FOCUS

FOCUS – Fellowship of Catholic University Students – is an act of God’s merciful love for humanity. Through its work on college campuses, the Holy Spirit draws our nation’s future leaders into an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. After equipping these men and women for lifelong Catholic mission, the Gospel can be effectively proclaimed to the world! But none of this is possible without YOU.

Sunday, June 26, 2011

ONE CRAZY NIGHT!

I had been working all evening on fundraising when my team leader, Kyle, encouraged me to take a break and have a beer.  We went to MURPHY'S PUB with several other missionaries.  Kyle immediately went over to a table of random guys and struck up a conversation while I talked with Brian, another missionary, across the room.  The whole table of guys was laughing and having a great time. 20 minutes later, the whole table stood up to leave. Intrigued, Brian and I walked over and introduced ourselves to the guys Kyle had met.


As Kyle closed the tab, the students told me that they were all going to JOE'S.  Joe's Brewery is insane... in the worst kind of way.  It's the bar where everyone goes to hookup.  One of the guys jokingly summed it up by saying, "At Joe's you pay $5 to get an STD!"

Standing in the long line outside the bar, the guys told me the topic of conversation:  True love.  The guys originally thought people should just do whatever they want.  But now, they were beginning to see that true love requires us to sacrifice what we want for the beloved's needs.  To seal the deal, we told them we'd demonstrate on the dance floor...

JOE'S BREWERY
In the midst of the "bumping-and-grinding", we asked girls to dance with us in a different kind of way.  They were hesitant at first but loved it by the end!  We treated them with brotherly love and they were astonished!  Kyle danced with the same girl for over 45 minutes and her face was glowing with joy.

One of the guys we had been talking to was in awe.  He said, "You guys are seriously messin' with my mind... I stopped believing in that kind of thing a long time ago."  I invited him outside and we started to talk.  He opened up his heart to me about the hurt he experienced in past relationships and I explained how God desires for him to have healing and freedom.  He was genuinely awestruck about Catholicism!  I gave him my number so we could talk later.

My heart breaks for all of those people in despair at Joe's Brewery.  They've given up on true love and now settle for living for pleasure, like animals.  They deserve so much more and it was an incredible blessing to show them that true love and happiness is real and attainable through Christ.  Friday night was one of the best nights of my life.  THANKS FOR MAKING ALL OF THIS POSSIBLE!

Monday, June 20, 2011

Love Against Evil

Last night, all of FOCUS' men missionaries went and prayed outside of an "Adult Boutique" store.  We met in the chapel to pray and then walked to the store.  In the midst of the hustle-and-bustle of a busy college town, a hundred guys walking in silence was probably quite the sight to see!

We cornered the store and prayed a rosary.  It was simple, yet profound and I know we made an impact.  We may never see the fruit that comes from our prayer but we must have boundless confidence in God's concern for his children.  He has shown us the extent of His love through Christ Crucified and I cannot believe such love could ever remain ineffective!

As we walked, the Holy Spirit filled me with a new understanding of Christ's presence in my life:  God is truly in me.  I have been grafted into the life of Christ through Baptism.  His life courses through my entire being and therefore, I carry power from On High! "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." (Gal 2:20)

We were warring with evil but I was filled with confidence in Christ's presence.  I felt like Saint Paul!  "For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us form the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Rom 8:38-39)

This same confidence was transposed onto those whom we were praying for and I know that Jesus worked in their lives last night.  Praise be to God!

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Why A Blog?

God bless OUR work with FOCUS!  We stand at the threshold of an incredible journey which, by God's grace, will reach the ends of the earth and penetrate the hearts of many, including our own.  We have committed ourselves to a divine task, a work of God, for the salvation of human lives.

With God's help, this blog can be a source of life for all of us.  Through it I hope you can enter more fully into the missionary activities you've so generously made possible.  Nothing has ever fit my heart's desires more radically and I want YOU with me, every step of the way.