Schedules get extremely busy during the Christmas season, but no matter how crowded the days become with activities and gift buying, there is always room to share one’s life with God.
That was the message Friar Johnpaul Cafiero, OFM delivered during his homily as he addressed the students, faculty, staff and visitors at the Feast of the Immaculate Conception Mass at Padua Franciscan High School.
“We live in this time, especially this time of year, when people want us to be full,” Cafiero said. “They want our carts to be full. They want our shopping carts to be full. We have Cyber Monday and Black Friday and Super Saturday, and all the people in our capitalist society, they want us to be full because they want their cash registers to be full and their bottom line to be full.
“We’re running around filling our lives with so many things, but our feast day and our solemnity is about being filled with the grace of God. No matter with what we fill our life, what choices and decisions we make, there’s always room for the grace of God. No matter how full our lives may seem, there’s always room. Like Mary, we, too, may hear God say to us, ‘Full of grace. For blessed are you have found great favor.’”
During his homily, Cafiero utilized several visual aids to deliver his message, including jars and a pitcher of water.
One jar was empty, while a second was full of small rocks. Then, the third and fourth jars held larger rocks and sand, respectively. After showing each of the jars, Cafiero took the pitcher of water and showed that no matter how much space was taken up by the objects, there was room in the jars.
The water was symbolic of the grace of God and how it could fit into everybody’s lives.
“As we continue in the choices that we make, we fill our lives with different things,” Cafiero said. “Now, we can fill our lives with things that are very important, and that would be symbolized by these big stones, family, friends, or faith, those things that are truly, truly important in life.
“We know there are other things that are important, but maybe not as important as health, as family, as friends. Those are things like school and work, our hobbies, our pastimes, and we can fill our lives with those, and they can make us feel full. There are other things in life, our stuff, our cell phones and computer games, our clothes and shoes and all those things that we can fill our life with. They can also be negative attitudes, jealousy, anger, those things that we use, and when we fill our lives with those things, there is no room for anything else.
“No matter what we use to fill our lives with, no matter what choices we make, there’s always room for God and God’s grace.”
Following the homily, Cafiero invited Reece Lesondra ‘26 to address his fellow classmates.
In addition to the celebration of the Immaculate Conception, the Padua community officially welcomed the juniors as upper-class students during the mass. Instead of the traditional ring ceremony, each student was presented with a blessed medallion to remind them they are always a Bruin.
“All of us arrived at this position due to our hard work, dedication, and overcoming our challenges throughout our first two years,” Lesondra said. “I stand here today speaking with a sense of optimism. All of you sitting here, whether in these bleachers or on these chairs, knowing that your class is part of a greater future at Padua, and that we are gathered here today to celebrate that.
“In a larger sense, we can’t let our guard down. We have to be ready to respond to any challenge ahead of us. We have to let God guide us on our journey. We are called by Him to create a community that is happy, healthy, holy, and highly prepared because under God, all things are possible. The task of leadership given to us is a great one, but I see a positive future for our lives.
“Let’s remember the very moments and the experiences that help us shape what we are now. Let’s remember the past, keep track of the present and build the future. We are the class of 2026, but most of all, we’re the Padua Bruins. There is nothing that can stop us when we working together because the Bruins always fight, fight, fight.”
The Padua Choir sung the post-communion reflection hymn, “Betelehemu,” in Swahili.
