May the Lord bless us and keep us. May the Lord let His face shine upon us and be gracious to us. May the Lord look upon us kindly and grant us peace. Amen.
It's like clockwork. The end of the day draws near. Students know that once dismissed they stand behind their desks for prayer. And they know exactly which prayer we'll say.
Even on days when I am too frustrated or distracted to find the words or take the lead, they do it on their own.
Yes, we're in the midst of the "final countdown," the "senioritis" (as far as 8th graders go), and the general "I'd rather be outside right now because I could care less about school," but we teachers are still pressing onward. By golly, these students will learn until the final bell, let me tell you...
If only.
I have to keep it together.
I have to focus on what these 8th graders have done and can do (rather than what they choose not to do or can't).
I have to believe that the end of the school year will arrive quickly, much more quickly than I actually do want it to.
I want to think I've done my best to impart the notion of developing a personal relationship with God through constant prayer and regular Mass attendance.
I love them.
Each one.
And I think of the words we pray at the end of each class, and I pray them with sincerity: May the Lord bless us and keep us. May the Lord let His face shine upon us and be gracious to us. May the Lord look upon us kindly and grant us peace. Amen.
We have come full circle.
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