May always comes roaring in and doesn’t stop. Graduation ceremonies, graduation parties, last concerts of the year, end-of-the-year pizza parties, field days, bring a special lunch, wear your class shirt, prom, teacher gifts, end-of-year photo sessions, Mother’s Day events, moving out college students, Memorial Day weekend activities and the list goes on…
May is the month that feels as crazy as December without the reminders that we need to rest in the stillness and peace that the good news of Jesus' birth brings. Someone referred to it as Maycember this past Sunday. Wow, does that capture the frenzy that many of us feel.
Sometimes the frenzy doesn’t allow us to see the blessings of this season or rest in the transitional journeys that are happening for our kids or families. We have expectations of the perfect photo or event; we run late or forget something that seemed so important at the time which causes us to become frustrated or angry. We meet our teenagers, toddlers, or young adults’ angst with equal energy instead of empathy and calm.
Next Sunday we celebrate the Confirmation of some of our 8th graders. Yes, we add to the busyness of May, but it is a beautiful way to invite the Holy Spirit to work in our lives and be reminded of our Baptismal promises along with the students.
Do you intend to continue in the covenant God made with you in holy baptism:
to live among God’s faithful people;
to hear the word of God and share in the Lord’s supper;
to proclaim the good news of God in Christ through word and deed;
to serve all people following the example of Jesus;
and to strive for justice and peace in all the earth?”
What can we do in this season to reflect this covenant with God in this time when we are stretched thin? Can we take life events and find how we are serving in the example of Jesus or striving for peace?
God has taught me a lot about humility in the busy seasons of my life. I tend to be prideful and think I can do it on my own. We need our community of faithful people to remind us of God’s unending grace and love. They push us to rest in God’s presence and peace.
Can we take moments to hear the word of God that comforts and turns our busyness over to Jesus and the love that “bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” (1 Corinthians 13:7)?
Praying along with you that the light of Jesus enters our Maycember in ways that join us together to live, share, and celebrate with all people God’s love in Jesus Christ.
Peace always,
Angie Seiller, Director of Faith Formation