Summer quickly passes as we are accustomed to expect. And with the nearing of September, the new school year begins.  As Jesus was often referred to as “Teacher,” may this privilege to learn academically, and to grow through the virtues of our Christian faith, bring forth renewed inspiration and understanding of self and others.  We are blessed with faith filled and dedicated teachers and staff at Sacred Heart school, and within all the schools that continue to support our students and families desire to learn and grow in character. Blessings upon the teachers and staff, students and families within all our schools as this new school year begins.

 From this Sunday’s gospel in Jesus words: “It is the Spirit that gives life. . . .The words that I have spoken to you are Spirit and life.”
May I paraphrase the words of Frederick Buechner, Christian author and pastor, in his description of this vital element of each human being created in God’s image.  “Like its counterparts in Hebrew and Greek, the Latin word ‘spirit’ originally meant “breath”. . .and breath is what you have when you’re alive and don’t have when your dead.  Thus spirit = breath = life, the aliveness and power of your life, and to speak of your spirit (or soul) is to speak of the power of life that is in you.  When your spirit is unusually strong, the life in you is unusually alive. . . .Spirit can be good or bad, healing or destructive; and can be transmitted across great distances and space. . . .God also has a spirit—is Spirit, says the apostle John.  Thus God is the power of the power of life itself, has breathed and continues to breathe life into his creation.  In-spires it.  The spirit of God, Holy Spirit. . .is highly contagious.”
“There is a light in this world, a healing spirit more powerful than any darkness we may encounter. We sometimes lose sight of this force when there is suffering, too much pain. Then suddenly, the spirit will emerge through the lives of ordinary people who hear a call and answer in extraordinary ways. (Mother Teresa)” “Nature always wears the colors of the spirit. (Ralph Waldo Emerson)” 
“In everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit. (Albert Schweitzer)” 
“In the long run, the sharpest weapon of all is a kind and gentle spirit. (Anne Frank)” 
“God will never direct us to be prideful, arrogant and unforgiving, immoral or slothful or full of fear. We step into these things because we are insensitive to the leadership of the Holy Spirit within us. (Charles Stanley)” “No pessimist ever discovered the secret of the stars, or sailed to an uncharted land, or opened a new doorway for the human spirit. (Helen Keller)” 
“Never underestimate the power of dreams and the influence of the human spirit. We are all the same in this notion: The potential for greatness lives within each of us. Wilma Rudolph)” 
“Never be in a hurry; do everything quietly and in a calm spirit. Do not lose your inner peace for anything whatsoever, even if your whole world seems upset. (St. Francis de Sales)” 
“The spiritual life is not a life before, after, or beyond our everyday existence. No, the spiritual life can only be real when it is lived in the midst of the pains and joys of the here and now. (Henri Nouwen)” 
O Holy Spirit, descend plentifully into my heart. Enlighten the dark corners of this neglected dwelling and scatter their cheerful beams. (St. Augustine) 
 
God Bless, Fr. Tim 
 
FYI: “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.” (Mary’s Magnificat)