President Thornburg's Reflection 8.31.25

Welcome to the President’s Update and a new school year!  We are looking forward to having all our students back this week. The start of a new school year is exciting as we welcome our returning students and those new to our school.

 

This year promises to be special as we launch our 7th and 8th programs and christen our new building at 50 Crystal Street! We are thankful for our wonderful MC community, which has brought us to this important moment in our school’s history.

 

New beginnings, new students, a new food service, and a new school year.  It is a time for all of us to embrace the year ahead as we embark on new adventures together. I pray that we all are granted wisdom, patience, and endurance to navigate the new year this fall.

 

When I was a young boy, my parents purchased a Honda Z50A for me to ride around the local dirt trails. My friends all had minibikes, and we spent days riding around and enjoying our small engine motorcycles.

 

My younger sister became envious and wanted to learn how to ride it. My father brought her out into our yard and did his best to explain how to start and stop.  He was concerned that a lower gear would begin too quickly, so he placed the Honda in second gear.  My sister twisted the throttle, and she catapulted across the yard at a high rate of speed.

 

My parents yelled at her to stop, but she didn’t. Because the minibike was new and she was unfamiliar with it, she panicked and kept the throttle twisted on full. We all watched as she careened into the neighbor’s yard, her eyes wide with fear and her legs splayed out to try to stop.

 

Fortunately, the neighbors had a large garden with a lot of vegetation. This is where my sister ended up. The minibike was slowed by the plants, and my sister lost her balance. She landed safely in a melon patch.

 

Sometimes, when we start new things, we want to be successful, so we go full throttle.  Though we make progress, we travel faster than we should.  Our Xaverian Brothers’ traditions remind us that our faith is one of reflective practice. Though we are called to action and serve like Martha, we are also called to spend time with God, choosing the “better part” as Mary did (Luke 10:38-42).

 

As we rush into a new school year, let’s take time to pray and reflect on what “gear” we are using.

 

John Thornburg