We live in a noisy world. Noisy not just with sounds, but with the clutter of overscheduled lives, checklists, to-do lists and more tasks waiting to be done in a day than minutes in which to accomplish them. When is there time for God? Where can God be found?During the first in a series of four Theology on Tap presentations at Sacred Heart Church in Ventura, young adults pondered and discussed these questions and shared insights with one another for some practical — and challenging — solutions.“We live in a world that want us to be busy,” presenter Daryl Tatone Hitt asserted July 3. “The world says the more we are involved in, the more important we are, and not being ‘productive’ is bad. But it’s all the noise in our lives that can prevent us from having a closer relationship with God and with one another.”Hitt, a young husband and father, and youth minister at St. Julie Billiart Church in Newbury Park, challenged participants to discover ways to quiet some of that daily noise, connect with God and then speak to the world through their actions. But breaking out of what the world expects — and the habits created by those expectations — is easier said than done. While attendees at Tuesday evening’s session may not be ready to give up their iPhones, they can still find some time daily for spiritual connection.“The world we live in is both secular and sacred at the same time,” Hitt said. “We can take the distractions and learn to use them to connect everyday life and church life. We need to make a conscious effort to express our faith with our actions and bring peace into our lives amidst the chaos.”Hitt shared examples from his own life of how his grandfather taught him by example that actions speak louder than words. “My grandfather didn’t express his love for me with words, but by doing things with me, spending time with me and showing me how much he loved me,” Hitt recalled. “This made a tremendous impact on me, and taught me that I can serve God and share God’s love through my own actions.”And he challenged attendees to make changes in their own lives that will facilitate both deeper spirituality and personal actions that bring God’s love to others. Some in attendance said they were already making headway in that regard.“I actually schedule a walk into my day,” said Sally Ibarra, parishioner at St. Francis of Assisi in Fillmore. “During that time, I reflect on the presence of God everywhere around me. I need these walks for myself to regenerate my soul and spirituality.”Ibarra, who is married, the mother of a 14-month-old child and holds a full-time job, said the time she spends on these walks is beneficial both for her personal relationships and her professional life working with children and adults of broken families.“This is a good reminder that I cannot forget to take care of my own spirituality,” added Summer Lorelli, who attends San Buenaventura Mission in Ventura. “I am more of a ‘doer’ than ‘sayer’ anyway, but it took me a long time to understand that I need time for myself to renew that place with God.” Larry Martinez, also from Ventura, echoed the importance of centering one’s actions in Christ.“I’ve lived through many challenges — getting into trouble as a youth and going down some wrong roads — and one of the hardest things for me to do was to become weak in the eyes of the secular world,” Martinez admitted. “But when I discovered that’s what it takes to get closer to Christ, I realized it was worth it. Faith has turned my life around.”Theology on Tap, sponsored by the Office of Religious Education, continues in the Santa Barbara Region on Tuesdays at 7 p.m. in Sacred Heart’s parish hall through the month of July. Upcoming presenters include musician-composer Jesse Manibusan (July 17; “Secrets of the Catholic Ninja: Faith You Can Really Use”) and Deacon Bill and Sue Spies (July 24: 7 Keys to Spiritual Wellness”). Information: (213) 637-7498.{gallery width=100 height=100}gallery/2012/0713/sbtot/{/gallery}
