What if God was your only friend on Facebook or your only follower on Twitter or Instagram? Would you still post to those social media apps to connect with Him? As we draw closer to Lent (Ash Wednesday is on Feb. 14), I find myself more and more aware of the annual call to reignite my baptismal promise and be a more ardent witness to the lessons laid before me in Jesus’ final days among the people earth. Social media can be a great source of inspiration and ways to connect with like-minded Catholics (once you get past the ads). For example, I subscribe to Jean Vanier’s daily reflections, which include snippets from the many books he has written about embracing community surrounded by persons with disabilities and learning through compassion. Jan. 27’s reflection was from a PBS publication in 2006 entitled ‘Seeing’: "The question is not just believing in God, but believing in human people, believing in ourselves, believing in ourselves as children of God called to see people as God sees them, not as we would like them to be." In 10 seconds of reading, I got an entire week’s worth of thinking! Maybe this Lent, I am going to focus on asking myself, “Am I looking through the eyes of God? Do I believe in that co-worker? That child? That stranger?” Over on Twitter, I follow Pope Francis (@pontifex) who posted this on Jan. 29: I regularly tell friends and colleagues about Matthew Kelly’s inspiring work at www.dynamiccatholic.com and FORMED (available through your parish) just released a Lenten reflection package based on the works of Bishop Donald Hying subtitled “Experience the Catholic faith in a whole new way”. Without an online presence, I might hear about these publications and thoughts, but I would not be reaping the benefits of exploring them myself. Now, all that said, it is essential to revisit this point. You really don’t need to take on a ‘40 day challenge’ for Lent (which sounds painful, really), and it certainly does not need to be inspired by something you met with on a screen. In fact, your source might be a book you’ve owned longer than most others - your Bible. God already knows your deepest desires and longings, anyway. Just pray and talk to Him. No posting required.
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Even though September often constitutes a ‘new year’ at school, January still brings with it a lot of hope in our personal lives - hope for the discipline to keep a resolution (God love us for those darn things!), hope for the chance to strengthen friendships and to build community, and hope for seeing new, better things in ourselves that show Jesus reflected in our thoughts, words, and actions. The Magi’s gifts were more than gifts for a newborn king; the way Father Lukas presented it at the Epiphany mass, those gifts were a sign of putting wonder before any certainty, current practice, or the regular order of things. That inspired me to ask a new January question of our fine arts school community:
How often do you put wonder and curiosity before the safety of what you already know? If, in our fine arts school, we can honestly say, “not as much as I would like”, then it is time to shake things up and remember the excitement that comes from taking a risk, trying something new, and intentionally seeking joy. In finding and nurturing joy, we grow stronger as a community, and cannot help but to be better together. It is through the arts that we create opportunities to be more than we thought we could be - a ‘wonderful’ place to be not only for learning, but for life. Now, in 2018, let’s be WONDERS, and share our gifts with one another - the gifts of friendship, of patience, of forgiveness, and of humility. Let’s care for the least among us, and insist on putting love before all else. Lofty? Yes. Doable? Double yes. |
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About MeI have been a Catholic school teacher for 20 years (yikes!!), and administrator for almost 7 of them. Although my knowledge and experience have changed many of my perspectives over the years, some basic things hold fast: I have more to learn, simple is generally better, and all kids are worthy of love. Archives
January 2018
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