Live-streamed from the Catholic Education Centre
Thursday, September 3rd, 2020 at 9:00 a.m.
Closing Prayer
At times like this it is important for us to step back and put things into perspective and a good metaphor is always helpful.
This school year, we need to be like a Palm Tree!
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Palm trees are a wonderful symbol of resilience and adaptation- two traits that will help all of us as we journey through this school year.
We get to enjoy the shade of a palm tree on a beautiful sunny day because of that tree’s ability to bend and sway in the difficult winds of a hurricane. Objects that can’t sway and bend in the gale end up broken. Being able to adapt to circumstances beyond our control is the key to resilience for us as well as our students.
2020 has not been the year that any of us anticipated, and for many of us plans have had to change, we have had to adapt to the circumstances that are in front of us. This can certainly cause stress and anxiety as we are forced to slow down and chart a new course, develop a new plan- let go of some things. May we each find strength in our faith, that with God’s Grace things will work out. Work will get done, lessons will be learned. Maybe not in the way we had planned- but in the way that was intended- and there is beauty in that.
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And so let us pray together:
God of faithfulness, God ever new,
as this new year brings new projects and possibilities,
we are in need of energy and renewed hope.
Wondering what change we are able to effect
by our words and actions and prayers,
we need Your grace to guide our hearts.
We need the power of Your Son to rekindle and
sustain our passion.
We need the wisdom of Your Spirit to see the
ever-present possibility for change and conversion,
for growth and transformation.
Give us eyes of faith,
that we might see the wonders in our midst,
That we might have the courage to hope.
Amen.
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(Sources: Reflection by Stephanie Jarrett, Chaplaincy Leader at Notre Dame College School, Prayer by Les Miller and Melinda Rapallo, YCDSB)