Yesterday, we attended my grandson's "matriculation" ceremony.
I asked, “What does matriculation mean?” Maybe you’d like to know the answer, too! Matriculation is the admission to a group, particularly a school. After some IQ-testing, my grandson passed the exams and was admitted (matriculated) to Regents School of Austin, and yesterday, his dad, mom and I attended the matriculation (orientation) ceremony. At that ceremony for middle school: 7th and 8th graders, I saw things around the gymnasium that gave me the Nana-kind-of-warm-fuzzy-feelings. It started with this scripture boldly displayed on the wall: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.” (Colossians 3:23)
Then I saw the Latin words, “Coram Deo”, also boldly displayed and I, not being the sharpest tool in the “Latin” toolbox, had to look it up. The phrase, “Coram Deo” means: “in the presence of God" which means living in the presence of, under the authority of, and to the honor and glory of God.” Indeed, I sensed that true Presence when we heard the Head of the School of Logic's (that’s the “middle school”) address to us. His message impressed upon us how important it is to get our priorities right.
He read from the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 6:19-21” “Do not lay up for yourself treasures on earth where moths and rust can destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But keep on storing up treasures for yourselves in heaven, because where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
He gave a compelling address to start this school year out with "first things first" in terms of putting our greatest attention on the greatest ONE! He said: “I am trying to impress upon us to make sure we’re treasuring the right thing and that we are setting our affections in the right direction. This year we’re encouraging each other to train our affections and to re-orient our mindsets. What does “orient mean”? “Orient” has to do with direction. “Orient” comes from “oriental” – the East. To “orient ourselves” is to turn in the direction of the East. The sun comes up in the East. Christ is referred to as the “orient” the East, the light of the world. We have the opportunity to help each other to correctly “orient” our lives, our affections and, most importantly, to store up our treasures (our minds, will and emotions) toward Jesus. He is the right direction. How often is our cell phone and what’s on its screen “our treasure”? When Jesus said to Martha "Mary has chosen the right thing", it was because she was facing Jesus and directing her attention to Him. If our treasure is Jesus, then our heart is with Him and our attention is on Him.
I must tell you, I went to that “matriculation”/orientation ceremony and found out what matriculation meant and to be that Nana in the audience who was oohing, aahing and taking photos of her handsome grandson in his tie (required for chapel every Monday), white shirt and khaki slacks. Perhaps I was laying up some treasures on earth, but before I left that ceremony, I got the message that was meant for all of us. To purposefully make my mission laying up treasures in heaven and to face in the right direction – the direction of Jesus where I am more like Mary – doing the right thing instead of my usual hanging out with Martha where busyness and striving is my way-of-life, way too often!
