"How good and pleasant it is when God's people live together in unity."
Psalm 133:1
In the readings for the second Sunday of Advent, we were introduced to John the Baptist. John was the son of Mary’s cousin Elizabeth, who as Scripture tells us, leapt for joy in his mother’s womb during Mary’s Visitation. During his lifetime, John was a preacher, and a bit of an eccentric, wandering in the wilderness wearing clothing made of camel’s hair, and living on locusts and wild honey. It was John who foretold of a messianic figure greater than himself, someone who would bring unity and hope to a troubled world.
Last Friday, our seventh and eighth grade girls participated in the annual North County Flag Football tournament at Nativity. St. Michael’s School started this tournament in 2006, and our teams routinely have dominated the event. Such was the case this year as well with both our seventh and eighth grade girls going undefeated into the final match against each other. In the final seconds of the game, it was the seventh grade team who was victorious, and with the win, another SMS inscription on the perpetual trophy. All of the girls showed great skill and determination, but more importantly, it was apparent that they were fueled by a united effort, where teamwork was lauded over any individual achievement.
Similarly, the 70+ students who participated in our fall musical production, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, spent countless hours rehearsing lines, learning songs and dance steps to present four incredible performances this past weekend in the HFC. Again, it was apparent that the students were a team – they lifted one another up and they were truly joyful in belonging to something larger than just a personal goal.
Our faith, too, is enhanced when we can worship not only in private, but also as a community, supporting and nurturing each other on our journey. Through times of sorrow and times of triumph we walk together toward our ultimate destiny. What a blessing it is to be part of the team called Christians.
In Mission, Kathy