Today is the Swift Super Bowl. As much as I detest all the coverage and celebrity worship, I just can’t bring myself to pull for the 49ers. Part of me wanted to root for the meteor (SMOD!) but someone is gonna have to win, and I’d rather it be Andy Reid’s team.
I am enjoying the fact that Ash Wednesday falls on the feast of St. Valentine. I joked with my students they should get their ashes in the shape of a heart – as a reminder that Jesus will always love them, even if no one else does.
This past week was a super busy one for me – there was a class retreat, and there were three nights of basketball games (both guys and girls). I stayed for them all because I am the “voice” of many athletic events through the year and I often emcee many non-athletic events as well.
I brought my daughter to school with me on Friday, and it was an enlightening experience for how much more she has to grow up – as she is a 6th grader and the difference between her and even the freshmen was very stark. Thankfully, there is time between now and the 9th grade!
Lent begins this week, and this is a time I believe that we shouldn’t be giving things up, but rather adding things that we wouldn’t normally do. If you don’t pray as much as you should, try adding 10 minutes a day of prayer or reflection. Reading from Scripture can be helpful. Do more acts of service and charity to benefit others without any expectation of payback. Jesus said “love one another as I have loved you”, which implies being willing to die unto yourselves, even if not in a literally physical way. Lent is a great time to reflect on that *command* – and it is more than merely not eating meat on Fridays.
Have a great week. If you are a practitioner, enjoy Mardi Gras/Carnival/Fat Tuesday. Pancakes are my favorite, and in my former parish in College Park, the Sunday before Ash Wednesday was always a pancake feast. It’s one of the (very few) things I miss being on the Shore. Enjoy!
"You are THAT guy!" 