Our Christmas Break ended this morning as we returned to school here at John Carroll after 18 glorious days of rest and sacred celebration. Mercifully, Harford County called for a two-hour late weather opening which helped all the teenagers who have not seen 7 a.m. for three weeks…
Today is actually the 12th day of Christmas: Christians around the world are observing Epiphany which we celebrated yesterday here in our parishes in the United States.
As we welcomed our students and faculty back from their time away, we give thanks for all the blessings of the season.
I fashioned our opening prayer for this New Year from the Morning Prayer written by Sister Pat Bergen, CSJ.
A Blessing for the New Year:
Gracious God,
Thank you for the gift of this new year
Refresh Us. Invite us to discover Your presence in each person that we meet and every event that we encounter this year.
Teach us when to speak and when to listen;
When to ponder and when to share.
In moments of challenge and decision attune our hearts to the whisperings of Your Wisdom.
As we undertake ordinary and unnoticed tasks, gift us with simple joy.
When our days go well, may we rejoice.
When they grow difficult, surprise us with new possibilities.
When life is overwhelming, call us to quiet moments of meditation to restore Your Peace and Harmony in our lives.
May our living each day this year reveal Your Goodness.
Through Christ our Lord,
Amen.