Graduation 2024

St. Maria Goretti Church - New Orleans, LA
Reflection Graduation Mass 
Aquinas Institute of Theology, New Frontiers in Preaching, Mastery of Preaching Certificate Program
St. Louis, MO
July 21, 2024
Scripture Text:  Mark 6:30-34 

Title: It Was Worth It

Good morning, my Sisters and Brothers, for the time before us, I shine the homiletical spotlight and put a tag on this scriptural text, titled, “It Was Worth It!”  There have been times in our lives that we have been challenged to do some things that may have been uncertain how they would work out.  And yet, because we trusted the one who challenged us, we went forward with it, only to discover that in the end it was worth it.  Is that anyone’s testimony this morning?  Have you been there?  Church, Mark tells us that the apostles had returned and were telling Jesus about all that they had done. He also says that great numbers of people were coming and going, and they didn’t even have time to eat. Jesus realizing that His apostles were near exhaustion and needed a break, invites them to go to a deserted place by themselves to rest. It wasn’t going to be a long rest, just time to rest awhile, catch their breath and spend time with Jesus to recharge and prepare to resume the work of a disciple. So, they got in a boat to cross the Sea of Galilee to the desert of Bethsaida. Somehow the people discovered where they were going and rushed to meet them arriving before they did. Seeing the large crowd of people hungry for the word of God, Jesus didn’t look at the crowd and say can you come back tomorrow, or give us a minute to catch our breath, or we’re going take a break, come back in an hour; instead, Jesus had pity on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. Rather than take time rest and eat, He taught them many things and healed them. Why?  Because it was worth it. 

Just like the people that rushed to meet Jesus then, we have many in our communities who are like sheep in need of a Shepherd—a shepherd who is a Savior. Like sheep without a shepherd that cannot find its pasture, its food to sustain life; many are in need of a word that gives life, the word of God. Like sheep without a shepherd who can’t find their way, many are lost searching for a spiritual home.  Like sheep without a shepherd that are wandering on a dangerous terrain.  Like the analogy of the sheep in our biblical text, we, too, are in desperate need of a Shepherd!   My Sisters and Brothers, we have hundreds of people who left the Church because of scandal scattering and not knowing where to go. We have young people in need of spiritual sustenance looking for truth, experimenting with other religions and denominations and not always finding satisfying answers. There are masses of people influenced by misinformation and disinformation about church teachings regarding the LGBTQ community.  We are sheep living in a world where racist rhetoric, political polarization, and demonizing disagreements makes us weary and worrisome.  While many in the Church are wring their hands wondering what to do, Aquinas Institute of Theology seeing the need for more prayed up and prepared preaching shepherds to guide the sheep, especially in our Black and Hispanic Catholic communities, created the New Frontiers in Preaching Program. Today, we members of this inaugural cohort were like the crowd hungry and seeking the knowledge and skills of effective preaching that would renew and revitalize our respective communities, found a refreshing refuge rooted in the Dominican tradition. Yes, we rushed around the perimeter of our days and lives to meet anew the profound Living Word of God through our impressive teachers in Zoom classrooms. Can I take you back?  I remind you that we met at times after busy days and sometimes juggling obligations to learn and improve. We spent countless hours reading informative materials, and exegeting scripture to complete assignments often after a hectic day. We spent hours writing and rehearsing homilies and reflections before recording them for submission. But today…but today, we can say it was worth it. Can I get everyone here to say with me, “It was worth it?”  (Pause until they say it). Yes, today we gather at Aquinas Institute as the apostles did, to compare notes excited about all we did to complete this course, and to receive the Mastery of Preaching certificate. Today we rest awhile and meet Jesus, the Good Shepherd, in the Eucharist cherishing this respite anticipating the next phase.  We recognize that as ordained and lay preachers we must make sure that we meet God in our secret place before we go out to meet the People of God in the marketplace. We know that in the near future when we’re called upon to give a reflection at Mass bringing the truth of the Gospel to the people, knowing that it’s worth it. We prepare to bring hope and the love of Christ to young people thirsting for words of encouragement to make sense of the world we live in, knowing that it’s worth it. When our pastors ask us to give a reflection at Mass, we strive to bring the joy of the Gospel to the people inspiring them to keep on keeping on trusting that God is in charge and everything is going to be alright, knowing that it’s worth it.  Like St. Paul we’ll pour ourselves out like libations when we’re called on to give a message of hope and love to combat the despair and hate that floods the news and social media, because it’s worth it.  We accept the challenge to become shepherds leading the sheep through the narrow gate to refreshing pastures in the presence of the Lord. We accept the responsibility of providing the sustenance that the word of God provides to the spiritually hungry, to navigate the obstacles and perils of this world. We resolve to keep it 100 and walk the walk as well as talk the talk as missionary disciples of Christ, as we model a living, and prophetic faith, so when they hear our voices, they’ll recognize that we are simply followers of Jesus striving to bring our communities the God News of the Kingdom.  We fully embrace this call to preach, to live our Aquinas Institute mandate to live and proclaim the Word!  Then on that day, when we stand before the Lord, he’ll say come good and faithful servants take your rest, for you did all that I commanded and lead my lost sheep to me, and we can reply in earnest, “Lord, “It Was Worth It!”

Homily (Reflection in the Eucharist) July 21, 2024. By Oscar Castellanos

We did not even get the chance to eat!

We could hear the disciples exclaim when they saw that people were coming and going in great numbers; after all, 

they were returning from their exhausting mission.

We did not even get the chance to eat!  

It is probably the claim of the people who have been scarred and are in constant or permanent dislocation in today's Gospel. 

The reality is that they suffer from physical and geographical displacement 

but emotional and spiritual as well.

St. Augustine wrote in his confessions. "You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you."  

Indeed, humanity has experienced this restlessness since we broke the intended relationship with the Creator. 

Mother Church gives us an extract from the book of Jeremiah to put our Gospel in context, but at first, it does not seem to help. 

Throughout the history of salvation, the chosen people of Israel have experienced displacement and separation so many times. 

Still, God finally intervenes through Jeremiah with bold words and a prophetic message. 

And what does God say? 

God affirms that its leaders and shepherds have contributed to such disruption. "You have not cared for them, but I will take care to punish your evil deeds."

That differs from what I would have wanted to hear if I were a religious leader. 

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Wait a minute, am I not a religious leader? 

I can't help but think that I have ministered and worked for the Church over the last 20 years and by the way, 

I am part of the first Cohort, which is receiving a certification in preaching today.  

The message is still current; God's message responds to our current reality, here and now, even when we try hard, so hard, and are tired. 

The demand is there; people are still searching and willing to go to extremes looking for Jesus, and we do not even get to eat. 

Yes, the Gospel says that people hastened in need. Our communities continue to experience this displacement, even from their primary and elemental needs, such as sustenance and shelter. 

Our communities wander around and sometimes get lost, like a flock without a shepherd. 

Our black and Hispanic communities, throughout decades or even centuries, have been scattered and driven away, in other words, forced to leave involuntarily situations that cause them to be in critical conditions. 

Even as Catholics and people of faith, the minorities have experienced displacement from churches, from possibilities of fulfilling their authentic call as ministers, and why not as preachers of the Good News. 

How attuned am I to the needs of those I share life with?

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Well, the Gospel proclaims that Jesus fulfills the promises of the prophet Jeremiah, and along with the psalmists, we rejoice that none should be missing in the Lord's flock. 

No longer fear and trembling should drive them away.

Today, this ceremony fulfills God's promises. His love is always with us, guiding us back to Him. 

We can trust this truth even in moments of exhaustion and doubt. 

As St. Paul reminded the community of Ephesus in today’s second reading, “God's promises will not fade away. He will gather the remnants of his flock and lead them back to their meadow.”  

We are not alone in this journey.

The people in today’s Gospel hastened on their feet from all the towns and arrived at the place before the disciples, for what? You might ask, well, to hear the voice of their shepherd.  

Your certification as a preacher is an extension of such a voice. 

*******************------------***************---------***************

Jesus sees the need. God is restless, and God provides in abundance. He came to preach peace to you who were off, St. Paul says again in his letter. 

The communities, especially our Latino and Black communities, are already waiting; they anticipate you and me. We have been trained and soon certified, and consequently, we are sent to those in need. God has responded through the Lilly Endowment, Aquinas Institute, and this program to continue fulfilling his promises.

Yes, we will be tired, make mistakes, and sometimes, our testimony will drive people away.  

That is why in this Eucharist, the source and summit of our lives, we can surrender our lives and trust that even if I am hungry and tired, even if the flock is wandering and lost, our call to preach belongs to the Church even when we don’t seem to have what it takes.

Although leaders failed, God invited Jeremiah to be a prophetic preacher. 

We, too, are called to be bold and engage in prophetic preaching like Jeremiah when people are suffering and need to hear the good news.

Despite how life can be in our community's context, a message will be given since Jesus has the heart of the Good Shepherd. 

You are the Conduent of such a message.

 Jesus is permanently moved with pity for his people. He will provide, teach, and preach, and then, like the psalmist, I can say that “my cup overflows.”