Monday, May 22, 2006
Of Things Divine: Rite of Sending for Confirmation, 6 Easter-B
There is no greater love than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends (John 15:13)
George Koskimak’s book D-Day with the Sreaming Eagles details the courage of the paratroopers who launched the invasion of Europe on D-Day, June 6, 1944. They willingly gave their lives that their comrades in arms might land more safely on the beaches of Normandy. In one company alone, 219 men jumped from planes and only 73 survived. These brave men lived out the meaning of Jesus’ words in today’s gospel. They died that their friends might live.
There are other examples of such selfless sacrifice; here’s another. Maximillan Kolbe, a Polish priest imprisoned at Auschwitz by the Nazi’s in World War II for preaching the Gospel and distributing a Catholic newsletter dedicated to Our Lady, willingly offered his own life as a ransom from another man, who was a husband and father, chosen to be executed one day. Rather than just shoot Fr. Kolbe, the Nazis put him into the “hell hole”, a tiny box with little ventilation, expecting him to die of starvation and dehydration, but he was alive every time they checked on him. Finally they had to give Fr. Kolbe a lethal inject to kill him. Fr. Kolbe had a great love that he gave to the man who was able to live because of the sacrifice of the holy priest.
My dear friends, this morning we have some young people who seek the Sacrament of Confirmation. In their preparation for this sacrament they have learned that through the Sacrament of Confirmation they are sealed by the Holy Spirit so as to be recognized as witnesses to the Risen Christ in a world that doesn’t necessarily believe in Jesus or wants to distort his story to suit its own fanciful imagination, like what the author Dan Brown did with The DaVinci Code.
These young people have learned that sometimes there is a price to pay to be witnesses to Jesus in modern society. Hard choices have to be made about the way they choose to live. With fashion moguls using less and less material to promote their product lines, they have to choose between “being in” or to bearing witness to Christ through modesty. Will they be able to face the taunts of they choose not to promote sensuality but fidelity to Jesus? One of the most difficult things for young people of every generation is to remember that fashions come and go but that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow, and it is he to who they promise to give witness in the Sacrament of Confirmation. Yet, they come to us today for our affirmation of their resolve.
Their willingness to make a commitment to be witnesses to Jesus, meaning that they are ready to be martyrs (the Greek word for “witnesses”) in his name and for the glory of God prompts us to ponder the type of witness we give to Christ. Does our allegiance to him direct our days? Is it a factor when we choose to go to a movie or watch television? Does our willingness to die for Christ impact the way we govern our families? Does it influence the freedoms we allow our children to have in the way they dress or in the way they talk to and about others? Is our desire to love Christ powerful enough to bleach the language that we use?
The sacrifice of the paratroopers and Jesus’ words today invite us to take inventory of our own spirit of sacrifice. How willing are we to sacrifice – if not to the point of sacrificing my life, at least to the point of sacrificing our comfort and our time?
I know of a few people that could use your sacrifice of some time and talent. Just call the folks in charge of the Italian Festival. They need everyone’s help! The festival benefits the entire parish, so we all have a vested interest in its success.
There are a number of faceless people that need your help, too. Have you made your contribution to the Bishop’s Annual Appeal? Your selfless gift to the needy in our midst means a part of you dies so someone else may have a glimmer of hope and life. If you find it difficult to support “the bishop” let it be your pride that dies and your humility to live through your gift.
Thomas Gibbons once wrote:
That man may last, but never does,
Who much receives, but nothing gives;
Whom none can love … none can thank,
Creation’s blot, creation’s blank.
There is no great love than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
Your greatest friend is Jesus.
George Koskimak’s book D-Day with the Sreaming Eagles details the courage of the paratroopers who launched the invasion of Europe on D-Day, June 6, 1944. They willingly gave their lives that their comrades in arms might land more safely on the beaches of Normandy. In one company alone, 219 men jumped from planes and only 73 survived. These brave men lived out the meaning of Jesus’ words in today’s gospel. They died that their friends might live.
There are other examples of such selfless sacrifice; here’s another. Maximillan Kolbe, a Polish priest imprisoned at Auschwitz by the Nazi’s in World War II for preaching the Gospel and distributing a Catholic newsletter dedicated to Our Lady, willingly offered his own life as a ransom from another man, who was a husband and father, chosen to be executed one day. Rather than just shoot Fr. Kolbe, the Nazis put him into the “hell hole”, a tiny box with little ventilation, expecting him to die of starvation and dehydration, but he was alive every time they checked on him. Finally they had to give Fr. Kolbe a lethal inject to kill him. Fr. Kolbe had a great love that he gave to the man who was able to live because of the sacrifice of the holy priest.
My dear friends, this morning we have some young people who seek the Sacrament of Confirmation. In their preparation for this sacrament they have learned that through the Sacrament of Confirmation they are sealed by the Holy Spirit so as to be recognized as witnesses to the Risen Christ in a world that doesn’t necessarily believe in Jesus or wants to distort his story to suit its own fanciful imagination, like what the author Dan Brown did with The DaVinci Code.
These young people have learned that sometimes there is a price to pay to be witnesses to Jesus in modern society. Hard choices have to be made about the way they choose to live. With fashion moguls using less and less material to promote their product lines, they have to choose between “being in” or to bearing witness to Christ through modesty. Will they be able to face the taunts of they choose not to promote sensuality but fidelity to Jesus? One of the most difficult things for young people of every generation is to remember that fashions come and go but that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow, and it is he to who they promise to give witness in the Sacrament of Confirmation. Yet, they come to us today for our affirmation of their resolve.
Their willingness to make a commitment to be witnesses to Jesus, meaning that they are ready to be martyrs (the Greek word for “witnesses”) in his name and for the glory of God prompts us to ponder the type of witness we give to Christ. Does our allegiance to him direct our days? Is it a factor when we choose to go to a movie or watch television? Does our willingness to die for Christ impact the way we govern our families? Does it influence the freedoms we allow our children to have in the way they dress or in the way they talk to and about others? Is our desire to love Christ powerful enough to bleach the language that we use?
The sacrifice of the paratroopers and Jesus’ words today invite us to take inventory of our own spirit of sacrifice. How willing are we to sacrifice – if not to the point of sacrificing my life, at least to the point of sacrificing our comfort and our time?
I know of a few people that could use your sacrifice of some time and talent. Just call the folks in charge of the Italian Festival. They need everyone’s help! The festival benefits the entire parish, so we all have a vested interest in its success.
There are a number of faceless people that need your help, too. Have you made your contribution to the Bishop’s Annual Appeal? Your selfless gift to the needy in our midst means a part of you dies so someone else may have a glimmer of hope and life. If you find it difficult to support “the bishop” let it be your pride that dies and your humility to live through your gift.
Thomas Gibbons once wrote:
That man may last, but never does,
Who much receives, but nothing gives;
Whom none can love … none can thank,
Creation’s blot, creation’s blank.
There is no great love than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
Your greatest friend is Jesus.
Thursday, May 18, 2006
Of Things Divine: Holy Rosary 8th Grade Graduation Homily 2006
Dear graduates, Fr. Russ, faculty, staff, parents, family and friends:
This evening we gather not for an ending but for a new beginning. That is what each and every Mass celebrates – a new beginning in Christ Jesus. But tonight we also have a commencement exercise that is commonly called graduation. While there will certainly be tears shed by some during the course of this evening because an era comes to an end for these 8th grade students and perhaps for your family, we must remember that a commencement marks the start of something new, and it is not just going to high school and getting involved in the academics and social scene of secondary school.
The Gospel reading for tonight was taken from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. We call this passage “The Beatitudes.” Blessed are those who do this. Blessed are those who do that. Humility, sorrow, a desire for justice and peace, mercy, single-heartedness, and persecution are all integral to being a member of the Church. I hope that in however many years you have been with us at Holy Rosary that you have learned something of what it means to be Catholic.
You have participated in food drives to feed the hungry. You suffered in sorrow over the events of September 11, 2001, and participated in efforts to send clothing and supplies to those in New York City affected by those horrible events. You have provided for babies and mothers through Birthright. You worked together on projects and teams. Sometimes you won. Sometimes you lost. I hope that you understand that all the things you did for others was training for your future lives as members of the Church because you did them in faith, in hope and in love, and the only reason Holy Rosary exists is to help you learn how to glorify God with every talent He has given you and in everything you put your mind to do.
Tonight Mr. Mullis, Mrs. Gardino, Fr. Russ, your teachers and I send you out into the world with the confidence that we did the best we could and in the hope that you will find success. We aren’t worried about how popular you are in high school or wealthy you become later in life. What we hope for is that you will be counted among those Jesus refers to in the Beatitudes. So we send you with just a few last words of advice:
1. Remember that fashions come and go. If you hold fast to modesty in dress and language, people will know that you belong to the kingdom of heaven.
2. There is enough rage in the world. If you keep your cool and pray before reacting, the whole world is yours to inherit.
3. You will see many things that disturb you in life. Do what you can to correct them. And if you cannot do anything directly carry them to the Lord in prayer and God will comfort you.
4. Don’t ever forget the poor and the disenfranchised. If you tend to the needs of those less fortunate than you and your family you are actually serving Jesus himself, and you will be satisfied.
5. Remember to forgive and to forgive often for you will be forgiven as you forgive. Pray the Our Father and the Act of Contrition at least once every day.
6. The values of the world are different than the values of the Church. The world would have you satisfy your personal urges while the Church reminds us that we live to fulfill God’s desire for us. You will be bombarded with suggestions and reasons why the Church it out of touch with reality. Stay in touch with God and maintain a pure heart by weekly attendance at Mass so that God will know who you are.
7. Finally, don’t worry about what people say about you or names they might call you because you choose to follow Jesus and cling fast to your faith. Remember that they persecuted Jesus, the Apostles and most of the saints in the same way.
So, you commence on a new segment of this journey we call life. Don’t forget that regardless of where you are going to high school your final destination is still heaven. Do everything you can to stay on the narrow path. And if you ever have trouble remember the words Bishop Steib uses so often: God is good all the time. All the time God is good.
God bless you all.
This evening we gather not for an ending but for a new beginning. That is what each and every Mass celebrates – a new beginning in Christ Jesus. But tonight we also have a commencement exercise that is commonly called graduation. While there will certainly be tears shed by some during the course of this evening because an era comes to an end for these 8th grade students and perhaps for your family, we must remember that a commencement marks the start of something new, and it is not just going to high school and getting involved in the academics and social scene of secondary school.
The Gospel reading for tonight was taken from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. We call this passage “The Beatitudes.” Blessed are those who do this. Blessed are those who do that. Humility, sorrow, a desire for justice and peace, mercy, single-heartedness, and persecution are all integral to being a member of the Church. I hope that in however many years you have been with us at Holy Rosary that you have learned something of what it means to be Catholic.
You have participated in food drives to feed the hungry. You suffered in sorrow over the events of September 11, 2001, and participated in efforts to send clothing and supplies to those in New York City affected by those horrible events. You have provided for babies and mothers through Birthright. You worked together on projects and teams. Sometimes you won. Sometimes you lost. I hope that you understand that all the things you did for others was training for your future lives as members of the Church because you did them in faith, in hope and in love, and the only reason Holy Rosary exists is to help you learn how to glorify God with every talent He has given you and in everything you put your mind to do.
Tonight Mr. Mullis, Mrs. Gardino, Fr. Russ, your teachers and I send you out into the world with the confidence that we did the best we could and in the hope that you will find success. We aren’t worried about how popular you are in high school or wealthy you become later in life. What we hope for is that you will be counted among those Jesus refers to in the Beatitudes. So we send you with just a few last words of advice:
1. Remember that fashions come and go. If you hold fast to modesty in dress and language, people will know that you belong to the kingdom of heaven.
2. There is enough rage in the world. If you keep your cool and pray before reacting, the whole world is yours to inherit.
3. You will see many things that disturb you in life. Do what you can to correct them. And if you cannot do anything directly carry them to the Lord in prayer and God will comfort you.
4. Don’t ever forget the poor and the disenfranchised. If you tend to the needs of those less fortunate than you and your family you are actually serving Jesus himself, and you will be satisfied.
5. Remember to forgive and to forgive often for you will be forgiven as you forgive. Pray the Our Father and the Act of Contrition at least once every day.
6. The values of the world are different than the values of the Church. The world would have you satisfy your personal urges while the Church reminds us that we live to fulfill God’s desire for us. You will be bombarded with suggestions and reasons why the Church it out of touch with reality. Stay in touch with God and maintain a pure heart by weekly attendance at Mass so that God will know who you are.
7. Finally, don’t worry about what people say about you or names they might call you because you choose to follow Jesus and cling fast to your faith. Remember that they persecuted Jesus, the Apostles and most of the saints in the same way.
So, you commence on a new segment of this journey we call life. Don’t forget that regardless of where you are going to high school your final destination is still heaven. Do everything you can to stay on the narrow path. And if you ever have trouble remember the words Bishop Steib uses so often: God is good all the time. All the time God is good.
God bless you all.
