Skip to main content

2021 - Annual Visit with the Graduates of St. Francis High School

By

It's become a tradition for me to revisit my alma mater - St. Francis High School in La Canada - and present for you the graduation address from school Principal, Thomas Moran.  I have always found his words to be insightful and inspiring, and so I wish to share them with you...

Mr. Moran's Address to the Graduates of the Class of 2021: 

A journalist was interviewing an 80-year-old woman, a three-time widow, about to be married for the fourth time. He asked about her life, her husbands, and their careers.

She paused reflectively for a few moments. A smile gradually came to her face and she answered proudly, explaining that she had married a banker in her twenties, an actor in her forties, a minister in her sixties, and now - in her eighties - a funeral director.

The interviewer looked at her, quite astonished, wondering how she had married men with such diverse professions.  With a gleam in her eye, she explained, "It was one for the money, two for the show, three to get ready, and four to go."

This fictional account is about more than a clever punchline, it’s an allegory about perseverance, resilience, and responding to loss.  We have all suffered from a profound sense of loss over the past year, perhaps the greatest in our lifetimes.  It may have contributed to feelings of depression, anger, and doubt. 

Inexplicably, as things we did not always appreciate were taken away, we began to value them even more.  Some were incredibly significant: family, friends, freedom, and fun.  Others did not seem that important previously, but we discovered that we missed those too.  Some personalized the loss for its individual impact, not comprehending its global implications.  And others endured agonizing isolation.  Helen Keller wrote:  "We bereaved are not alone. We belong to the largest company in all the world—the company of those who have known suffering."

So, tonight, don’t just celebrate your achievements, but your ability to overcome challenges. Consider focusing not only on what you have lost, but what you have gained.  Byron Katie tells us counterintuitively: “The worst loss you’ve ever experienced is the greatest gift you can have.” 

That quote is reminiscent of Franciscan spirituality.  The same kind of contradiction implied in “it is in giving that we receive,” is echoed in philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer’s comment: “Loss teaches us about the worth of things.”  To understand that, we need to practice acceptance, the first virtue of this unusual school year.  To implement it fully we need to employ service, generosity, and peacemaking- this year’s other virtues.  

That lengthy separation from your brothers has helped you to comprehend another important aspect of a Franciscan Education:  brotherhood.  Watching you “Re-U-Knight” after thirteen months apart was a powerful lesson in that virtue.  Remember that as you prepare for another separation, when you move into colleges across the nation. 

Theologian C.S. Lewis said: “We must stop regarding unpleasant or unexpected things as interruptions of real life.  The truth is that interruptions are real life.” So give yourself the grace to reflect and discover the blessings obtained from confronting adversity and triumphing over it.  Make it a transformational experience rather than a tragic one.  We may have lost some secular opportunities.  But, like that 80 year-old widow, we have gained more spiritual gifts to sustain us: hope, patience, perspective, compassion, and faith.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Ascension of the Lord - Cycle C

By
Following the traditional calendar, the Solemnity of the Ascension falls on a Thursday, 40 days after the Resurrection, and 10 days before Pentecost.  But since the Ascension is such an important moment for us as Church, many dioceses, including our own, have moved this celebration to this coming Sunday (in place of the 7th Sunday of Easter). The Word for the Ascension of the Lord Acts 1:1-11 Psalm 47:2-3, 6-7, 8-9 Ephesians 1:17-23 or Hebrews 9:24-28, 10:19-23 Luke 24:46-53 Our first reading is from the beginning of the Acts of the Apostles.  While it might be more appropriate that this reading should follow our Gospel reading for today (as it naturally follows after Luke’s Gospel), the book-end effect of these two readings remains intact, reminding us how this was a pivotal moment for the Church.  Like most sequels, our reading opens with a recap of where we left off at the end of Luke’s Gospel with the Ascension of Jesus.  Also like most sequels, this “recap” of t...
Post a Comment
Read more

28th Sunday of Ordinary Time - Cycle C

By
“Thank you.”  It’s a phrase we hear and use every day.  It’s an accepted and expected courtesy for a variety of interactions.  In fact, when we don’t hear it when we expect to, we feel slighted and unappreciated.  Here’s a question:  Does God feel slighted and unappreciated when we don’t give him thanks for his great gifts?  Let’s see what this week’s readings might say on the subject… The Word for the 28th Sunday of Ordinary Time 2 Kings 5:14-17 Psalm 98:1, 2-3, 3-4 2 Timothy 2:8-13 Luke 17:11-19 Our first reading comes from 2nd book of Kings.  Naaman, a Syrian military commander, seeks to thank Elisha for curing him of his leprosy (an act that King Joram of Israel isn’t likely to appreciate).  Not only does Naaman wish to give thanks to Elisha, but also to his God.  This is nothing short of a complete conversion for Naaman, who not only sees the glory of God but recognizes the importance of the land in this covenant relationship.  In f...
Post a Comment
Read more

29th Sunday of Ordinary Time - Cycle C

By
Persistence.  The Oxford Dictionary defines this as “firm or obstinate continuance in a course of action in spite of difficulty or opposition.”  Persistence is an important part of our faith tradition, as our readings this week teach us: The Word for the 29th Sunday of Ordinary Time Exodus 17:8-13 Psalm 121:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8 2 Timothy 3:14-4:2 Luke 18:1-8 Our first reading is a story from the book of Exodus.  Here Moses and the Israelites, not long after their flight from Egypt, are pushing forward into Southern Canaan where they are experiencing resistance from the nation of Amalek (named for the grandson of Esau, Abraham’s other son – though this may just be a literary device).  As they engage in battle, Moses holds out his hands (as he would in a prayer position) and the battle goes in favor of Israel, but as Moses grows tired and lowers his hands, the tide of battle shifts.  With the help of Aaron and Hur, Moses is able to keep his arms up so that Israel wi...
Post a Comment
Read more