On Tuesday, October 18, my classmates and I embarked on a spiritual journey during our Sophomore Day of Reflection. This day gave me the opportunity to ponder over and discuss the roles that my family, school, and faith have in my life. Also, my teachers offered keen insight into their lives and how being part of a community gave them strength to move past seemingly insurmountable obstacles.
During the first Day of Reflection session, Coach Michael Cappo reminded me of the importance of family. He informed my class that family is going to be supportive despite any circumstances. Family members are always looking out for our best interest even if it does not seem apparent to us. To support this, Coach Cappo described the fortitude his mother displayed to his family when they were going through a great personal tragedy. Contemplating over this brought to my attention that sometimes I take my family for granted. From this lesson, I hope to embrace more frequently the support that my family offers to me, and I want to extend my assistance to others in need of a family.
The second community that had a prominent impact on my life is that of Brother Martin. I was reminded of this by Mrs. Debbie Broussard. As the Assistant Principal for Academics, Mrs. Broussard spoke of the responsibility that we have displayed in our time at Brother Martin. She also told us that as developing teenagers we will continue to face many challenges in the future such as peer pressure, dating, and driving. This message made me aware of how important we all are to Brother Martin. In the Branton Chapel, I heard Mr. Gerald Ursin, a Brother Martin graduate and my ninth grade Religion teacher, discuss how the school community gave him comfort in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. He described leaving Brother Martin in 2005 on a bright sunny day mostly unaware of the impending danger of the storm, but he soon came to realize, after Katrina struck the city, that he might never reunite with all of his his friends and teachers. This put a great weight on his heart; however, this pain quickly dispersed when he was able to attend Brother Martin’s satellite campus at Catholic High. This account helped me to realize what Brother Martin is to me. Brother Martin is more than a building composed of concrete and steel. It is a building composed of people, teachers, friends, family, and workers who serve as the foundation of what makes this school special. Coming to this conclusion propagated a fiery enthusiasm within me because I could not be more proud of being part of the Brother Martin community.
In life, I often find myself entangled in many different activities such as participating in extracurriculars, hanging out with friends, and studying for school. As hectic as my life has gotten in the past few years, communicating with God has continuously brought me great strength, solace, and confidence. I deeply appreciate the times when I can meditate and just enjoy being in the presence of God. Days of prayer and reflection advance my relationship with God as I continue to develop into the best disciple of Christ that I can be. Sharing my deep faith with others is also important because God wants all people to reach out to Him. Opportunities to share God’s love occur every day which is why we need to live in the moment and seize these opportunities.
At the conclusion of the day, my class went to Mass. I am thankful that I was able to share in Christ’s Body and Blood with my fellow sophomores. This year’s Day of Reflection taught me valuable life lessons that brought me closer to friends, to family, and to God. I am looking forward to sharing in this experience with my family and friends.
Submitted by Christopher MacDowell ’19
