LIVE JESUS IN OUR HEARTS
FOREVER
A Graduation Homily for the Class of 2018
St. Therese School, Succasunna, NJ
June 13, 2018
Isaiah 44: 6-8, 24; Philippians 1: 3-11; 4: 8-9; Matthew 7: 24-29
There once was a man who had a dream. He was often criticized for having this dream. People thought his dream was unrealistic, and that he didn’t have what it would take to accomplish it. But he wouldn’t give up. Those in authority often found fault with him because his ways were unconventional, but he refused to go with the flow, to be like everyone else, to live up to their expectations. Eventually, he met a group of young people, and although they were intelligent and talented, they lacked direction and purpose in their lives. But slowly, he impacts their lives. Although they are reluctant at first, his dream becomes their dream. And in the process of ultimately fulfilling the dream for himself and for them, he instills meaning, self-confidence, and a sense of direction into their lives.
Graduates, does this story sound familiar? It should. Because if you add, music, dancing and an electric guitar to it, it’s the plot of the Broadway musical that you saw two weeks ago on your class trip to New York: it’s the story of Dewey Finn and how he formed “The School of Rock.”
But his story might also remind you of another dreamer, one who lived 2,000 years ago and the impact he had on a group of twelve students, and the sense of purpose and meaning he instilled into their lives and all lives ever since. In a real sense, he too established a School of Rock, and that is the school from which you graduate today.
In our gospel this morning, Jesus tells us that a foolish man builds his house on sand, but a wise one builds it on ROCK. And in our first reading, we heard God speak through the prophet Isaiah, and he tells us that HE is the ROCK, that there is no other. And so, St. Therese’s School is the true School of Rock because it’s built on Jesus Christ. He is the reason why St. Therese’s School exists. He is the unseen but ever-present teacher in all its classes. He is the model of its faculty. He has been the inspiration for you, its students.
Graduates, each of you is built on a strong, sturdy foundation – the ROCK that is Jesus Christ. The evidence that you are isn’t found in the awards you’ll receive in a few minutes or the diploma you’ll get this evening. The proof is found in who you are, how you live your life, the virtues you possess, and the positive impact you bring to the world around you. Things like this:
- Riley: You always demonstrate sensitivity, compassion and concern for everyone – your friends, but also anyone who might be in need. You’re a true and loyal friend who can always be counted on in the good times and in the bad.
- Clay: You have an incredible sense of humor. And your humor is never caustic or hurtful to anyone, but is self-deprecating, always making yourself the butt of your jokes, never anyone else. Through your sense of humor, you dedicate so much of yourself to making other people happy, to lifting their spirits when they’re low, to bringing joy to their hearts.
- Jillian: You have the biggest heart that anyone could possibly have. You love constantly, completely, unselfishly and without reserve and make everyone’s life better just from you being a part of it.
- Marco: You constantly give one hundred percent of yourself and are completely dedicated and devoted to everything and everyone in your life, whether that be school, or basketball, or your friends. You possess an amazing degree of leadership and self-assuredness that gives everyone peace of mind and the sense that all is well, because you’ve got everything under control; you’ve got everybody’s back.
- Alyssa: You have such incredible inner beauty. You possess some of the greatest virtues that a person can possibly have - grace, integrity, honesty and trustworthiness.
- Alex: To know you is to know a person of deep faith, profound love of God and unwavering respect for every man, woman and child. You are precisely what Jesus praised in the Beatitudes when he said, “Blessed are the pure of heart.”
- Peter: You have a quiet strength that everyone depends upon. You’re steadfast, loyal, dependable. Just by your personality, and probably unknowingly, you provide in every situation a sense of peace and calm that everyone needs and on which everyone relies.
- Christina: Your sense of joy just radiates from you. Your kindness, courtesy and ability to see the beauty in life is unwavering and uplifting to all.
- Megna: You possess one of the greatest virtues, and one that is sorely lacking in our world today – humility. You never show off, never seek to be the center of attention, but simply, quietly and humbly excel in every area of your life.
- Connor: You are the most sensitive, thoughtful and kind person I think I’ve ever met in my entire life. Your eyes are constantly focused outward on other people to anticipate their needs. And you unselfishly respond immediately to them without even being asked.
- Kevin: You are truly an honorable person – generous, positive and always the epitome of what it means to be both gentle and a gentleman.
- Dominic: Warmth, sensitivity, innocence and inquisitiveness are the hallmarks of your personality which make you immediately likeable and loveable to everyone who meets you.
- Andrew: You care so much for people and are so warm and charitable. I’ve never heard you say one unkind word about anyone because you always see the good in people and never the bad. Your smile and your optimism just makes everyone’s day.
- Diego: You possess the virtue that is considered the greatest virtue in the Bible, one credited to very few in Scripture and one that few people demonstrate today – righteousness, pure goodness. Your personal goodness, coupled with the enthusiasm with which you live your life, is like an aura that surrounds you which is evident the moment anyone meets you and every time you just simply walk into a room.
But graduates, all these are not the things that the world recognizes, much less gives awards for. They won’t bring you a medal, a plaque, a certificate or a check. But they are the things that God sees and rewards. And the award for them is called Heaven.
The past few weeks, I’ve had a difficult task. I’ve been trying to figure out what my final words to you as a class would be. I wanted them to be something that would hopefully inspire you and something that you would remember. But ultimately, I came to realize that the most important thing I want to leave with you on this most important day is something you’ve already heard from me twice a week, for ten months out of the year, for two years; it’s the way we would end our prayers every morning at the beginning of class: “Live Jesus in our hearts – Forever!” Since the heart is the center of your being, these words express your desire that Jesus be the center of your life, that his words be your words, his thoughts be your thoughts, his heart be your heart. FOREVER.
Graduates, live Jesus in YOUR hearts forever. It’s not enough to know Jesus, nor even to love Jesus. You must live Jesus. How do you do that? It all has to do with the cross I gave you on your retreat last Friday. If you look at it, you’ll see on the left and on the right of the cross are two Greek letters –the Alpha and the Omega. They’re the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet and are symbolic of the eternity of God, the One who is the beginning and end of all things. Intertwined at the center of the cross are two more Greek letters: The Chi and the Rho. These are the first two letters of the Greek word CHRIST and is one of the earliest Christian symbols. And so, by this cross, may you be reminded daily that Christ must be the center of your lives. From the time you wake up each morning, until you close your eyes at night: CHRIST! From the beginning of the week every Sunday morning, to its close every Saturday night: CHRIST! From the first day of high school to the day you again graduate: CHRIST! And from the beginning of your life to the end of your life: CHRIST!
Class of 2018, please stand, take off your cross and look at it. Make this the most sincere prayer you’ve ever said. Repeat after me:
Christ with me,
Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ in me,
Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ on my right,
Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down,
Christ when I sit down,
Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.
Live Jesus in my heart.
Live Jesus in my heart.
Live Jesus in my heart forever.
You may be seated and put the cross back on.
Dear hearts, Class of 2018, congratulations on all you have accomplished. And thank you. Thank you for who you are and thank you for loving me. I wish I had the words that could adequately let you know how much you mean to me, how much I will miss you, and how much I love you. I can only hope you already know.
Live Jesus in our hearts . . . FOREVER!
