I recently had a root canal. And as is my habit, I processed this out loud to my Enrollment coworkers who were in that hot, humid July day with me. The dread and fear of that dang tooth appointment … okay, this reflection is not about teeth. No worries. But it is about the concept of enough. When my younger daughter asked me later how I was that evening after the root canal, this is what I answered: “I have a really nice boss who allowed me to leave a job I enjoy pretty much every day at a beautiful, safe place. I got into my nice car, I drove to a dentist who was accessible, I have dental insurance that helped me to afford it, and I got my rosaries out of my purse because that's what I do. I sat there in the chair getting a root canal and prayed more than two rosaries because I live in a country wherein I am free to publicly worship anytime, anywhere. I have no complaints.” That's what I told my daughter.
I really do not think that I can fully express enough how deeply blessed I feel I am, and in fact, I feel we all are blessed to be here at Cabrini University. We are a free community, with a spiritual mission, where expression is allowed and opposing thoughts are tolerated. We walk about comfortably, we work without threat, and growth and education are ours to share and foster in the young. It is a scary world out there … we know this. Not all are so blessed. It is not, and we are not, perfect. But we ARE blessed enough.
This summer, I had the greatest blessing to meet some beautiful individuals in Ecuador with Cabrini’s Director of Campus Ministry, Fr. Carl, and seven really great Cabrini students, and I was humbled to my core when Monica, a woman there in Mt. Sinai, Ecuador, whom we were visiting, said to us, “Well, this is my journey here on Earth. See, God put ME here in Ecuador and God put YOU in the United States and that is your journey. And isn’t it wonderful that we got to meet and cross paths? So, go back to the United States and take so much joy and love with you from here.” Listening to Monica, sitting there at that moment, I realized that I can never experience enough of God’s Power and Presence here on Earth. We can never know God enough. Because, honestly, I thought that by my age I knew and felt a lot of God’s Power and Presence and Infinite Love. And so I started thinking about that word/concept of “enough.”
It is an interesting concept. And we are inundated with it as a society. Are we healthy enough, prepared enough, informed enough, understanding enough? Do we speak up enough, are we good enough listeners, teammates, partners, parents, teachers, friends? Do we have enough saved for retirement, is our house roomy enough, carpets plush enough, kitchen big enough? So, listening to Monica, it became apparent to me this summer in Ecuador that we can never know God enough. There are always deeper levels that God wishes to keep revealing to us. That’s key for me, during our earthly journey in this worldly existence. Knowing God and how to honor the gifts He has given to me.
We can see God in each other. We can be powerful as a learning community. For this new academic year, let us reflect and dig deeper and be more conscious of new and heightened ways to help our students and each other to be our best, most peaceful, productive selves. Let us be ever mindful that we have the opportunity and power to affect young minds, to encourage and build future leaders. That is our responsibility. And let us know that there is never enough of God’s Grace there to help us. That with that Grace we can transform and encourage and work together to do our part in the world because this is our journey, here, with each other, at Cabrini University for this year. Frances Cabrini posed it wisely, she said, “When we find ourselves on the brink of eternity, how shall we then desire to have passed the years of our life?" Let us for now pass this year trying to do our best enough as a community. Amen.