Gathered and Sent: Embracing the Unknown

Spectacle of Saints welcomes guest blogger Mike Bennett this week, writing about transitions from one path to the next. Mike is currently Associate Director of Campus Ministry for Christian Leadership, Vocation and Retreats at the University of Dayton. He is also a Lay Marianist steeped in the Marianist tradition, and served for two years post-graduation as a long-term volunteer at Nazareth Farm. He also shares his talents with PULSE as a member of the application and interview committee - and through this blog:


The warm spring air filled the car as I drove down Nazareth Farm road after two years as a volunteer staff member. It was a bittersweet transition as I left a placed I loved for another place with so much unknown potential in my life (Dayton, OH). With no place to live, no job, and no car (I was driving a friend’s car since my timing belt had broken a few months back - totaling my beloved 1991 Toyota Camry), I leaned heavily on others for support in navigating the many unknowns of those coming weeks. As I reflect back on the support I received, I am eternally grateful and I can’t help but think of the support that Elizabeth offered Mary in the Visitation. Mary had heard Gabriel’s message, said yes, and sought out the support of Elizabeth to help her begin to navigate her unknown path. After spending some time with Elizabeth, Mary was then ready to leave that space and embrace the unknowns of her journey.

This story from scripture gives us some key steps when navigating discernment and transitions within our own lives. Mary helps us see the power of listening, reflecting, gathering with others in our discernment, and praying so that we may respond to God’s call no matter how daunting the unknowns may be. As this spring season finally rears it head in Dayton and many (including our own members of MP2) begin to step into the unknowns of their next steps, perhaps Mary’s example can fuel our own ability to be led by God’s grace in our life journeys.


The Windsock Visitation by Br. McGrath, OSFS
Mary’s desire to gather with Elizabeth helps establish this sense of being gathered as a
crucial dynamic to our Marianist Charism - after all community is important right? The harsh reality is that community is only fruitful if it fuels us to be sent out into the world as well. That means that sometimes we must challenge ourselves to leave the comfort of our community to serve others, to put our faith into action in a different way, and to continue to enflesh Christ in our world. I’ll be honest - that is never easy for me. As I left Nazareth Farm I had to courageously embrace the many unknowns of my journey which would soon have me working at a summer camp for grade school kids while awaiting the start of graduate school that coming August, living with others in an intentionally Lay Marianist community in east Dayton, and driving my sister’s Saturn SL1 (I know you were all wondering about that part). Similarly, every May when students finish up the academic year I find myself being challenged to mentally let go of the relationships I have formed with students so that they may be sent off into the world. I often find myself reluctant to let go of the changes in those relationships, clinging to the sense of being gathered - but without the dynamic of being sent the gathering has no purpose.

Members of MP1 and MP2 with Mike and others from the Marianist Family
So as we embrace the new life of this Spring season, may we never forget that we too are part of God’s creation - consistently being gathered and sent, called to embrace the many unknowns of our life, to find peace and comfort in the grace God shares with us on our journey. Let us pray too for those in MP2 who anticipate their next steps and courageously step into the unknown. We are right there with you, gathered and sent together to embrace life’s unknowns just as Mary did, just as our Charism calls us to.









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