May 19 2019

May, a walk through a beautiful garden with blossoming flowers, offers us many other things besides. Already area colleges have had graduations and there are more to come. Then, will come Middle School and Eighth Grade graduations followed by High School graduations. At almost all of these, graduates will be reminded that graduation is not an end but a new beginning, a commencement.

Along with graduations there are class trips to various historic places and important cities. These will be informative and educational as well as providing enjoyment for students. With the trips comes the understanding of how to act in public places and to appreciate the benefits of travel. Last week these was a field trip to the mail box down the street for the first graders as they sent off Mother’s Day cards. This morning others will take a trip to Paul and Edy’s to make pizza.

The process of education takes place in the classroom and also in the world. Travel offers many lessons for young people and lifelong learners. There is much to see and much to learn. The whole world is a place for us to broaden our knowledge of people, places, human imagination and invention.

One of the descriptions of the first Christians was that they were people of “the Way.” They followed “the Way” modeling their lives after the life of Jesus Christ. We, too, follow “the Way” of Jesus, raised from the dead. Our lives are not just a simple walk through a beautiful garden, though there are blossoming flowers all around. Our lives take us on a journey. May we travel this journey with the gift of faith, people trusting in God’s goodness and hope in the wonder of creation.

Msgr. Joe