High-School Seniors/Graduates Homily

The coming of Jesus into the world has made it possible for us to live a spiritual life.

In Scripture, we hear the jailer ask the incarcerated Apostles, “What must I do to be saved?” The response: Believe in Jesus and be baptized.

To believe in Jesus opens up our horizons. Our seniors step out now into the future. We take great pride in their accomplishments, and we share in their hope for a good and fruitful life ahead of them.

The key to the whole thing is faith, faith in Christ, faith in His grace and His plan.

Jesus Christ has won heaven for us. He has opened heaven up to us. And life makes sense when we live it in order to get to heaven. Life makes sense when the real future we seek, the real horizon we head towards, is the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, crucified for the truth and risen from the dead.

Hopefully the 18-year-olds of the world will be able to relate to these following reflections: Does my life feel like an answer, or does it feel more like a question? Does my life feel finished, or does it need more? Does my life seem complete, or am I waiting for…something?

I’ll speak for myself. My life feels like a question. Like a work in progress. Like an unfinished story.

So, what’s the answer, then? What will complete this open-ended half-story?

Jesus. Jesus Christ is the answer to the great question of life. He fulfills everything in us that needs more. The future we need is: heaven with Jesus Christ. And nothing less.

If I might, let me speak on behalf of the Christian community for one second: Dear seniors, we are very proud of you. We love you. We want to wind-up with all of us together in heaven in the end. So stay straight! Stay good. Make us proud.