“WHEN YOU ARISE IN THE MORNING, THINK OF WHAT A PRECIOUS PRIVILEGE IT IS TO BE ALIVE, TO BREATHE, TO THINK, TO ENJOY, TO LOVE.”

– MARCUS AURELIUS

Are you a morning person? There can be a real divide between people who love mornings and those who struggle through to midday. For many people, the beauty and tranquillity of a soft, golden sunrise, accompanied by a cacophony of birdsongs that fill the air with gentleness and comfort, is the ideal start to the day. For others, a day does not begin without the sacred grace of a steaming cup of coffee, prepared through wearied eyes and in intentional silence. Love them or dislike them, every morning we get the chance to start afresh. Mistakes have not yet been made, ideas have yet to be tested, and nobody quite knows exactly how the day will pan out. It is exciting if we allow it to be.

As Christians, we are familiar with this idea of fresh beginnings. Our Scriptures are full of references to the morning, using this tangible, everyday occurrence to illustrate the refreshment and renewal that Christians believe is on offer through the presence of God. The Book of Lamentations reminds readers that, “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; God’s mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning.” The Psalms poetically illustrate many times that God comes with the dawn and the morning, especially in times of distress and for those seeking refuge.

Mornings, especially early ones, buzz with potential. On Easter Sunday, we experience a time when Christians remember the extraordinary, history- shaping resurrection of Jesus. We see in all four Gospels that the dawn is an important symbol and reality of the presence of the Risen Christ, who brings new life, hope, and joy with the rising of the sun and the new day. The rising of the sun symbolizes the triumph of light over darkness. It is one that means a fresh start for all. A new day can be filled with spaces for forgiveness, celebration, and hope.

Each day we are gifted with an opportunity to start afresh, to dream, to inspire, to reimagine, and to create change. An opportunity to repair fractures and to be bold and creative in the way we go about our lives and our work. This is what we live for, and this is what we work for as we strive to create social change in the world around us.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

• What gets you up in the morning?
• How is Jesus present to you in the everyday experiences of your life?

From: Firewood for the soul, vol. 2, A Reflexion Book for the Whole Vincentian Family
St. Vincent de Paul Society, Queensland, Australia.
Text by: Samantha Hill and James Hodge.