Tools for Schools

Reaching into our toolboxes to succeed in school

08/18/2017

Joshua 24:1-13 Joshua gathered together all the tribes of Israel at Shechem, summoning their elders, their leaders, their judges and their officers. When they stood in ranks before God, Joshua addressed all the people:  "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel:  In times past your fathers, down to Terah, father of Abraham and Nahor, dwelt beyond the River and served other gods. But I brought your father Abraham from the region beyond the River and led him through the entire land of Canaan. I made his descendants numerous, and gave him Isaac. To Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. To Esau I assigned the mountain region of Seir in which to settle, while Jacob and his children went down to Egypt.

            Boys and girls, I am holding something in my hands called a “toolbox for school.” Can someone tell me what this is? It’s a kit for everything you will need in school. It contains pencils and erasers; you’ll find coloring pens and notepads, folders and glue and scissors. How many of you like the toolbox, or how many would rather go to the store to buy your own stuff? Now, which do you think your moms and dads like? They love the toolboxes! This toolbox will help you succeed in school.

            But boys and girls, because you also go to a Catholic school, we also want to give you a “Catholic tool box.” Do you know where that toolbox is? Believe it or not, you’re actually sitting inside that toolbox! What??? That’s right, this whole huge church is the toolbox that the Church gives you, not filled with pencils and erasers, but with spiritual tools to help you learn about God, and the Catholic faith. For example, when you came into the church, you touched one of those tools, the holy water, and you made the Sign of the Cross after you dipped your hand in it. Another great tool is the Bible which some of you will get to read from at Mass. Another beautiful tool, one of my favorites, is the stunning stained glass windows with images of the saints. All these tools – the holy water, the Bible, the saints – will help you succeed here at a Catholic school, and you need them just as much as your pens and folders and glue.

  

             Now, let me ask you a hard question. When will you finish school? Will you finish school after you graduate from high school? No. Will you complete your studies after you get done with college? No. Maybe it will be finally done after medical school or after law school? Nope. Will you ever be done with school? No, not in this life. In fact, your whole life is a school, called the “School of Hard Knocks,” and that means we are always learning, life-long learners, we are always students. And this church is also a toolbox for the school of life. Here we find seven great tools, called the seven sacraments, which will help you succeed in life.

             Can you find the seven tools called the sacraments in this church? You might have to look for symbols of them. For instance, baptism is found in the baptismal fount. Confirmation is symbolized by the holy oil called Sacred Chrism. Anointing of the Sick is also symbolized by the special, holy oil we use in that sacrament. Confession is in this box, where Fr. John gets to take a nap when no one sees him. And the two tricky ones are marriage and holy orders: where are their symbols? You have to look at where people sit: married people sit in the pews, and the priests, deacons and bishop (who receive Holy Orders) get to sit in the sanctuary. The cheeks in the seats tell you who receives marriage and who is ordained. These seven great tools of the sacraments will help you succeed in the school of life, because that’s the hardest school of all.

             We all need toolboxes to help us do well in school. And remember, when will you finally finish school? Never. You’ll only finish when you graduate and go to heaven.

Praised be Jesus Christ!