Chaplaincy at Nichols

A MESSAGE FROM THE CHAPLAIN

I have a favorite writer, the Israeli poet Yehuda Amichai. In one of his pieces, he speaks about his father teaching him the Ten Commandments, going through them one by one. Then his father says,
     I would like to add two more commandments: 
          the Eleventh Commandment, "Thou shalt not change," 
          and
          the Twelfth Commandment, "Thou shalt change. You will change."

This is the nature of our efforts at the spiritual life here at Nichols. "The only constant is change; that's certainly true of one's life at college, including one's attitudes and approach to God, religion, and spirituality (however one understands these). At the same time, even with all the changing, you're still you; for all the new experiences, there remains a core within each of us that may adjust to circumstance but whose essence never really changes or disappears. Different traditions call this core by different names: atman, the soul, the inner light. Regardless of its title, this essential "you" likewise swims in a sea of change, a life of constant waves where it can be easy to be swamped or overwhelmed. And that sea, those waves are also you, equally your life. You are both your own destination and the road to it.

At Nichols chaplaincy, we welcome and encourage all the different sides of you, the changing and the constant. If you are looking to live out and deepen the faith tradition you've always cherished, there are opportunities to do just that. This web site shows the availability of religious services and events, both on-campus and off, of student clubs such as Catholic Campus Ministry, Campus Ambassadors for Christ, and others. At the same time, if you are seeking or questioning, chaplaincy offers chances to follow that "Twelfth Commandment," from programs that encourage creative doubt and constructive bubble-bursting to the meditative stillness of our Quiet Luncheons. Often both those extra Commandments are at work in someone at the same time, and that's fine with us. After all, the most important word in those commands is not "change" or "not," but rather "thou," "you." "The Sabbath is made for people, not people for the Sabbath," said Jesus of Nazareth. The Buddha's last instruction was "Work out your own salvation with care. You yourself are the Buddha."

Every faith tradition in the world maintains that we human beings are the image and likeness of God or a living part of God's own self. When we get up in the morning and look at that face in the mirror, how many of us say, "There's God's image!" Our mission at Nichols chaplaincy is to help each person to be able to say just that, about themselves and their fellow man and woman. Perhaps by doing so together, we can bring this hilltop that much closer to what some call "God's reign," others "enlightenment," or "a land of milk and honey," a place and a way of living that is both sustaining and sweet, for body and soul, for your personal center and your life with others here at Nichols.

There is a Jewish proverb stating that before each and every person walks an angel, invisible, swinging a censor of sweet incense and calling out, "Make way! Make way for the image of God!" It's chaplaincy's hope that your changing, changeless, sacred path might sometime lead to our door.

My office is in lower Davis Hall, #1. My campus extension is 2121; my home number is 508-339-7886, and my e-mail addresses are (school) Wayne-Daniel.Berard@nichols.edu or (home) mailto:peacechaplain@aol.com. Please stop by or contact me anytime. Image of God, it would be my honor.

Peace,
Wayne-Daniel Berard
Director of Spiritual Life
Chaplain of the College

Click here for a link to Places of Worship in the Nichols College area.