I’ve been told it’s not uncommon for parents to turn on the stereo in the car and find themselves driving for miles listening to their kids’ music selections, even when in the vehicle alone—at least I’m going to continue believing I share that experience with others for my own sanity. I was driving home the other night when a song from the Disney Pixar film Monsters University popped up on the playlist: “Gospel” by the March Fourth Marching Band. Instantly, I was transported to a Zags game with the Bulldog Band’s never-ending energy filling a packed arena. I thought back to 2015 when I saw a house on Desmet Avenue near Columbus Street—presumably a student rental—sporting the faux Greek letters of the Monsters University fraternity, “Oozma Kappa,” and how it made me smile to know that sort of whimsy existed in our students. They’re tomorrow’s leaders, yes, but at heart, they’re still kids. In truth, aren’t we all?
Midway through the song, I looked toward the cloud cover of winter’s last blast of cold that’s overtaken Spokane as of late forcing our “false spring” back from whence it came and reflected on the single, simple lyric: “Rise up, rise up, rise up to the sky.”
I am so grateful for how we encourage each other to rise up in the Gonzaga family. You want to break cycles of poverty, so you give and serve. You want to prevent and reverse injustices, so you take a stand. You want to help others succeed professionally, so we support scholarships, you network and mentor. you want to help people grow in their beliefs—whatever they may be—so you listen, provide spaces for expression, and help to give voice to the voiceless. You don’t just sit back and watch—you rise up from your seats to cheer each other on toward triumph in every endeavor.
On that note, I want to share how very thankful for this Jesuit tradition of reflection and that you have indulged me in sharing it with you. I’d also like to share these Lenten reflections provided by our Jesuit community. Taking the time to deliberately consider our blessings and impacts makes a tremendous difference—I hope you’ve had time to do a little of it today, yourself.