“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

“No wonder those words have weathered the centuries so well; no wonder they are still music to our ears. They assure us that those who please God are not those who can carry the heaviest loads but those who are willing to share their loads, who are willing to share their yokes by entering into relationship with the one whose invitation is a standing one. ‘Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’”

— Barbara Brown Taylor, The Seeds of Heaven: Sermons on the Gospel of Matthew

On Saturday evening we experienced a “once in a decade” thunder and lightning storm in the Bay Area. Yesterday my kids built a fort in our living room in response to how affected they were by this unique occurrence. So we should be prepared for the next one in ten years😊

Across our Lasallian District of San Francisco New Orleans, a few schools are in session while others prepare this week with virtual and in-person gatherings of faculty and staff. Friday afternoon I enjoyed my time spent with one of our schools and their adult community, discussing how to create a culture of belonging for students. We explored topics of equity, access and social-emotional health; I was inspired by the passion and energy of the teachers, which clearly translated across the digital divide, as did their student-centered approach to building relationships. At a board meeting for a different school earlier in the week, I learned of the school’s focus on the following areas of remote learning: engaging teaching, social emotional support, and social justice & personal growth. With experiences like these, I am confident that our students are being cared for with a spirit of faith along with our Lasallian professionalism, care and concern.

These days I am reflecting often on this above quote from Saint John Baptist de La Salle. I came across it from the daily quotes of the Lasallian Resource Center, which I find to be a valuable resource for my prayer. Visit www.lasallianresources.org for this daily quote resource.

SONGS

Sunday Bloody Sunday- Deon Jones (ft. Jon Batiste)