Homily for Baccalaureate Mass - (Jeremiah 29:11-14; Matthew 28:16-20)

Dear graduates, parents, faculty, and friends,

Today we gather at this sacred altar to celebrate a significant milestone in your lives. As we do so, we are blessed with two powerful Scripture passages that speak directly to this moment of transition.

From Jeremiah, we hear the Lord's promise: "For I know well the plans I have in mind for you—plans for your welfare and not for woe, so as to give you a future of hope. When you call me, and come and pray to me, I will listen to you. When you look for me, you will find me. Yes, when you seek me with all your heart, I will let you find me and I will change your lot" (Jeremiah 29:11-14, NABRE).

And from Matthew's Gospel, we receive Christ's great commission: "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age" (Matthew 28:19-20, NABRE).

These are not merely ancient words on a page. They are living words, spoken to you today as you prepare to leave the familiar halls of this Catholic high school and venture into the next chapter of your lives.

The context of Jeremiah's words is significant. The prophet was addressing the Israelites in exile, far from home, uncertain about their future. Perhaps some of you feel a similar uncertainty today. What comes next? Will I succeed? Have I chosen the right path? These are natural questions at this threshold moment.

But notice what God promises through Jeremiah. He doesn't simply say, "I have plans." He says, "I know well the plans I have for you." The God who created you, who has walked with you through these formative years, knows intimately the purpose for which you were made. This is not a vague hope but a divine certainty.

Saint John Paul II, in his message to youth, reminds us: "It is Jesus who stirs in you the desire to do something great with your lives, the will to follow an ideal, the refusal to allow yourselves to be ground down by mediocrity, the courage to commit yourselves humbly and patiently to improving yourselves and society, making the world more human and more fraternal."

The Catholic education you have received here was never meant to be merely academic. It was designed to help you discover God's plans for your welfare, to recognize your unique vocation, and to equip you to fulfill it. Every math equation solved, every historical event studied, every literature discussion, every athletic competition, every moment of prayer and service—all of these were forming you for this moment of sending forth.

Pope Benedict XVI taught that "the aim of all Christian education is to train the believer in an adult faith that can make him a 'new creation,' capable of bearing witness in his surroundings to the Christian hope that inspires him." This is what your Catholic education has been preparing you for—not just knowledge, but transformation.

The second reading from Matthew brings this preparation into sharp focus. These were Jesus' final words to his disciples before ascending to heaven. Notice that he doesn't tell them to stay where they are comfortable. He doesn't tell them to simply remember what they've learned. He commands them to "Go!"

Graduates, you too are being commissioned today. Your Catholic education doesn't end with this ceremony—it finds its fulfillment in how you live out your faith in the world. You are being sent forth as Christ's disciples, carrying his message of love, mercy, and hope to a world desperately in need of it.

This commissioning comes with both a challenge and a promise. The challenge is to "make disciples" and "teach them to observe all that I have commanded you." In other words, your faith is not meant to be private. Through your words and actions, in your future studies, careers, and relationships, you are called to be witnesses to Christ.

As Pope Francis reminds us: "Being a disciple means being constantly ready to bring the love of Jesus to others, and this can happen unexpectedly and in any place: on the street, in a city square, during work, on a journey."

But alongside this challenge comes the most beautiful promise: "I am with you always, until the end of the age." You do not go forth alone. The same Christ who has been present in the Eucharist at this school, who has spoken to you through Scripture, who has guided you through the wisdom of your teachers and the love of your families—this same Christ goes with you.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches us that "Education in the faith by the parents should begin in the child's earliest years... Family catechesis precedes, accompanies, and enriches other forms of instruction in the faith" (CCC 2226). Today, we acknowledge with gratitude the foundation laid by your parents and families, who entrusted you to this Catholic school to continue that sacred work of formation.

We also recognize your teachers, administrators, and staff who have invested their lives in your formation. Saint Thomas Aquinas taught that "the teacher should not be content to communicate only the subject matter but should form the minds of the students." Your educators have sought to form not just your minds, but your hearts and souls as well.

As you prepare to leave this place, remember that your Catholic education has given you something the world cannot give—a perspective that sees beyond the material to the eternal, that recognizes the dignity of every human person, that understands true success not as wealth or status but as fidelity to God's call.

The words of Jeremiah remind us that finding God's plan requires seeking Him with all your heart. In the years ahead, amid the busyness of college, career, and relationships, make time for prayer. Make Sunday Mass non-negotiable. Continue to form your conscience through Scripture and Church teaching. Seek out Catholic communities wherever you go. These practices will keep you connected to the God who promises you "a future of hope."

And as you go forth to "make disciples," remember that this happens not primarily through words but through witness. Let people see in your integrity, your compassion, your joy, and your hope something different—something that draws them to the source of that difference, which is Christ himself.

Dear graduates, today we celebrate not just what you have accomplished, but who you are becoming. We celebrate not just the end of one journey, but the beginning of an even greater one. As you go forth from this place, may you always remember the words of Saint Catherine of Siena: "Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire."

May God who knows well the plans He has for you guide your steps. May Christ who promises to be with you always strengthen your hearts. And may the Holy Spirit who empowers you to be witnesses fill you with courage and wisdom.

Congratulations, graduates. Go forth in faith, hope, and love.

Amen.