Homily to NDMU Graduates 2003

Good Morning.

Let me begin by congratulating ourselves - the graduates, the parents, the teachers and the administrators of the NDMU for the job well done. I believe that we deserve it, considering the difficult problems and challenges that we had to face this school year. There is the no-ending problem of economic burden that gets heavier on our shoulders every year. And there is the terror of bombings that constantly threatens our lives. Yet, in spite of all these, we survive the school year and emerge ourselves, especially the graduates, victorious. So, congratulations to all of us.

This morning, as we come together, we celebrate with mixed feelings: the feelings of thanksgiving, anxiety, faith and hope. There is the feeling of thanks, because for you, graduates, your graduation is not only earning a university degree, but because you have imbibed the human and Christian values of your Alma Mater that make you a better human being, a more responsible person. Values that shall accompany you as you carve your future in the real world.

Definitely, this feeling of thanks is shared by your parents, because they look at you as the living fruits of their inestimable sacrifices. No doubt, the same feeling is also shared by your dedicated teachers and administrators, because you have allowed them to accompany you in realizing your dreams. They have become a significant part of your life.

However, as we celebrate this feeling of thanksgiving, that we all share, we cannot help but feel anxious. Perhaps, for the graduates, the feeling of anxiety is not much the prospects of landing on a job, but because, day by day, our world has become a very dangerous world to live in. Our dream of a peaceful and just society is greatly eroded by the culture of death shaped by the violence of the bombings and wars happening in our times. Can we still hope for a peaceful future, when power and greed dictates on what is right or wrong in our society?

The gospel today displays the anger of Christ as He confronts the corruption and the greed happening in His Father's house. But, His anger does not lead Him into desperation. Beyond His anger over the corruption and greed that He witnessed, he has shown the power of His interior authority, the authority of Himself that evokes the faith and hope of his disciples. "Destroy this temple and in three days, I will raise it up."

This is very instructive for all of us, especially to our graduates today. The gospel message evokes in us this feeling of faith and hope. If we have to confront the desperate data of our society, we must have these same faith and hope. We cannot allow the feeling of anxiety and anger over corruption, greed, and violence to overwhelm us and bring us down to despair. This will only lead us to a bleak future. We shall overcome. And we can only do this, if we continue to believe and hope in that same interior authority of Christ that the gospel speaks today. This morning, Jesus offers this to all of us and especially to you, the graduates of Notre Dame.

I always like to believe that the Notre Dame graduates are marked by the same interior authority of Christ. You are not only professionals with competitive capabilities. But more importantly, you are graduates formed with the Gospel values. Indeed, much is expected from you. And as Notre Damians, you are expected to assume the leadership in the task of building a just and loving society. Mother Mary, our Lady, is our model - the Mother who has shown us her compassion and love for the poor during her own times.

Therefore, as graduates of Notre Dame, let us continue out there to build and form families grounded on the interior authority of Christ. Let us live up to the rich human and Christian values that Notre Dame of Marbel University has formed us. Let our own lives be living signs of Faith, Hope, and Love. Because only then can we truly build the culture of peace in the midst of a seeming culture of death.

So good luck. And may God bless us all.