WARNING: How Pride Is Leaving Your Family Vulnerable

 

The Gift of Catholic Education

It’s always a pleasure to have the children from the school here and for you to see what you’re supporting. The type of formation that you’re supporting, the character that you’re building, the faith that you are strengthening. These things make a huge difference for our country, for our future. There’s so much hope in the future.

I never went to Catholic school, and I can tell you there’s a huge difference. These children write rapidly while I take hours to put a letter together. The way they can write or read or speak in public is amazing. 

I invite anyone who has children or grandchildren to come to our open house1. Don’t be stubborn.

A Five-Year Shower Problem

Five years ago, when I walked into my rectory, the place where the priest lives, I noticed that the shower has no place to put the soap, the shampoo, or anything. And I was like, I’m not going to buy one. It’s amazing how stupid I am.

You know what I do? Before I get in the shower, I take the shampoo and put it on my hair. Solved.

The soap is a little tricky. I have to open the shower door, throw the soap into my sink, and then I can get the soap out of my hands. Sometimes I miss the sink, and then the soap goes all over the floor. Sometimes the soap hits the sink so hard that it starts cracking, and I leave a mess.

Why? Because I wasn’t willing to spend the money to get something that will hold the soap and the shampoo.

Until my mother came over to my house. There’s something about moms. They notice everything.

My mother asked, “How do you take a shower without anything to hold?”

I said, “Ma, did you go through my drawers too, in the bathroom?”

She goes, “No, I’m just wondering, I’m curious.”

I said, “Well, I don’t want to go to the store and get one of those things to hold it.”

My mother gave me that traditional Italian look like, “Are you stupid? Why would you do that to yourself?”

Finally, I bought it. And my life is so much easier!

Our Stubborn Excuses

I’m sure all of you have similar stories. You know, “Oh, I refuse to buy the potato slicer. I can use the knife. I don’t have to buy that thing.”

We all refuse to do things just because you don’t want to do it. We make these combinations. “I want to save money.” Can you imagine? I’m saving $7.99 when I spend $7.99 on a burger every day or whatever. It just doesn’t make sense.

There’s something in the readings that doesn’t make sense, too.

What Humility Really Means

In the readings today, it’s all about humility. Many times, we connect humility with weakness. To be humble means to be weak. To be humble means to be shy. To be humble means to stay quiet.

No.

In the readings: “Seek the Lord, all you humble of the earth who have observed his law. Seek justice. Seek humility.”

In the responsorial psalm: “Blessed are the poor in spirit. Blessed are the humble. Blessed are the humble.”

In today’s second reading: “Consider your own calling, brothers and sisters. Not many of you were smart.” Can you imagine? St. Paul, he’s writing to the Corinthians. “Not many of you are smart by human standards. Not many were powerful. Not many of you, none of you were born noble. Rather, God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise. And God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong. And God chose the lowly and despised of the world, those who count for nothing, to reduce to nothing those who think they’re something. So that no human being might boast before God. Whoever boasts should boast in the Lord.”

Then: “Blessed are the poor in spirit. Blessed are the meek. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness.”

To be humble means to be strong. To be humble means to be strong. It means to be courageous. It means you have no fear of being humiliated. No fear of failure.

Why? Because when the Lord calls me to do something, I’m going to do it. If I can’t do it, and if I fail, I try doing.

Only the humble are willing to try something that’s difficult. Because they’re not afraid of looking bad.

The Communism Incident

When I was in high school, we were playing charades. I will never forget. In English class, we were playing this game where you had to act out a word.

Guess what my word was in the English class? I’m sixty years old, and I haven’t forgotten. The word was communism. Communism. How do you act out communism?

Well, I got up there, and I tried to act out what it looked like to be in the USSR. And all of a sudden, everybody, including the teacher, started laughing. And I was like, “Why are you laughing?”

They’re like, “You don’t know.”

Apparently, I had done something that was humorous. I could feel the blood going to my head. I felt like I was going to die. I felt like the world was falling apart.

I never raised my hand ever again in that class. Because I was full of pride. I was full of myself. As soon as I felt humiliated, I fell apart. I stayed quiet. I refused to volunteer. I didn’t do anything except what I had to do in that class.

I was too afraid of what other people would think of me.

The Secret of the Crucifix

This is the secret. At the beginning of Mass, we have this crucifix.

Why do we process with this crucifix at the beginning of Mass? Because Christ has dominion over everything. Christ has power over everything. Christ permeates at every single level of humanity. There’s no sin. There’s no power. There’s nothing that is above Christ. He is in charge of everything. He is present over everything.

In this world, we still think, “If I lived in a good neighborhood, I would be so much better. If my family had more money, I would be more successful. If my friends were better, I would be better.”

If you believe that God penetrates at every level of humanity, it doesn’t matter where you live. It doesn’t matter where you go. It means that Christ is a part of your life.

That’s why, did you ever notice, you have those people that came from the worst neighborhoods in the city. They worked hard. By God’s grace, they made it to who they are today. And then you have kids that came from great neighborhoods. They got hooked on drugs, on alcohol, and they fell apart.

You say to yourself, “Well, what is it? What’s the secret formula? What’s the magic? ”

It’s who has Christ and who doesn’t. That’s the secret formula. That’s all you need.

If you believe that God can penetrate every single level of humanity, every moment in your life, then you will be humble. And you will say, “Lord, into your hands, I commend my spirit. I give myself to you.”

Now you’re not afraid anymore of failure. In fact, you welcome a challenge.

Be Not Afraid

God says over and over and over and over again in scripture. In fact, it is said 365 times in the Bible, which would mean every single day. Be not afraid. Be not afraid.

Be not afraid of what? Of failure? Be not afraid of failure. Be not afraid of success. Be not afraid to do what I ask of you. No matter how difficult it is, no matter how challenging it is, do not be afraid.

Why? Because with God, everything is possible.

Dreaming Big for the Children

My dear brothers and sisters, let me give you a great example.

After we came back from Rome, after the children sang for the Holy Father, the team over at the school, we decided, “Let’s challenge ourselves again. What would be a great adventure for the children?”

We realized it would be wonderful if the children from the business program could go to New York City and visit Wall Street. We’re the only school that has a business program, teaching children how to invest their money, how to look for emerging technologies, personal finances, being responsible stewards of their money. 

To go to Wall Street, you have to be personally invited by a publicly traded company. It’s very difficult, especially after 9-11. They don’t let anybody in that building.

Well, on Wednesday, I received an email from the president of the NASDAQ inviting Mary Immaculate School to come visit the NASDAQ in New York City.

We could have said it’s impossible. We could have said it’s too difficult. We could have said it might not work. In the end, here we are.

We’re going to go to New York City. We’re going to have a special tour of the NASDAQ floor. The kids will be at the opening bell. The logo, MIS logo, will appear at the top of the screen.

Who are we? We’re just trying to do God’s will. We’re just trying to be a Christ-centered place where wonder and excitement can grow. That’s it.

Dream big and do not be afraid. These are the readings today. Be humble and allow the Lord to direct your heart and your mind always to do great things for him.

Amen?

Amen.