This year we are celebrating the 60th Anniversary of the opening of Strathmore. As a sign of our thanksgiving for this celebration,we decided to celebrate the feast of St. Josemaría this year with a special one-week challenge.
Guided by the maxim: “To begin is for everyone, to persevere is for saints.” We took on Seven Days, with Seven Challenges and Seven Quotes for each day. All this led to the feast of Saint Josemaría on the 26th June 2021.
We steered on with the challenge of putting into practice the spirit that St. Josemaría wanted for Strathmore.
Challenge: Get used to saying thanks
Say a simple thanksgiving prayer (Grace) before each meal:
Example of a simple prayer: “For what I am about to receive, I give thanks.”
Quote of the day: “Ut in gratiarum semper actione maneamus!”
Challenge: Offer up an hour of study today in 3 Easy Steps:
i. Single out an hour of the day from your study timetable.
ii. Say a simple prayer like, “My God, I offer you this hour of study,” before you begin
iii. Try to study as well as you can (no distractions).
Quote of the Day: “Study. Obedience: non multa, sed multum — not many things, but well.”
Challenge: Make your bed in the morning
It seems like a trivial matter right? Why should you make your own bed knowing that you will sleep in it in the evening?
A made bed creates the appearance of a neat and pulled-together bedroom. If you start by setting up everything with purpose, your room will set the stage for
what you do in the house and how you should act that day. Setting up your room in the morning therefore means overcoming the “devils in your house and in your
day”.
Quote of the day: “Have you ever stopped to consider the enormous sum that many ‘littles’ can come to?”
Challenge: Go to the chapel to Greet Jesus
Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist, in the tabernacle. He is there because he knows you need him . Do you bother to greet him? He is waiting.
i. Pass by the chapel as soon as you arrive in school to tell Jesus “hi”.
ii. Pass by at the end of the day to tell Him “bye”.
Quote of the day: “When you approach the tabernacle, remember He has been waiting for you for twenty centuries.”
Challenge: Heroic Minute
The heroic minute is a chance to exercise heroic virtue at the moment of waking up.
i. Pray about it the night before – Our wills are weak, and we need graces to do even the smallest good act.
ii. Don’t give yourself excuses – Just do it!
iii. Move your alarm – Where is your alarm in the room? This can make a big difference. If it’s far from the bed and you have to get up to shut it off, you are far more likely to get up right away.
Quote of the day: “The heroic minute. It is the time fixed for getting up. Without hesitation: a supernatural reflection and … up! The heroic minute: here you have a mortification that strengthens your will and does no harm to your body.
Jesus had a mother and he honoured her. Honouring our parents is also a commandment.
Challenge: Give a genuine compliment to your Mother
You need reasons? Here are some: You can compliment her when/because …
- She tells you the truth, even if you don’t want to hear it.
- She always picks up the phone when you call.
- She will cook you dinner when you return home.
- She always makes sure you have everything you need, even if it’s more than enough.
- She makes you want to be a better person.
- She is your biggest fan and supporter.
- She is the only one listen to you talk about yourself for hours.
- She listens to your complaints and doesn’t complain about you complaining.
Quote of the day: “Love for our Mother will be the breath that kindles into a living flame the embers of virtue hidden in the ashes of your indifference.”
Jesus had a Father on earth and he honoured him. Honouring our parents is also a commandment.
Challenge: Do something with or for your Father
Example: wash the car, mow the lawn, go for a walk, play chess, draughts, golf, call, pray, etc.