Southern Nebraska Register
Eighth-graders from nine Catholic schools across the city of Lincoln came together May 17 for a Mass celebrated in the Cathedral of the Risen Christ.
The city-wide Mass is a longstanding tradition included among the events closing the school year for the eighth-graders.
Pastors from each of the schools present concelebrated the Mass with Bishop James Conley. Msgr. Thomas Fucinaro, pastor of the Cathedral, preached the homily.
He spoke on the first reading at the Mass, Acts 17:15ff, in which St. Paul encountered skeptics in Athens, in attempting to bring the good news of the gospel to them. Scripture says St. Paul “grew exasperated at the sight of the city full of idols. So he debated in the synagogue with the Jews and with the worshipers, and daily in the public square with whoever happened to be there.”
Msgr. Fucinaro said he was reminded of “what must also typify our efforts to both live the gospel ourselves, and then to proclaim it to the furthest corners of the Earth.”
“Some would have us believe today, that the Church has a ‘branding problem,’” he said, “and that the scoffs of the modern world, like the scoffing of the Athenians … is evidence that the Church must change, that the Church must become more progressive. Two simple Latin words – semper idem, meaning ‘always the same’ – however, describe our conviction about the validity of the gospel for every generation, even when it may seem to be out of season.”
He said all Christians must remain faithful to the task of proclaiming the good news of Christ, crucified and risen from the dead “even today, or perhaps better even especially today!”
While the vast majority of Athenians St. Paul addressed could not accept the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, Msgr. Fucinaro pointed out, a small but impressive group did come to the faith. Scripture names two of them, one man and one woman: Dionysus and Damaris. He recommended looking to them, and to the first apostles, to imitate.
“In our own day, false and destructive elements have coalesced into a cultural tidal wave threatening to destroy everything about our lives of faith. But we stand as modern day Dionysiuses and Damarises, modern day surprises. We are those witnesses to Truth; we are the pro-life generation; we embody the whole of the culture of Christianity and life.
“Dear eighth graders, before you lies a great opportunity,” he continued. “An opportunity to be for the world modern-day examples, to be yourselves leaven for the world and to proclaim the good news to a world which too often has not succeeded in finding God, instead even falling into the worship of false gods, but which, in its own way wishes for something better, something that we uniquely have to offer them.
“Turn, then, with great confidence to the Lord, especially in these days, asking that the Lord, help you to become his witnesses to lead this world to all truth.”
Photos courtesy Kathryn Mullin, Cathedral of the Risen Christ
