I've been involved with the Salesians since 2002, and I have discovered over these last nine years that if you want to really get to know a Salesian, observe him in two places: in ministry, and at celebrations. We are definitely a congregation of celebration. Any opportunity that we have, we celebrate- it goes to our sense of joy and optimism.
Tonight the community got together to celebrate two birthdays- mine and Craig Spence's (a prenovice in the community). In reflecting on my own life and journey, I came to a conclusion- unlike anniversaries, you don't need to do anything to earn a birthday except be born. You have to do something to have an anniversary- start working at a company, make first professions, get married, get ordained. Anniversaries celebrate what you have done or something related to your life. A birthday, on the other hand, celebrates nothing more and nothing less than the fact that God brought you into the world. A birthday celebrates the simple notion of gratitude for your existence. In a birthday we hear an echo of the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan, when the skies open and the voice of God is heard: This is my beloved son (or daughter), in whom I am well pleased. On the occasion of a birthday, we hear the echoes of that voice in every "Happy birthday" offered to us.
Suddenly the idea of Alice in Wonderland an "unbirthdays" sounds cool- what if we celebrated that belovedness every day?
Happy unbirthday!
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