My faith in God influences my life especially when I am discerning how to be well-ordered. The major decisions of my life have begun with the question, “How may I love more?” This is true for when I entered the Jesuit novitiate, when I left, and when I married. I cultivate my companionship of of Jesus through a habit of prayer, participation in sacraments, and time spent with my family and on my own.
Living a faith filled life requires time commitment. I aspire to daily personal time with God, through meditation and lectio divina. Additionally, I make an effort to go on a retreat annually, in order to experience my faith journey more deeply. Time spent in a habit of connection to God helps me maintain a clearer awareness of my own self and appreciate time spent with those I love.
Family life is integral with my life of faith. My wife and children provide me with the purpose and challenge of self-awareness and self-abnegation. I give and take; I am proud and humble because of my family. We participate in the sacraments and the parish community.
Faith in God and companionship with Jesus have directed my major decisions in my career and my daily habits of work. I worked in Catholic education before I entered the novitiate. Afterwards, I chose to work in urban education in order to serve where the work was difficult and important. This foundation imbedded the purpose of relationship and relevance in my teaching. At my school now, I build community through activities that help students and staff. For example, I work on the school social committee to talk with staff as they celebrate joy in their life and commemorate grief. This is an assignment I took on because of its spiritual quality. Towards my students, I always keep in mind that every student who enters my classroom should be recognized for herself. I am a teacher to help students become themselves and to serve to build the future of the nation and the world. The effort and sacrifice I make along the way is a spiritual investment.
