Rev. Raymond Harris

All of us are very busy. How we order our daily schedule is a reflection on what we think is important. Regardless of how busy we may be with meeting legitimate needs, we know that if we really want to do something, then we will make the time for it. God is worth the time to pray.

The greatest prayer is the celebration of the Mass. God's people gather together to offer praise and worship in the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ and in the power of the Holy Spirit. We gather in response to the command of Jesus: "Do this in remembrance of me."

Another name for the Mass is the Eucharist, which comes from the Greek word meaning "thanksgiving." We give thanks to God for our many blessings and for sustaining us during burdensome times. We receive a great Gift, the very Body and Blood of Christ, to help us to live as Christians. There are plenty of opportunities to worship God at Mass on Sundays and weekdays here at the Mount.

We also need to spend time with God in personal prayer. Our relationship with God will continue to grow if we respond to His invitation to spend time in communion and conversation with Him. Prayer helps us to be aware that the loving presence of God dwells within us and around us.

There are many places in which we can pray. Our rooms, the Grotto, while walking to class or enjoying God's creation, while driving, or in our chapels. Our chapels are open from 6:00 a.m. until Midnight. We can spend some quiet time there.

Choose a time to pray. Do not defeat yourself and say that you will pray fifteen minutes a day if you have not started with five minutes a day. For a few minutes in the morning, you can ask God for His blessing and guidance for the day ahead. Look over your schedule with God. Ask for the wisdom to help you to teach or to learn, to aid you in your studies, and to develop your gifts and talents. How many of us say grace before meals? Further suggestions for prayer can be found in my new brochure, ‘Too Busy to Pray?’ in the back of the Immaculate Conception Chapel.

For a few minutes in the evening, we can thank God for the blessings that we receive during the day. Then, we can pray about situations and persons we may have encountered. Finally, let us ask for mercy for those times we have sinned.

Prayer helps us to have a perspective on how we choose to conduct our lives. Too busy to pray? We cannot be too busy for God. God is looking out for us twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. His love for us is unlimited, unyielding, and unconditional. Let us resolve to spend some moments in prayer with God every day.

Henry Furman

Imagine. Men couldn't be served in the cafeteria without a coat and tie. Such was the requisite attire for classes. But it wasn't that many years ago. The Mount Archive reports that before 1972, dress codes were standard in the by-laws for student conduct. After that date, dress codes cease to appear.

Ironically, this was precisely the same time that the Mount went co-ed, the Fall of 1972. You would think the guys would want to look their best when the girls came to campus.

We may rejoice that these days are over. After all, it is tough to get mustard out of a necktie. And, the prevailing wisdom is that the less one wears, the more attractive they are to the opposite sex.

But it is illuminating to see what the Catechism of the Catholic Church has to say on this subject, especially how modesty protects the "mystery" of a person. Perhaps the discarding of our nice clothes has been counterproductive. Could it be that in throwing out dress codes we have contributed to the loss of purity, patience, moderation, decency, and mystery in human relationships? Could it be that dress codes increase our freedom, rather than limit it? The numbers below refer to citations in the Catechism.

2521...."Purity requires modesty, an integral part of temperance. Modesty protects the intimate center of the person. It means refusing to unveil what should remain hidden. It is ordered to chastity to whose sensitivity it bears witness. It guides how one looks at others and behaves toward them in conformity with the dignity of persons and their solidarity."

2523...... "Modesty inspires a way of life which makes it possible to resist the allurements of fashion and the pressure of prevailing ideologies."