Be the Antidote!

Last Sunday I attended an Eagle Scout Court of Honor for parishioner George Kostal, son of John and Nancy Kostal. Congratulations, George, on this very honorable achievement! This is the fourth Eagle Scout Court of Honor I have attended in the last three years and have given the prayers of Invocation and Benediction. It is an honor for me to do this.

In a world where the news seems only to highlight teen problems: from drunk driving and disrespecting parents and families, to being self-absorbed and selfish to the worse behaviors of bullying and self-destruction through drugs, alcohol abuse and sexual games ranging from "friends with benefits" to rape—one can easily think things are beyond all repair. But this past Sun-day’s Eagle Scout Court of Honor was an event that was truly news worthy—though it’s doubtful it will receive more than a drop of ink in the MyTown section of the local paper. It’s too bad, since Mr. Kostal’s day of recognition highlighted a "search for excellence" by a youth in our community. It was interesting that this Eagle Scout Court of Honor happened on a Sunday when our first reading at Mass was from the Acts of the Apostles and called us all to live lives of discipleship that are "authentic" and "ongoing." In other words, "in search of excellence" to paraphrase St. Thomas Aquinas and the Church.

Scouting’s honor, devotion, love and respect for family, faith and community were illustrated in serious yet humorous ways, all pointing to the importance of families, faith and service in the molding of the human person. These attributes are in fact antidotes to the world’s evils and indifferences. And the Boy Scouts do not stand alone in this mighty endeavor. I read on Wednesday another younger parishioner’s self essay written for a college scholarship application. Her "story" of why her faith is important to her is impressive. As is her list of service and ministry work done in and through her church, particularly through Youth Ministry. Both of these two scenarios reminded me of a comment my grandmother would make when you thought your life was full of hardships: "go help someone who is really suffering and then you will see how good your life really is." Some old fash-ion wisdom and truth, acquired by looking beyond the self and in helping others who are truly in need.

There are qualities of excellence found both in an Eagle Scout and in the youth involved with church and youth minis-try—attributes of excellence—that calls one to Feed the Hungry in Simsbury and Hartford or to serve the poor in Boston, to visit the sick and the lonely at McLean or collect shoes for orphans in Africa…it is an honoring of God in service to others that we find this "excellence". So when you witness a privileged youth de-manding even more from his family or society, when you hear gossip about "some bad apples" at Simsbury High or read a story about bullying that makes you want to ring your hands, remem-ber that there are antidotes to these evils of indifference, greed, and pleasure-at-any-cost: the search for authentic excellence in serving others. St. Thomas Aquinas terms this "antidote" as the "Sole Satisfier" and he means no other than God Himself. In seek-ing God and His desires, man can reflect that excellence in service to others—reaching out to make the common good a place of joy that goes beyond self-satisfaction and instead raises up concern for humanity.

So where can we find this antidote to evil, indifference, sadness and self-concern? And who can prescribe this much needed medicine? It is found in our actions, both individual and collectively, and it is to be prescribed and administered by us— moms and dads, friends, and members of our faith, our youth ministry and more. We have it within our hands to offer an alternative to the world’s ways of seeking fulfillment through "pleasure, power, money and honor" which can lead to selfish-ness, and so our community can more toward what St. Thomas Aquinas refers to as the "Sole Satisfier" —God— and offer guid-ance in seeking the excellence of God in service to others. Over the last few months I have been talking and work-ing with Judy Pluta and some parents of youth ministry-aged parishioners on how we can channel those searches for excellence through our youth ministry and invite even more youths to par-ticipate. Opportunities must be offered so that our youth can choose from seeking the world’s definition of "success and instead incorporate God’s hope for humanity. During the spring and summer months our parish will be working to enlist your help to expand our potential youth ministry activities. More in-formation will appear in the bulletin and you will be invited to help in this very important matter. I hope you will feel welcome to participate and to help us make this happen. Our youth, their future, and their souls are that important that we cannot act.

While our local efforts may not "save the world" they just might make those Eagle Scout Courts of Honor or Youth Ministry events become truly "news worthy" and deserving of "ink," both in the local press and more importantly in the Book of Life.