Our new logo mark is like a poem: the more I look at it, the more I see ways in which it expresses the McNicholas mission. For example, the “M” hugs the cross. We of McNicholas ARE the “M.” Our hugging of the cross signifies our mission to love and follow the example of Jesus -- our shared aspiration to grow toward Full Stature in Christ. Of course, hugging the cross also signifies trying to live up to Jesus’ challenge, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me” (Matthew 26: 24). At the beginning of every school year we call on students to deny themselves by caring for their classmates: beginning by doing no harm, and continuing by looking for opportunities to support.  The danger of COVID-19 this year makes that call especially urgent. To protect each other, we need to sacrifice personal comfort by scrupulously wearing masks, staying six feet apart, washing hands, and staying away from crowds – on and off campus. We know that these behaviors run counter to the instincts of adolescents (and adults!). We know that we need to call on students to step up to the challenge of being especially mindful and to build new habits. It’s HARD to move from instinctively hugging the friend next to me to hugging the cross. The next verse in Matthew says, “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” The more each of us hugs the cross, the more likely it will be that all of us will be able to continue to gather together on campus around the cross.