For many years now we have had a tradition of holding a senior day of reflection on the morning of prom. Yesterday the senior class gathered at Blessed Sacrament Church in Manchester at 8am for a morning of prayer, talks, reflections, and a very special surprise. We began the day by praying Psalm 139 and listening to the gospel passage of salt and light. I then offered a reflection (see below) and we concluded with intentions and a final prayer. The students then heard words of wisdom from three teachers: Mrs. Trachim of our math department, Mr. Martinez of our science department, and Mr. Sheehan '79 of our math department. They all had different messages but they essentially revolved about the same topic of being happy and not doing anything in life just for money. Ironically we don't collaborate or plan the talks, the teachers talk about whatever they want and it's amazing how year after year we all essentially have the same message.
Following the talks Kara Gadecki '13, the editor of the yearbook, presented the yearbook dedication. I invited Mr. Nelson of our English department to be a chaperone and I told him all he had to do was "sit there and look pretty." What he didn't know was that the Class of 2013 dedicated the yearbook to him. He was genuinely shocked and was in tears when he got up to receive the dedication. It was such a nice moment and he had some wonderful words for the kids. There were many tears flowing in the room. Mr. Nelson is retiring this year and we are all going to miss him terribly. I have taught in his room this year and love his jokes and his little asides that they will throw in as I am teaching.
After a break and a chance for the seniors to look at their yearbooks we had an open mic. Essentially the students have the chance to come up and share some thoughts of their own, talk about the past four years, etc. They are always some moving moments during this segment and this year was no different. We ended our day in the upper Church with a special surprise that I won't divulge as we do it every year. I will simply say that every senior was moved to tears, even the big burly football players. It is an amazing moment and a wonderful way to end the day.
I told the students that their day of reflection is really the beginning of the end. There are still a few weeks until graduation but we are now heading down the final days and they should make the most of it. They get it.
Here is the reflection I offered:
Abraham Lincoln was never baptized, never joined a church, and rarely mentioned Jesus. His widow, Mary Todd Lincoln, once remarked after his death, “He was a religious man always but he was not a technical Christian.” He did go to church services on occasion in Washington. On one of those occasions, President Lincoln listened intently to the sermon. After leaving church, the president was asked by his secret service guard, “What did you think of the sermon, Mr. President?” Lincoln paused and said with obvious hesitation, “It was...good.” The guard inquired, “You didn’t like it?” to which Abraham Lincoln responded, “He never asked us to do something great.”
Nine months ago we all gathered to start the school year at Saint Anselm College. At that time I suggested that your class use the following quote from Saint Ignatius of Loyola to guide you through the year:
“Go forth and set the world on fire...”
I hope you used your final year of high school - the final year of your youth - to leave your mark on Trinity High School and to make the most of the precious time you had left here, to set it on fire. Now as you’re about to leave, we gather together for one of the final times to reflect on the past four years and to consider your futures.
The final days of your senior year will have a number of references to fire and light:
- The quote I just mentioned, “Go forth and set the world on fire.”
- Today’s scripture reading from Matthew’s gospel about letting your light shine
- Your senior candles which you will receive next week
- The candles you will light at the end of your Baccalaureate Mass on June 10
This is very intentional. In the Catholic Church, “light” is a symbol of Jesus Christ. We use candles and references to fire to remember that Jesus Christ is the light of the world who has brought light to a darkened world. But as Mrs. Trachim read, Jesus also expects all of us to be light to the world. Jesus is not here physically anymore, He will not come again until the end of time. Until that happens, it is up to you and me to be light in the world, that is, to be Jesus.
You may recall Mr. O’Leary’s Vietnam War presentation in your English classes last year. While he does not look upon his experience in Vietnam with warm memories, he said it did have a silver lining. If he had never served in the military, his life would have been completely different. He never considered teaching until he got out of the military and it was because he decided he wanted to do something great with his life other than just make a lot of money.
I can’t agree more. There is certainly nothing wrong with making money or being wealthy but if you are going to be light to the world, you have to make sure you spend your life doing something you love. Don’t just become a businessman or woman because that’s where the money is. Don’t just become a lawyer because of the prestige. If you do something in life just because of the money or power or prestige, you will not be happy, I can promise you that and I speak from personal experience. If you do something that you’re passionate about and something that makes you excited to get up in the morning, you know you’ve found your calling in life.
I know that at 18, 19 years old you don’t believe me but life goes by quickly. The past ten years have been a blur and I cannot believe Kevin starts first grade this fall. I will celebrate my 8th wedding anniversary in a couple of weeks (although my wife said it feels like 800) – it feels like yesterday. I remember making fun of my father when he turned 50 and got his membership card from the AARP. Whose laughing now – that’s just 13 years away for me. Trust me folks – before you know it, you’ll be ready for retirement. You want to make sure that you retire from something that made you happy.
Consider this quote from George Bernard Shaw:
I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work the more I live. I rejoice in life for its own sake. Life is no "brief candle" for me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got hold of for the moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations.
Ladies and gentlemen of the Class of 2013: DO SOMETHING GREAT. If that means being a successful businessman, a doctor, an engineer, a priest, a sister, a teacher, a lawyer, a stay at home mom, so be it. But whatever you do, do it because you love it and because it drives you. Follow your passions, not the money. If life doesn’t turn out exactly how you planned it, don’t worry. I went from wanting to be a French teacher, to a politician, to a financial services employee, to a priest before I finally figured out what I wanted to be when I grow up! It wasn’t until I was 30 that I found my passion and my vocation…and I’ve never been happier. It’s like that saying from Saint Augustine: “Our hearts are restless until they find their rest in God.” My heart was restless until it found Trinity High School.
Andrew Nelson, our former Campus Minister, used to like to tell a wonderful story about the Bridge of Tears. As you know, millions of Irish immigrated to the United States over the past 150 years. In many instances, those who were leaving would walk to the port and be accompanied by their family and friends. In some villages when they arrived at a certain bridge, the family and friends would stop and the traveler would walk over the bridge alone. His family and friends had gone as far as they could and it was time to say goodbye. The traveler would now go on his own to face the challenges and the future. As the traveler walked over that bridge, the people would stay behind and say goodbye from the other side and watch and cry, hence the name “Bridge of Tears.”
Ladies and Gentlemen – we have taken you as far as you can go. We have done all that we can and it’s time for us to stop and let you go. My mother always told my sister and me, “I gave you roots but I also gave you wings.” You will always have roots at Trinity High School but from the moment you arrived in August of 2009 we have been preparing you to leave. There will be tears at your graduation and we hate to have you leave us. But we know that your best years are ahead of you and your futures will be bright and you will be the light of Christ in a world that so desperately needs it.
May you live Jesus in your hearts. Forever.
Amen.
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