Since I went to grad school, I have been saying an Angelus at the same times of day the community there says the Angelus, three times daily.  This has been an interesting experience.  For one thing, it has made my daily expression of faith much more public than it has ever been.  When my teaching team has a meeting that goes until 12:30, I must stop my participation to pray.  During morning announcements (and sometimes during songs that don’t quite match the spirit of the thing), I must stop what I am doing and pray.  In the evening, when I am usually unwinding and watching TV, I must stop what I am doing and pray.

There have been some awkward moments, some rushed prayers, and some hilarious mishaps.  There has also been a sense of closeness I have never felt before.  At this point, over a month of Angeluses later, it feels almost like texting a best friend.  It reminds me of the time my Marmee travelled to England after first getting her apple watch.  We sent daily heartbeats back and forth.  No words, no conversation, just a simple, tangible reminder that we love one another.  And that’s what this daily Angelus is to me.  A check-in with God, a quick and simple reminder that He loves me and that I am His.

And I am so grateful for it.