3

INTRODUCTION

Congratulations to our graduates - but also to parents, guardians, step-parents, grandparents, teachers, administration, coaches - everyone that got you to this moment.

The title of my homily - better the title of my sermon - is, “3”.

I was thinking while I was with the juniors - on their retreat - this week - as they are about to take your place - what I would say to you today - in this opportunity to say some parting words from this pulpit.

There are 3 readings for this Mass. They have 3 messages: Jeremiah told us through Teresa, “The Lord says I have plans for you.” Paul told us through Patrick: "The Lord is our strength.” Jesus tells us through the gospel of Matthew: "You are the salt of the earth - you are the light of the world": be that.

3’s….

Okay, now what?

I continued to jot down 3’s:  3 quotes, 3 this, 3 that, and it hit me to give you a couple more  3’s. So the title of my sermon is, “3”.

Doctor Michael Clemmens  - our commencement address speaker today, will give you some clearer and well defined goals - hopes - dreams - challenges. Anne Heyburn will do as well in her Valedictory Talk.

So I decided to I simply pitch 3 poems I wrote for today - with the theme of graduation in mind. They will be what I call, "Story Poems."

Then I want to give 3 prayers - 3 short prayers - to keep in mind for each day as well as for life.

And I'm going to suggest - as I like to - to use your rosary for these short prayers. Each is just a one short word prayer - so it takes just a minute to say the rosary with each or any of these 3 prayers. I like to say that rosaries are not just for Hail Mary’s. These will excellent Hail Mary passes as you’ll see when I get to them - after my 3 poems.

Then I’ll give 3 wisdom statements.

I hope....

That’s all. That's it:  3 Poems, 3 prayers and 3 wisdom statements.

                       -O-O-O-

FIRST THE POEMS - WITH THE THEME OF GRADUATION IN MIND.

First story poem. This poem is entitled, “Graduation from Clumsy.” I wrote this last Sunday and put it on my blog, because a lot of people are graduating at this time.

GRADUATION  FROM  CLUMSY 

Yes, he tripped a bit more than

other kids - he spilled his milk -

dropped his books - and he didn’t

do too well when playing catch 
with his dad in the backyard.

But, if his dad was disappointed,

he didn’t show it, so his son

didn’t know it - that is, till he got

into school - and that’s where he

got the nickname: “Clumsy!”

Yes, he hated it. He hated being

called, “Clumsy!” and it followed

him all through ES, MS and HS.

Bummer. Bummer. Bummer!

Who’d like to be called, “Clumsy”?

So when he graduated - no, he didn’t

trip on his way up to receive his HS

diploma - but yes, he chose a small,

small college, far, far away - with hopes

nobody would know him - as “Clumsy”!  

-O-O-O-

Second story poem....

This one is called: "The ABC Student."

THE    ABC  STUDENT

She got A’s, B’s, and C’s -

all depending on a lot of things:

cold weather indoors, warm weather

outdoors, time, gifts and skill sets -

teachers - no she didn’t tend to blame 
teachers nor did she tend to say, 
“It’s not fair!”  if and when she got a C.

Should we add to her letters that she gets 
an “S” for struggle and  a “J” for jobs. 

Her mom was a single mom - 
and to help her mom with the bills - 
she had to have a job - in fact,  
several jobs - weekends and 
three weeknights  - babysitting ….

but she got it done -

she was graduating - finally and happily.

Her mom pinched herself sitting

there here and now at her daughter’s

graduation from high school.

She pinched herself again because

it was this same year her daughter

convinced her to get her high school

GED - and that evening they would

both be celebrating their HS graduation.

And her daughter thinks she got her

mom the funniest graduation card and

her mom thinks she got her daughter

the funniest graduation card - but 
what both don’t and won't know 
till tonight: it’s the same card.

                 -O-O-O-

The third poem is entitled: "Overheard at Their 25^th High School Graduation: 2041"

OVERHEARD AT THEIR 25th

HIGH SCHOOL GRADATION: 2041

“She married him.”

“You’re kidding.”

“I kid you not.”

“They had triplets and then twins.”
“Now,  I know you’re kidding.”

“Nope, I’m not.  Check it out.”

“I’ve been asking around the hall.
We have 2 novelists, 11 teachers,

4 accountants, 23 engineers,

no veterinarians, a neurosurgeon,

a newspaper reporter, a major

league lacrosse TV announcer,

a Protestant Minister, a priest....

You heard so and so became a priest?

“Who?”

“You’re kidding. The class atheist 
became a priest. I gotta tell my priest that.”

“By the way, who’s that over there

with the big belly and no hair?”

“That’s so and so.... What’s his name again?

He was the best athlete in our class?"

"You’re kidding."

"Hey, who’s the pastor here at St. Mary’s?"

“It’s Father Tizio. They made him Pastor for life.”

"And the dog? That’s not Wilbur, is it?”

No, no, no. That’s Metsi, he's Wilbur’s replacement?

"In a wheelchair? A dog in a wheelchair."

"Hey,  it’s 2041 you know.

                    -O-O-O-

PART TWO: THREE PRAYERS

Here at my three prayers:

Help…. Sorry …. Thanks.

Learn to say each of them each day - and to God as well as to ourselves - each night. 

They are profound words …,
They are important words …. 
And some people find them 
difficult words to say,
difficult words to pray.

In fact, if you can't say them,
sorry to tell you, you need help.

And once you realize that you'll
thank me or anyone who tells you.

Help…. Sorry  …. Thanks.

In fact, the more you say those 3 words,
and the more you mean what you're
saying when you say those 3 words, 
the more you'll be a well put together
person. You'll be better with God, self and others.

A rosary helps as a reminder.

A rosary of “Help’s” takes a minute, 
so too, “Sorry”, so too “Thanks”.

Try it!
                    -O-O-O-

PART THREE: 3 WISDOM STATEMENTS

# 1 Don’t forget who fed you: your mom, your dad, teachers, writers, poets, song writers, and that Salvadoran chef in the kitchen behind closed doors who is working his butt off - to give you a good meal - and to make money to feed his family.

# 2 It’s not all about you. Okay it is today. It’s your graduation. But the day after that, it's not about you.

# 3  There are time limits when it comes to how many heart beats we have. We can eat smart and exercise to have a stronger heart - but our heart only has so many heart beats, so use them well.

                     -O-O-O-

CONCLUSION

Thank you…. Congratulations!

The Lord has plans for you.

The Lord is your strength.

The Lord calls you to be salt and light for our world. Amen.