Given by Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde for the
Blue Ribbon Mass of Thanksgiving at Saint James School in
Falls Church.
Here at St. James School, when a student completes 8th grade,
he or she takes part in a ceremony where family and friends
come out to see all the graduates receiving their diplomas.
At that time, the eighth graders have completed all they can
do here at Saint James, and they will be sent forth to enter
high school, prepared by all they have learned from the
priests, the principal and school staff, and especially their
teachers.
Most likely, for each of you dear students, there will be
other graduation ceremonies as well, such as when you
complete your studies in high school and college. Sometimes
these are called commencement ceremonies. Why that name:
“commencement”? Because it comes from the word that means “a
beginning.”
Why would we name a graduation ceremony after a beginning
when so clearly it comes at an end? The reason is that when
you complete your work at school, you are sent forth to begin
something anew! When you finish 8th grade, you are ready to
begin high school. When you graduate from high school, many
of you will be ready to enter college. When you graduate from
college, you will be sent forth to begin your careers as
teachers and doctors and engineers and whatever God has
called you to do in your lives. I hope for some of you that
will be the priesthood or the religious life!
So, we come to understand that with the completion of some
events in our life, we are sent forth on a new mission! We
experience this at each graduation, but we also experience
this at Baptism, at Confirmation, and, actually, at every
Mass in which we take part. It is in these sacraments that we
hear the priest or deacon tell us to go forth, strengthened
by the grace we receive from Jesus, to bring His Gospel
message to the world.
Yes, over and over, Jesus Christ asks us to go and preach the
Gospel. As this morning’s Gospel account reminds us, we are
not the first to hear this. As He was about to ascend into
heaven to be seated at the right hand of the Father, Jesus
gave His Apostles – and us – a final command: “Go, therefore,
and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name
of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, (and)
teaching them all that I have commanded you.”
Why does Jesus send each one of us to start fresh after we
receive His grace in these sacramental celebrations? We
understand why the priests should do this, but why the
students? Because as Christians, all Christ’s disciples –
even the young! – are called to spread the good news of
salvation! Jesus Christ came to forgive our sins! He came to
bring us eternal life! He came to open the gates of heaven to
all who listen to Him! We are all called to spread this good
news of how much God loves us because we want everyone to
know about Jesus and to love Him very much! After all, the
love of Jesus within our hearts helps, enables and empowers
us to live life with meaning and purpose, with hope that
endures!
But St. Paul asks us in today’s first readings, “(H)ow can
they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how can
they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how can
they hear without someone to preach? And how can people
preach unless they are sent?”
As followers of Christ, we are sent. We who are strengthened
by Him are asked to begin preaching in every place we go: on
the playgrounds, on the sports fields, in our schools. Of
course, we are also called to preach in our families, and
with our friends. It is in the family, in this church, and in
this school that we learn about Jesus. In the home, in the
pew and in the classroom, we meet God made visible in Jesus,
and come to know and love Him. And the best way we preach is
by our witness: how we speak and act in daily life, that is,
how we make Jesus present throughout our own words and
actions day in and day out.
Today, I am here to celebrate with you the Blue Ribbon Award
which your school, Saint James, has received for the second
time! It has received this award twice because the faculty,
staff and clergy of the school have worked very hard to make
sure that every child receives an excellent education in
math, science, social studies, reading, computer science, and
many other subjects. Knowing about all of these topics
prepares the students to move on to the next level of high
school, and at Saint James, parents know that their sons and
daughters will be exceptionally prepared.
More importantly, however, parents know that their children
are prepared to go forth from here knowing and loving Jesus
Christ. Saint Bonaventure said, “If you learn everything
except Christ, you learn nothing. If you learn nothing except
Christ, you learn everything.”
I congratulate each of you, dear students, but also Sister
Mary Sue Carwile; your principal; your teachers; and the
entire staff of this outstanding school. I also congratulate
Father Posey, your pastor; Father Horkan and Father Tran,
your parochial vicars; the other priest-residents who also
assist here; and your deacons Mr. Fishenden and Mr. Gliot. I
am proud of each of you and all of you. I am grateful to your
parents, who sacrifice much so that you can come to this
school and also the parishioners and school benefactors for
their support. I also am grateful to Sister Bernadette, our
diocesan superintendent; and the entire dedicated staff of
our Diocesan Schools Office for their support. I thank them
as well as the U.S. Department of Education for its
recognition of you – as I mentioned, for the second time!
So, as we give thanks to God and to one another and as we
rejoice in Saint James School being awarded the Blue Ribbon
of Excellence, let us recommit ourselves to achieving another
Blue Ribbon, not from the government or the diocese, but from
Jesus Christ: the Blue Ribbon of Excellence for making the
Lord Jesus known and loved in the real world: the Blue Ribbon
of the New Evangelization! Congratulations and may the Lord
bless you with His peace always!
