CHARLOTTE — The May 20 St. Gabriel Teen Mass included a blessing for the parish’s graduating high school seniors, pictured on the altar at the end of Mass.
Father Frank O’Rourke, pastor, invited all to extend their hands in blessing with a prayer that, as Jesus did, they will “grow in wisdom and age and grace before God and all people” (Luke 2:52).
— Darby McClatchy
‘Love God, love your neighbor’
CHARLOTTE — At baccalaureate Masses for the Diocese of Charlotte’s three high schools, Bishop Peter Jugis encouraged graduates of the Class of 2018 to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ, no matter what paths they take in life.
“Whatever path you eventually do choose in life,” he told graduates, “the most important decision is to live the teachings of Christ – especially, and above all, the great teaching which Jesus gave which summed up all of the law and the prophets: Love God and love your neighbor.”
Pictured: Bishop Peter Jugis stands before graduates of Charlotte Catholic High School during the presentation of the gifts during their baccalaureate Mass May 29 at St. Matthew Church. (SueAnn Howell | Catholic News Herald)
The bishop celebrated Masses on May 29 at St. Matthew Church in Charlotte for the 298 graduates of Charlotte Catholic High School, May 24 at St. Pius X Church in Greensboro for the 96 graduates of Bishop McGuinness High School, and May 30 at St. Mark Church in Huntersville for the 56 graduates of Christ the King High School.
Looking over the Charlotte Catholic graduates in a sea of red graduation gowns May 29 at St. Matthew Church, Bishop Jugis acknowledged that as they graduate from high school, they stand on the threshold of having to make important decisions in their lives.
Graduates of Christ the King High School pray after receiving Holy Communion during their baccalaureate Mass May 30 at St. Mark Church in Huntersville. (John Cosmas | Catholic News Herald)“And a great and important decision that you are necessarily having to address is which path your life going to follow,” he said.
Following Christ – particularly what He called the two “greatest commandments” – should be the foundation of everything they do in life, the bishop told the graduates.
“You have been formed by your participation in the Holy Eucharist, in Church activities and also by your Catholic education, to learn this most important summary teaching of Our Lord.
“And now, this must be the foundation of your life as you are moving forward.
“It is easy to remember: love God, love your neighbor.”
First, they must love God, the bishop emphasized. “As Jesus says, ‘with all your heart, with all your mind, with all your soul and with all your strength.’ And the second is like it. He said, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ”
Loving God means keeping God first in their lives, he explained.
“Stay close to God and He will stay close to you. Have a daily friendship with Almighty God by praying daily, by being at church every single Sunday, by being active in your church family, by practicing your faith.”
Loving God “with all your mind, with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your strength” means giving God one’s entire self, he said.
“Your love of God should be present in everything.”
Loving one’s neighbor means to “be ready to assist and help all those who are in need in very practical ways. This is the foundation for the life of the Christian,” he continued.
“This is really what we call the ideal portrait of a Christian, or the ideal portrait of someone who is following the teachings of Jesus, all summed up in this: Love God with all your heart, all your mind, all your soul, all your strength and all your heart; love your neighbor as yourself.”
Following Christ is “radical,” he acknowledged.
And, he noted, Jesus’ call to love God and love one’s neighbor “are not suggestions, they are commandments.”
But it is worth all of the effort that they have put forth to practice their faith, he said. “It is the key to happiness.”
“Do these and you will be happy,” he said. “You will be fulfilled. Your life will be full of meaning, because we are made for God. God is love and we are made for living in God’s love, and demonstrating and sharing God’s love with others.”
He concluded by praying that “the Holy Spirit will continue to guide you in every way.”
— SueAnn Howell, senior reporter
Bishop McGuinness graduates gather in the St. Pius X Cloister after their baccalaureate Mass May 24. (Photo provided by Kimberly Knox)