With God All Things Are Possible

Good Morning… Let us remember that we are in the Holy Presence of God…

God has saved us more times than we know. Have you ever thought about how many times God has diverted you from harm’s way? Perhaps that flat tire saved you from a bigger incident that was waiting for you further down the road. Or maybe that cold you got that required you to stay home saved you from failing a test you hadn’t been quite prepared for. Or that instinct that tells you that you don’t need that shirt that’s in your shopping cart, because you have the same one at home in three different colors. 

Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread Matthew 6:11 Bible Verse Wall Art Decal Quotes Christian Home Decor - 11" x 9" - Walmart.comGod not only steers us away from harm, he also gives us grace. What is grace? It’s that moment when you are so angry with someone, and you know you can say that thing, that ONE thing that can really hurt them, but that inner voice tells you “Don’t do it. Don’t say what you want to say right now. Walk away.” 

What a gift that is, to have someone looking out for us, and our wellbeing. We are run by our emotions day to day, but luckily God is not limited to how we see the world as humans. God sees all things, and knows all things. And all we have to do is ask for his help when we are stuck or in trouble. With god all things are possible Images, Stock Photos & Vectors | Shutterstock

The other great part of grace is that we can give it as well as receive it. Giving grace means wanting the best for your neighbor, your family, your teachers, your students, your colleagues, and your friends. Success, love, light… These are all expansive qualities of the human experience, meaning there is no limit to how much of them can exist. So today, let’s pray for each other, look out for each other, and thank God for having our back.

 Let us pray…Dear God,

I give this day to You.

May my mind stay centered on the things of spirit.

May I not be tempted to stray from love.

As I begin this day, I open to receive You.

Please enter where You already abide.

May my mind and heart be pure and true, and may I not deviate from the things of goodness.

May I see the love and innocence in all mankind, behind the masks we all wear and the illusions of this worldly plane.

I surrender to You my doings this day.

I ask only that they serve You and the healing of the world.

May I bring Your love and goodness with me, to give unto others wherever I go.

Make me the person You would have me be.

Direct my footsteps, and show me what You would have me do.

Make the world a safer, more beautiful place.

Amen.

Saint John Baptist De La Salle… Pray for us!

Live Jesus in our Hearts… Forever!

Morning Prayer:  Mr. Joseph DeLeo, Fine Arts Department Chairperson

January 27, 2022

I Saw Jesus On The Train Today

Good morning La Salle and de La Salle…Let us remember we are in the holy presence of a loving God.

How often do you talk to God? I talk to God a lot. In fact, I tend to talk to God consistently throughout each day. Most of the time, I’m asking God for help, for relief, for guidance, for answers…sometimes, I even ask God to help me win the lottery so I can run away to some tropical paradise for the rest of my life. But with all this talking that I do to God, how often am I actually hearing what God is saying back to me? Or even more- how often am I seeing or not seeing  how God is responding to these needs and desires that I have right in front of me? 

787 Teenager Praying Illustrations & Clip Art - iStock

I’d like to read an excerpt from writer Vinita Wright. What Wright describes, struck me as I was preparing for this prayer. She writes, 

“I saw Jesus on the train today. He had worked a long shift, his coveralls a patchwork of sweat and grime; yet he joked with a coworker in the adjacent seat. I saw Jesus awhile later, as the crowd filed onto the stairs to the street below—he was a young girl with two small children in tow, her nerves clearly frayed. And then, in the grocery store, there was Jesus again, a check-out clerk who smiled and wished me a good evening. The next time I saw him, he was stuck in traffic, his business suit rumpled and his eyes weary. And when I walked by my neighbor’s house, Jesus sat on the front step, passing the time with a friend.”308,235 Blue Collar Worker Illustrations & Clip Art - iStock

You see my friends, we ask a lot of God, and rightfully so. But we must also be open to the many ways we may encounter these answers we are looking for. So no, I don’t actually expect Jesus to choose the winning lottery ticket for me this week. But serving the needy at the Coat Drive up at the State House in November certainly felt like winning as I watched families get items they so very desperately needed in order to keep their families warm this winter. I saw Jesus when our students went to McAuley Village to bring some Christmas joy to the families there who needed it most. Gallery - Jared Emerson | Coffee with jesus, Cafe art, Jesus wallpaper I saw Jesus again when I got coffee with two La Salle Alumni who were home from college and heard all the beautiful stories of their lives post-grad. And I saw Jesus responding to my need for relief when my husband made a homemade dinner and had a fire started when I got home from all of the errands that needed to be done. 

Today, may we be reminded to look a little closer, to listen a little harder, and to find the different ways God may be answering our prayers. . 

Let us pray, 

Lord, 

“When Jesus came to share our human existence, he changed what it means to be ordinary people going through the day. Each one of us has a purpose and a place in the world. Each of us experiences pain, fatigue, humor, and hope. If we look more intently at the people we encounter on a typical day, we will see who they truly are—persons loved by God. Regardless of appearance or situation, the woman, man, or child before you is brimming with holy possibility. Consider that you are gazing into the eyes of God. Understand that Jesus comes to you in many faces and places.” Amen. –Vinita Wright 

Morning Prayer – Mrs. Rebecca Mackisey, Director of Campus Ministry

January 25, 2022

Oh. Friendship. That’s The Point.

Let us remember we are in the holy presence of God…

The other night my daughters picked a book for their bedtime story that had been mother’s and
then mine as a kid. It’s nothing of great sentimental value but when rereading it, I realized I had
completely missed the point – as I had with countless other things – when I was a child.

Matthew 9:21 WEB - for she said within herself, "If I just touch his

The book, authored in the 1960s, is loosely based on Matthew’s Gospel, Chapter 9 in which Jesus
grants a man who is paralyzed the ability to walk. In this text, a wife calls on a group of her
husband’s friends to carry him to Jesus to be healed. They walk a considerable distance to find the
line is impossibly long, so they scale the house to the roof, hoist their friend up with ropes and then
cut a hole in the roof to lower him down to Jesus.

So what did I not get?

Well, as a child, I was pretty consumed with rules, and let me tell you, in this book they sure break
quite a few. Climb up a stranger’s house? Break the roof? Cut hundreds of people in line for access
to premium healing power??? I was appalled. And in response to all this behavior what does Jesus
say? “Your sins are forgiven.” And then he healed the man.

But when I read it to my girls, the oldest remarked, “That man has really good friends. And Jesus
was proud of them.”

Oh. Friendship. That’s the point.Friendship Friends Clip Art Black And White Free Clipart - Sports And The World, HD Png Download - kindpng

This year – probably more than any other year – I have noticed deep loyalty in the friendships of
our students. I have seen them articulate in writing that friendship might just be one of the most
important bonds in life.

As you get older, the nature of friendship changes – contact isn’t as constant. Your geographical
locations and schedules, or passions and pursuits take far different tracks. But true friendships will
last. Take care of them.

Let us pray,

God, life is about what we do for others.
Grant us friends willing to carry us to you. Friends who will bring us along when we don’t have the
strength. And help us to be the friends willing to scale houses for the people we love.

Saint John Baptist de La Salle…Pray for Us

Live Jesus in our hearts…forever

Morning Prayer:  January 26, 2022

Mrs. Emily McLean, English Department Chairperson

 

Be Thankful!

Morning Prayer 1/24 

Let us remember that we are in the holy presence of a loving God. 

A few months ago during dinner, as I sat with my parents and did all of my nightly complaining, my mom looked at me and just started laughing. While they normally listened to my nonsense and assured me that I would feel better eventually and should try to make the best of it, my mom came back with something different that night. She said that in April of 2020, all that I wanted was one normal day of school and I should think before complaining about the simple nuisances of almost normal everyday life. 

Frustrated woman talks about problem. Female character can not find solution and asks for help. Stress due to burning deadlines. Cartoon modern flat vector illustration isolated on white background

Following the height of the pandemic in 2020, we repeatedly heard that we should be thankful and not take anything for granted. Last fall when we returned to school, we were grateful and enthusiastic, but quickly fell back into a cycle of complaining about the monotony of life and the simple annoyances that contribute to our days. And, especially now, we have seemingly forgotten about the constant uncertainty that looms over us. 

Monotony Images, Stock Photos & Vectors | Shutterstock

For the past two years, I have had a quote hanging on my wall among almost 200 pictures that reads, “Love what you have before life teaches you to love what you have lost.” We often forget to appreciate relationships, people, experiences, and simple routines, until they are taken away. In this new year and beginning of a new semester filled with opportunities, I challenge you all to celebrate the monotony of certain days, appreciate the annoyances of daily routine, and be thankful for being able to surround yourself, in person, with the loving people in this community.

Thankful Illustrations and Clip Art. 9,734 Thankful royalty free illustrations, drawings and graphics available to search from thousands of vector EPS clipart producers.

Let us pray.

In 1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18, Paul says “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” God, please help us to be grateful for all the blessings you have bestowed upon us, both small and large. Help us to recognize that there is value and purpose in every component of each day and that we should practice gratuity whenever possible. 

Saint John Baptist De La Salle, pray for us.

Live Jesus in our hearts, forever. 

Emma Prestage, Class of 2022

Morning Prayer: Jan 24, 2022