One of the great joys of serving as Bishop in ECMN is the opportunity to be involved with our schools: Shattuck-St. Mary’s and Breck. And one of my favorite activities is to be a part of the Opening School Chapel.
In my experience, there is nothing like the first day of school. There is always this palpable energy which is a combination of both anticipation and anxiety. Everyone at all levels engaged in the educational endeavor is both excited about all the possibilities of the new school year. At the same time they are all wondering how it will all play out.
In many respects, the same could be said about our journey of faith. We are a people called to live with eagerness as we proclaim, “Christ will come again!” In many ways, this our rallying cry of hopefulness. Yet amidst that sense of anticipation, there are undoubtedly times of, “How long O Lord?” as we, too, wonder how it will play out.
The reality is that both scenarios demand a high level of faithfulness in God’s grace. It is a place of tension between anticipation and anxiety, between Christ is risen and Christ will come again, between affirming our faith in Church and living it out each and every moment of our lives. The only way to do so is to be faithful in God’s grace.
In their own way, that is what I see on the faces of students on the first day. They are excited, they are anxious. But amidst it all, they seem to believe it is all going to work out. The same is true for us as people of faith. So enjoy the experience!