(The following homily was given by Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde at the Mass celebrating Catholic Schools Week at the Cathedral of St. Thomas More in Arlington on February 4.)
Not so long ago we celebrated Christmas. It is a time when we give and receive gifts. Why do we do that? To imitate what God did when He gave us the best gift of all by sending to us His own Son Jesus Christ to be our Brother, Friend, Savior, Redeemer and Lord.
God also gives us another gift, closely linked with the gift of His Son. What is this other gift? The gift of faith. Faith is the ability to say “Yes” to Jesus, to say “Yes” to His Word in the holy Scriptures and taught by the Church, to say “Yes” to His Will. Because faith is our “Yes” to Jesus, faith also helps us to live life with purpose and meaning, to endure what is unpleasant, to overcome what is negative, to live with inner peace.
Parents give gifts to their children. The first gift they give is life itself. Your parents have given you another gift, one that is also very precious and lasting. Your parents have given you the opportunity to develop the gift of faith, which you received from God, to learn how to live life with faith.
One of the best places for this opportunity to happen is the Catholic school. Sending you to St. Thomas More Cathedral School " or to any Catholic school " is one of the best gifts your parents can give you. I thank them for their gift to you, a gift made with sacrifice for them.
We are celebrating Catholic Schools Week; in fact, today is the last day. The theme this year summarizes so well what I have just said: “Faith in Every Student.” For five days each week, you have the opportunity in our Cathedral school to learn what living in faith means, the opportunity to live faith in practice even as you learn other subjects like math, history, English grammar and literature, science and even as you take part in physical education.
Yes, faith is power " the power to say “Yes” to Jesus, the power to live with purpose. Faith is power to do what is right and good. In today's first reading from the Letter to the Hebrews, we are being reminded about some practical ways to do what is right and good, like showing hospitality to people, caring about those in need, including those in prison, being kind and forgiving, being generous.
In doing what is right and good, we witness to Jesus, Who is the source of goodness and truth. Sometimes, witnessing to Jesus is difficult; we can be ridiculed and even opposed. Today's Gospel account tells about St. John the Baptist, who witnessed to the truth; and because he did that, he was imprisoned and eventually put to death.
Faith also allows us to let Jesus be with us. This year, your school motto is “He will raise you up.” Through faith we allow Jesus to do that: to raise us up to be people of faith. “Faith in every student!” Faith in every person! If each one of us lives our faith, then we will be a Church of faith-filled people on earth, and we will one day achieve faith's goal: to live life with Jesus forever in heaven.
