Daily Prayer & Reflection

It has been a while since our last post here and, for that, I am guilty!  I have many reasons and explanations, (sometimes called excuses, but) please know that anyone who visits our website is included in our daily prayers and thoughts and the absence of timely thoughts does not indicate anything other than my failure to make time to be in touch. For this, I apologize and hope to do better in the future.

We are in the Season of the Spirit - the Holy Spirit!  Especially since the Ascension of Jesus, we have been guided to become more aware of the Spirit in our lives and how to approach recognizing that Voice in our day to day lives. Our world seems bent on an unnaturally fast pace of living and so we often miss hints and indications that the Spirit is trying to get our attention. Often, when we feel God is not present to us, it is because we have missed the need for ourselves to take the time to be present to God.  That seems to be the story of the human race for most of its existence and God works around that, not to worry. The Old Testament is filled with book after book of the history of the Chosen People and their treatment of the prophets and Kings of old, and the New Testament continues the same. Look how Jesus, the very Son of God, was treated! We humans are surely a work in progress.

Very soon now we will be moving into 'Ordinary Time' in the church calendar, a lengthly period of time that takes us all the way to Advent! In reality, there is nothing 'ordinary' about it.  It is a time to read and delve into Scripture, and with weekly readings at Church or on our own. Look at the parables of Jesus in any one of the Gospels and His efforts to reach the people of His day. Look at the person of Jesus and his treatment of others.  Look at His compassion, His patience, His tenderhearted miracles in curing so many.  His willingness to forgive even his killers as He is dying and the utterly unexpected Resurrection as proof of His place with the Father and the Holy Spirit.

It is all there but we need to read and sit with the reality that the things in this Holy Book really did happen. Jesus really did come to us in Person, really did share his identity with us, and really did die to save us. We need to think about these things and in the quiet and peace of our hearts, listen for that Spirit to help us understand and guide us on our journey in life. And we can find that peace in our 'ordinary days' and be closer to God than ever before. There is nothing 'ordinary' about that!

Do enjoy a beautiful summer and make it a point to focus on God's work at Church, try to take a thought home from the homily and really think about it a few times and hold on to it. It's all right there for the taking when we reach out and ask for God's help and guidance.

 

Thank you for your love and support of Catholic High and be safe and sound as you find delight in each day.

 

Sincerely,

 

Sr. Ann Dutrow, OSF
Director of Mission

The Catholic High School of Baltimore