What I Found at SEEK25

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Nationally known Catholic speakers were in town last week as Salt Lake City hosted SEEK25, which brought more than 16,000 Catholics from all over the world for five days of faith and fellowship. I had the opportunity to attend several of the events, and came away much to ponder.

The first keynote address of the event was given by Arthur Brooks, a Harvard business professor who spoke about the science of happiness. While the topic doesn’t strictly align with religion, Brooks explained that it is paramount for people to answer two questions: “Why am I alive?” and “For what would I happily give my life?”

Catholics answer the first question by saying that God created them, and the happiness derived from that can lead others to ask about the faith, he said.

He also quoted Saint Aquinas, who said that humankind has four substitutes for God: wealth, pleasure, power and honor. For lasting satisfaction, Brooks said, a person needs fewer wants.

In my own life, the pursuit of wealth, pleasure, power and honor hasn’t led to much, but that doesn’t mean I don’t still try. Whether I would be happier ditching that effort and instead trying to walk humbly with God is a good question for reflection.

At the conference, Brooks was followed by Sister Mary Grace, SV. She also quoted Aquinas, to the effect that through the Eucharist Jesus is a God who has found a way to stay with us.

That gives me a whole new perspective on Communion: when I receive the host, Jesus is coming to stay with me.

Another quote from Sr. Mary Grace that struck home was “We can believe in our sins more than our salvation.”

Yes, indeed. I am often convinced that I am such a great sinner that God couldn’t possibly want to let his face shine upon me, even though I’m familiar with the words of numerous saints that there is no sin greater than God’s grace, as well as the assurance from St. Francis of Assisi, who said, “I have been all things unholy. If God can work through me, he can work through anyone.”

And yet, and yet, I still am afraid that God has no use for me, so it was reassuring to hear Sr. Mary Grace say that Jesus is not fixated on fixing people, he’s focusing on finding us. This, of course, brings up the image of Christ as the Good Shepherd, but I don’t usually think of myself as one of the lost sheep he’s seeking, because despite all the reassurances that he loves me, I struggle to accept that he would come looking for me.

Sr. Mary Grace had an answer for this doubt as well: “Give your fears to Jesus,” she said, and I am thinking that this is a New Year’s resolution I should make every effort to keep.

On the second day of the conference, Father Mike Schmitz had plenty of things to say that apply directly to my life, including this quote from François de la Rochefoucauld: “We try to make virtues out of the faults we have no wish to correct.”

He also quoted G.K. Chesterton: “I don’t need a church to tell me I’m wrong where I already know I’m wrong; I need a church to tell me I’m wrong where I think I’m right.”

And another from Augustine: “Lust indulged became habit, and habit unresisted became necessity.”

I think this last applies to any sin; if we don’t resist “the near occasion of sin” we’re in danger of allowing it to become a habit, which needless to say is not a good thing.

I’d go on to talk about my notes from Monsignor James Shea and Sr. Miriam James Heidland SOLT, but it’s sufficient to say that the conference was faith-affirming and challenging as well, although perhaps the image that will stick with me most is one I encountered as I left the Salt Palace after the closing Mass: A seminarian was talking with another man who appeared to be living on the streets with his two dogs, and as I passed the seminarian gave a blessing that included not only the other man but also his pets.

This act, more than anything I heard, was a lesson in how to put my faith in action, and I pray that I will take it to heart.

Marie Mischel is editor of the Intermountain Catholic. Reach her at Marie@icatholic.org.