Fr. Joshua Waltz vocation story

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Summary

Fr. Joshua Waltz shares his engaging vocation journey, highlighting key moments that led him to the priesthood. His story begins with him as a talented altar server, transitioning to a soccer enthusiast who experiences a crushing defeat. Despite a tumultuous journey through high school and college, filled with personal challenges and adventures across Europe, divine interventions guide him. Key influences include his interactions with revered priests and an unexpected encounter with Pope John Paul II, leading to a profound spiritual awakening. He urges the importance of choices, a steadfast commitment to faith practices, and the surprises of a life surrendered to Jesus. His tale conveys a profound message about finding true fulfillment through faith and commitment.

Highlights

Choices are pivotal in shaping our destiny. 🚀
Fr. Waltz's soccer defeat was a pivotal moment of growth. ⚽
Meeting Pope John Paul II was a life-altering experience. 🙏
A series of daring adventures in Europe signify divine guidance. 🌍
Through confession and Mass, Fr. Waltz maintained his faith. ⛪
His ultimate message: trust in Jesus leads to a fulfilling life. ✨

Key Takeaways

Choices define our path, affecting fame, success, and impact. 🛤️
Fr. Waltz's soccer mishap taught him humility and perseverance. ⚽
His journey through Europe was tumultuous yet divinely guided. ✈️
Pope John Paul II's presence profoundly impacted Fr. Waltz. 🕊️
Faith practices like Mass and confession were vital constants. ⛪
Surrendering to Jesus leads to true fulfillment and freedom. 🤲

Overview

Fr. Joshua Waltz's story weaves through pivotal choices and lessons learned from the soccer field to the altar. As a young altar server deemed 'server of the year,' his path seemed set until high school disillusionment took over, prioritizing soccer over faith. His heart-wrenching loss during a crucial game sparked an inner questioning that eventually guided him toward priesthood.

The narrative takes a thrilling turn with European escapades, including a once-in-a-lifetime encounter with Pope John Paul II. This divine appointment, alongside several miraculous yet challenging travel experiences, acted as catalysts, drawing him closer to his true calling. His tale is one of grappling with faith, encountering angels among strangers, and finding spiritual direction amidst chaos.

Ultimately, Fr. Waltz emphasizes the importance of steadfast practices like attending Mass and confession as anchors in a tumultuous life. His message is clear: The choices one makes determine the spiritual fulfillment and the profound life-changing freedom found in surrendering all to Jesus. His journey inspires a reevaluation of life’s priorities, urging listeners to align their decisions with divine purpose.

Chapters

00:00 - 00:30: Introduction The chapter titled 'Introduction' begins with the speaker discussing how their vocation story started at birth, as all vocation stories do, but it wasn't until the age of 12 that it truly began to take shape. The speaker clarifies that sharing this story is not merely about getting it out there or inspiring others. Instead, the speaker has a deeper reason for sharing their story, which is to communicate a message to the audience.
00:30 - 01:40: Choices and Consequences This chapter emphasizes the significance of choices in life. The speaker highlights how choices play a crucial role in achieving fame, wealth, and making an impact in the world. The concept of free will is presented as a profound mystery shared by all humanity. The narrative promises insights into various decisions made by the speaker, ranging from intelligent to foolish ones, illustrating the importance and consequences of choice.
01:40 - 03:20: Altar Server Experience The chapter titled 'Altar Server Experience' delves into the narrator's childhood memories, particularly focusing on their experiences as a 12-year-old altar server. They recall being recognized for their dedication and skill, ultimately being named 'Server of the Year' by the Serra Club, an organization known for promoting religious vocations. The chapter highlights the significance of this achievement for the narrator at that young age, as well as their family's pride, particularly their mother's, in receiving an honorary plaque for this distinction.
03:20 - 05:00: High School Challenges In this chapter, the narrator recounts his experiences in high school, focusing on his involvement with church services. Initially, he did not enjoy attending church, but this changed when he began serving during Mass. This role allowed him to actively participate, transforming his perspective and making the church experience enjoyable. The narrator became one of the bishop's preferred servers, valued for his competence and dedication.
05:00 - 07:30: State Soccer Championship The chapter discusses the transitional phase of entering high school and how interests and social dynamics shift in this environment. It touches upon the change in perception towards religious activities such as serving at Mass, which may become less socially rewarding or cool. This results in some individuals becoming ashamed of their faith due to a lack of understanding. Additionally, soccer emerges as a central theme, highlighting its significance in the narrator's life as a primary focus instead of religious practices.
07:30 - 10:00: Encountering Priests and Faith The chapter 'Encountering Priests and Faith' seems to center around a personal narrative, possibly an autobiographical account, focusing on the individual's intense involvement in soccer throughout their youth and early adulthood. The narrator describes their deep passion for the sport, mentioning participation in the Olympic development program, AA national championships, and playing through college. Soccer is portrayed as a crucial part of their life, offering a sense of identity and accomplishment. However, a significant turning point occurs during their junior year when everything goes awry, highlighted by a pivotal moment in a State title game, where the narrator was playing as a sweeper. This chapter likely explores themes of disappointment, personal growth, or a shift in life focus possibly influenced by encounters with religion or religious figures, as suggested by the title.
10:00 - 13:20: Journey to Rome The chapter 'Journey to Rome' seems to start with an anecdote or story about a soccer game, specifically a state championship. The narrator, who appears to have played the position of 'sweeper' (the last defensive position), recalls being the final line of defense against an opposing player named Jeff Fiser, who managed to break free from the other defenders with only seven seconds left in the game. The narrative tone suggests a high-stakes moment that might connect metaphorically or literally to the broader theme of the chapter, possibly involving themes of confrontation, standing one's ground, or facing challenges.
13:20 - 16:40: Meeting the Pope In this pivotal moment, a character vividly recalls an intense situation involving a crucial decision during a soccer match. As the opponent prepares to shoot, the character must choose between sliding in to block the shot or relying on the goalie to make the save. Opting for the direct approach, they slide in as the shot is taken, managing to deflect the ball with their shin and avert a goal. This moment highlights a quick decision-making scenario in sports, emphasizing teamwork and personal responsibility.
16:40 - 23:20: Train Misadventures The chapter titled 'Train Misadventures' recounts a personal and emotional experience during a soccer game. The narrator describes a particularly painful loss where their mistake led the team to lose with a score of two to one. The emotional impact of this event is significant, resulting in the narrator dropping to their knees and crying. The situation is made worse by the fact that the opposing team comprised friends of the narrator, adding a layer of personal embarrassment to the sports defeat.
23:20 - 30:00: Barcelona Experience The chapter titled 'Barcelona Experience' describes a memorable event at a big bonfire where the narrator was surrounded by soccer players in celebratory spirits. The players, who were state champions from BHS, approached the narrator with a box. Inside the box was a BHS state championship jacket personalized with the narrator's name, making it a special and touching gift.
30:00 - 35:00: Return and Reflections The protagonist reflects on a negative experience with friends, who sarcastically credit their success to them, leading to feelings of betrayal and realization. In an act of catharsis, they destroy the symbol of this experience, burning it in a bonfire. This event marks a significant emotional breaking point, hinting at deep internal struggles and a turning point during their senior year.
35:00 - 39:00: Life Lessons in Mexico In the chapter titled 'Life Lessons in Mexico', the narrator introduces two influential priests who significantly impacted their life. These priests, Monsignor Tom RoR and Father Austin Vetter, arrived at the narrator's school and left a profound impression with their joyful and passionate approach to faith. This stirred a new enthusiasm within the narrator, who became deeply engaged in religion class. The chapter highlights the transformative power of encountering genuine joy and fervor in religious faith, as exemplified by these two priests.
39:00 - 45:00: Questioning Life's Purpose In the chapter titled 'Questioning Life's Purpose,' the narrator recounts an experience from their past where they struggled to openly express their love for Jesus due to the fear of judgment from friends. Despite this internal conflict, the narrator was active in religious activities such as studying, reading, and praying. This dedication culminated in a pivotal moment during a class when a priest, Monsignor RoR, pointed at the narrator and declared, 'waly, you're going to be a priest.' This moment seems to underscore a significant turning point in the narrator's spiritual journey, suggesting a divine calling that challenges their previous apprehensions.
45:00 - 50:00: Confession and Daily Mass The speaker recalls being teased by friends and clergy, including Father Veter and Father RoR, about the prospect of joining the priesthood. Despite repeated denials and laughter, the clergy continued to encourage him, perceiving a potential for spiritual devotion in him that he hadn't recognized in himself.
50:00 - 55:00: Signs from God The chapter titled 'Signs from God' discusses a group of people who decide to take a pilgrimage to Rome. Anyone who can pay for it is welcome to join, but there's a personal dilemma for the narrator as others want him to become a priest. Despite his reluctance, his mother supports the idea and offers to help financially. The narrator also has ulterior motives for wanting to go on the pilgrimage, such as the opportunity to drink beer in Rome and the prospect of spending time with a girl he is interested in.
55:00 - 60:00: Choosing Priesthood The chapter titled 'Choosing Priesthood' describes a trip to Rome, where the narrator reflects on their commitment to attending Sunday mass and confession, regardless of their circumstances. This routine, even during challenging times, reflects a deliberate choice in maintaining their faith and spiritual practices.
60:00 - 61:30: Conclusion and Advice This chapter provides reflections on a visit to Rome, focusing particularly on the surprising diversity within church congregations. Contrary to the speaker's initial belief that churchgoers are predominantly older individuals, the visit to Rome illustrated a more varied demographic, with many younger people actively participating in church activities. This observation offers a fresh perspective on the vibrancy and inclusivity of faith communities.

Fr. Joshua Waltz vocation story Transcription

00:00 - 00:30 [Music] my vocation story starts when I was born right because that's when all vocation stories start but I didn't really really kick in and tell about I was about 12 years old when I was 12 years old before I before I even start with my vocation story The reason I want to tell you about this tonight is just not just because I want uh my story to get out there and people to hear it and be inspired and all that garbage the reason I'm telling you is is because I want you
00:30 - 01:00 to pay attention in this story to how important choices are okay choices are the most important thing you're going to do in your life you know a lot of people think it's going to be to be famous it's going to be make money but the only way you become famous the only way you make money the only way you impact the world is all is through Choice it's a great mystery of free will that all of humanity has and so pay attention to the choices that I made some of them very stupid some of them kind of stupid and
01:00 - 01:30 then some of them sort of intelligent right and somehow God gets his way in that the only way God gets his way in that whole thing is by two things which I'm going to explain but when I was 12 years old I was a a server alter server I was a really good server I even made it to be the Sarah Club that's kind of the big club that that sponsors vocations they name me server of the year that's a pretty big deal when you're 12 years old okay I was server of the year and so they had this big thing and they they they honored me with this plaque it's so this plaque my mom thinks
01:30 - 02:00 it's the greatest thing in the world and this plaque you know and I was like this is amazing the bishop would call me up personally and he'd say I want you to serve this Mass because me and two other guys were like his go-to guys because he didn't have to train us because we knew what we were doing and so serving was a huge thing and when I was serving I was like all I remember is I didn't like church until I was serving then I enjoyed it because I was actually doing something I was really participating in the mass and I remember I love serving fast forward a little bit till I get
02:00 - 02:30 into high school when you get to high school pretty much all you are in high school right yeah when you get to high school serving really isn't that cool anymore you know I mean it's not like you go to a party and you're like hey man I just served at Mass I got to serve at Mass tomorrow what do you got you guys you going to you going to be there or what you know I mean so you really don't talk about it anymore you don't want to talk about your faith period because you're ashamed of it and the reason you're ashamed of it is because you don't understand it and I didn't understand my faith at all and I lived I lived for soccer okay soccer was the
02:30 - 03:00 greatest thing it was it was it was everything for me I played in the summer I played during the school year I was on the Olympic development program team I went to the AA national championships I played through college it was everything for me everything and my junior year my junior year everything came crashing down everything came crashing down we met it the State title game okay and I was the sweeper does any
03:00 - 03:30 does anybody know anything about soccer because I know everybody's like this is Big Time football country right and all that kind of stuff so just bear with me the sweeper is the last but you know reason I'm going to tell you this even if no you understand soccer you're athletes and so you can relate to me on that level so I was the sweeper on the last guy there was seven seconds left in the state championship game 7 seconds left and the one guy the forward got a breakaway he beat both of our Defenders I was the last guy it was one-on-one Jeff fiser I still remember his name
03:30 - 04:00 it's Crystal Clear in my head and as he's coming he's getting and I look at the clock and I look at him and it's like five seconds and all of a sudden I see him and he's he's getting ready to shoot I'm like either I slide in or I let him shoot and just hope that the goalie stops it so I'm not leaving my goalie defend for himself I slide in he kicks the ball is going this way and the goalie I see him out of the corner of my eye getting ready to dive as I slide in it hits my shin and
04:00 - 04:30 deflect the other way okay three two one the ball rolls over the goal line we lose two to one my fault why are you laughing at me that's terrible we lose two to one I dropped to my knees that day and I whpt like a little girl just tears were and here's the worst part you ready for this all the guys we were playing against at BHS bisar high they were all buddies of mine we played during the in the summer
04:30 - 05:00 together so later on we went to this big bonfire and all the soccer guys were there and we were enjoying each other's company and whatnot and they came up to me with this box and they had their BHS jackets state champions their names on it you know it's just rubbing it in they're like we want you to have this box and I'm like well what is it like just open it man we felt bad for you so I'm like I open it up take off the lid and it's a BHS state championship jacket with my name written
05:00 - 05:30 on it and I'm like what the heck is this they're like couldn't have done it without you yeah it was terrible aren't those great friends and so I took it threw it in the bonfire but the point of this is my my heart and there were demons I figured Let It Burn it's Hell whatever so I I soccer broke something broke inside of me then my senior year
05:30 - 06:00 two priests came into my life two priests one was name uh father now I'm on senior Tom RoR father David's brother and father Austin veter who is a native of this land down here I think right the Vets are big down here isn't this verville in the July or something like that and they came into this school and they just took this school by storm and I saw in these guys there was this Joy about the faith that I had never seen there was this fire about the faith that I had never seen and so I just entered full bore into religion class like I
06:00 - 06:30 loved it I didn't I couldn't let my friends see that couldn't let I don't know why but we can't let our friends see that we love Jesus right like that's some terrible thing and so every day they would call on me and I had the right answers I started studying I was reading I was praying and all sudden like this is great and then the terrible thing something terrible happened one day in the middle of class mon senior RoR pointed at me and he said waly you're going to be a priest
06:30 - 07:00 and I was like and all my buddies like you're going to be a priest I'm like no no I don't know what I'm I'm never I would never ever do that and I like laughed and these guys were all making fun of me and every day both father veter and father RoR there kept saying and they would you know they'd say stupid stuff like when are you going to join the ranks when are you going to be a man and I'm like shut up just shut up they wouldn't let me go because they saw something in my heart they saw something that wasn't gone yet there was
07:00 - 07:30 something there and so they came up with this brilliant idea they said we're going to go to Rome we're going to go to Rome we're going to take a pilgrimage to Rome and anybody that can pay for it can come and I was like well that would be pretty sweet but I you know I was like I got to stay away from these guys because they want me to be a priest I go home and tell my mom my mom's like that's a great idea she's like I'll help you pay for it and I'm like oh and see I figured you know I mean you could drink beer over there and there was a really cute girl that I wanted to date she was going
07:30 - 08:00 on the trip I was like this is a win-win like I and I don't have to really pay so I went on this Rome trip I went on this Rome trip when I was on this Rome trip now be as this is all going on I want you to be very clear about something I'll mention it a couple times as this is all going on I never stopped going to Sunday mass and I never stopped going to confession even at my worst I never stopped those two things I'm going to mention that several times because that's a choice I made I made a choice to do those two things we go to Rome
08:00 - 08:30 wonderful place if you ever get a chance to go to Rome you got to go there maybe you've been it's outstanding and what struck me about Rome is this the church I always thought was for old people do you ever get that sense like there's always old people in the church like all there is is old people everywhere and they're just old and they go to church and that's like our faith and I remember when I went over to Rome I started seeing that were these young
08:30 - 09:00 Martyrs these people that gave their lives for the faith and I started questioning my own heart I was like I wonder what I would die for and you know what this is really sad I came down to the fact that I Wouldn't Die for anything nor would I die for anybody that's sad that's how selfish this guy was I'm still kind of selfish but I'm working on it I Wouldn't Die for anything and that bothered me something hit me hard but I started seeing the glories of the church
09:00 - 09:30 all the history how it affected everything in western civilization how some of the greatest Minds ever came out of the Catholic Church it wasn't just for dumb people cuz I met a lot of dumb people no most of my friends were dumb I was dumb you're dumb no we we're all pretty dumb when it comes I mean hopefully now Father David and I are a little bit better but for the most part we're pretty dumb when it comes to the faith and all of a sudden I heard about St Thomas aquinus and like he was this he was one you guys do you
09:30 - 10:00 realize he was like probably the smartest guy ever ever in the world maybe I know that's kind of bold Aristotle was pretty serious too St Augustine St Augustine was this crazy crazy guy he had a he had a kid outside of wedlock he was a partyer he loved to go around and just it was all about living for the moment all about getting whatever crazy thing he could get that made him happy it was all about him and he became one of the greatest Minds in the Catholic Church
10:00 - 10:30 he became one of the greatest Saints in the Catholic Church St Paul was a murderer I mean at least we haven't done that right he wasn't a murderer or we we're not a murderer but he was and I was like I started thinking about all these people had these huge conversions and I'm like hey maybe this could happen to me maybe this priest thing isn't so crazy and these two guys are fun I thought priests were losers I'm I'm sorry you know maybe you think I'm a loser I don't I don't I don't care but I
10:30 - 11:00 was like they have a lot of fun and they enjoy each other and there's there's a you guys there was something inside of them there was something inside of them that Lit me up I was like whatever they have I don't know what it is but I want it I want it and you know what it was it was simple it was Holiness that's it it was Jesus that's it I just wanted that so we're over in Rome we see all these things well lo and behold one night we get this announcement and this announcement is this bishop uh Paul ziul
11:00 - 11:30 who was our previous bishop before Bishop Kegan and then his predecessor Bishop Kenny were both in town they were in Rome doing what's called an ad liima visit ad liina is every five years the bishop meets with the Pope and when they go to this they get a free ticket it's not really a ticket but they get a free invite and they can bring somebody with them to have a private Mass with the Pope and then meet the pope afterwards usually it's the seminarians over in Rome when I was studying over Rome I got to go with Bishop ziel when he came his second time when he was there his first time there
11:30 - 12:00 were no seminarians and so they came to they came to Father RoR and father veteran they said we have these invites we want to give them to your group and so they announced to us imagine this they announced to us after the meal one night they say we have two invites to go to a private Mass with Pope John Paul II and then afterwards you will meet him and he said we're going to put all your names into a hat and we're going to pick him out and at that moment I put my head down I said Jesus here's the deal deal
12:00 - 12:30 if you want me to be a priest you just pick my name and then all a sudden it's like no wait I take that back it just hit me there was there's only 33 of us like I have a one in 33 chance that's pretty good and I was like girl you know so I feel stuck because I'm a total Pagan you know I think like if I break this promise God's going to kill me and so I sit there and I'm like oh no until we went outside and we prayed and then they pulled out a a name and was Christina and I was like yes and
12:30 - 13:00 they're like what I'm like yay that is so awesome she's going can you imagine what that must be like you know I'm like oh thank God okay Jesus I don't want to be a freest don't make my name and the second one pulls out and it's my name and I just like sat back on this car and I was like oh no and my buddies are like what and I'm like oh man this is awesome I'm just so overcome right now I don't even know what to
13:00 - 13:30 say and all it's going through my head is you're going to be a priest you're going to be a priest you're going to be you know like I was just screaming inside well anyway that kind of subsided and I realized I'm going to go meet the pope right I'm gonna go meet John Paul II and John Paul I stayed up all night I was like what am I going to say to the pope what do you say to the pope hi Pope you know like how's it going I got to figure out something to say to this guy and the other thing was I didn't have any nice clothes I dressed like a slob like all of you right and so I had nothing to wear and
13:30 - 14:00 so father veteran and father RoR gave me their clothes so I was like I had this carnigan sweater on and it was way too big you know I'm like pushing up the sleeves and I'm like I'm going to go see the pope and so they take us into the pap Palace they walk us up the stairs we go around this corner and down this huge hallway and there's Raphael paintings and Michelangelo sculptures and all this crazy stuff and all of a sudden we come around the corner we go into the chapel and there's the pole there's the PO Hope just right
14:00 - 14:30 there like 10t in front of me kneeling and praying and I will never forget if you ever talk to people that went and saw him pray there's some he like groaned when he there was like this like deep size and you it was like the whole church I mean the whole church was on his shoulders but he was just interceding for the whole church he got ready we had Mass it was beautiful and then afterwards we got to meet him and he came out it was really crazy he came out and he was like cuz this is after his hip he had heard his he he had his
14:30 - 15:00 Cane and he's kind of like looking up and I was like see old people in the church you know and he's like guys and then I'm not kidding you he he comes over to his this big desk and he throws his Cane onto his desk and he just goes like this and kicks back and looks around says something in Italian everybody starts laughing so it's the pope so I just started laughing I didn't understand it po made a joke you know and then we met him one by one and as we came up he would give us a rosary kissed his ring
15:00 - 15:30 he give us a rosary when I met him you guys I kissed his ring it felt like I was floating like I literally lifted off the ground and I started crying I'm man enough to admit that whenever anybody got around John Paul II they started crying I don't know what I mean it's sanctity that's what it is he just admits God's love and I started crying and I looked at and I said Holy Father will you please pray for me and my family and he looked deep into my eyes
15:30 - 16:00 and he said I will and I was like so I don't know about you but I had a pope praying for my family and then afterwards we got done and then afterwards Bishop Kenny who knew John Paul pretty well he's like come up here and everybody left the room and we got to talk to him again he's like where are you from like bismar North Dakota and he's like oh it's cold there and I'm like I'm having a conversation with the Pope you know like I was 18 years old so I come out of there everything now is I'm going to be a now it's like I'm going to be a priest
16:00 - 16:30 you know this guy is going to be a priest and he this rosary so I have this rosary now here's where the this is a catch so I got to get from Rome Italy to Barcelona Spain to meet my mom she's coming over I'm going to hook up with their tour group I'm you know I'm an idiot 18-year-old like most idiot 18y olds and and I came to the train station I had to take a train couple trains to get to ro uh to Barcelona I get there father RoR father veter they're like you okay you know what you're doing I'm like like yeah I got this whatever you know
16:30 - 17:00 just an idiot hat on backwards you know my pants down here oh man it's no big deal really I'm 18 in case you didn't realize and so they left me so I get into the train station I look up and in in in the the train station there is this huge board and there's I don't know maybe 25 or 30 trains they're all listed and I'm like um and I don't speak Italian and I was like H yeah and there's three trains going to
17:00 - 17:30 the same place I want to go so I was like well I'll just pick one they must all be the same it's like an airport they all go to the same place so I get on and I I look at the the conductor he standing there I'm like this my train and he looks at he's like I see you never trust Italians okay if you ever get to Italy you never trust Italians so I get on the train and I'm you know I'm riding along and I'm like and it stops all the time and I'm like I thought I was supposed to be on a really
17:30 - 18:00 fast train you know like those bullet trains that fly through Italy and I'm like this is not a bullet this is like a I don't know like a covered wagon it feels like and people are smoking in it and it stinks so we get just outside of pza and I find out I show this lady sitting next to me she spoke some broken English she's like oh no you're on the wrong train you were supposed to be on the other train and I'm like well well now what and she's like I don't know you're going to have to talk to people when you get to Pizza and I'm like great I'm already late then all of a sudden the train stops just stopped in the middle of nowhere
18:00 - 18:30 and I'm like everybody starts jumping and yelling and screaming and I'm like I think there's like a terrorist attack or something on the train and I and I said I'm like I'm like what I was like Hey happening you know I didn't know I was trying to use some Spanish and she looks at me and she's like strike and I'm like a strike like the Train's on strike I'm like how long she's like we sat there for 6 hours just
18:30 - 19:00 sitting and there's no air conditioning and it's hot it was like July it was so hot finally the train picks back up we get to pza I walk in I'm like yeah I screwed this up can you help me and he's like uh sure get on this train I'm like okay and because I didn't know what I was doing so I get on this train and we're going along and all of a sudden I'm like walk I'm trying to find my place and I'm like looking around there's some really freaky people on the train if you've ever taken it you know it's kind of like the Greyhound bus of
19:00 - 19:30 of Europe and so as I'm walking I look and all a sudden I look and there's this room and they're like crossdressers they're they're men dressed like women and they're really drunk am I their cabin is right here and mine is right next to them and all this now John Paul second gave me that rosary and so I was like I'm going to pray the rosary cuz I feel like praying the rosary and then all a sudden they started beating on my door and they're like hey little boy you want to have a good time and I'm like
19:30 - 20:00 no no I don't I just want to get to my mom you know and so I'm I'm praying the rosary and I didn't even really know how to pray the rosary my my grandma prayed the rosary like crazy she prayed the rosary all the time one time she was praying the rosary and she got going like 110 miles an hour I'm like looking out the window cuz I didn't want to pray the rosary and like stuff was just like and I'm like Grandma she's like oh goodness you know just rolling the be so all I remember I didn't know the
20:00 - 20:30 Mysteries I didn't know anything I just knew our fathers in Hell Mary so I was just like okay Jesus this is what I'm supposed to do here I go like our father Hail Mary Hail Mary Hil Mary Our Father you know so I'm rolling the rosary and they're still beating on the door and I'm like just leave me alone you know and then all of a sudden the door starts shaking and I'm like this is where I die this is where horrible things happen to me and I die cuz the crossdressers are finally coming to kill me and the door the door opens and two
20:30 - 21:00 border patrol two border patrol with AK-47 machine guns I had two barrels one in each eyeball and they look at me and they're like bapor and I'm like yeah and he like looks this is the best part he looks at it and he's like it's not him and I'm like like not who who is on this train that you need guns for you know I bet
21:00 - 21:30 they're Next Door Check next door I bet that's right so I finally I finally I get in I get into nce France okay I'm going to give you a little tip when you're on a train don't stick your head out the window I'm sitting I'm coming in nce France is beautiful have you ever been to nice if you ever get a chance to go it's a French Riviera it's gorgeous so I'm sticking my head out and I'm like oh it's beautiful fresh air I got my rosary I'm like Jesus you're so good and all of a sudden there's a tunnel and I didn't
21:30 - 22:00 see the tunnel coming and I'm just like yeah it's like boom and I literally flew backwards landed on my back and I'm just like why is this happening so I get up still praying I still got my rosary still holding it I'm like Jesus this isn't funny anymore I get into nce France I get into East France I get out I come up it's 3:00 a.m. I come up to the guy I say look man
22:00 - 22:30 I need a train I've missed my trains I need a train he's like the the station closes you have to leave I was like I'll just sleep here he's like no you have to leave and I was like can I get a train in the morning he's like we'll figure it out I'm like okay so I walk out in nice there's a there's a there's a a plateau on the train station and then two staircases that go down to the main street I walk out catch out of the corner my peripheral Corner my eye there's five guys they're over in the corner and they're smoking cigarettes you know I gave him the kind of like
22:30 - 23:00 what's up such an idiot we're all idiots at that age you're idiots I mean so so am I I still kind of am but anyway I'm walking and I got my bag which it's it's an American Tourist bag it may as well just have like neon lights on it says like Mug me mug me mug me and so I'm walking and I look and I look over and I as I'm walking I see two guys come this way and three guys go that way and so again you know I was like this is now
23:00 - 23:30 where I'm really going to die they're going to steal everything they're going to beat me up I'll be lucky to live and there are two times in my vocation story that I heard the voice of God like literally out loud I heard the voice of God and this was one of them and it wasn't profound he said run and I took off now here's the best part I didn't drop the bag I don't know why I didn't drop the bag but I used it
23:30 - 24:00 to propel me you know so I'd throw it and be like you know and I'm running and just these guys take off after me and I'm just like ah you know like this is it and then all a sudden it's like turn left and I'm like boom and now I'm down a dark alley you know I'm like funny this is funny and I'm running just as fast as I can all of a sudden it's like turn right and go in and I turn right go up these stairs and literally take my bag and throw it throw it at the door the doors burst open I fly through it turn around
24:00 - 24:30 just like boom hit these locks and Bam they come up to the door and they start pounding on it and I'm just like and I turn around and there's a guy standing there he's like uh you need a hotel I'm like yeah I do this is the best news of the night he charges me 70 Franks it's all the money I had left now I have no money and this hotel okay I don't want to get too graphic about it but this hotel nce is not a very it's
24:30 - 25:00 not a virtuous town it's a very sinful town and this hotel is one of those hotels that you don't buy a room for the night you buy a room for the hour and when we went in he turned on the light and cockroaches just but I was happy because I wasn't dead and then he's like here it is blah BL blah he leaves me I go in and I'm like the bed has been used and so I just kind of pull the covers
25:00 - 25:30 back on the bed and I lay with the light on and these guys are throwing rocks at my window yelling stuff I smell cigarettes smoke I keep the light on because of the Cockroaches and I was like Jesus just get me to tomorrow so I fall asleep for a little bit wake up I get back on the on the train I get to the train I get I get halfway through nice and I have to stop and now I have to there's this layover I sit there I'm just shot I'm dead tired I fall asleep all of a sudden I wake up to hearing my train is leaving now I'm not kiding you
25:30 - 26:00 this is really like you know in the movies when they're running and the Train's moving I that's me I'm like just don't leave me again you know and like I literally jumped onto the train got onto it get into my room I'm sitting there and I'm just like oh thank you I just sit down the only one in this big car it's beautiful I lay down the first stop now this is the same year it's 1998 the same year that France has the World Cup so I'm in France and it's the World Cup and these guys all of a sudden hear [Music]
26:00 - 26:30 this which is the soccer like chant you know and the and I like look out and these guys no shirts like one guy's in a speedo they have their painted faces they have flags on Norway or something like that and these guys come through and I'm like nah what are the chances they're going to be in here all they're like y you know like they all come in so it's these five guys and me and we had a ball this was the first time I actually had fun right they got
26:30 - 27:00 hammered they were they I don't even know if they made it to the World Cup game but I was telling them about America and they were loving it we had a ball well then they got off and I don't know what happened to them I just started praying to Hell Mary for him you know I'm the big prayer guy now and with my rosary and then I got in very late it was about 1:00 a.m. when I arrived in Barcelona so I finally get into Barcelona I'm walking and I I I'm terrible with directions so I got
27:00 - 27:30 my let's go Spain book you know so I got my American Tourist bag with my let's go Spain book yeah just look like an idiot and it says you know get into the Piaza and go north and you'll find the hostel and I'm like I get into the Piaza and I'm like North is straight I just walk straight and I was I'm on like I don't know this was 36 hours now 42 hours something like that I had barely any sleep cuz I was just so freaked out and everything was just a
27:30 - 28:00 mess so I get upstairs it says second floor the door is kind of like cracked so I open it and I'm like hello nobody's in there so I'm like well this must be it there's a little bar there and I'm like here's a couch this must be the waiting room so I shut the door and I sit down I just I'm just going to wait well I mean matter of seconds and I was just asleep I wake up there's this little girl and she's like pulling out my coat and I like open my eyes and I'm like what the this little tiny girl and
28:00 - 28:30 she says which is why are you in my house and I'm like oh no and and right at that moment her dad comes around I'm just like I am so sorry because I mean his little daughter's right there and I'm like no I just I just hostile hostile and he's like he was so kind though showed me where it was got my room the next day now you guys got to remember something I was supposed to meet my mom my mom for
28:30 - 29:00 36 hours doesn't know where I am and if you knew my mom it's a miracle like helicopters and CIA agents Wen like coming into Barcelona so I went to the place where I was supposed to meet them here's the real kicker they were delayed their flights were canceled all this they weren't there so I'm like oh no I don't have any money remember I'm out of money so I literally have like I don't know like an equivalent of a dollar I go and buy a bottle of water and a loaf of bread and
29:00 - 29:30 I'm like that's it this is where I die the third time I'm sitting in this and we're watch I'm watching a game of the World Cup this he's about 65 64 250 280 lb black man comes up and he's like hey man how you doing and I'm like I'm doing Parable as a matter of fact he's like wow what's going on so I told him my whole story he's like he's like shoot he's like let me buy a meal I'm like really he's like yeah you look starving like I am so I'm
29:30 - 30:00 eating it's just great then at the end we had a nice little conversation I never found out his name and he got up and left and I got up and left I'm like I'm going to walk down Las Ras which is like Fifth Avenue of Barcelona and I'm walking down I'm like this is great you know I'm in Europe I made it here I'm 18 I'm the man should be dead you know and all of a sudden this lady comes up to me and she's one of one of those ladies you know one of those bad ladies
30:00 - 30:30 a woman of the night she's a prostitute and she comes up to me and she said she said again she's like hey little boy you want to come have some fun and I was like No And she was ugly too and I said I said no I don't want to and then this was the crazy part I said I was so at this point I was so like I was in my wit and I'm like you know I was like no I don't want to I was like
30:30 - 31:00 he just leave me alone just leave me alone you know and I turn around and there's five guys standing there and they're like what's the matter with her and I'm like oh nothing and they're like what you don't think she's pretty I'm like no she's she's beautiful I just I was just wonder if I could keep walking and he's like and then they start pushing me and yeah I mean I'm 18 in Barcelona r blous with a prostitute and her pimps
31:00 - 31:30 you know I'm like why is this happening to me this is I just met the pope you know and and they push and push and all of a sudden I I just flipped I just flipped and I was like leave me Al and these guys are like okay and they just like and I was like what the I was like well and I and I turn around and there's a
31:30 - 32:00 6'5 280 pound black man behind me just like this and it was it was great and I'm like hey and he's like hey man I saw you getting roughed up and I'm like you're the best you know and so he you know I was just we sat there for a little bit and then he left met up with my mom everything was beautiful two weeks later we get we're in Madrid right before we fly out we're in Madrid we get three hours to go shopping we go shopping we're going all around blah I get kind of sidetracked I'm on my
32:00 - 32:30 own that happens L ADHD and uh along with everybody in this room welcome to the club and uh as as I'm walking all of a sudden I'm you know I'm just kind of walking down the street and like boom I run to this guy and I'm like hey he's like hey it's the same guy Barcelona to to Madrid is a long ways you guys and it was two weeks had passed and somehow we meet in a city of three million people come on and I was like this is awesome I was like I've got
32:30 - 33:00 money let me buy you a meal so I said let's go and and so we're sitting there and we're having a pizza and all of a sudden I see my mom coming and we're talking he's telling me about his trip I'm telling about his trip I'm like that's my mom you got to meet my mom she's the greatest in the world so I was like just wait here and I walk now this place is it's it's there's only one one exit because it's it's outside on a patio but it was it's kind of like trapped in and I come over I'm like Mom you got to meet this guy you got to meet this guy and I come back and I'm like totally gone and I look down and there's
33:00 - 33:30 a little piece of paper and it says God bless Michael now you can say what you want but in case you want to know St Michael the Archangel is a 280 pound 6 fo5 black man that guy saved my life a couple times and he watched over me and then he just magically disappeared that was again another moment of conversion because you guys when God works most powerfully in our
33:30 - 34:00 lives is When we struggle it's when we're weak it's when we're we're we're we're at our witsend and we have nowhere to turn and that's where he worked powerfully when I got back home I was like I'm I'm G to be a priest I'm gon to be a priest I started filling up paperwork I'm like I'm going summer this is great and all of a sudden something started creeping in they're like do you sure you want to go be a priest and I'm like not really and I was like and then this voice said remember you said if you should be a priest not when you should be a priest like you should get married
34:00 - 34:30 and then she'll die and then you could be a priest know there's stupid things that go through 18-year-old heads and so I didn't join I didn't join I went off to college and I fell away from my faith but I never stopped going to Sunday mass and I never stopped going to confession even at my worst never stopped my junior my uh sophomore year going into my junior year of of college I had a chance to go down to Mexico I went down to Mexico I studied Spanish I learned how to surf I learned how to
34:30 - 35:00 dance it was wonderful there was one moment when I met these two little kids two little poor kids if you bear with me I'm going to tell you this story because it was a huge moment in my life these two little these two little kids and they would this one little girl she was the first one to come up and I'm like sitting there I was again I just fell back into this arrogance and this pride and this and she came up and she's like she's like you want to buy a friendship bracelet and I'm like they were the worst friendship bracelets you would ever seen in your life like I like a dog
35:00 - 35:30 could have put one together better than this poor little girl they were terrible and I was like No And they were on this nasty it looked like an old plate like she had taped him on there somehow you know and I was like no I don't get away from me and so she left and all of a sudden like I'm sitting there waiting for my buddies to come and like all of a sudden like they're in front of my face she's right behind me she's like please and I'm like get get away just and I pushed her that was a real jerk pushed her away last time I'm sitting there my buddy showed up I was talking with him all a
35:30 - 36:00 sudden I felt somebody sit down beside me and she laid across my lap and she's likee so I'm like fine okay if I buy one will you go away and she's like yeah so I was like okay you know what I don't even want one of those here's a peso go away and she's like no you have to take a friendship place I don't want a friendship she's like well then we got to play a game like what game and she's like Aila which means like son or Hawk which is brilliantly heads or tails right so I'm
36:00 - 36:30 like okay you ready I throw it up in the air catch it she's like Soul I'm like agila you lose bye okay like I was a jerk I was a jerk I didn't want anything to do with her she smelled funny too so she's like no we got to do it again we got to do it again I'm like fine I was like flip it up and I like and she's like so and I'm like soul and it wasn't soul but I just wanted her to get away from me like there you wi she's like y she's like again and I was like she was so excited and so
36:30 - 37:00 beautiful and so cute I was like this is come okay this is kind of adorable you know I flip even the hardest heart right so I flip it up again so we do about 10 coins and all of a sudden her little brother comes over he's even smaller and he's in like tattered Rags dirty nasty and he's like I want to play I want to play and I'm like okay you know like we're having a ball right now and I I bet I spent like 10 bucks on these kids just flipping coins and I have never met a worst head taale player in my life than this little boy he he couldn't win
37:00 - 37:30 his sister had like $9 and I'm like I'm like come on just win one and he's like I'm trying you know so I take it and I'm like this I'm like this is you man this is all you you ready and he's like yeah so I take it and I was just like like as high as I could this little kid's like and I'm like well call it and he's like so you know and it hits and it bounce bouncer boun lays flat and it's the sun you know so he he picks it up
37:30 - 38:00 and does a victory lab around this PIAA just like yeah screaming I was like this is amazing then he gets back and I'm like let's get ice cream and they're like Yay you know and they're like wait wait wait wa wait and I'm like what and they're like I'll be back in a second and they ran over and I didn't even see her their mom is sitting in the corner just in tattered drags and they take all the money and they literally throw it on her and run back and you guys even this
38:00 - 38:30 guy's hard heart cracked a little because you know what I realized at that point I learned a life lesson they didn't care about the money they didn't care about the stuff they didn't care about the ice cream they didn't care about anything they just wanted to be near me they wanted to be loved it's something we take for granted every day something I take for granted that I have parents that love me that I have a good family I have good friends that care for me that love me
38:30 - 39:00 and so I don't have to feel that hunger for love I don't have to feel cast out from society like these poor little kids and that changed something deep inside of me so I returned back I returned back to the States and stuff started kind of changing in my life but it wasn't changed yet and so my buddies and I moved into a house up at NDSU or me and three other guys we had a good time together we weren't the most virtuous four guys but we had a good time and at one point I remember I woke up
39:00 - 39:30 one morning and uh there was a big G together that we had at our house I like to call them G togethers and uh I woke up and and I just said to myself because I was I was dating a great girl for about a year and a half I know it's hard to believe as good-look as I am couple girls fell for this guy and uh but anyway I was dating a great girl I had a job lined up I was going to
39:30 - 40:00 graduate and I woke up one morning and it just all came crashing down and I was like is this it this is it so now what the rest of my life I'm just supposed to try different ways to have fun because if that's all there is to this life this sucks there's got to be something else and in that moment when I was in this deep desolation I was a real low point I did the one thing a good Catholic guy knows what to do go to confession it's been a while since I've been to confession I went to confession I went
40:00 - 40:30 to Father Peter Hughes in Fargo I don't some of you may remember him he was this old Irish priest and uh he came up I went into the confessional and I knelt down confessed all my sins and I said uh I said uh thanks father and he said what are you let me do my best here he's like what are you doing for Lent and I was like well cuz lent was coming up I'm like well I probably give up chocolate something like that you know and he's like why don't you go to mass every day
40:30 - 41:00 for Olive land and I said go to mass I was like I got an 8 a.m. class he's like wonderful there's a 6:45 a.m. mass at St Anthony's I was like 6:45 I was like that's going to be hard and he's on a DME he's like do you think it was easy for Jesus to die on the cross and I was like no father I don't you know so I was like fine I'll go to
41:00 - 41:30 mass I'll give it a shot I'll go to mass so I I'm leaving and as I leave he's like ah one more thing I'm like what he's like before you go every morning invite all of your roommates to come with you I'm like they're not going to want to go he's like just do it okay father so I leave the first morning my I'm still really good friends with him Jason hydrick he remember is as clear as day the alarm goes off at like 5:30 beep
41:30 - 42:00 beep beep and like click and he's like what in the heck are you doing I'm like I'm going to mass do you want to come he's like no and shut up so I go down I'm knocking out I'm like they're like what it's like it's like 5:30 I'm like I'm going to go to church you guys want to come but one bu's like do they even have church at this time and so none of them came of course and I
42:00 - 42:30 would go you know I started going to mass and then it was funny because about week into was like beep beep click no you know I didn't get a chance to ask him so I would go to mass and I just went to mass over and over and over and over and over again and it was it was this beautiful time this beautiful time that I just started experienc something I'd never experienced before you know and and and I had constantly just before I finished I had constantly been asking for signs and God was so good to me you guys he was so good to me I want to tell you one of the signs he actually gave me
42:30 - 43:00 this is how good God was to me CU he wanted me to be a priest and he wouldn't give up on me I try to give up on him over and over I'm sure you guys try to give up on him too hopefully he keeps holding on to your heart pulling you back and you make good choices but I remember it was it was my summer I worked at Cashman Nursery in uh in bismar I was kind of like a foreman at the time so I was kind of a big deal as big deal as landscapers can get and uh one one job we had we were down
43:00 - 43:30 at Mar or uh Southport do any you guys know Southport and bismar it's kind of like this like ritzy sort of town you know part of town these big huge houses and we were putting together all this stuff or doing all this Landscaping well one day it was about 105 degrees it was hot and uh our the main boss guy was there and I said to him I said it was lunchtime I was like can we please go swimming and he's like yeah suppose you know we strip down to our boxers we dive in I had after that you know my end of
43:30 - 44:00 my senior year with Father RoR and father veter they gave us at the end of our at the end of that year they gave us this little metal it was called the scapular metal and they said you know if you die with this on that you know Mary basically takes you to heaven so I was a total Pagan so I was like I wore this thing like I don't know like it was greater than the Eucharist you know I was like this is this is going to save my life I can be terrible and still go to heaven as long as I'm wearing this it was so stupid on my behalf but I literally I I wore it so religiously in
44:00 - 44:30 such a wrong mindset but it meant everything to me and it really did stop me from some bad stuff and that's a whole another we could talk for hour hours about this but there was one I would wear it and wear it and wear it and so we went swimming this one time and as I came out of the water I was like oh so refreshing I get out and I'm like oh no I'm like where is it and they're like where's what I'm like my metal like if I die I'll go to hell now I'm like where is it I gotta I got to find it and they're like they're like dude you were swimming it's gone and I'm
44:30 - 45:00 like I was like that can't that can't be so I went home my mom's like how's work I was it's terrible she said what happened I was like I was wearing this chain and you know that chain that the priest came yeah yeah I swiming it came off she's like oh it's okay and I'm like what she's like we'll just pray to St Anthony no big deal get over here and I'm like it's not lost I know where it is it's at the bottom of the Missouri River she's like come here so we we pray together we prayed I mean she prayed I
45:00 - 45:30 was like this is stupid this is never going to work and uh and you know so she's like okay I'm like okay and she's like you watch St Anthony's gonna find it and I'm like okay psycho by the way I I love my mother I really do she's a saint and uh she has deep deep Faith but at the time you know we all think our parents are a little crazy and uh so I get up the next morning and I'm laying there in bed and I'm like you know what that would be a huge sign if something like that and you know I'm like talking to myself like
45:30 - 46:00 this is stupid why am I even thinking about this there's no way get up the next morning come to the work site the old man who lives there comes down he's got his little cane he's like hey does this belong to you and I'm like like they say I think I'm going to get struck by lightning now like it turned from a like a blessing into a curse and I'm like get that away from me okay I don't want and and he he's like does this belong to anybody I was like I was like this it's yeah it's mine he's like well here you go and I was like where did you get that he's like darnest thing I was
46:00 - 46:30 down on my dock you know I'm fishing this old guy was great his idea of fishing was at night he would take a half hour to get down to the dock then he'd throw his pole out stick it in the pole holder and go to bed and he then he wake up in the morning and reel in a fish he's like as I was reeling in the fish that darn thing must have got caught on this and I reeled it in it was
46:30 - 47:00 insane it was insane I just sat there and I'm like and I came home my mom's like did you find it and I'm like I don't want to talk to you it was it was just insane so anyway I go to the mass I'm en it's just beautiful I'm enjoying this and you know at the end of it I started like they they would have mass and after Mass they'd have adoration so I'd just stick around for a little bit and pray I remember feeling something come into me and I was like like I had never experienced this before it was just something that made life more beautiful
47:00 - 47:30 it was something that made life like more exciting it gave more meaning more purpose and it wasn't about me this thing that was inside of me it was calling me out of me and I wanted and I wanted to keep it and every time I go and hang out with my friends it would go away and then when I go to mass I'd come back and I said I'm sick of it leaving I want it to stay and so one night this is the this is the turning point of everything one night my buddies and I went out to
47:30 - 48:00 another gathering and as we were there same stuff just it's such a waste of time in the end it's so stupid it's so fruitless and it's all about you and all it does is build Vice and make you just eventually hate life I know a lot of people think it's yay but eventually the end of that is death it's death I know that on a very serious note here I know that that because uh six six of my high
48:00 - 48:30 school friends are dead six are dead and it's all because of that lifestyle when St John says that the wages of sin is death he means it he doesn't just mean the spiritual death because once the spirit's dead body's got nothing to live for there's no meaning anymore so I was sitting there I was like you know what I'm done with this I go up to my buddi I'm like hey I want to go home they're like well we're not leaving so you can go I was like it's
48:30 - 49:00 like five miles they're like just walk like thanks friends so I walked home was the most beautiful walk in my entire life felt like I was floating on air I was singing I must have looked like I was like completely drunk totally sober but just laughing I'm like talking to Jesus and people must thought I was crazy and as I'm going I'm just like this is the best like I feel so finally feel something like this is it this is what I want this
49:00 - 49:30 is what I want to do this is it and all of a sudden the second time I heard God's voice I heard as I was walking by the Newman Center in Fargo I heard go inside to the point to the point not this little like interior voice to the point where I turned around and I was like um here so I keep walking go inside I'm I'm like okay time out you know I'm like looking under
49:30 - 50:00 bushes cuz it was it was that loud and it was forceful and I'm like this is stupid like I'm losing my mind you know I'm so I just keep watch third one go inside to the point you ever have when your dad he tells you something more than once and there comes a point when he really means it and you know that he really means it and you do it because if you don't bad things are going to happen so I was like okay okay I'm going chill out it's G to because my point the thing was going
50:00 - 50:30 through my head it's going to be locked right it's going to be locked it's like it was like one in the morning so I go up and I'm like it's it's going to be locked who whoever you are you know I'm like it's going to be it's it's open you know and I walk inside and I'm like crap so I'm sitting there and I'm like you know I was a real smart alec even with God I was like now what you know and I didn't hear anything external but there was this there was this sentence inside of me that just said pick up and read pick up and read and I was walking
50:30 - 51:00 down the center aisle the only light that was on was on the Tabernacle I was I can pick up and read pick up and read I'm like read what I'm like what should I I'm not kidding you there's a Bible laying open on the Pew you know at this time again my paganist I'm like I don't think I want to read that I don't know what's on it but I know that's the Bible and they say that's God's word and I don't I don't want to
51:00 - 51:30 so I I sit down and I pick it up and it's from the first chapter of John it's what my eyes fell on and it says the apostles were following this was James and Andrew or John and Andrew were following Jesus from a distance and that right there that hit I was following Jesus from a distance I didn't want to get too close to him because I didn't know what he was going to do I didn't think I thought maybe he'd take everything away from me I thought he my friends would make fun of me so I kept him I liked him but I kept them at a distance and then it said Jesus turned around and looked at them and I'm not K
51:30 - 52:00 you at that moment I saw the face of Christ look at me and it said what are you looking for and internally I said it was just like what are you looking for man you've tried everything what are you looking for and I said I want to see what it's like to not live for me and then it says the next line Jesus replied come and
52:00 - 52:30 see come and see and at that time I will admit for about two hours I just wept the Lord Jesus Christ said to me if you're sick of living for yourself just come and see what it's like to live for me come check it out and from that point on I graduated from college I went down I applied for the Seminary I went into the Seminary and I
52:30 - 53:00 went in with this mindset Jesus you just tell me to leave I want to get married so you just tell me to leave and he never told me to leave and I telling you right here I can stand before you as a witness not because I want you to be priests and sisters and a life of a life lived for Jesus Christ is the most exciting life that exists in this world because it's the most unpredictable you don't have any control and it's what we're so dang afraid of in the modern
53:00 - 53:30 day and age we want control I got to provide for myself I got to get as much possible stuff as I can so I'll be happy when happiness that's never true the more stuff you have to quote the great uh rapper Biggie Smalls the more stuff you have the more problems you have it's the only thing that idiot got right More Money More Problems more stuff more problems the free person the person that experiences this life as it should be
53:30 - 54:00 experienced is the person that doesn't have anything the person that's completely surrendered everything that's detached from everything that lives for others and I can witness to this to you tonight because I have lived it I have lived it and I know the truth about this life and I want to save you from heartache and pain and so your choices in this life are the most important thing that you're going to do and every day you were either choosing for God or against God
54:00 - 54:30 and the great God is the source of life and the more you choose against him the less meaning your life has the more you choose for him the more meaning your life has and you might sit back right now and say father you're an idiot you don't know what you're talking about trust me I know what's going on I know what makes me happy you think you know what makes you happy but I'm begging you I'm begging you two things two things I ask of you tonight and these will make all the
54:30 - 55:00 difference in your life that you never stop going to Sunday mass and that you never stop going to confession God will get his way in your life if you never stop doing those with a heart that desires Jesus that's that's it you guys I'm asking two things a combined total in one week will take about an hour and 10 minutes an hour and 10 minutes is all you got to do and Jesus will get his way in your
55:00 - 55:30 life there's Freedom there and there's Beauty there I never I never dreamed where Jesus would take me never dreamed the life I would have and it's the greatest life I could have possibly imagined and it was all a gift