Downpayment on Dreams

Seeing how Catholic schools help students dream big

05/24/2022

Jn 16:5-11 Jesus said to his disciples: “Now I am going to the one who sent me, and not one of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ But because I told you this, grief has filled your hearts. But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go. For if I do not go, the Advocate will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes he will convict the world in regard to sin and righteousness and condemnation: sin, because they do not believe in me; righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will no longer see me; condemnation, because the ruler of this world has been condemned.”

Many years ago I heard this song by the band Brooks and Dunn, called “Only in America”. It made me think of school students, and this evening in a special way of our graduating eighth graders. It started like this: “Sun coming up over New York City / School bus driver in a traffic jam / Staring at the faces in a rear view mirror / Looking at the promise of the Promised Land.” It continued: “One kid dreams of fame and fortune / One kid helps pay the rent / One could end up going to prison / One just might be president.” The refrain of the song adds: “Only in America / Dreaming in red, white and blue / Only in America / Where we dream as big as we want to.”

As I look out at the faces of our 8th grade graduates of Trinity, I am keenly aware that I am also looking at the “promise of the Promised Land”. Our students come from very diverse backgrounds, and they also have very diverse dreams of what their future will be like. We also hope that here at Trinity we have helped them to “dream as big as they want to.”

That was one reason my parents sent me and my brother and sister to Catholic schools: so that we could do whatever we desired and dreamed with our lives. My brother is a senior vice president of a major international retail chain. My sister is religious education teacher at her church and married with five children. And I am a priest and luckily not in prison. Catholic schools help students to dream big.

In the gospel today, Jesus is also in a sense graduating from this world and returning home to his heavenly Father. And as Jesus looks at the faces of his apostles seated at the Last Supper table, he can also see “the promise of the Promised Land.” Their dreams were diverse and their futures were full of hope and adventure. Heck, many of them would even end up in prison for their faith, and none of them would become president. Why?

Well, because their dreams were so big, they were bigger than this world. That is, they always dreamed of heaven, and the glory that awaited them there. Jesus was about to graduate from this world through his death and resurrection. But the apostles were also about to graduate from the first Catholic school, where Jesus was their teacher. And the divine Teacher had inspired them “to dream as big as they want to.” Catholic schools help students to dream big.

If there is one piece of advice that I could give our graduates this evening, it would be to dream big. That is why your parents made so many sacrifices to send you to a Catholic school. It was not easy for them to send you here. But they gladly embraced those sacrifices so you would have a great start, and in some ways, you will be ahead of your peers in high school. This school is a downpayment on your dreams.

But I would also urge you not to limit your dreams to this world, but also to include heaven. In other words, don’t just ask yourself, what is my biggest dream for my life? Also ask: what is God’s dream for me? What does God dream that I will become? God’s will is the biggest possible way our dreams can be realized, because there we will find the greatest joy, peace, love, and fulfillment.

Boys and girls, you are the promise of the Promised Land. And soon, the destiny of our world will be in your hands – God help us! Dream big, and don’t end up in prison.

Praised be Jesus Christ!