I love these readings from the Gospels about growing things. And yet, I think these images made much more of an impact in an agricultural society two thousand years ago than they do on us today. And even living in Indiana, the heartland of the Midwest, there aren’t too many of us who are farmers today. Let’s face it, we don’t know a lot about growing things. We may know how to grow mold in our tennis shoes, but for a lot of us, that is about the extent of our green thumb, or should I say, our green toe. This point was brought home to me very dramatically recently when I had a conversation with my six-year-old niece about where things come from. The conversation started when my niece was on her third hamburger. This girl loves meat. I’ve never seen any kid eat meat like my niece. And so, I asked her, “Do you know where that hamburger comes from?”. She said, “Of course, I do! It comes from Meijer.” Forget about the cow, hamburger comes wrapped in plastic in a white Styrofoam tray. That’s how far away from an agricultural society that we’ve come. After some more questioning I was amazed to find out that popcorn comes in microwave bags and that Ketchup comes in a bottle. And that God didn’t make ketchup, but that Hunt’s does.

We might not know as much about growing things as we used to, but we do know how to grow faith. And we know how to grow faith, because Jesus taught us how to do it. Jesus taught us to put our trust in God, to obey the Commandments, to pray constantly, to use the Sacraments, to love one another, to learn about our Faith, and He promised that Faith would grow. Jesus taught the Apostles, the Apostles taught their churches, and the Faith has been passed down ever since. In early 1994, ten years ago, when some of you were just starting school, our Faith community, St. Maria Goretti Parish, bought a field. We didn’t buy it for soybeans, as it had formerly been used for. We didn’t buy it for corn, or wheat, or even cattle. We bought it to grow faith. All of us sacrificed. All of us worked hard. And suddenly, we were growing Faith! People were getting Baptized and Confirmed. People were learning about Jesus and committing their lives to Him and to His Church. People were going on Christ Renews His Parish, and working in the Shepherd’s Gate Food Pantry, and praying in Adoration before the Blessed Sacrament. And from the beginning of our Parish family, there was a school. It wasn’t just any school. It was a school that wanted the best in education and formation, but it was also a school that wanted to grow Faith.

My dear, young brothers and sisters, tonight we rejoice with you as you graduate from the eighth grade here at St. Maria Goretti, and we rejoice in the Faith that has grown in you. For you see, it’s going to be the Faith that lasts. Two hundred years from now, what will still remain, what will still last, will be the Faith that you let grow inside of you. Dances, ballgames, Science Fairs, uniforms, will all fade into forgotten memories. But your Faith will last. You have learned this in these last few years. And because of this, you have been given a head start. My brothers and sisters, you now know what takes many people a lifetime to figure out. You have been given the foundation upon which to build your life. Whatever you do, wherever you may go, your Faith can be the bedrock of your life. And, because much has been given to you, so also much is expected of you and your Faith. You are our Parish’s greatest investments. Now, it is up to each of you to take what was given to you and to pass it on. You have been taught rock-solid Catholicism. In a world, even in a Church, where lines and truth are being blurred daily, you know the truth. And yet to those who have been given much, much, much more will be expected.

A Judgment Day is coming, a separating out of the wheat and the weeds. We know this is going to happen and it doesn’t scare us. It doesn’t scare us because we have Faith. The best that we have given you is our Faith in Jesus Christ. Now you must take the Faith that you have received and take it out. You can’t stay here at St. Maria Goretti. But this is less an ending, and much more a great new beginning. You, your souls, has been what this school has been all about. Now it’s time to test your Faith. Let’s see where it takes you. Let’s see what happens next. Let’s see what you grow with your lives.

We are so proud of you tonight. This Parish loves each of you very much. May you continue the good work that God has begun in you.

And may God bless you on the night of your Graduation, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit… AMEN !!!