Being Studious and Conscientious
English Mass with Grade XI Canisius College, Jakarta
on the Memorial of St. Claude de la Colombiere – Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Introduction
Claude la Colombiere, was born at Saint-Symphorien-d’Ozon, Dauphine, southeastern France in 1641. He entered the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) in 1659. Later he went to the College of Clermont in Paris for his theological studies. In 1675 he made the solemn profession of his final vows and was immediately made rector of the Jesuit College at Paray-le-Monial. During this year, Claude met Sister Margaret Mary Alacoque. She had been the recipient of visions of Jesus’ Heart but was plagued by anguish and uncertainty. She was waiting for the Lord to send her a “faithful servant and perfect friend” to help her carry out her mission: of revealing to the world the unfathomable riches of Christ’s love. Margaret Mary at once opened her inner experiences to Claude and he assured her that he accepted them as being genuine. He told her to put them in writing and promised her every support in the mission she was being given. Claude had only been a year and half in Paray, when in 1676 he was transferred to London. He had been appointed preacher to the Duchess of York, Mary of Modena, who was a Catholic and would later be queen. It was a difficult and delicate assignment in a predominantly Protestant England. Even in the Court Claude lived the life of a religious. On 15 February 1682, Claude suffered the severe haemorrhage which ended his life.
Homily
Once I read a funny status update on one of my fellow students’ bbm. It was written as: studying equals study plus dying. The status reflected her tiredness to school and to being studious. However, as one of the student who studied in a Jesuit’s college, she had a false understanding to the college life.
Being a member of a college, students have been accompanied both by their teachers and peers student to notice and pursue their own goals to live their life. Therefore, the school community should help students to be able choosing their own options. By this objective, every student will live their college life as one of the joyous and unforgettable moments of their life. Reflect more deeply, we should make distinction between things we desire and things we have been tempted. In daily routine, it is easy for us to lose our focus in life and be attracted to things that not important for life. Similarly, very often we busied ourselves with many things we wanted and could not be able sharing our times with other people.
In the gospel, St. Mark, the writer of the gospel, gives us his reflection about being conscientious and awareness of our own life. The story of Jesus who cured a blind man in Bethsaida actually a kind of makeup story which served to make us known that understanding does not instantly shape to one’s mind. It begins with a process of knowing and requires openness of one’s heart to the subject or matters. At the end, it will lead us to what we call as truth. During the process, God’s graces always available and follow us in order to make us arrive to the real truth. To make this grace bears fruit, we should have an open mind and heart also wills to what was going on. Many times in reality, we have no patience to get along with the process to gain truth. We do not open our heart and mind to many possibilities available. We became narrow-minded and believe that things should work and serve ours rather than we serve them. Conversation will stop and demands to provide ours will be rise. On that moment, we have losing our capability to aware and conscientious.
Close to this reflection, St. James speaks about men’s integrity that his belief should appear on his action. In our experiences, many times students boasted that they really proud to be a part of the Canisius College. Yet, they were acting as if they did not. Faint and mellow appearances will make you look like you were burdened and if you felt did; you should noticed maybe this school did not fit you. Here as Canisians, we are trained to be conscientious leaders and as this kind of leader, you were train to be able to make your own decision which also reflecting your openness to the common good. This will bring you to some hardship and struggles since some values and virtues will challenge your own values. The question then, are we going to take this challenge and by this also means we are open ourselves to values of common good and virtues or are we choosing to stay close to our comfort zone and let everything be entertaining and relaxing for our own good?
I will conclude this sermon by remembering you that you have been educated and formed not only to academicals outstanding, but also to gain a well-built characteristic. And like Goethe said about conducting a good characteristic, that talents are best nurtured in solitude, but character is best formed in the stormy billows of the world. We have been driven to reach every goals in our life not by an easy life, but by struggle and hardship which giving us a real understanding what is real living.
We ask grace of our Lord Jesus Christ helps us to stand firm and do not run from any hardship that come from life, and by doing so we are gaining our peace and joy as human being which optimistically believe we still can change this world to a better life. AMDG.
