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I slipped through the train doors just in time to catch my flight. The train accelerated just like it was programmed to do until…POP! The happy purr of engines went silent, and the train coasted along on the rails. We stopped three feet before our station. The people groaned and I smiled.

I was hoping for a crisis, then I’d smash out the window and jump through to street below. Or someone would panic I’d say, “Damnit, get it together!”; But technicians were there within a few minutes to cure the problem. That’s no fun.

But there was plenty of adventure left. My plane was going to take-off in ten minutes and I had to get way the hell on the other side of the airport. I flagged own one of the airport golfcart/taxis. I liked watching the ocean of people part for our safe passage.

I caught the plane, and buckled down the seat for take off. After a half hour of revving our engines, the pilot decided he was ready to go. We passed by a several perfectly good runways and kept driving until we got to the other side of Houston.

We took off, and now we are in the air. Now where was I? This morning I spoke for 1500 middle school students from the Catholic Diocese of Corpus Cristi. My talk went really well. I think it was one of the best talks I’ve ever given. It was hard not to give my all when you have 1500 impressionable kids looking up at you. I know that God blessed the morning.

The venue was super-cool: a converted warehouse on the water. The tall windows opened up onto the water. Even with the exposed ductwork and old brick walls, the place was still cozy. Even the bathroom stalls were hip.

After my talk was Mass, then hanging out with the kids, Stewart (my host) and I; went to Joe’s Crab Shack on the port. Sailboats were skirting back and forth across the bay. They were close enough to hear the flopping sails and clanging grommets.; It was the perfect background music for a seafood lunch.

But I’m on a plane now, and the only sound is the engines and people squawking through the turbulence. It’s unleashed an army of people ready to pee. The isle is full and the flight attendant is hollering at us to sit down. I think I’m going to sleep.

I landed in Corpus Cristi and a guy named Stewart picked me up in his Texas-sized; truck. It was late and I was really hungry. We grabbed some BBQ and drove over to his church where he is a youth minister. We sat down in the empty lunchroom and prayed over our food.

Soon we were deep into conversation about “The Passion”. I’ve not talked to one person who saw the same movie I did. Everyone was moved by something different. I was fascinated by Christ’s humanity and masculinity. Stewart was intrigued by Mary’s love for her son. Long after our plates were clean, we kept talking and listening…all alone in a dark lunchroom.

“The Passion” came out over a week ago, and it’s made a difference. The human heart is pretty stubborn, and we block out God. But this movie seems to be softening our hearts again.

Just after 9/11, there was a notable difference when I gave talks. I didn’t have to peel back so many layers before people would give me a chance. They were ready, willing, and listening. Months passed by, and we got comfortable and spoiled again.

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I am on the eighth floor, nestled beneath a cheap hotel blanket. I am tired. There are a dozen porn movies waiting for me on the TV at the foot of my bed. Too many nights I lie here for hours, wrestling with push-button evil.

But I am not taunted tonight. All I can think about is the love of God.

Thank you.

Last night I saw Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of Christ.” When it was all done, I didn’t say much. I drove home in silence, and I went to bed early. I wanted to sit alone in the dark and think about Jesus. I can’t stop thinking about what I saw.

Last night I stayed in a drafty old mansion in snow-covered Wisconsin.; For years the mansion was a convent for nuns, now it is the headquarters for the Dead Theologians Society. Last night I unleashed hell on that holy space.

I woke up at two in the morning for my scheduled trip to the bathroom. But this wasn’t going to be quick–I had the squirts. I’m talking “release the hounds” diarrhea. I thought I’d given the throne my all, but I woke up a half hour later to continue with the donations. This went on through the night. Over and over and over and over. Seeking a moment of solace, I leaned forward and traced a peep hole through the fogged-up window. I watched the sun rise to my own soundtrack.

After a couple hours of sleep, I vaulted out of bed for a surprise finale. I sprinted down the wooden banister and lunged towards the bathroom and threw my face into the toilet. I hurled like a fire-breather. The slosh and slop echoed through the vaulted ceilings of paradise.

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I binged on Pepto and Immodium and tried to forget the night before. I hopped in the car and we drove to an auditorium full of eager teenagers. With an hour left till the event, I sat behind the dark of the stage-curtain and prayed for peace.; Then I walked onto the stage, a reluctant suicide bomber.

After the talk we were back to the airport. My plane was delayed, so I stretched out on the cold floor and stared into the ceiling. Lord, take me home! After a two hours, our plane finally left Eu Claire and made it into Minneapolis. I spent two lonely hours in Minnesota. I turned over my plane ticket and wrote down all the things I was thankful for. Finally we boarded and took off for Phoenix.

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Now I’m in the Phoenix airport, taunted by an empty conveyor belt…spinning and spinning. It’s almost one in the morning. I’ve been typing for forty-five minutes and still no baggage. In an unlikely turn of events, telling this story has made a hell-day kind of funny. Thanks be to God.

Today I spoke to two groups of 6,000 teenagers, just across the street from Disneyland. I was excited that there were so many people there, but it was a difficult atmosphere to speak in. Even ten minutes into my talk, there were hundreds of people mosying their way into the room, disrupting everything. I had no monitors, so all I could hear was my voice bouncing off the distant walls of the warehouse. By the 20 minutes was up, I was ready to be off the stage.

At the same time I was speaking, my good friends Matt Maher and Mark Hart lead 15,000 people from the main stage. Matt is so good at playing music…he can get an arena wrapped around his fingers after one song. Mark is a dynamic, passionate speaker. I felt like we were a team, me on one stage, those two on another, trying to lead 21,000 teens closer to God. It wore us out.

Tonight after all the teenager went home, we gathered in the convention area to se up the Life Teen booth. Most of the booths were aimed at 40 year old religious education leaders, so our modest stall smelled like teen spirit. We were an island of MTV in the ocean of EWTN. Friends from all over the country were there, and they stopped by to say hello. I get so happy when I see all the shirts I designed on display. I love the colorful towers of neatly folded T-shirts.

Tonight several of us joined my friend Dustin at the Standard off Sunset. The Standard is a boutique hotel, nightclub, and diner. The first time I ate there was with Rachel from the Real World San Francisco. She and I were both involved with Life Teen, and we sat in the hipster diner and talked about living out our faith in the spotlight. Now, three years later, there was a motley crew of Hollywood hipsters sat around the table, talking about everything and nothing. It was wild.

Stephen got in from San Francisco at midnight, and called to invite us down to his place on the beach. Manhattan Beach has always been one of my favorite hangouts, so it’s fun to have a friend from my hometown settled there now. Finally my friends could meet each other, and I could meet Stephen’s girlfriend. We all walked out on the beach and laughed. If it weren’t so late, I would’ve called Fr. Steve to come down the hill to hang out with us.

It was almost two in the morning when we began our drive back to Orange County. Dustin slipped in the David Crowder Band’s new CD, and I fell asleep in the back seat. The sound is so prayerful and dreamy…it was perfect.

Now we are all back here in the hotel room. I have a meeting in four hours, so I better go to sleep.