Today's Marists 2024 Volume 8, Issue 2

have anointed your head with oil?” Instead, Simon’s inner narrative
was to blame. Simon blames Jesus for not knowing this woman was
a sinner, blames the woman for her sinful ways, not ever looking
inside himself.
What if we spent more time trying to change our inner narratives?
First, it is humbling for us to acknowledge that we have one! Then
we can pause, pausing before we blame another government,
blame another political party, blame another leader or blame
another colleague or family member. We can look instead at how
we can be better - then vow to be better!
In today’s contentious times, in my experience, any sign or
effort at reconciliation for young people can help change their
confusing inner narratives. Such reconciliation is accessible for
our students at Marist School through an act as straightforward as
the Sacrament of Reconciliation. We are led by the Marists who are
mindful of Fr. Colin’s words that “the sacrament of penance is a
source of consolation and strength,” (A Founder Speaks, #7, 3). The
Marists share a heart to be “instruments of God’s mercy working
to help others taste the boundless love of the Lord.” (US Province
Statement of Identity, 2013)
During Lent we held a Reconciliation Service for the students - an
intentional time in the school day to pause and avail ourselves
of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. What a gift this Sacrament
is! Instead of going to class, students were invited to the Chapel
to sit quietly. Music was played and priests were available for
Confession. These students are young - beginners - still learning
to navigate their inner dialogue. The Sacrament of Reconciliation
allows us to practice what I learned in Outdoor Ed class – rather
than blame, be willing to apologize and evaluate what you have
done wrong, and vow to be better!
I saw nervous students in the chapel that day - unsure of the right
words to say. They pulled me aside to ask questions like, “What
if I forget to say a sin?” “What if I do not remember the Act of
Contrition?” or “What if I am not Catholic?”
What a gift it was to practice this together! I spent the hour
practicing with students, encouraging them and allowing them
time with the extraordinary Marist priests who shepherded them
through the Sacrament and the ability to bask in God’s grace.
We join other Marist schools in taking intentional time to pause, to
say out loud – “I’m sorry, this is what I have done wrong, and I will
be better! “
So many times we expect that we should be perfect, and we expect
others around us to be perfect. What if we approached our days
like these students at Reconciliation willing to change their inner
narrative? What if we listened to the words of Christ in the parable
and simply heard, “Your sins are forgiven.” What weight would be
lifted from our souls?
I often think about my time in the river. I did not like flipping the
canoe. I did not like getting wet. I did not like hopping back in the
canoe, but I liked the time on the water. I liked the time to be in the
world with other people navigating the rapids, and I loved hearing,
“We will do better next time.” It became a rally cry on that trip.
When my Outdoor Ed class returned to school, whenever we
messed up something, received a low grade on a test or just fell
short of expectations - we would laugh and say, “We’ll do better
next time!” We learned the way of reconciliation on the waters!
Reconciling the Sacrement, continued from page 19
students to come and wait for a station to open up after which they
go into the room for confession.”
Juan Pablo Turrubiartes is a seventh grader at NDP. He first received
the Sacrament of Reconciliation at St. Mary of the Hills in Rochester
Hills, Michigan. Since then, he has gone to confession a number of
times at the NDP-organized service at St. John Fisher.
“I believe the Sacrament of Reconciliation is where you go and
talk with a priest and reflect over your sins,” he said. “You then are
pardoned and given advice on what you can do to avoid your sins in
the future.”
He adds that for him, it is like you are talking with Jesus and asking
Him for forgiveness.
“He will always forgive you as long as you are truly sorry. When I
participate in this sacrament, while I may have failed God and his
mission for me, I feel grateful for the opportunity to reunite with God
and continue his mission for me.”
He says sometimes he is a bit nervous before meeting with the priest.
“But when I talk it out with the priest, I feel much calmer - as if God
just came in and forgave me with his unending grace and mercy,”
he said.
Natalie Esseily, a sixth grader at NDP, says that reconciliation, the
opportunity to be forgiven, is a gift that some people are sometimes
too afraid to unwrap.
“But I feel very blessed to be able to participate in this merciful
event,” she said. “Many people do not understand what a wonderful
opportunity it is to convert from a life of sin to a life of following the
tenets of God and to renew your commitment to become a better
follower of Jesus.”
The Marist Way
In addition, Lawrence remains focused on tying the Sacrament of
Reconciliation to the school’s Marist mission.
“One of the things we talk about with our young people especially
during Lent, is that Marist sense of humility,” she said. “Father Jim
Strasz, SM, defines that as being comfortable in your own skin. You
know, being authentic. He’ll ask them ‘how can you be authentic
if you’re wearing a mask? And what mask do you need to let go of
today?’”
Lawrence also said one of the elements that she and her team brings
into discussions with students on the Sacrament of Reconciliation is
how they can think, feel, judge and act like Mary in all things.
“What does that look like? How am I doing that? Am I a person that is
thinking about what is best for all? What are my values? Am I making
good choices for myself? Am I someone other people can rely on to
make good choices and be someone who’s going to lift somebody
else up and not bring somebody else down? When have I brought
someone else down? Can I let go of that now?
“But it’s always within that Marist lens and Marist framework,” she
said. “It’s always infusing our Marist values and who we are. We focus
on this in appropriate ways at each grade level. We focus on this with
the middle school, and we focus on these areas with the high school
on a much deeper level.
“We tell our students that they will get closer to God in the process
of reconciliation, knowing that God is a forgiving, merciful God, and
that we have to learn to become more like Him.”
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