Message for May 30, 2024

I am including a photo of a Baptism just this past Saturday of a grad student’s  baby. 

We all rejoice in that beginning!  Look at the smiles and joy surrounding her!  

Her parents had the good grace to have her Baptized and all their families and friends the great good sense to gather and rejoice in that!

(I’m reminded of a prayer I used to hear oft as a kid: “Lord Give Us a Taste for the Good!  Teach Us Always to Rejoice in It!”)

As years go on you will run into folk who genuinely cannot tell Good from Evil who have, startlingly, no concern to bother to separate Truth from Falsehood - perhaps the origin to their Crisis within and without.

Crises arise for them because without caring for either of those distinctions, they can easily be led by the nose by anyone unscrupulous…the path having already been set by Their Choosing to Be Unscrupulous Themselves!  They are become anyone’s patsy, who cares to waste the time on them.  People try to offer them counsel to no avail - like giving a compass to someone who still cannot tell up from down. Useless. 

I mention this purposely now at graduation since you actually had a more profound and stabilizing education before even arriving at Harvard:  the one by your dear parents who taught you all about The Things That Really Matter.  They had you baptized and took you to church and saw to your sacraments. They raised you in the faith. They taught you a hope that will last you your whole life long. Their love for you continues generously and helps hint at the love of the God Who Made You. His Mercy is more vast than the sea! 

Last Thursday is termed “Commencement” here. It arose from the inception of Harvard graduates turning then to teaching, rather than being taught. 

It’s a truth many miss, that in teaching we are taught, that in graduation we’ve only begun the process. Only by finally becoming able to learn, do our reading, research, writing and study finally teach us things. We’re not educated by the time of Commencement!  We’ve only passed into the condition of possibility of teaching ourselves…and letting others teach us through the years ahead!

So too with our “Commencement” in our being baptized as infants. Our realization of its potential, by God’s Good Grace, still lies ahead.  Our weekly Mass teaches us the Scriptures and how they integrate into our lives as we hear them with new ears through the tests, facing a kaleidoscope of crises, hopes, joys and crosses. 

Graduation is only the beginning. So too our Baptisms. Both are a Commencement!

We pray for you every day here!  Always do keep in touch!  We want to know how you are doing amidst life and work, spirituality and profession, joys, crosses and loves all!

May God Bless You All Yours Days!

Yours ever,

Father George Salzmann OSFS