PIE 2005 begins!

Today is the day! Today we leave for the Philippines, and with all the preparations and the anticipation that has been building up, I can hardly believe this moment is upon us. As I am preparing my luggage and tying up loose ends, I am finding it difficult to spiritually center myself. There are so many distractions, any one of which could encumber me if I choose to linger in those worries. At today’s mass at the Chapel of St. Ignatius, the gospel concerned Peter walking on water to join Jesus but ultimately sinking as his faith was shaken by the raging sea and the tumultuous winds. I pray that today I may find God’s voice in the silence to help foster a sense of reflective calm and that the winds we ride upon this evening may buoy our very spirits.