Recently I was invited to speak at a young adult event. It was a wonderful experience of meeting dedicated young adults (18-25) who generously and genuinely wish to serve the Lord and do His will in their lives. At this conference I met many of them, but one in particular echoes in my mind; a young man named Chad. He was from Utah and had traveled to this conference. He lives in a part of the United States which is not primarily Catholic and to live his faith has been a genuine challenge.
On this particular morning as we both grazed at an amazing buffet breakfast, gorging on far too much bacon, I asked him - simply trying to make conversation in order to save the arteries of my heart from further clogging - “Are you ready to go back to school?”. He paused, looked up “which school?” he replied. “Well the University or College you attend”, I quipped. “Oh, that school - yes, guess so - final year - it will be fine.” Puzzled by his initial reply I followed up; “what school did you think I meant?” He replied sincerely “ Well I thought, ya know you being a priest and all, that ya meant the school of life.” “School of life?” I asked this obvious prophet that was now in my midst “Ya, everyday just saying ‘Lord teach me something !’ and then going to class - starting life.”
I have to admit, I got choked up (and it wasn't the bacon.) He humbled me. So often I look at my day as a series of tasks, appointments, meetings, events or engagements. The prayer I often say is "Lord, get me through the day". Yet, now here was a whole new way - ‘Lord teach me something !’ and then going to class - starting life - The School of Life. Chad was speaking to me - well before I had a chance to speak to him and others at this conference.
As I walked away from breakfast, I was satisfied more so spiritually than physically. I get it! The Lord is teaching us every moment. There is a lesson to be learned, but we must be attentive, alert, awake to the task at hand. The lesson is now. The moment is before us. As Chad and I walked toward the elevator I asked him - "what do you find most challenging in your school of life? Instantly he said “that I encounter hostility much more than hope”
I wanted to shout "Amen!" It’s the truth - there is hostility in our world,especially when we seek to live faithfully, and when we encounter hostility - well we want to skip class - we want to give up hope!
There are so many moments that can be discouraging and tempt us to skip and loose hope! We encounter them when neighbours are unreasonable. We sense it when a colleague lets us down or a friend is not who you thought they were. We see it when family members don’t share our conviction of faith. We live it when the traffic circle of life becomes a round a bout of yet more changes at work and society. We inhale it when others use words which defame the name of our Saviour. We breath it when worry or strife hits our marriage or illness impacts our families. We ponder it when the future is uncertain. We think we perceive it, when it seems that our God has become unseen to us.
And when this happens - don’t skip class and loose hope - go back to the school of life and try and learn the lesson!
In the letter to the Hebrews (11:1-2, 8-19) we read “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” It is in the very moment when we are tempted to skip that we must walk - by faith - for in that instant we are learning the lessons of the School of Life. "Lord teach me something" becomes not our mantra or crutch, but our heart centered plead and prayer, and from it we go see all God has in store for us.
So, get back to school. Go live the classroom that is your workplace; even if all your boss wants you to do is sell, ask what can I buy from the experience and the engagements I have? Go embrace the text book that is your shopping outlet, your local garage, your comfortable bank. What can you withdraw from the encounters there? Go grab the pencil that is your conversation at Starbucks or Tim Hortons, or the wait before a movie, or the line up at the gas station; what is God writing to you in the people around you? And then, at the end of the day, go unpack the back pack that holds the notes of the lessons you have learned, the people you have met, the experiences you have grown from, and in prayer, offer them all up - this day in the school of life - not in hostility but in hope. For hope is where faith is found, serenity is sensed, sanctity is seen and eternal life is gained.
Chad taught me a lot as I had a couple - alright several - pieces of bacon. What lessons this week will your encounters bring? How will faith “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” be taught to you, in the school of life. The bell is ringing - let's back to to school.