Megan's prayer: Salvador's "Shine"

During senior year of high school, I spent every study hall in the campus ministry office. They had wonderfully comfortable chairs and blankets in case I wanted to fall asleep. Most days I would just hang out, talk with my friend, listen to music, and act like we were doing homework. No one ever bothered us or came to check on us. It was fabulous.

I remember one day that was a little different. As we were minding our own business, Fr. Gahan sat down just to check to see how we were doing. I had known him for years through my home parish, but had never really sat down and talked with him.

That day, he was a man of few words. He had stopped to tell us "thank-you" for being leaders for our school. He then got more personal, and thanked us each individually for a specific thing we brought into the world.

He told my friend that she had a beautiful singing voice. She had recently sung at an all-school mass and surprised everyone because not many people knew that behind her shyness she had a powerful voice.

He then told me that every time he sees me I brighten his day just because I smile at him. Something that I never really thought consciously about doing was brightening his day. From that point on, I couldn't help but smile every time I saw him in the hall. In reality, I tend to smile at most everyone I pass.

Thank you, God, for allowing me to spread your love, to brighten people's day, through something as simple as a passing smile.

Marie's Prayer: Salvador's "Shine"

I’m not the man I was before

Everybody changes more than they can possibly imagine. I never thought that I'd have written a novel or be started on one that is basically my emotions on paper. I never thought of myself as a writer before highschool. I'm not the same person I was even last year. Life experience change people's views on a daily basis. Oddly enough, I wouldn't go back to who I was. Why would you want to undo anything, even bad things, when they have the possibility of making you a better person? Obviously those things happened for a reason. Even if I don't know the reason right now, I know that it was what God meant for me. I just have to remember this on days when I'm particularly down in the dumps, like when my depression acts up. Because if it's meant to be, it's going to happen according to God's will.

Erinnicole's Prayer: Salvador's "Shine"

Another day to celebrate!

This is exactly how I feel about God! This song is so beautiful and captures the feelings of my heart. I just want to praise God! Especially when it is good. I want to be able to show God through myself to others. I am so passionate about God and who He is to me and I so badly want to be able to let that shine through me. The King of Kings is alive in me?? How honoring! Of all of the people that God could use to exhibit His Wonder...He could easily choose people with power, people with influence on a big group as opposed to the few people I see each day; but instead He chooses to use anyone who is willing to let Him!

Lord, Let me be a light for Your Truth!

Chris' prayer: Salvador's "Shine"

Dust, soil, and broken rock. These comprise regolith, which covers the entire surface of the Moon, creating an imperfect, uneven surface. Not exactly the first materials that I would think of when creating a mirror. But nearly every night, we are able to see the Sun's rays reflected in the Moon's surface, bathing the darkness of our world with a soft glow.

Today's song, today's prayer, calls me to be like that Moon. I am reminded that I do not need to be perfect. I do not need to be unbroken. I am still called to reflect God's Love. I am called to bathe the darkness of my world with radiance of God's Love and compassion, to reflect His very nature in everything that I do.

Lord let me shine, shine like the moon
A reflection of You in all that I do

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Catie's prayer: Salvador's "Shine"

A reflection of You in all that I do

This has more or less been my prayer for a while now. I'm tired of things being about me. I want my life to reflect the love God has for all of us, not so I can say oh look how amazing I am, but because that is what each of us is called to. To imitate the love of Christ to each and every person we encounter every day.

I wanna be used to shine for You

I honestly has no idea what God has planned for my life. All I know is that he wants all of me, and everyone else for that matter, to shine for him, so that people make know about God because of us, because of what we say and do.