This passage reveals two things to us. First, it reveals Jesus’ intention to “set the earth on fire.” Second, it reveals that He desires “it were already blazing.”

What does it mean when Jesus says that He came to set the world on fire? Fire is a powerful image that offers much insight into the Christian life. First, fire consumes. So it is with Christ. He came to consume us. He came to transform our little lives into blazing fires. This reveals that there is much potential in each one of our lives. We have potential to become something totally new if we allow the spark of grace to ignite our souls.

Fire also has the potential to make a difference. Its heat keeps us warm, its light allows us to see in darkness and its energy produces power in various ways to help us in our daily lives. So it is with grace. God’s grace transforms our cold hearts, leads us through the darkness of life and provides us with all we need to live productive lives.

It’s interesting to note that Jesus did not only say that He came to set the world on fire; rather, He said that He wished it were already blazing. This desire of our Lord is an invitation to move out of a mediocre and lukewarm existence into a life of radical Christian living. We are not called to be partly transformed, or even mostly transformed. No, we are called to become blazing fires of faith, transformed by God to make a true difference in the world!

Reflect, today, upon the fire within your own soul. How brightly is that fire burning? You need to feed that fire on a daily basis, fanning it into flame with complete commitment. Seek to become that blazing fire that the Lord desires of you and you will be amazed at how fully you can become transformed by grace.

Lord, set my heart on fire with the brightness of Your love and mercy. Help me to be open to the complete transformation of life that You desire of me. I give myself to You without reserve, dear Lord. Use me as You will. Jesus, I trust in You.

Catholic Daily Reflections

Reminder: Resource Family Student / Family Orientation

Who: Resource Program Students and their parents

When: 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, August 17th

Where: Church Hall

All students are expected to:

• Bring two face masks (even those choosing not to wear masks on non-masking required days) for use and as needed.

• Bring their personal hand sanitizer and wipes for use during the day

• Use hand sanitizer or wash their hands thoroughly during the day, especially after returning from their morning and lunch recesses.

• Bring a reusable water bottle for use during the day.

Morning dropoff is from 7:45 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. On non-rainy days, all other students will be allowed to walk around the yard, engage in non-strenuous games / activities while waiting for 8:00 a.m. Kindergarten students will stay in the kindergarten play yard only. On rainy days, students will go straight to their classrooms with their teachers providing them supervision. Morning assembly will start as students line up at the yard at 8:00 a.m.

Parents may now join us in our daily assembly at the yard but may not be in the classrooms unless prior arrangements have been made with the classroom teachers. (See section on volunteering in classrooms)

There will be two morning dropoff points namely

(1) on top of the hill on the Upper Yard

(2) Gate by the Kindergarten classrooms

Students arriving before 7:45 a.m. will proceed to Clubhouse for Before School Supervision. If you intend to drop off your child before 7:45 a.m. during the school year, please make sure that you register your child in our Clubhouse Program. Students not registered in the Program who need to be sent to our Before School program will be assessed the Clubhouse drop in fee accordingly.

Afternoon Pickup for ALL students

Mondays: 2:30 p.m.

Tuesdays to Fridays: 3:00 p.m.

Minimum Days 12:30 p.m.

We shall follow our carline procedures for Grades K - 8. Cars will enter through the Gate on Southgate, drive up the hill, and proceed to the side where their children’s classrooms are. In cases of siblings, the older child will join his / her younger sibling at dismissal.

Parents may also pick up their children from their designated dismissal area no earlier than 3:00 p.m.

As in the past years, students will be waiting by their classrooms as they wait for their rides. Parents of “walkers” need to have a waiver signed before students are allowed to walk home. “Walkers” will be dismissed after the carline students have been dismissed.

On wearing masks:

"Masks, particularly high-quality and well-fitting masks, remain highly effective, inexpensive, and dynamic tools to protect oneself and mitigate transmission of COVID-19 and other respiratory pathogens." (San Mateo COVID-19 Safety Plan)

CDPH continues to strongly recommend individuals to mask in indoor settings.

At OLM, wearing masks on-campus is STRONGLY RECOMMENDED.

Please note that masking may be required during the following:

• Ten days since last day of contact with a confirmed COVID-19 case

• As mandated or recommended by the County.

• As determined necessary by the school administration.

On COVID-19 testing:

COVID-19 testing may be required:

• After an extended break: All students and staff may be required (or strongly recommended) to have a COVID-19 test after an extended break (summer, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter). Students / Staff testing positive must follow isolation / quarantine requirements.

  Students / staff members determined NOT having completed the test (and obtaining a negative result) may be asked to leave the campus until a negative test result is obtained.

• To all employees and students with COVID-19 symptoms. Employees and students experiencing COVID-19 symptoms will be sent home and will only be allowed to return to school with a proof of negative COVID-19 test result. See COVID-19 Safety Plan for requirements for those testing positive for COVID-19.

• When there is a known exposure to a positive case. All staff members and students, regardless of vaccination status, are required to test three to five days after the last point of contact with a positive case.

Note: Those who tested positive within 90 days ARE NO LONGER EXEMPT from the testing requirement.

• Unvaccinated staff members and volunteers are required to test weekly. See p. 11 of the San Mateo Safe Schools Framework.

• As determined by school administration: Testing will be required should there be a significant rise in cases on campus.

Though the school will no longer be collecting the test results as we did in the past, we ask for everybody's compliance to protect the health and safety of everyone on campus. We will only ask that positive cases be reported and dealt with accordingly.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Note: Guidelines may change during the school year. We will be reviewing our guidelines as a staff and make changes as needed while adhering to recommendations and guidelines from CDC, CDPH, and the County, including the County Office of Education.

Summer Assignments and Supply Lists: All incoming Grades 1 - 8 students have summer assignments and Supply Lists given before the end of the school year. Please click on the following link: OLM Summer Assignments and Supply Lists.

School Uniforms: If you need to purchase uniforms, it is best that you do so as soon as possible. Just like the past couple of years, we are not hosting uniform sales on-campus, hence, families need to go to Dennis Uniforms at 590 10th St, San Francisco, CA 94103, or place your orders online at the following link: Dennis Uniforms.

New students: Please submit updated immunization records, birth certificate, copy of baptismal certificate to the school office on or before Aug. 15th.

Proof of TDap shot: All incoming 7th Graders are required to submit proof of Tdap shots no later than September 5th, 2022.

Our Lady of Mercy School, mindful of its mission to be witness to the love of Christ for all, admits student of any race, color, and national and/or ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded to or made available to students at this school.

Our Lady of Mercy School does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color,

national and/or ethnic origin, age, gender or disability in administration of educational

policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.