Homily for Christian Brothers' Jubilees

Homily for the Jubilees of the
Christian Brothers’ Entrance

Oct. 14, 2025
Collect
Col 3: 12-17
Mark 10: 24-30
Christian Brothers, St. Joseph’s Residence, N.R.

We prayed that we may give thanks to God for his kindness toward our brothers—toward Conan, Donald, Marion, Antonio, Jude, and Anthony—and that they renew their gift of self to him and be strengthened in their pursuit of perfect charity (Collect).

They began their pursuit, which is nothing else than the following of our Lord Jesus, 60, 65, and 70 years ago.  What a lifetime!  What a gift from Jesus to them, to us their brothers, and to innumerable young people over those 6 and 7 decades.  “It is good to give thanks to the Lord” (Ps 92:2).

Paul urged the Church at Colossae to clothe themselves with love (Col 3:14).  So vested, they’d be able to practice every virtue we see in Christ:  “compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience” (3:12).

We spend a lifetime trying to do that, and we admire the men who keep at it day in and day out, year after year, decade after decade.  “For human beings, it’s impossible, but not for God” (Mark 10:27).  Reason to thank God, then, for empowering our brothers to keep at it and to pray they may continue to persevere, and that we all may do so, “now in this present age” until we attain “eternal life in the age to come” (10:30).