Journal of John Bouc

One of the greatest means of learning is to be a teacher.

This isnt news to anyone, but it is always amazing to me when I have a special chance to experience it first hand.

This past weekend, I had the privilege again to be a part of a training team. It was our job to train people from various parts of our diocese on how to properly celebrate the ritual for Sundays when a priest is not available.

Sure enough, we gave many talks/lectures about the rite and skills for presiding at prayer. We took questions, eased fears and sent each out with a special challenge ahead. However, what really made the experience overwhelming for me was the chance to live and breathe as a wisdom community of believers, a group of people in love with God and eager to experience God through the sacred mysteries. I was taken aback by how much I had to offer for our endeavor and by how enthusiastic everyone was to learn and grow in our expression of faith. The enthusiasm of the participants lead to new questions and insights that we, the team, had never considered.

It may have been deceiving that while we were considered to be the”teachers” we were equally blessed to be learners.

After the blessed season of Advent and the all the joys of Christmas- the parties, the liturgies, the family gatherings and treasured traditions, there is not too much left by January 3.

There is no way to smooth over the grating feelings of sleep depravity, a pesky cold and the return to lingering stacks of work that have been waiting around in my office like obnoxious house-guests.

There are many times of the year both in our personal lives and in the Church for which we ritually orient ourselves toward God. Christmas, Easter and other”big” occasions in our life hopefully help us to refocus and refresh. However, it seems to me that it is the”January 3rd’s” of our life that really challenge me. However, today is no less an occasion of God’s saving work than that of the Easter Vigil. The holiness of the paschal mystery is flourishing around me even today whether I see it through the stack of unopened mail or not.