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Homilies | Wednesday, February 19, 2020

Strive for a faith that sees clearly

Archbishop Wenski's homily before blessing athletic fields at St. Brendan High School

Archbishop Thomas Wenski preached this homily during a Mass Feb. 19, 2020, before blessing the new athletic fields at St. Brendan High School in Miami. 

Today I’m here to dedicate or bless your new athletic field. But I am also happy to celebrate this Mass with all of you this morning. Sports are an important part of any school’s curriculum – because on the athletic field we learn many important life lessons – and these lessons compliment what you might learn in the classroom.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus cures a blind man. Sight is a great gift – and in today’s Gospel, the blind man got his sight in two stages – first he saw things kind of blurry and then when Jesus touches him again, he sees clearly. Jesus’ miracles are about teaching his disciples and us something about faith. To have faith is to see the world in a particular way. As Catholics we believe we receive the gift of faith in baptism – but is a gift that must grow and develop. Too many people neglect to do that – they might have faith, but it might be a little blurry.

That’s why we study religion in the classroom – for faith must seek understanding if it is to light up our path in life. Faith needs to grow in understanding. But also to have a clear-sighted faith we need to grow in our relationship with the Lord. That’s why – besides religion classes – we have times for prayer, for Mass, for retreats.

Also, St. James tells us in the first reading, “Religion is to care for orphans and widows, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.” So, that’s why we have service projects – and why we have a code of conduct that as Catholic students we adhere to – on and off campus. That code of conduct is not just a bunch of silly rules that make life difficult. Rather our code of conduct, the way we interact with one another – your teachers, your fellow students, and those you come in contact with – is based on our faith – which as I said is a way of seeing the world, and living in the world in a particular way – the way of Jesus who tells us to love God with our whole hearts, minds and souls – and to love one another as he has loved us.

Loving in this way is like learning to speak a new language well or play a new sport. And so academics and athletics can teach us something about how we are to live as faithful and faith-filled Catholic Christians. Both athletics and academics are meant to prepare you for life – you learn about commitment (you got to show up), perseverance (you got to keep up), sacrifice (you got to give of yourself), integrity (you got to be true to yourself).

And in both academics and athletics you learn another important lesson for life: “cheating will get your nowhere good.”

Before you can speak a new language well, you have to learn the grammar. Grammar might seem to be all about rules and regulations. And to love like Jesus means learning the rules and regulations about self-control, purity of heart and mind; it is about learning how to deny oneself, to respect others, to serve instead of being served. And as you learn the grammar, you must practice, practice, practice…

It’s the same way in learning a new sport. We all remember Lebron James and the Miami Heat (and you know he played high school basketball at a Catholic high school.). He is perhaps one of the greatest basketball players of all times. But that did not mean that he could ignore the rules and regulations of basketball. In fact, knowing and keeping the rules make it easier, not harder, for him to play the game with excellence. In the same way, the Commandments, the rules and regulations of Christian living, give us the freedom to embrace a future of love.

Well, with a new athletic field there’s more space to practice – to develop a sound body in a sound mind. St. Brendan’s is providing you with many opportunities for athletic and academic excellence – these are great gifts for you – but the greatest gift they offer you at this wonderful school is what Jesus offered the blind man: a faith that sees clearly.

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