Semester Wrap-up

One semester down, 11 to go! (Plus the novitiate year and the pastoral year.) That gets an M.A. in Theology... Fr. Dave commented once that we should get a doctorate for 6 years of school... either way, we come out knowing a lot!

This semester, my first in religious life, has been incredible. The community is very supportive, Boston is an exciting city to live in, I have enjoyed the cold weather (partly cloudy and 30º F right now), the opportunity for prayer and the proximity to the Blessed Sacrament is an awesome gift, and studying philosophy, Latin, the Catechism, and literature have been engaging and fun.

I was commenting to a regular Eucharistic adorer the other night that if metaphysics or a topical course introducing traditional philosophical notions of physics, metaphysics, logic, and epistemology were taught as part of the general education in public universities, people would be far better equipped to address situations in their lives, having developed the practice of thinking critically and systematically and with an awareness of the strength of various arguments and definitions. The "critical thinking" component of general education programs is lacking (I did not go into the depth that metaphysics requires, and I even took the honors class).

With our pastoral assignment of teaching Catechism (Confirmation students), I certainly learned more about how I work with others. I learned more about how much I like to work with children, and how I cannot take for granted how my past experiences in similar situations (taking Confirmation classes, teaching catechism to the same age group) may apply to the ones at hand. I also learned more about how to give people a chance to show themselves and their capabilities, and that there are often many effective ways to accomplish a task.

I also realized the great benefit of the wisdom of others, including my peers, superiors, and counselors. Aristotle characterizes the wise man with six attributes including knowledge of universals, experience, and the capacity to teach with authority based on the first two. It is very humbling to take a step back and listen to the wise, learning from their experience and reinforcing it with my own. When we consider further that among those human beings who have acquired and been given such wisdom, God is infinitely greater, then we realize that it is not we who do things, but we only comply in His plan for us and His desire for the whole of creation, to draw it back to Himself, and we do not take pride in the wisdom we may acquire, because it is not of our own merit that we obtain it, but His goodness and love for all.

As we enter the final week of Advent, let us renew our spirit of longing for the coming of our Savior among us, both in his Incarnation and in the final days. Let us admire and ask for the grace to take on some of the humility of the Savior, born among the animals, and to look to His human parents, the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Joseph, her chaste spouse, foundress and special patron of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary, for inspiration and intercession in our journey of faith, hope and love.

Love the Immaculata!
Mariam cogita, Mariam invoca