May 3

Stretchin' it out, here we go!

In Connecticut I set off with the Boy Scouts to trek a 50 mile flat, not too hilly, bike ride on Cape Cod. It turned into 60.1, because at 50 miles we were enjoying the ride far too much.

One game we played was a “five-part-compliment.” As we passed someone one person says one word: “You-have-really-nice-... shoes!” and we gave a bunch of apples to a park ranger just because. One boy ate half a loaf of white bread on the car ride up, another wore bright green neon everything for the ride, they all wanted Ben and Jerry’s for lunch, and their youth still finished before the adults.

Scoutmaster

At the end of the day, the bike ride over, my legs sore, the chicken stew cooked and the dinner table full of laughter, elbows and bread, we made a really big fire. We stood around it, freely talking and all were welcome. It was cold so we made the fire even bigger.

Our prayer after retiring the american flag:

God our Father, thank you for this day; the experiences that teach us to live well. Thank you for this country and the chance to see it in a bike ride. Thank you for fraternity, which was always your original intention for man. And thank you for the Boy Scouts helping boys journey to men.

It was freezing, but they insisted in taking their sweatshirts off for this.

At the Hartford Catholic Worker, which is an after school program of sorts, I was building legos of a minecraft castle with one boy, 8, and he says, “I never want to go back to school, I just want to come here to the green house instead.” Then he starts singing “I never want to go back to school… school is bad… never ever…” I joked with him,

“well at least school can help your singing.”

When we finished cleaning up the legos he says “I want you to be my dad, you can be my dad.”

“That’s very nice, why don’t you go home and give your dad a great big hug?”

He looks at me with his hands up at his side “But I don’t have a dad!” The volunteers at the Hartford Catholic Worker are great and the older ones, my peers, are among my best friends. We are a community from every culture and background.

Cranberry farm at Cape Cod

I returned home for a short break which has progressed into a summer-long-discernment of whether or not to continue with the Missioners of Christ. I am trying to authentically listen for my “follow me” in a way I was unable to in Comayagua. Andrew, John and later Peter went to see where this proclaimed Lamb of God, mystery man Jesus was staying. Peter was so changed he went from Simon to Cephas! In one afternoon I too went from Wyatt to Rolando.

Jesus has let me witness incredible pieces of the human experience in Honduras, which I have tried to share with you. Peter too is put to thinking when after changing his name Jesus comes to Peter’s mother-in-law’s bed and cures her. I don’t want to speak for Peter, but I certainly don’t feel like Simon anymore.

The next part is interesting and because I’m here it has my attention. Peter returns with his brother Andrew, his friends James and John to fish. To wait for that “follow me”, to discern what they had already seen.

My form of fishing or fishing for men are my favorite ministries here in CT, in my Galilee; accompanying boy scouts on their journey in Troop 39, witnessing the Christ in me to St. John Fisher youth group, and growing as a person next to my friends at the Hartford Catholic Worker. This is my discernment.

In Jesus of Nazareth (1977) Judas Iscariot pulls Jesus aside

“Master, that scribe had every intention of greeting you in a friendly manner. He wanted to understand your mission. Was it wise to discourage him? He has one of the most open minds in the Sanhedrin.”

Jesus, looking seriously to Judas and in a quiet voice, speaks to him, “Open your heart Judas, not your mind. Open your eyes and your heart.”

Judas looks blankly at him thinking “you’re crazy!” and runs off to console the scribe.

With a listening heart and eyes wide open I wait for my “follow me.”

Mahatma Gandhi said “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”

Thank you for following the Honduran mission, to continue reading the stories of other Missioners of Christ, please visit