The Hero Within You
English Mass for X Graders of Canisius College, Jakarta
Wednesday, November 16, 2011 – Memorial of Sts. Rochus Gonzales, Alonso Rodriguez and John Del Castillo; Priests & Martyrs of South America
Introductory
We should be glad and feel joyous since today we are able celebrating our first english mass for this semester. It is a bold move and I really appreciate that you were responding to this offer positively. It is also a good moment for us to reflect and prays, since we are remembering some Jesuit’s priests who had been acknowledged as martyrs and saints of South America. They are: Sts. Rochus Gonzales, Alonso Rodriguez and John Del Castillo. They came to South America, mostly to Brazil as missionaries, but they ended up their life as martyrs in returned to their life witnesses to gospel by raising the life qualities of the natives. Let us pause for a moment, to come to our personal reflection and prayers as we begin our thanksgiving to our Lord through this mass.
Homily
Most people really like hearing stories of heroes and great people. You can check yourself to this idea. Recently there are lots of superhero movies were made and most of them able to reach box offices or gaining millions of money from the tickets they sold. It reflected that most people enjoy stories of people who can safe others’ life. I think it also reflect our own desire to help others or becoming hero ourselves. But for one who wants to become a hero, they should know that to be a hero is not only live their life to help others. They are great because they life their lives as they believed it.
Today, at least we can reflect to three great stories of heroism. First, we heard from the first reading, the stories of the maccabees. They were people who had keep their faith against people who liked them to give up from it and believed that their act of faith till the end of their life worth for the life itself as if martyrdom gave meanings both to death and life. It shows what it is meant that men’s life will glorify the Lord.
In the second story, we heard from Gospel that Jesus told a parable of servants who act differently according to their will against their master’s request. It is their will that made them produce differently. The story give us understandings that heroism does not build only by strengths and physical action, but also by inner freedom to act according our belief and wills.
We can take a look from the Jesuit’s martyrs we remembered today as the third story. They were as human as we are, but greatness come to their life since they were doing what they believe and follow its will. Heroes do not live for themselves, they look for what have happened surrounds them.
Therefore, we should begin to look around and learn what our surroundings need. Heroism were not a talent or just a gift, it is a call and that call have been addressed to each one of us. It is us who should respond, either we are like to accept it or we just refuse it and become like ordinary people did. However, this kind of act of choosing has its rewards too. Even in the parable Jesus mentioned it very clearly: “whoever has will be given more, but the one who has not will lose (even) the little he has.” It means to whom is able to accept their responsibilities and other’s burdens, in return will gain many experiences which were not belong to those who are refuse it. In so doing, I think heroism is about a willingness to accept our life as it meant to be. To life to its fullest and being happy with its nature. Let us ask grace to have courages to accept our own greatness and heroism as we are a hero for ourselves.
