Sometimes in the Catholic world, we speak of our relationship with God in the same way we describe the gas tank in our car: I need to go to this retreat, or this conference, or do this thing to be filled up with God, so I can go back out and empty my tank again. While these types of experiences are important for our Christian journey, the mentality that God is an intermittent dispenser of grace at certain times and places, cuts short the deep intimacy into which He invites us. A more helpful (and correct) metaphor would be that of a sailboat. The Lord is continually present and active in our lives. The wind of the Holy Spirit is continually blowing in varied and nuanced directions. Sometimes He is easy to perceive, sometimes He is more hidden, but He is always there.
With Jesus in the Eucharist as the source of our strength and with Mary as our protecting Mother, we simply need to let down the sail of our heart and cooperate with the Spirit’s promptings to carry out His will in our lives. At the Newman Center, we have many beautiful ministries to help our students encounter Jesus. We have the structures and the methods in place to carry out our mission, and now the Lord is calling us to a renewed trust and boldness, to not be afraid to follow His will in every circumstance, to indeed, unfurl our sails and let Him steer us, so that every student on campus may know the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
With Jesus in the Eucharist as the source of our strength and with Mary as our protecting Mother, we simply need to let down the sail of our heart and cooperate with the Spirit’s promptings to carry out His will in our lives. At the Newman Center, we have many beautiful ministries to help our students encounter Jesus. We have the structures and the methods in place to carry out our mission, and now the Lord is calling us to a renewed trust and boldness, to not be afraid to follow His will in every circumstance, to indeed, unfurl our sails and let Him steer us, so that every student on campus may know the Gospel of Jesus Christ.