Homily for Wednesday of the Sixth Week of Easter (Year I)
May 20, 2020 – 8:30 AM
High School Mass – final for 2019-20 school year (Live-stream during COVID-19)

Focus:              God calls us to be faithful.
Function:         Be faithful.

---

Paul goes to Athens.

He goes, commissioned by the Holy Spirit, to tell everyone there about the Lord Jesus.

And it was a dismal failure.

Some scoffed.

Most left with hearts untouched and simply said, “We would like to hear you on this matter some other time, but not today.”

But some joined.

Some joined.
Some recognized the truth in what they heard.
Some became followers.

And so, in that respect, it was not a dismal failure. It was a success.

It was a success because Paul was faithful.
Paul was faithful to what God asked him to do.

Brothers and sisters, what about us?

Paul came to the end of his time in Athens.
We come to the end of this school year.

In many ways, it may feel like this school year was a dismal failure.
Ending early. Goodbyes not said.

And yet, in many other ways, it was a resounding success.

Look at what God has brought about because people were faithful.

Look at what God has brought about through teachers and staff who were faithful to their calling to educate our youth, to teach them the skills that they need for life, to proclaim the Gospel to them.

Look at what was done simply because we were faithful.

Look at what God has done in you simply by your faithfulness:
your showing up to attend Mass, increasing a hunger for the Eucharist…
your tuning into your live sessions…
your completing your school work…

God is bringing good out of it.

Some of you might have scoffed.
Some of you, perhaps, were indifferent.

And others were faithful.

Brothers and sisters, in the end, what’s important for all of us is that we’re faithful.

As we come to the end of this school year…
As we prepare to begin summer…
Take care to be faithful to what it is that God calls you to do.

Be faithful to pursue him in all things, to seek his face in all things.

The God who created heaven and earth has created you. He knows you and he loves you. He desires you to know and to love him.

At times, you and I have not chosen him. We have not reached out to him. We’ve rejected him by our sins and yet he never rejects us! God reaches out to us. God sent his Son, who died to take away our sins: Jesus.

Jesus rose from the dead.
Jesus appeared to his disciples.
Jesus sent the Holy Spirit upon them, upon us.

As we approach the Feast of Pentecost, in a little over a week’s time, God prepares to send the Holy Spirit new upon the earth.

He gives you everything you need to become a saint, and he calls you to become one!

How do we become one?
Brothers and sisters, be faithful!

You are his masterpiece.

Do you believe that?
Do you really believe that?

Then join him.

Say not, “We would like to hear about this some other time.”

Now is the time.
Now is the day of salvation.