I have attended a few graduations over the past few weeks. As you know, my daughter Sarah graduated from Kent State University in Ohio with a bachelor’s degree in graphic design. My son, Jay (John IV), graduated from Lakewood High School in Ohio one week ago today.
I have to confess; I have come to hate graduation speeches. They are sound alike. They are filled with phrases like:
- You have achieved so much over the past four years.
- You are the future.
- Your dreams may take you far from here, but never forget that this is where you started.
- Never stop learning.
- Your parents, grandparents, and teaches are so proud of you.
You can actually download a Bingo card that is filled with these adages and more. It makes the commencement ceremony a bit more interesting.
Well, today is a type of graduation for our confirmands. They have spent two years with their mentors, with Rev. Dee, and sometimes with me, studying the Bible and reflecting on the core tenets of our faith. They have also been versed in the history of our church, denomination, and the Church Universal. They have visited other houses of worship and have engaged in mission projects. They have reflected upon their learning and have composes their own statements of faith. All this work has brought them to this moment: the moment when they stand before their families and this congregation to be confirmed. And so my word to you today is this:
- You have achieved so much over the past four years.
- You are the future.
- Your dreams may take you far from here, but never forget that this is where you started…
I am kidding of course. And yet, I am not.
Confirmation is a type of graduation: it is a rite of passage, one of the many where we (and you) publicly proclaim and mark your transition into adulthood. My words for you today will not be clichés from one of the thousands of graduation speeches given at this time of year, nor will they be culled from countless confirmation sermons, even those I have given in the past. My word for you comes from God’s Word: The Bible.
I specifically decided not to go with the Lectionary readings for today, because they do not quite fit the theme. Sometimes you need to change the readings to fit the day. The three readings I have selected for this morning encapsulate my message to the congregation and especially the confirmands.
Confirmation is the rite through which young teens confirm (hence the name) the promises that were made on their behalf when they were baptized, usually on behalf of their parents and godparents. If you were baptized as an infant or a child, you do not remember the pledges that were made on your behalf. How could you! In many books of worship, the questions confirmands are asked are practically identical to the ones their parents and godparents were asked as part of the baptismal liturgy. In other words, you are about to own the promises made on your behalf when all you could do was coo. In so doing, we are reaffirming these promises for ourselves. Together, we are all called to fulfill these charges.
Today’s readings speak to all of us in this regard, but I am focusing on our confirmands and my charge to them.
Micah 6:8 is an oft-quoted passage. This single verse, composed of thirty-one words, explicitly tell us what God wants from us. It is threefold: act justly, love mercy, walk humbly with God. Two verbs and an adverb sandwiched between another very and a noun. Always act in a way that will seek the justice of all people. Never hurt yourself or anyone else. Be merciful. One of my all-time favorite novels is F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. I love the opening lines:
“In my younger and more vulnerable years my father gave me some advice that I’ve been turning over in my mind ever since.
“Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone,” he told me, “just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had.”
It’s a big world out there, filled with all kinds of different people. You do not know what they are going through. Give them the benefit of the doubt and be merciful. Lastly, through the voice of the prophet, God tells us to walk humbly with our God. If you’ve spent any time in our worship services, then you may have heard me quote my favorite writer T.S. Eliot once or twice. One of my favorite lines by Eliot is from his Four Quartets, in which he says,
The only wisdom we can hope to acquire
Is the wisdom of humility: humility is endless.
I don’t know for sure, so I’ll have to consult Richard James, but I think Eliot might have been thinking about Micah here. Being humble before God and others might be our greatest gift.
When I was confirmed, many moons ago, we received a Bible with a verse inscribed in the front cover. My verse was 1 Timothy 4:12; it has stuck with me ever since. “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.” This might be the best advice of all. I get so tired of hearing people say that children are the future of the Church. I often say that too. This is only partly true. To say that they are the future suggests that they are not the present — which they are. You (our confirmands) are not just tomorrow. You are today. You have something to teach us. You can be an example for all of us in terms of conduct, love, faith, and purity according to Paul. You can also teach us much more: how to be more accepting of others, regardless of how they are different; how to be more responsible when it comes to the environment; how to have trust that comes with innocence.
The final reading I chose for today is self-explanatory. You’ve probably heard in many times before. In Matthew 19:13-14, Jesus tells those gathered around him, those who want to drive away the children in attendance, to let them stay, “for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” Maybe Paul was thinking about this story when he wrote to Timothy. Children represent the kingdom of heaven because of their innocence, their trust, and their unconditional love. These are the lessons our children show us. It is a privilege, a gift.
You are now full members of the Congregational Church of Canton. Much has been given to you, so much will be expected. Serve God with us with joy. Hold fast to what is good. Welcome aboard — and may God’s blessings be with you always. Oh, and happy graduation! Amen.