Hi 2007 graduates
The day you were waiting for long is almost here. It’s the day when you will be recognized as men and women and not just kids, when you would be looked up to as heroes (check out your image on the back cover of the current Reader’s Digest!) I can imagine your excitement. Well, it’s also a sad time of parting with dear friends too; the pain would also remain for a while. It is a time of joy and pain…
How should you look forward to as you are moving into college?
It’s going to be a lot different from what you are now and what you know till now. Some of you would think of yourselves as being lucky in being able to get into your dream schools, while some others would not be. Yet some others don’t care (who bothers for these ivy’s?). A few would be commuting from home (good food and constant tab on your activities assured). Another few would become free birds in the ‘dorm’osphere (where each Friday night is a challenge ‘to be or not to be’).
Anyway you are going to learn much and you will experience much more.
Yet, you could be different in the way you learn and experience, if you will choose to submit to the Lord. Three things you should learn (they might not teach you these at your school)
- Learn to be grateful
Have you realized that it is only a very small percent of the youth of your age are fortunate enough to get into colleges and study? You are one of the privileged few, the chosen few. Most don’t have their parents supporting them anything and everything that goes in the name of education. You need to be grateful to God for every single moment of your college life. Your gratitude should reflect in your attitude to yourself and to others.
- Learn to be wise
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs. 1.7)
You will be fed with loads of information in the coming years. But it is your commitment to God which can make you wise. Wisdom is finding the purpose in your life. It is being blessed with the spirit of discernment as to what is good and what is bad. There might be times of loneliness. You might find yourself wandering without meaning. Understand God is stretching you a little bit. But a trust in the Lord will help you focus on the larger purpose of your life. And mind you, wisdom is not just about grades…
- Learn to discover your church
Till now, your church was so close for you. As you grow and move out to college you will be in a position to be influenced a lot by other churches or groups. Instead of being swept away, this could be a time when you discover your own church in a new way. You can either declare it as old and outdated or you can strive to find the depth and beauty of the faith community in which you were brought up. You could ask the Lord to open up your eyes to behold the avenues within our own church to worship and service. In an environment of individualistic and entertainment based faith, you could be apostles of communitarian faith and liturgical worship of the mission oriented, Reformed Eastern Orthodox Church (don’t be confused, I am talking about the Mar Thoma Church) of which you are part of. That is appropriating your baptismal commitment.
This is going to be the best time of your life; don’t ever mess it up, make it something terrific with your Lord.
Let me close with Mother Teresa’s prayer for you,
I pray that all those young people who have graduated
Do not carry just a piece of paper with them
But that they carry love, peace and joy….
That they become the sunshine of God’s love to our people,
The hope of eternal happiness and burning flame of love
wherever they go. That they become the carriers of God’s love.
That they are able to give what they have received.
For they have received not to keep but to share.
Yours, as always,
Samachen (rev_matscar@yahoo.com)
215-698-1023(h) 267-882-7581(c)
Spring 2007