Fostering Good Zeal

On June 18, 1983, Dr. Sally Ride became the first American woman in space as a crew member on the space shuttle Challenger. According to Wikipedia, after earning a PhD in physics in 1978, she was selected to be an astronaut as part of the first class to select women. She applied after seeing an advertisement in the Stanford student newspaper and was one of only 35 people selected out of 8000 applications. After completing training in 1979, she served as the ground-based capsule communicator for the second and third Space Shuttle flights and helped develop and operate the space shuttle’s robot arm.

Ride became a role model for girls, but her attitude also offers wisdom for all of us. After completing her first mission, Ride said, “The thing that I’ll remember most about the flight is that it was fun.” Often we can become overly serious in our quest for holiness and forget that a spirit of zest and joy feeds the “good zeal” St. Benedict refers to in his Rule.

I suspect that one reason Ride was so enthusiastic about her flight is that it allowed her to use her scientific skills in one of the most challenging and adventurous environments imaginable. St. Paul said, “Do not neglect the gift that is in you” (1 Tim 4:14). When we aren’t able to use our gifts because of societal or financial restrictions or because of our own lack of courage and persistence, life becomes lackluster.

In general, people who have fun while working are not neglecting the gift that is in them. Joy is a sure sign that we are not neglecting our gift. The world needs what God has implanted within us, and giving it feeds our happiness. Like Sr. Sally Ride, may we foster and use the gift that is in us with good zeal!