Summary of a Fr. Gerry Creedon homily from May 20, 2007
"You are witnesses of these things. And behold I am sending the promise of the Father upon you." Luke 24:45
A recent survey of college graduates asked them for their aspirations. They wanted to be 'rich, thin, famous, safe, and entertained'. I'm sure the survey would have a different response from St Charles' graduates! Wanting to be rich may be a natural reaction to the mountains of debt many of today's graduates accumulate. The violence and insecurity of our world foment feelings of fear and caution. Yet the values espoused by those surveyed betray small dreams and a selfish proclivity. Surely we would want broader goals and larger aspirations for our youth.
The feast of Ascension carries a call from fear, to courage.
The disciples reacted to the departure of Jesus with paralysis. "He was lifted up and a cloud took him from their sight. while they were looking intently at the sky as he was going, suddenly two men in white garments stood beside them. They said, ' Men of Galilee, why are you standing here looking at the sky?'"
Elsewhere it describes how they locked themselves in the Upper Room for fear, clinging on to the Mother of God. The Spirit comes at Pentecost to transform hearts. In the power of the Spirit, they went forth and witnessed boldly to the hope of Resurrection. We need the courage of the Spirit.
It is easy for parents to hold on to their children with fierce protection. College faculty complain about helicopter parents. Through the miracle of email, text messages and cell phones, they manage to be in touch at least once daily with their college age children. What has happened to breaking away? Remember the rite of marriage, a sacrament of adulthood, brings the text, "Leave father, mother, brother and sister and cleave to your spouse." When we hold on too tightly we infantilize others.
I remember Bishop Grullon from our sister diocese in the Dominican Republic speaking to his clergy about 'capacitation' and empowerment. "In order to develop lay leadership in our communities," he instructed, "you priests must share not only your responsibility for the church, but also your authority."
May all of us in loco parentis trust enough in the Spirit to let go. Let us empower our youth to believe. Let us cultivate their sense of risk and imagination.
Jesus taught his disciples, "In the power of the Paraclete, you will do far greater things than I." Let it be said of our graduating classes what was said of old, to those who were infused with today's Spirit, "Their young people will see visions and their old people will dream dreams."
In this Eucharist let us enter into the transforming power of the Paschal Mystery moving from death to life, from caution to hope, and from fear to courage.