Every morning invites the question

Joey Carlson
MSMU Class of 2025

(5/2023) One of the first conversations I remember having with McKenna was when I was in the sandwich line in the cafeteria. I was the new hire on the team, so I was scared to say anything. She made it easier by talking first, tolerating my pale attempt at small talk with a smile, and managing to ask a genuinely interesting question that probably required more time than the 90 seconds I was in line for. I figured out then that McKenna was one of the kind people on campus.

At the beginning of this semester, there was a particular moment I found striking: a group I was with were all making fun of a person, but McKenna went out of her way to defend this person! She did this, not because she and this person didn’t have disagreements, but because she had already forgiven them, and she cared for their dignity. In a situation where I and good people were willing to laugh at another’s expense, she was not. It came with a kind of humility; she knows she herself has her own problems, and just as she would not want another to make fun of her, she will not do so to any other human person.

McKenna cares very deeply about truth. She, like everyone else, is not perfect, but she tries to be aware of what she does not know. It seems like this is why she asks a lot of questions in class, which always benefits me because she fills the awkward silence that comes after a professor asks a question related to the reading (which I did not read). I know that that seems silly, but it saved me once when I had to present my paper to the class. It was a difficult project; the professor had me write and present an opinion I disagreed with in order to elicit a reaction from the class and to get them talking. I was comforted when McKenna was visibly upset at my heresy, though she managed to still speak with tact. Everyone else was comfortable with the status quo, but characteristically McKenna, she could not let a falsehood slide by without it first being subjected to the Socratic method.

She is graduating early. I am also graduating early, so I know that this on its own is not that impressive; anyone can work hard and graduate early. But it takes real virtue to do so and simultaneously uphold all other commitments in one's life with love and generosity. McKenna does that, and that is why she is impressive. Graduating early, it is actually more difficult to love people, because I can easily convince myself (and I do convince myself) that I am too busy. She is as busy as I am, yet she is much kinder than I am, and for that I respect her.

McKenna is able to be kind in difficult circumstances because she loves Jesus—He makes up for her weakness with his own capacity. You will see, in her own words that, for her, every morning invites the question of where in that day she can love God and human beings. Here is a quote from McKenna at the close of her first semester, originally describing a weird semester for her, though I think it probably describes her whole Mount career:

"I refuse to be ungrateful or complaintive of this unusual first semester. I want to look back and focus on what was good about this semester. How could I let negativity overpower these happy memories and friendships that were made? I learned so much and made so many wonderful friends. I deepened my relationship with Jesus through the sacraments available on campus, and through trusting in Him amidst all struggles. He drew me to pursue virtue when I didn’t always want to, and I am so glad of that. From this semester I know and understand these things all the more fully: Joy is a choice. Perseverance is a choice. Now, more than ever, these virtues cannot be thrown out the window just because times are frustrating. Actively choosing joy over negativity can bring about some of the best memories and friendships one could ever know, even in the most atypical of situations—or in my case, even the most atypical of semesters."(12/2020)

I want to close with her own closing from her very first article for ENJ; it says a lot about her character that this is how she chose to introduce herself:

"The question "what gets you up in the morning?" yields an answer that begins with my greatest passion: love of Jesus Christ, and love for His Church. Every morning invites the question of, "What is God going to ask of me today?" I always discover that the answer varies. Sometimes the answer is simply that He wants me to do homework, or to spend time with a friend, or to spend extra time in prayer. And other times, the answer is to write an article for the Emmitsburg News-Journal! No matter what it is, I strive to arise happily with the intention to live my day wholly for Him."

It is fairly obvious to me and to most people who have had the privilege of knowing McKenna that this is all still true; she cares for people because she desires to do the will of God. I wish I asked this question! Too often, even on good days, my attitude is identical to Les Mis’s Jean Valjean’s when he was let out of prison: "The day begins, and now let’s see, what this new world will do for me!" McKenna asks what she can do for God, not what God can do for her, and that is inspiring.

Thank you, McKenna, for your witness to the love of Jesus Christ. I am sure that most of these moments of kindness were not easy, and that they were intentional. Wherever you end up, I am sure that you will keep loving Jesus Christ your whole life through.

Read other articles by Joe Carlson