Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Christiana Troupe's Reflection


In the past few months, God has been teaching me how to find Him in my weakness. Weakness. Not exactly a word with a positive connotation, but let me explain. My entire life, I have found it incredibly difficult to accept the idea that God loves me APART from what I do for Him, that His love is completely free. For this reason, I have only ever known striving – striving to earn God’s love and approval that I already have. No matter how irrational, I’ve operated from the belief that if I could perform well enough, I could somehow earn what I knew I could never deserve. And I would continually fall flat on my face, feeling ever more distant from Him with each stride to “be enough.”

A few months ago, I was confronted with the reality that all along I had been striving to do instead of be.  What I had lost sight of is that “Jesus lived the life we could not live and died the death we should have died.” Not only do I not have to earn His love, but I couldn’t even if I wanted to - HE has made me worthy. Because I accept this truth, He calls me His daughter and that is who I am, regardless of whether I feel it. It is TRUTH.

Since then, God has been taking me on a journey of learning how to stop the striving and just receive His free love. I have been learning to live out of the truth of who He says that I am, to be loosed of unnecessary expectations. I am being set free to love Him, not as a burden, but as a joy. I am finally free to delight in my Father as He delights over me. I am enough solely because He loves me.

-         Reflection by Christiana Troupe

Hailing from Lees Summit, Christiana Troupe is a health nut in her junior year at Rockhurst pursuing a degree in finance and economics. In her college career, she has served as an ambassador, resident assistant, orientation leader, social mentor, and frosh get-a-way leader. In her future career, she has a heart to one day bring justice to victims of human trafficking and participate in global development initiatives. 

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Veronica Immethun's Reflection


At first, the task of writing an entry for this seemed daunting. To this day, I still struggle with the concept of God and even believing in God (scandalous, I know). As I got to thinking, I found that this is not about discussing my devotedness to everything God and Christian; it’s about finding the small things on campus that bring me, and other students, peace of mind and heart.  Location is the first thing that came to mind. From on campus, Rockhurst feels safe and secluded (for me at least). If you were dropped from the sky onto campus, you would not know that you were in the middle of the city. But, Rockhurst is a haven – safe and welcoming. That definitely brings me peace. I then started to think about the people. Being a small college lends to this, but everyone makes things personal. The people here take their time to listen, understand, and help those around them, whether or not they are a student; they genuinely care about others. I found this comforting as well. So even though I am not the firmest of believers, I believe God can be found everywhere at Rockhurst through the peace of mind and kindness this university provides.
-         Reflection by Veronica Immethun

Veronica Immethun, a native “Kansas City-an”, is a junior transfer student. She is majoring in Communication Sciences and Disorders and hopes to become a Speech-Language Pathologist. 

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

John Rios' Reflection


Before coming to Rockhurst, I had no concept of the Jesuit core values or even what a Jesuit school was for that matter. Upon stepping on campus, something felt different. I didn’t know how to explain it or even how to describe it. However, in my two and a half years here I know what makes Rockhurst so distinct! It is the people. Although it is a simple and short answer, this is also where I find God at Rockhurst University. He is present in the genuine caring relationships that exist between students and staff alike. He is visible to me when Jane in the Pub greets me with a smile, when Bill Kriege asks me how I’m doing, or when I see Fr. Curran spending time with students in the cafe. Although these things are small and simple, they remind of why I came here and serve as a constant reminder that God is present here at Rockhurst. Like my response, I like to keep things simple. For, one it eliminates confusion, plus it makes it harder for the little stuff like these simple actions to go unnoticed. So maybe this is not how you find God - that is up for you to decide as this is defined by each individual. These reflections just serve as reminders that He is always present in every situation in different ways, and it is your job to find Him. I wish you good luck on your search!

-         Reflection by John Rios

John Rios is a junior from Dallas, Texas. He is majoring in Leadership Studies and Psychology and plans to pursue a graduate degree in High Education. He is a Resident Assistant, Member of the Social Mentor Steering Committee, Ambassador, and Vice President of Social Affairs in Alpha Delta Gamma.

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Colleen Smyth's Reflection


Before you pass over this message, I invite you to take a second to just stop. Catch your breath. Let you mind rest for a second.

          “God is love and love is God.” 1 John 4:8.

In order for me to find God in all things, I remember that I must find LOVE in all things. When I think about love, I am brought back to Pedro Arrupe, SJ’s poem that begins, “Nothing is more practical than finding God, that is, than falling in love in a quite absolute and final way.”  I believe that college is the time to discover what we are in love with from causes like Relay for Life or being more “green” to being in love with subjects like Western Civilization or Marketing to being in love with others through service or in community. However, Rockhurst is not just about learning what we are in love with but how to let that love shape our lives. As Arrupe says, “It will decide what will get you up in the morning…how you spend your weekends…what amazes you with joy and gratitude.”  Who doesn’t want a life filled with love, a love that Arrupe says will even “decide what breaks your heart”?  One thing that most breaks my heart is knowing that there are people on campus who doubt that they are loved or have trouble recognizing that love. In being called to act as women and men for and with others, not only do we, as a Rockhurst community,  have the responsibility to find His love in all things, but more importantly, we need to be committed to share that love. I am so blessed to call myself a Rockhurst student striving to live a life that beats for others in good times and in challenging times.  I pray that we always remember, “fall in love, stay in love, and it will decide everything.“ By doing this, we will have found God in everything.  

-         Reflection by Colleen Smyth

Colleen Smyth is a sophomore from St. Louis, MO. She hopes major in an area of business and minor in Non-Profit Studies (maybe Theology too, if she can fit it in). Colleen is the service chair of VOICES for Justice, an active member in both Alpha Sigma Alpha and CLC, and also serves as an Ambassador.

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Rodolfo Gauto-Mariotti's Reflection


Every athlete at Rockhurst has sacrificed years of his or her life to training. They have worked on technique, conditioning, strategy and mental strength in order to excel and be selected for a position on a college team. This journey can be quite solitary, but when athletes join their new teams they become part of something so great that they will cherish for the rest of their lives. The team becomes their new family and with them they live and share every experience college has to offer. A tough win becomes an unforgettable moment when you can celebrate it with those who truly understand how much effort was put forth. A bad day is not the end of the world when you have teammates to count on to step in and get the job done for you. Teammates make long van rides and morning workouts bearable and even enjoyable. We might not know it or acknowledge it, but we find God everyday in the people who run next to us, those who wear the same uniform as us, and face our same opponents. We find God in the opportunity to get an education, travel to different cities and meet new people while playing the sport we love. Being a student athlete is a true privilege, an opportunity to grow and take care of the whole person. I did not know it at the time, but from the moment I became part of the Rockhurst Tennis team, I received a gift so great, it can only come from God.

-  Reflection by Rodolfo Gauto-Mariotti

Rodolfo Gauto-Mariotti is a junior from Asuncion, Paraguay. He is majoring in Economics and Marketing and is a student athlete on the men’s tennis team.