ACCEPTANCE LETTER

This past Thursday evening, our prep school hosted a reception for all eighth-graders who had received acceptance letters from us for next year‘s freshman class. They were not registered yet, rather the reception was to help students and their parents who may not be sure of what they were getting into by signing up for our school. We make certain unusual demands on our students (a 53 mile hike in the mountains, jumping off a 7 foot platform into our pool fully clothed wearing a blindfold, a strong emphasis on students running the school, etc.)

The next morning, Friday, I celebrated mass for the Benedictine sisters in Elizabeth. The gospel was Mark’s version of the call of the twelve apostles. It struck me that Jesus's calling the apostles was an invitation to each of them, very like the acceptance letters that we had sent out to those eighth graders. Jesus’s “call” still required a response on the part of the apostles. 

It’s not enough for an eighth grader to run around waving his acceptance letter and feeling great about being accepted to Saint Benedict‘s Prep. The crucial step has yet to be taken: to act on the invitation he has received by calling the Admissions Office to register.

It must have been similar for those twelve apostles. They needed to respond to Jesus’s invitation to follow him and to go forth to preach the kingdom and to cast out demons.

Each of us has been called through our baptism. But that call requires a response on our part.

Like the apostles, we are sent to preach the kingdom by our lives, and even to cast out the presence and power of evil in our own lives and in the lives of people around us.

I picture myself standing with Jesus on that mountain side as he calls me by name. He calls me because he has a job for me to do. He is sending me into the world to be his ongoing presence, to shed light where there is darkness, and to bring joy where there is sadness. 

However, Jesus’s call is not really the point. What matters is my response. I pray that I will be able to act as he expects me to.

Over the next few days, our school’s Admissions Office will be processing all those registration forms received from kids who want to be students here next year. 

There will be others who received the same acceptance letter but have decided not to register, but to go to a different school instead.

This seems to be a good image for me to keep in mind. Our  Savior’s call requires me to respond by living and acting the way he expects. I can’t decide to go in some other direction instead!

And so I pray to those first apostles, who responded to His call.  May they help me respond to that same call that now sends me out into the world to preach the Kingdom and to be his presence for those around me.