Cardinal John Foley School

Last Sunday I attended Mass in Ocean City, and the homily has stuck with me through our first week of school. The priest recounted that when he was on retreat as a young priest, he was impressed with the peacefulness and joy that emanated from an older priest who was also on retreat. When he asked the priest for words of wisdom, the answer was simple - always have an attitude of gratitude.
That conversation between the older priest and younger priest took place in 2006, and since then the priest who asked the question has started his morning by having his cup of coffee and writing three things in his journal for which he is grateful. He noted that his morning routine has shifted from waking up and immediately thinking about what had to get done that day to taking a few minutes to intentionally identify the people, situations, moments, and emotions that he was blessed to experience the day before.
Though I haven’t put my thoughts on paper this week, I tried to think about the blessings that I experienced the day before instead of immediately beginning a mental to-do list. It has helped me be present in the moment and cherish those interactions that make being a part of the CJF community so special.
As we all return to busy days, let us make a commitment to adopt an attitude of gratitude and start our days recognizing the gifts we have been given.