Dear friends in Christ, and especially to our graduating high school senior and valedictorian Ben Mechels, grace and peace to you from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Amen.

To every 2025 graduate, whether high school or college, be prepared to be the brunt of some good natured ribbing over the next few weeks often from the lips of your own parents.  Consider the fate of the young man hired by a supermarket when he reported for his first day of work.  The manager greeted him with a warm handshake and a smile, then gave him a broom and said, “Your first job will be to sweep out the store.”  The young man replied indignantly. “But I’m a college graduate.” The manager quickly, replied, “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t know that.  Here, give me the broom – I’ll show you how.”  On the one hand, your parents who are telling these jokes, are celebrating your independence, but on the other hand, they are also discovering a lump in their throat. They may even grow misty-eyed with the thought that their beloved child will no longer be a part of their home.

In the coming days, commencement addresses will be given throughout the city.  They will be filled with obvious glee that you and your fellow seniors survived the most emotional four years of your lives. They will be peppered with words like “scared” for life will be different. In most cases, you will be facing life without your parents waking you if the alarm doesn’t go off and without the friends you’ve shared many of your grade school, middle school and high school years.

The word “dream” will come up often as well during your graduation ceremonies and the endless string of parties that will follow.  Yes, stick to your dreams, dream dreams, let your dreams become a reality. Graduation is about dreams- it is your dreams, the dreams of your friends, and the dreams of your family- especially your parents.  But I would like to challenge you with yet another dream.  It is a dream that we must all address someday.  For a moment, consider this thought, “What dream does God have for you and your life?”

On that Ascension Day long ago, when Jesus returned to his Father’s heavenly home, the master’s disciples were waiting for their graduation ceremony.  For three years they had been studying.  They had been preparing for the day that they would be sent forth to do the work of the kingdom.  They too were dreaming dreams.  And even to the very last hour, Jesus was struggling to impart one last tidbit of wisdom and direction.  He too had his words of warning for the graduating disciples. “It is not for you to know the times and periods that the Father has set by his own authority.”  But Jesus also had three words of advice for his graduates.  That is what I would like to share with you this morning.  To live and learn without regrets, be curious, be conscientious, and be courageous.

Let us consider his first word of advice, be curious.  Before he was lifted up, Jesus said to his disciples, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you.”  I am sure that Jesus’ disciples had absolutely no idea what he was talking, but they were curious to discover what he meant.  After three years, they thought they knew everything they needed to know.  Still,   read in scripture, “Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures.”  Their curiosity allowed them to see and experience something new and their lives were recharged.

No you may be wondering. Why do we need to nurture curious minds and lives to live and learn without regrets?   Simply said, if your plans for life are too focused on one dream, what will happen if you are met by failure instead?  Half of the vocations my high school classmates trained with no longer exists or didn’t exist at the time. Unfortunately, regret will enter in so will the agony of unfulfilled hopes.  To avoid, regrets, be curious and discover what possibilities really are out there. Yes, find your passions and go.

Second, be conscientious.  To be conscientious is all an encompassing word. It is about how you present yourself to the world.  Some common synonyms are honest, honorable, just, scrupulous, and upright. They are reminders that conscientiousness implies an active moral compass to govern all one’s action.  But it is also important quality because it defines our witness to God in learning and working and enjoying life for the sake of others.

Enjoying life is often viewed as a selfish act, and sometimes it is.  I am reminded of a little verse I read. “I can only please one person each day. Today is not your day.  Tomorrow isn’t looking too good, either.”  For you, enjoying life may be for your pleasure only.  So Jesus’ words to the disciples may not seem so appealing, “You are witnesses of these things.”  If you want to live and learn, you have to live conscientiously.  But some choose to live only for themselves.

Regretfully, you discover this when you get to be in your 50s, 60s, 70s, (sometimes earlier – say in your mid 40’s).  It is one of life’s haunting and recurring disappointments, it is what you could have been if you have been more attentive or conscientious at the time The poet Ed Sissman writes-“Men past forty Get up nights Look out at city lights And wonder why life is so long And where they made the wrong turn.” Yes, it all begins with the regretful refrain, “If only. If only I’d had more sense/luck/whatever, I would have.” You know that you can’t undo what has happened, but those things haunt you nevertheless. Editor and essayist Norman Cousins wrote, “The tragedy of life is not death, rather, it is what we allow to die within us while we live.” Being conscientious now prevent future regrets.

Finally, be courageous. Never underestimate the power of your actions. In St. Luke’s gospel, the story of Jesus’ ascension ends with the disciples returning to Jerusalem, but in the Book of the Acts, the evangelist describes one additional exchange.  While the disciples were gazing longingly and aimlessly into heaven, two men in white robes stood before them. They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”  It’s a poignant moment. Faithfulness do Jesus isn’t about longing for heaven. It is about doing God’s work here and now.  With one small gesture you can change a person’s life.

It’s a favorite story of mine.  Perhaps you’ve heard it, but once upon a time there was a wise man that used to go to the ocean to do his writing. One day he was walking along the shore. As he looked down the beach, he saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself to think of someone who would dance to the day. So he began to walk faster to catch up. As he got closer, he saw that it was a young man and the young man wasn’t dancing, but instead he was reaching down to the shore, picking up something and very gently throwing it into the ocean. As he got closer he called out, “Good morning! What are you doing?” The young man paused, looked up and replied, “Throwing starfish in the ocean.” The wise man then added, “I guess I should have asked, why are you throwing starfish in the ocean?” “The sun is up and the tide is going out. And if I don’t throw them in they’ll die.” The old man laughed, “But, young man, don’t you realize that there are miles and miles of beach and starfish all along it. You can’t possibly make a difference!” The young man listened politely. Then bent down, picked up another starfish and threw it into the sea, past the breaking waves and said, “It made a difference for that one.”

There is something very special in each and every one of us, so never underestimate the power of your actions. You have been gifted with the ability to make a difference in this world and if you follow your heart — the world will indeed be blessed!  And there will be no regrets.

Dear friends, and dear Ben, as one chapter in life ends, and a new chapter begins, our Savior invites you to go forth and to live without regrets, be curious and discover your passions and go, be conscientious, and work and enjoy life now, and finally be courageous, never underestimate the power and potential of your actions. Amen.

May the peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.  Amen.