Greetings from Chicago

Friends,
Greetings to you from the University of St. Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, Illinois outside of Chicago.

I'm here for the week continuing my academic work with the Institute of Priestly Formation from Creighton University.

I woke up very early this morning- it was still dark.  My room is on the third floor and so I look down onto a green space with trees, grace and some shrubs.  I sat down to pray a bit and noticed that you can't really see trees in the dark. I realize it sounds kind of mundane, but really, many other things reflect light: cars, windows, etc. These things I noticed, the trees I did not. As the dawn arrived, the night wore off and the light, little by little began to fill the space that was once covered in darkness.  The trees began to take on light and their form and features began to take shape.

This university/seminary was built in the 1920s. I wonder when they planted those trees... they are tall now; full of leaves. For how many years have those leaves been receiving that sun, and the roots the rain that have pushed the branches out and out to provide shade for weary and ruminating priests and a place of rest for weary birds?

Why all this? "Get to the point FrC!"

A Monday meditation for us:

Are we willing to grow too? Will we allow the light of Christ to permeate our life, especially the darkest of places and allow Him to bathe those areas in the warm light of Love, Forgiveness, and Healing?

Are we dedicated to the long, steady process of conversion? Trees don't grow over night; and saints aren't made in the blink of eye. Here have we been planted and here we are to grow; to put down roots and be nourished.

Jesus, who is the Light of the World (Jn 8:12ff), cover me, bathe me, blind me with your Light that I may see with eyes of Faith, Hope, and Love. Amen.

Have a good day.

FrC