Signs of New Growth: Openness to Surprise

"Surprise me." It surprises me when my son Colin, off in his freshman year in college in Boston, prolongs our cell phone conversations. I keep thinking that he's got so many friends to go off with, that he's got so many classes to deal with, that he's got so many adventures before him, that he will want to get off the phone quickly. But no, he surprises me time and again. So often he wants to keep talking...about career paths, about my Holy Land trip, about his new part time job, about classes, about...anything, I think. I find myself blessed that he includes me in his life. Thank you, O God!

"Surprise me." Last week in the Holy Land--Israel, the West Bank, Jordan--I was surprised as I heard Elias Chacour, a Palestinian Catholic bishop who has given his life to helping Palestinians, whose family had their farm and home stolen outright by the Israeli army in 1948, say that he wants our friendship as Americans--but only if we also befriend the Israelis too. Surprise again! Thank you, O God!

Brian