January 2012 was an amazing month.  We established a new standard, surpassing last January, for the most views in a month ever on the site.  There were 47 posts published, which was a lot.  That included  fifteen posts with video embedded (including initiating a series from the ReBuild My Church broadcast) and two posts with audio.

We had three “longer form” posts this month, all of which are found in the top ten of the month according to the stats meter. That might explain why, despite our November theorizing about our standard post size, why we averaged about 250 words per post. And you did your part as well, posting up nearly 30 comments this month.  Thanks!

Again, we have taken all the words of this month and placed them into a wordle. (Click on image to enlarge.)  But, all the key words – -  young people, youth ministry, Jesus, Lord, Catholic, witness, faith, church – - seem to indicate the we have remained on message throughout all the verbiage.

Here’s a youtube for you to use with young people, but it is directed at this day, the feast of Saint John Bosco.

John had a dream at 9 that led him to his vocation.  As a saint, he is known as the patron of young people… but in youth ministry, I think we may have allowed his feast day to be co-opted into the annual celebration of Catholic Schools Week.

Yet, his families interpretation of his dream that he might become a shepherd, join a circus, or a member of a gang fit our tribe of catholic youth ministers as much or more than Catholic educators – among whom we count ourselves as well.

Anyway, the challenge remains the same today – - lead virtuous lives and encourage young people to do the same.  Share the Good News with the next generation.

Here’s more on Don Bosco.

Today is a day that we have celebrated before…  At 47, as have been many of celebrations of this day, I was working and travelling. At 48, I could barely acknowledge it. At 49, was I really at the top of my game?  Probably not. At 50, there was shepherding ducks and expressing gratitude.  At 51, there was reflection on digital chutzpah. At 52, there was comment of the confidence that comes with experience.  At 53, we prayed.

And, here I am, at 54.

The life lesson of the past year was to seek joy – if there is ever a sense of winning in life, it is in the ability to focus and appreciate that which offers joy – - for me, it is found in faith and in the blessings of a wonderful adult family, good and true friends, and the on-going search for discovery.  Today, hold onto that and celebrate that which gives you joy.

Yes, there is a Super Bowl next Sunday, and, no, my home town team will not be in it.

That said, you have to appreciate the life lessons learned from a winning touchdown pass being slapped out of your hands and an overtime inducing field goal going wide left in the final minutes.

We’ve got to go back to work and make sure we finish it next time.

Don’t ever drop your head when it comes to a loss, dawg.  Because there is too much pain outside of this that people are really going through.

Let’s make somebody smile

Ray Lewis is a future Hall of Fame-r. He is a leader.  He has grown beyond the indiscretions of his past.

He is…  A Raven!

And he makes our community proud no matter the final score.

Our prayer for this day, the Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

We seek, O Lord to listen to your words. We know who you are… the Holy One of God! Let us come into Your very presence with thanksgiving.  We seek to be quiet, let all distractions come our of us.

Come, let us bow down in worship; let us kneel before the Lord who made us. You are our God. Our hearts have been bruised, yet we desire open hearts. Our ears have heard so much falseness, yet we want to hear Your true voice, your message of salvation.

May we be taught as well as teach with the authority of the Lord. Send for your Spirit, Lord, place Your words into our mouths that we may speak of all that You command us. May we proclaim in Your name, not about the things of the world, but about the about the things of the Lord.  <image source>

On this weekend which celebrates the beloved anniversary of my hatching, I thought I would share with you about what the D in my name stands for…

It’s not Doctor (at least not yet) which sometimes gets confusing for folks who think there was a typo in the printing of my name.

But, when asked, I will often respond… Dancing-Machine, Dapper, Darling, Dashing, Decidedly, Debonair, Delightful, Dense, Derelict, Devastating, Discerning, Disheveled, Dressy, Droll, Dynamic, and … Disciple.

And then I will admit…

David       <image source>

Our urgent task to reclaim
love of Jesus and His Church as the passion of our lives”
summons us not into ourselves but to Our Lord.
Jesus prefers
prophets, not programs;
saints, not solutions; conversion of hearts, not calls to action;
prayer, not protests:
Verbum Dei rather than our verbage.

~ Archbishop Timothy Dolan
November Bishop’s Meeting

As a is diocesan youth ministry coordinator with the diocese of Northampton, in England. Avril Baigent was the author of the much acclaimed Y Church Report.

We can not stop looking towards research and discovery about the young people we serve. It is a sign of the professionalism of  our field when we are able to move beyond a “gut  instinct” sensibility as to why we do what we do and base it on research on what is needed and what works.

Gove a listen to Avril.

The protests started in Egypt exactly one year ago, on January 25. They led to the overthrow of the Mubarak administration when he resigned February 11.

I’ve spent a fair amount of time thinking on The Protestor as well as the Occupy movement.

Our challenge with the next generation is to make space for them to “protest” towards change for justice….  But we must also engage them in the ability to “profess” what it is they believe and why they believe change is neccessary.

In the words of a Billy Joel oldie, “We Didn’t Start the Fire” but we do have the spiritual tinder by which to fuel it.