Homily for Friday, April 6, 2018 - Friday of Easter Octave

Homily for April 6, 2018 – Friday of Easter Octave

Catholic Academy of Stamford Mass

A Different Life

            How many of you are Boy Scouts? I am an Eagle Scout, and Scouting has been a big part of my life and my family. The foundation of Boy Scouts in America comes from an unlikely source – an unknown young boy in England. You see, there were Boy Scouts in England before the program came to the United States. One day, a businessman from America named William Boyce was traveling in England. As it often is, it was very foggy in London that day – so foggy that he was completely lost and couldn’t find his way to his destination as he walked through the streets. A boy came to his aid, and led him to his destination. When Mr. Boyce arrived at his destination, he reached in his pocket to give the boy some money for his kindness, but the boy refused to take it. The boy explained that he was a Boy Scout and that he was just doing his scout’s duty to help a stranger.

            The boy and Mr. Boyce parted ways, but Mr. Boyce was so impressed by that boy’s generous action that the next day he visited the Scouting headquarters in England, got information on how the Boy Scout program is run, and brought it to America. Since then, more than 110 million young men have gone through Boy Scouts. All of this happened because one young boy decided he would live differently because he was a scout.

            It’s a temptation to all of us to let our faith in Jesus be just one more “thing” in our life. We have our sports, our school friends, being in the play, our families, our faith, our social media, our Fortnite life…and faith is just one part of who we are. But that’s not what our relationship with Jesus should be – it should be the driving force, the main goal of our entire lives! Our life should be different because we know and love Jesus Christ!

            St. Peter was struggling with that in the first reading. We know that Simon Peter was a fisherman, who for many years – probably until he was in his 40s or 50s – lived on a lake and would go out every day and fish. But then…he met Christ…and he gave it all up. It says in the Gospels that when Jesus called him, Peter literally dropped his nets and followed, never looking back.

            But even after three years, having seen all the miracles Jesus did, heard all the teachings of Jesus, watching Him walk on water and raise the dead and then get crucified and die and be Resurrected, Peter still didn’t get it. He didn’t know what to do, so he went fishing. That sounds strange to me – Peter, you’ve just seen the Risen Lord…and you’re going fishing? You’re the first Pope, called to preach the Gospel to far off lands…and you hop in a boat and put down some nets?

            But isn’t that our story too?  You’re called to be a saint…and you’re wasting your time on Fortnite? You know that Jesus loves you enough to die for you…and yet you find it hard to love your little brother or sister? You know that you were made to spend eternity praising God in Heaven…and yet you find it hard to praise God for 10 minutes a day in prayer?

            Consider this – what, in your life, is different from a kid who doesn’t believe in Jesus? Do you love like Jesus? Do you have a daily relationship with Him? Do you sacrifice? Do you obey your parents? If we believe in Jesus, this belief must change us!

            Say what you will, but one of my favorite pizza places in Stamford is Domino’s Pizza. I know, I know…but I’m not Italian so I’m allowed to love Domino’s. The man who founded Dominos Pizza, Tom Monaghan, was a devout Catholic – and a billionaire from starting this international pizza chain. As he continued to grow in his faith, though, he knew that following Jesus meant he had to live differently. He stopped building his dream house – because he felt he could better use the money to give to the Church and to the poor. He sold his $8 Million Bugati, since Jesus said it is hard for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God, and gave the money to a Catholic university. His faith in Jesus caused him to change his lifestyle!

            Peter spent three years with Jesus, but nothing had changed. He went back to fishing. Does your life look different because YOU follow Jesus?