“I, the Lord, your God, teach you what is for your good, and lead you on the way you should go” – Isaiah 48:17
While packing to move last year, I came across a yellowed Boston Globe clipping from April 1994 with an ad from Xaverian Brothers High School seeking a theology teacher. A good friend who knew both the legacy of the Xaverian Brothers and my hope to serve at some point in Catholic secondary education shared the clipping with me. At the time, I was working for the Family Life Apostolate in Boston with no immediate plans to leave. Although I knew nothing about Xaverian, I followed through trusting that I should heed my friend’s suggestion that I apply. After an interview with Brother Dan, he called to offer me the job and I accepted. One could say that the rest is history, but that would be an understatement.
Coming across this clipping reminded me of the many times that God has “led me in the way I should go.” I do believe that God called me to serve at Xaverian to use my gifts to benefit the community. But I also trust that God led me to Xaverian for my own spiritual growth since coming to know the Brothers and the Xaverian family has had a profound impact on my life.
Advent reminds us that the light of Christ breaks into the common, ordinary flow of our lives, often at unexpected times. God used my friend’s attentive concern for me to “teach me what is for my good.” May we all trust that this light will break into our lives just when we need to know where God is leading us next.
Jesus,
Your light leads us toward what is genuinely good for us. Help us to trust that You will always lead us where we need to go at each moment of our lives.
Amen.
James Conley
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