Getting out of bed for Jesus

“Jesus is the reason I get out of bed”.

This is the mantra my Parish Priest used recently in a very simple but powerful homily. He challenged us when he said that Jesus must be the centre of our lives otherwise we become selfish, self-absorbed and self-interested. Being too busy for Jesus is common. In fact, being busy is not only accepted, but expected these days. The truth is that we need to ‘get back’ time with Jesus and lose the busyness. It’s not easy, but we will make the time if spending time with God is important to us.

Is Jesus the reason you get out of bed?

All principals in our Archdiocese are privileged to attend ‘Siloam’, which is held three times a year at the St Clement’s Retreat Centre, Galong and facilitated by Catholic Identity and Religious Education Senior Officer at the Catholic Education Office, Mr Patrick McGrath. The term, ‘Siloam’ comes from ‘The Pool of Siloam’ which is a rock-cut pool on the original site of Jerusalem, located outside the walls of the Old City. For Christians, the Pool of Siloam has special significance and is mentioned in the Gospel of John as the location to which Jesus sent a man blind from birth to be healed. As principals, we are constantly reminded through prayer, scripture, reflection and dialogue at these ‘Siloam’ gatherings to have our ‘eyes opened’ to Jesus and others in our community, and make Jesus the reason we get out of bed.

At ‘Siloam’ there are five clusters and we stay with the same group (a mixture of Canberra and country Principals) with a Priest companion.

This time away is a blessed time for me but these sessions always seem to fall when I am so busy. There are staffing concerns, reports to read, student issues and meetings … so many meetings! Where do I fit in a few days away? But I always feel refreshed and reinvigorated, knowing that time with God and in prayer is not only important, but necessary in my role as husband, father, son and Principal.

Think about how your busyness and time reflects your relationship with God. Are you too busy for God? Is Jesus the reason you get out of bed?