To the Band of Brothers: February 19, 2021
Good morning!
Today is the first of several meatless Fridays during our Lenten journey. It’s funny, on Wednesday night, we were gathered in de la Cruz Stadium for the first regional soccer game. Archbishop McCarthy gave us a run for our money. With 50 seconds left in the game, up 1-0, one of the seniors in the stands yelled out to me and asked if I would serve the school churrasco for lunch if our Wolverines scored one more time. I confess I gave him a thumbs-up, mostly to blow him off so I could focus on the end of the game. Low and behold, we scored.
The problem is, we can’t serve the churrasco. Today is Friday. We now have to wait and see what happens on Saturday when we play the regional semifinal match. Don’t get me wrong, I love churrasco. As long as it is not Friday and the occasion is right, we can “technically” make it happen. Not to mention, I look forward to the protein.
That’s actually one of the many advantages to the season of Lent. Motivated by its spiritual value, I can justify a no-carb diet claiming it is one of the things I am offering up. It seems to me that I’ve been on a diet my whole life. Looking at childhood pictures, I realize my generous girth began sometime in middle school. While I can possibly blame my father’s side of the family for being “big-boned” or my mother’s side of the family for being “heavy-set” or both sides of my family for being “Cuban,” there does come a point when I have to blame myself.
Like so many others, my family has been eating chicharrones since the barbaric practice of standing around a pit tearing away at an animal’s flesh with one hand while a beer is held in the other. It shouldn’t come as a surprise, I like to eat. That “like” comes at a price and the price is battling the rising scales of weight.
Having a larger physical disposition determines so much of what you do and how you do it. For example, shopping for clothing is a more tedious task requiring much skill and knowledge of where to get what you need. Unfortunately, for those of us who are portly, we oftentimes are required to sacrifice fashion for comfort. It’s a challenge to get over the various X’s on a shirt tag. You have to learn and accept that the presence of two X’s is the difference between breathing or not breathing.
When I was younger I remember having to make my way to the husky section of the store. I also remember once, years ago, driving down U.S. 1 with my little brother, heading towards Sunset Place, and driving past the big and tall shop. As we passed the store, my brother innocently said: “Hey, you should think about shopping for clothes there.” Offended by his comment, I looked him straight in the eye and asked why. He quickly responded: “Oh, because you’re so tall.” Nice recovery.
So, as the challenge of Lent begins, let’s take full advantage of the many possibilities it offers to make our Christian lives better. While you’re at it, say a couple of prayers for our soccer team. Like my weight, let’s help keep them on a roll.
Auspice Maria
BELEN JESUIT PREPARATORY SCHOOL
500 SW 127th Avenue, Miami, FL 33184
phone: 305.223.8600 | fax: 305.227.2565 | email: webmaster@belenjesuit.org
500 SW 127th Avenue, Miami, FL 33184
phone: 305.223.8600 | fax: 305.227.2565 | email: webmaster@belenjesuit.org
Belen Jesuit Preparatory School was founded in 1854 in Havana, Cuba by Queen Isabel II of Spain. The task of educating students was assigned to the priests and brothers of the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits), whose teaching tradition is synonymous with academic excellence and spiritual discipline. In 1961, the new political regime of Cuba confiscated the School property and expelled the Jesuit faculty. The School was re-established in Miami the same year, and over the next decade, continued to grow. Today, Belen Jesuit sits on a 30-acre site in western Dade County, only minutes away from downtown Miami.