What I learned from a student

Dear student:

I talked to you only an hour ago and yet our conversation is still on my mind.  I don’t know if  I was empathetic or sympathetic or if I said the right thing.  You seemed to have many reasons why you couldn’t be happy and the biggest one was that your dad is not around.  You also mentioned no chance to study art or get pencils that could help you with drawing.  I was sad for you and most of all, sad that your dad is in Mexico and is not around to help you.  I   saw your tears and thought of the many times I have said to God, “Why me? Why now?  Can’t you please make life better for me? and seemingly got no reply even though my tears were flowing.  I thought of this verse and found some comfort for you and me when we are down and hurting -

Psalms 56:8 You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book?

I don’t know if I helped you any, but know that God sees your tears and knows your heart – I hope he comforts you today.

Your teacher

Let us, therefore, not be…

Let us, therefore, not be ashamed of the Cross of Christ; but though another hide it, do thou openly seal it upon your forehead, that the devils may behold the royal sign and flee trembling far away. Make then this sign at eating and drinking, at sitting, at lying down, at rising up, at speaking, at walking: in a word, at every act. For He who was here crucified is in heaven above. If after being crucified and buried He had remained in the tomb, we should have had cause to be ashamed; but, in fact, He who was crucified on Golgotha here, has ascended into heaven from the Mount of Olives on the East. For after having gone down hence into Hades, and come up again to us, He ascended again from us into heaven, His Father addressing Him, and saying, Sit on My right hand, until I make Your enemies Your footstool.

A new beginning and what that looks like

After coming off a retreat that was refreshing and energizing, I need to heed the words copied from the blog, Gladsome Light Dialogues about beginning anew – over and over:

The most important however is to never let ourselves be discouraged by failure. “A young monk said to Abba Sisoes: “Abba, what should I do? I fell.” The elder answered: “Get up!” The monk said: “I got up and I fell again!” The elder replied: “Get up again!” But the young monk asked: “For how long should I get up when I fall?” “Until your death,” answered Abba Sisoes. “For a man heads to his judgment either fallen or getting back up again.”

Persevering and continuing to fight for virtue is the way of the Christian. There is no escape from the pain of this cycle of failure and redemption. But we should learn to endure it with hope knowing that, even though we are not perfect, even though we have failed Christ, we remain Christians because we continue to valiantly fight with all we have left in us until the very end.