The Fall is always a great time of renewal.  Students, young and old, begin their new school year with new teachers/professors, new classes, and new classmates.  Those who are no longer students are starting new jobs or careers, maybe have moved into a new living space or city, and are beginning a new chapter in their lives.  Parents of those former students are getting used to being empty-nesters.  Summer wedding season is coming to a close which means many new couples are starting the rest of their lives together as husband and wife and the list goes on and on.  

    I propose that we take advantage during this season of renewal to change and renew our spiritual lives.  If you have gone back to school or started a new job, are you scheduling your day around your personal prayer time or do you schedule your day and try to fit in prayer when you can?  The latter never works so I suggest the former.  Are you able to attend Mass on any weekday mornings?  If you can commit to daily Mass, thats awesome! But maybe you can only attend one or three times a week…go whenever you can and find parishes in your area that offer Mass at a time convenient for you.  

    Some other new things you can try is picking up a good spiritual book to read, download some gregorian chant or praise and worship music to listen to, pray a daily rosary, find a couple novena’s you’d like to pray between now and Christmas, and, for those superstars reading this, what new ministries can you volunteer for at your parish or school?  

    Take advantage of this special time full of new beginnings and renew your spiritual life.  The most important thing you can do, next to attending the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass every Sunday, is praying everyday.  If you can, let the scriptures be apart of your daily prayer.  Never let the sun set without praying to our loving Father.