WHERE DO I SIGN?
Our personal signatures are very valuable. What we put our name to matters.
A signed painting by Andy Warhol, “Shot Sage Blue Marilyn” sold for $195.4 million at auction in May of 2022. It set the record for the most expensive American artwork ever sold at auction.
A signed jersey that Michael Jordan wore in the 1998 NBA playoffs just sold for $14 million.
What we put our signature to matters- like signing a bank loan, legal documents, or a tax return, or a waiver for a serious medical procedure. Everything is on the line, when we put our name on the line.
I still remember how quiet it was in the seminary chapel the day I signed my canonical papers for ordination. By signing these ecclesiastical documents, I made the promise of obedience to my bishop and to live a celibate life. Yes, my hands were sweaty and shaky. It was hard to hold the pen.
This Sunday 33 of our 8th Graders will proudly write their names in the Book of Enrollment at our 11:00 a.m. Mass. This is a sign of their commitment to pray, study and serve those in need as they prepare to receive the sacrament of Confirmation in March next year.
We admire these young men and women who come before us with an “adult faith.” Their parents and sponsors have encouraged and guided them to this important step in their journey of faith.
No one is twisting their arm to do this. They stand up and speak for themselves. They tell us that the Catholic Church is important to them, and that they want to participate in the life and ministries of our Church.
We are proud of our Confirmation candidates who have so much youthfulness, energy and enthusiasm. They are a talented group of individuals who also have so much to offer.
This is their time. We do not have to wait for them to “grow-up” and be somebody. Now they freely choose to be a disciple of Christ. They are given the wonderful opportunity to share their gifts and talents right here in our parish and school.
We are blessed to see how they live out their faith now, and in the years to come.
In the Gospel for this Sunday, Jesus tell his disciples the story of a wealthy man who is going on a long journey. Before he takes off, he entrusts his wealth to his servants. Two of his servants channel their skills and double their master’s wealth, while the third servant falters. He is paralyzed with fear and buries the money in the ground.
While it is tempting to keep our faith to ourselves – to “hide it” in a sense, Jesus gave us “talents” that we could share with others. The return that Jesus wants from us is that we assist in helping as many people as possible come to know him and love him.
How do we invest the talents that we have been given? Perhaps we tell a friend that we are praying for them. We can reach out to someone who is lonely. We can share our journey of faith with a coworker or get involved in a parish ministry.
This week, think about one way you can “invest” the gift of your faith. Don’t hesitate. Just do it, and give glory to God!
