Graduation Homily - June 13, 2014

Graduation Homily

June 13, 2014

 

            So this is the point of the graduation Mass where I tell you that all of your dreams will come true. If that were the case, I would be 6’2”, a major league baseball player and professional rock star, and have more hair. So, I suppose perhaps a better question to ask is, “what are God’s dreams for your life?” And that, my friends, is very simple.

            God desires your happiness. But maybe not how the world defines happiness – you may or may not have a pleasant, easy life full of money and fame and worldly success. That’s not the kind of happiness God promises. Instead, He promises inner peace, joy, love, hope. That’s the kind of happiness that He promises – and that’s what endures.

            So how do we have that kind of happiness in high school? There are five rules for a successful, joyful high school experience.

            First: every weekend, make sure you go out drinking…from the chalice at Mass. This is key. It might be tough, because after a long week, Sunday mornings will roll around and you will be tempted to steal another hour…or six…of sleep instead of going to Mass. But you will wander aimlessly in high school unless you are grounded in Jesus Christ. Some of you are about to face some major changes when you go to high school: new friends, new classes, new pressures. All of a sudden you may feel like the ground was ripped out from underneath you. What’s the one constant you can count on? Your relationship with Jesus Christ. So I urge you to make the Faith something that you choose to pursue, even when your parents aren’t forcing you anymore. Every weekend, go drinking from the chalice at Mass.

            My second piece of advice is to facebook frequently. I mean, you should face your book and study. Your vocation right now is to be a student – so you will find holiness and fulfillment in doing the best you can at that. Don’t settle for a B if you can get an A. This is more than just getting good grades – it’s about glorifying the Lord by using His gift of intelligence to the best of your ability. It says in the Good Book, “Whether in thought or in deed, do all things for the glory of God.” So whether you study architecture or law or underwater basket weaving, do it to the best of your ability. Face the book, and study – for Him.

            My third piece of advice is: make sure you have lots and lots of GOOD friends. Peer pressure is pretty strong in high school – you will meet people who have some tremendously different values than you have – even at Immaculate or Fairfield Prep. Some of the friends will try to convince you that your happiness is found in red plastic cups or one night stands or playing video games until 3am instead of studying. Those aren’t your friends – those are posers who want to drag you down. Instead, surround yourself with good friends who will challenge you to be the best you can be.

            Number four:  never have first-world problems. You know what first-world problems are – when people say things like, “Jeez, don’t you just hate having so much money in your wallet that it doesn’t close properly.” Or another one I hear a lot: “It is just SO difficult these days to make a choice at Starbucks, there are too many options!” (Insert Fr. Jeff comment here). These are things that pampered people complain about. We just need to volunteer at a soup kitchen or nursing home for a day to realize that we’ve got it pretty good. So, I urge you to volunteer your time, your energy, and go visit people who are in real need – it will be good for them, it will be good for you, and all of a sudden your first-world problems will magically disappear.

            And finally, my fifth piece of advice is: act like a European soccer player. No, I don’t mean that you should dramatically fall to the ground writhing in pain if someone accidentally touches you, like most soccer players do. Instead, what happens on the rare occasion that they put the ball into the net? They run around screaming, “GOOOOOOAL!” And this is how we should be too – totally focused on the goal, not just the goal of high school, but the goal of life: to get to Heaven. That’s why we exist. That’s why we go through the messy craziness of high school – to become saints. Keep your eyes on that goal and everything else will fall into place.

            So, this is my five steps to a successful high school experience: first, go out drinking every weekend from the chalice at Mass; second, facebook frequently; third, make sure you have lots of good friends; fourth, never have first-world problems; fifth, act like a soccer player and keep your eyes on the goal. When it comes right down to it, a high school graduate isn’t successful if they just have a diploma, a nice SAT score, four years of Varsity letters, and a college acceptance letter. A high school graduate would be successful if, after his four years, he is closer to becoming a saint.