necessities of the body, what good is it? So also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead. Indeed someone might say, "You have faith and I have works." Demonstrate your faith to me without works, and I will demonstrate my faith to you from my works.

The action that we are called to take is giving of ourselves to others just as Christ gave Himself for us; that’s what love is. Love is more than just an emotion; it is a call to act as Christ would. And I would like for you write that down. Maybe acting in love means that you smile at someone, you go out of our way to help someone in need, you accept another person for who they are, or you visit with someone who is lonely. These are only a few examples of the ways that we can live out God’s call to love one another. Please open your Bible to page1106, Matthew chapter 25 verses 32 to 41:

And all the nations will be assembled before him. And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the king will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.' Then the righteous will answer him and say, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?' And the king will say to them in reply, 'Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.'

Jesus is calling us to share in his universal love, and the only way we can do this is to see Christ in everyone and be Christ to everyone. Love in action means seeing Christ in others and letting Christ be seen in you. And I would like for you to write that down. Love in action means seeing Christ in others and letting Christ be seen in me.

Two years ago when I was on a mission trip in Mexico, I was attempting to talk to a little boy who was playing by himself behind the soup kitchen where we were working that day. He was obviously very poor. With what little Spanish I knew, I asked him his name, and he asked me mine. After talking some more about baseball and where I was from, he eventually offered me some of the chips that he was eating. They seemed to be a special treat. I ate one, but he kept offering me more. Eventually, I found myself with the whole bag in my hand. I tried several times to give them back to him, but he kept insisting that they were a gift for me and refused to take them back. At that moment I saw Christ in that little boy. Even though he barely knew me, he appreciated what I was doing so much that he gave me all that he had. This act of love showed me that Christ is in all of us, and that Christ’s love reaches us through the actions of others.

At the end of my sophomore year, one of my classmates, who happens to be an exchange student from South Korea, was looking for a place to live during the next school year. He kept begging me to help him out. Eventually, when it seemed that he couldn’t find anywhere else to live, I somewhat reluctantly told him that he could stay with my family. Both of my older brothers had recently moved out of the house, so adding one new resident didn’t really seem like a big deal. Until this year at Christmas, no one in my family realized the impact that we have made on this young man’s life just by letting him be a part of our family. His Christmas present to us was a beautiful letter that explained how he felt. It seems that for the two years before he came to live with my family, he had felt very alone. He told us how much it meant to have more than just a place to stay. He explained that just waking up to a friendly face and having people that showed interest in him completely changed his attitude. He finally felt loved, and we hadn’t even noticed. This made me realize what huge difference a little love can make.

Of course, Love is not always easy; In fact, Acting in love is hard work that involves sacrifice. And I would like for you to write that down. Christ’s death on the Cross is our supreme example of this sacrificial love, and He expects us to live by his example. The best way to show our love for Christ is to imitate him. Please open your Bible to page 1416 first John chapter 3 verses 16 to 18:

The way we came to know love was that he laid down his life for us; so we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If someone who has worldly means sees a brother in need and refuses him compassion, how can the love of God remain in him? Children, let us love not in word or speech but in deed and truth.

Christ is calling each of us to live in His love. How will you respond? My song for you is “With my own Two Hands” by Ben Harper.

How I Got to Where I’m Going #1: The UCA Martyrs

As my time with the Finca draws closer each day, I continually ask myself: 'What brought me here?' Over the next month I hope to answer this question by sharing some past reflections on faith, service, vocation, community, and charity. The following is a reflection that I shared with a group at Georgetown for an event called "Jesuits and Justice in Latin America" as part of Jesuit Heritage Week 2011:

Let’s begin tonight in a rose garden. We are together in a garden behind the Jesuit residence at a university in Central America. It is a Jesuit University, not all that different from Georgetown. It’s a hot, sunny January day—imagine that. Imagine you are walking slowly through this garden looking at the bright red roses. I want you to try to feel something deep inside of you. What do you feel? Are you moved at all?

These are the questions I asked myself as I walked through this same rose garden at the University of Central America or the UCA in El Salvador on my first day of studying abroad there with the Casa de La Solidaridad. I knew that just 20 years earlier the bodies of 6 Jesuit priests lay on that ground in pools of blood. They were teachers and scholars, and they had been violently murdered for doing what few others dared—they spoke out for the poor and urged their students to do the same. For this, the Salvadoran National guard stormed into the Jesuit residence late at night and shot them all.

Even knowing these details of the brutal murder of the Jesuits before arriving in El Salvador, I still struggled to feel something more. I had expected to be overwhelmed with emotion, but I wasn’t. I knew that there they had died, yet I didn’t quite realize, in the fullest sense of that word, that they still live.
10 years later a Jesuit priest named Dean Brackley and young married couple who had served as Jesuit volunteers shared pupusas together (in the same way that we will later tonight), and they discussed a new way to educate students—a way that would break open hearts. In that dinner conversation the Casa de la Solidaridad (which Leslie, Chloe and I have participated in) was born. Over four months of immersing ourselves in the Salvadoran reality, we integrated our class work with praxis; that is, real life experience of building relationships of solidarity with the poor and vulnerable of El Salvador. We heard the stories of Salvadorans in our praxis communities, and we walked with them. We lived simply and grew as a community rooted in Ignatian values. Unfortunately, I don’t have time to tell you everything about the Casa experience, but the point is that students just like you are entering into the Jesuit mission to live in solidarity with the poor.

Fr. Brackley invites students to enter into the Salvadoran reality at the Casa with the following words, and I want you to listen carefully to these words:
“I invite you to discover your vocation in downward mobility. It's a scary request... The world is obsessed with wealth and security and upward mobility and prestige. But let us teach solidarity, walking with the victims, serving and loving. I offer this for you to consider -- downward mobility. And I would say in this enterprise there is a great deal of hope.

Have the courage to lose control.

Have the courage to feel useless.

Have the courage to listen.

Have the courage to receive.

Have the courage to let your heart be broken.

Have the courage to feel.

Have the courage to fall in love.

Have the courage to get ruined for life.

Have the courage to make a friend.”

After my very last class at the UCA, I went back to the rose garden for the first time since that January day. After four months of glimpsing the dreams of the martyrs, I felt it. They were not dead, but very much alive. The blood of these Jesuits cries out from the earth, and today’s Jesuits and their collaborators continue to live in the hope of the martyrs.

Our hope this evening is that when we walk through this garden again maybe—if only slightly--we will feel it. We will know that they are alive.

Farm of the Child Video

If you're still wondering what Farm of the Child is all about, watch this video. It's really great!

http://www.farmofthechild.org/scrapbook_video.php