AN INVITATION TO SAY “YES” TO THE JOURNEY

“April showers bring May flowers. And what do May flowers bring? Pilgrims!” This answer to this well-known and admittedly somewhat corny riddle is, nevertheless, very appropriate for us today. We are pilgrims! We are on a journey through life.
Perhaps at this stage in the journey, you are a college student. Maybe you just started a new job. Maybe you are experiencing a challenging hardship, or maybe you are lost. Wherever you are on the journey, Christ is with you. Christ’s pilgrimage on this Earth was one where He experienced the many challenges we experienced, but He always journeyed with others, just like pilgrims on a pilgrimage. He journeyed with the Holy Family, the Apostles, and He now journeys with us, the Church.

This summer our schools have many pilgrimages being organized. Some students will be helping others at the healing waters in Lourdes, France. Some students will be in California, engaging with other Marianist high-school students in a leadership program. Another group of students will be taking a pilgrimage to Rome. Some graduates will even be going to the Solomon Islands with Bros. Patrick Cahill and Timothy Driscoll. Perhaps some of you can recount the wonderful experiences you had encountering Christ with classmates and faculty during your high-school years on various pilgrimages. Maybe some of you have made pilgrimages since your time in high school.

In this month of May, my mind goes to our Blessed Mother. What journeys she experienced! Mary gave birth to the Son of God by the Holy Spirit overshadowing her. Mary played an essential part in Christ beginning His public ministry at Cana. Mary was there at the foot of the Cross. Mary was welcomed by God on Christ’s journey, and we, too, are welcomed on the journey. A big part of Mary’s journey was saying “YES!”

I invite you to say “yes” to the journey. You may be called to marriage. You may be called to single life. You may be called to priesthood. Perhaps you are being called to serve Mary in her Society. Wherever you are called, be all in! Say “yes” to your vocation!

The Marianists are always happy to accompany you on your pilgrimage of life!