Greetings Parents!
It is graduation season and while we might not hold parties and formal ceremonies, the change for student's from one grade to either another grade, another school, or a job (or job hunting) will still happen. Special ceremonies mark important events, in part, to help process the big change, bring closure to the former way of things, and to celebrate and acknowledge the accomplishments required to get to this point. My oldest is not big on ceremonies so his approach is, "It's no big deal Mom, everyone graduates." Still, regardless of grades and honors, graduation means that a list of requirements were fulfilled. In schooling, this indicates a thousands of hours of learning. In developed countries, we take this for granted and it seems more a rite of passage - yes, almost everyone graduates. It is still is an accomplishment and it is important to help students recognize the hard work and gifts they have that helped them achieve this goal.
In a world full of public judgments, encouraging youth and young adults to recognize that they "did" when they could have failed is important. For those who earned honors, these should be celebrated. For those who struggled just to pass - their extra hard work to attain graduation should be celebrated. Some barely pass, but have put in far more effort than some who attain extra honors. That extra effort is just as valuable - the dedication and perseverance become essential aspects of their character - just as those who attain the high honors should recognize the value of achieving excellence. The point is to do our best and develop that as a fundamental element of our character.
How do we connect this to God? In thinking of graduation - what could be the more ultimate graduation than attaining sainthood? We all are called to do so - like school graduations - and we all get there by different paths. For some, the relationship with God comes easily and early. For others, our upbringing and life events built obstacles to this relationship, requiring extra work on God and our part in order to forge and maintain faith lives. The good news is that we were all created for sainthood and thus are given everything we need to accomplish it, with God's help. Some become consistent models of holiness that result in a Nobel Peace Prize (Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta), while others struggle their whole lives to maintain holiness (St. Jerome, known for his difficult personality). Then there are saints of lesser "fame." These souls are known to God, but not recognized by the Church. I firmly believe my grandparents, dad and sister are among them, having lived lives with good and generous character and ended their lives with a strong faith commitment.
Regardless of how they graduated to sainthood and regardless of how many others also achieve it - billions and billions,- that we persevered to reach this goal is worth celebrating! And God has a feast prepared to celebrate each and every one of us being there!
Hug your children tight - and help them see their growth and accomplishments as praiseworthy for the character needed to attain them.
-- Linda Bader, Coordinator of Religious Education
P.S. Did you know... The angels await the feast celebrating our sainthood as eagerly as do we. As St. Augustine wrote, we are destined for the City of God that we will share with them. These spiritual siblings look forward to - and work towards - the completion of that city with us at their sides, for an amazing, joyful celebration!
