Something ordinary and so Amazing!

"Understand this well: there is something holy, something divine hidden in the most ordinary situations,
and it is up to each one of you to discover it."
- St. Josemaria Escriva

So the other day I said something about us having a different clock than God sometimes and today that was true sort of. I was going to wake up to go to morning mass at 7am and mass at 7:30am in the Abbey, but I didn't wake up until 6:45. Yes, I could have made it probably, but I wouldn't have been chill and mentally ready for morning prayer, so I decided I would just go to mass. I got ready and walked over with my friend Beverley to the church to find an amazing change of plans. Today's schedule was pushed back a half hour because it is a feast day so morning prayer was at 7:30 and mass was at 8! That means I got to go to both this morning!

Of course morning prayer and mass were great, but then I left the church and started walking to the dining hall on campus and an older couple who was in mass was walking that direction too. I walk really fast sometimes, and they moved to the one side of the sidewalk, but as I got up to them, I slowed down and said 'Hello' and asked how their day was going and such and we started having an actual conversation about if I am a student here, what I am studying, etc. I learned that they are from about 100 miles north of Detroit, but they are snow birds and just got down here for the winter and live in Brooksville and come to Leo a couple times while they are here to get oranges and go to the church. Now remember, I am from Wisconsin, so it was cool to hear that they are from up North and are snow birds because my grandparents do that too and are coming down next week! I found out that they know a Franciscan sister in Milwaukee, which is where I was born and I grew up around there. 

So where am I going with all of this you may ask. A couple of ways.
1. Something that I strive for is to find something in common with everyone I meet, obviously I did that here. 2. Being comfortable with the uncomfortable. I could have just kept walking and gone to the caf, but I stopped and talked with them and showed them around the dining hall.

The quote at the beginning of this post really is what happened today I think. Something ordinary like walking to the dining hall after mass and then talking to a couple brought me to see something amazing and holy. They were Jesus to me today because they were so kind and accepting. I had to discover it though. I had to take that step out of my comfort zone into the world of the uncomfortable to say hello and start a conversation.

Oh and I highly suggest starting your morning with mass because even on 3 or 4 hours of sleep, what you receive during mass will keep you going all day. By the way, Mass is at 10am tomorrow in the Abbey instead of 7:30 in case anyone was wondering. I'll be there. See you there!

God Bless,

Erica Jean