Last Sunday I made it to our campus ministry service after weeks of dashing to our big church (& missing church altogether for various reasons.) I like the CCM service as college students lead different parts of the worship and our Campus Chaplain, Father Glass, always comes up with switched on applications in his messages. Last week a hum of fervency permeated the church as exam period loomed ahead (for some that’s now behind, but here @ William & Mary there’s still a few more days of finals.)

Given the vine and branches Gospel reading from John 15, Father Glass challenged us to consider our relationship to Jesus like being plugged into Him online, all the time. He encouraged the students (& community) to “stay plugged into the Vine, online with Jesus.” Father Glass also gave a special ‘blessing of the brains’ for the students, something he does each semester before finals.

Seems to me this prayer from Saint Thomas Aquinas is relevant for all of us!

 “Come, Holy Spirit, Divine Creator, true source of light and fountain of wisdom! Pour forth Your brilliance upon my dense intellect, dissipate the darkness which covers me, that of sin and of ignorance.

Grant me a penetrating mind to understand, a retentive memory, method and ease in learning, the lucidity to comprehend, and abundant grace in expressing myself.

Guide the beginning of my work, direct its progress, and bring it to successful completion. This I ask through Jesus Christ, true God and true man, living and reigning with You and the Father, forever and ever.  Amen.”

grace, peace & brainy blessings

Virginia : )

p.s. This is from one of my daily devotionals today:

“With God, peace, consolation, gentleness, courage, serenity, and joy, which are the fruits of the Holy Spirit find a home in our heart; then our very being is transformed; our way of thinking and acting is made new, it becomes Jesus’ own, God’s own, way of thinking and acting.”  Pope Francis