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Celebrating Education!
At this time of the year we celebrate the gift of Catholic Schools Week. The theme for this year is inspired by the great life of Carol Acutis: Normal lives, Called to Holiness! The word holy means to be worthy of God, to be blessed in action and life, to be true to one's purpose as given by God .... Holiness is not abstracted from the ordinary, but calls us to be our best selves right where we are with the greatest respect for ourselves and others. The very word educare (Latin word of origin for education) reflects that which is holy! Educare implies that we bring out what is already within but currently perhaps nudging or unknown!
It is always wonderful to look at the young people at the Science exhibition in January and see what they manage to bring about when they trust the knowledge they already have and step from a nudging question to a real and possible answer. The thousands of projects grow from a question in the minds of the young people concerned and a belief that there is a new and unfolding answer in our time! This is made possible for the young people because teachers and parents support and trust in the new ideas that emerge. We have within us what we need for the world as it evolves.
It takes courage to leap towards new ideas and possibilities. However, we need to MIND THE GAP and not fall down to despair or into a tiny rabbit warren of other people's ideas! We are born with courage. Young people are brave and able for whatever arrives before them needing teachers, parents, caring adults to broaden the path before them with safety bars on the side, but not road blocks in front of them!
The same may be said for every one of us, as while the outer shell might become a little worn or wrinkly, the heart is ever young and ready for newness. We each have a gut and heart sense of what is right for us and for what we need to do in the now. Resisting this is like placing a restricting fist-hold on our ability to discover each day’s newness and possibilities! Resisting one's gut sense is exhausting and draining! We are ever drawn to be true to ourselves. None of us need the ramblings of WhatsApp groups or other social media conversations to know what is right for us and for our families. It really hurts to go against what is true for us! Whither we call it holiness or being true to self, we are each gifted to live whole and meaningful lives! Let’s ease out the reigns of control on our thoughts, gut sense and dreams so that great things may happen in our ordinary lives. Always Semper Eruditio, Semper Melius! learning, always better!
Cathy Burke
Catechist in the Lucan Partnership of Parishes
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