The Archbishop Hoban High School community rolled out the welcome mat for Bishop Edward Malesic on Feb. 12, when he returned to the “school on the hill” to celebrate Mass and talk to students.
The liturgy, which took place in the school gym, was concelebrated by Father Alex Susai, CSC. The Brothers of the Holy Cross sponsor the 850-student coeducational high school in Akron that opened in 1953.
“An explosion of love happens here,” the bishop said as he looked over the gym that was filled with students, faculty and staff. “The walls of your school can’t hold it in … you have to take it outside.”
Reflecting on the Gospel, Bishop Malesic said our faith tells us that God is the author of life. “He breathed life into us.”
(See photo gallery above.)
But God didn’t just step back and admire his handiwork. Instead, he has been actively involved in our lives. “He loves what he made and he wants to spend time with his creation,” he said. In the first reading, God talks to Adam, who is his friend. He gives him a warning that he can eat whatever he wants, except the fruit of one certain tree. The consequence will be death. The bishop explained that God wasn’t referring to an apple, as often is depicted in Bible stories. “The forbidden fruit was a symbol of the devil — the desire to become God.”
He told the students that God created us and he knows us, but so does the devil. “He lied to Adam and Eve. When they took a bite of the forbidden fruit, evil entered the world. Adam and Eve should have listened to God, the creator, who had the ‘user manual,’” he added.
The bishop warned that self-centered thoughts that ignore our neighbors, chastity that turns another person into an object of your gratification, hatred, arrogance, folly and other vices/sins can fill our hearts and leave no room for Good and his goodness.
“When we do that, our spiritual engines will lock up,” he explained. “Our hearts were created for love, not hatred … Only God can fill our hearts, which are restless unless they rest in God.”
He said each of us received unique gifts from God that are used to build his church. “You were made for love. Love goes out to serve.”
He said sometimes people say they don’t get anything out of Mass, but that’s not how it works. Instead, we should be offering ourselves to God. Recalling his own conversion story in college, Bishop Malesic said he never intended to become a priest. In fact, he wasn’t even sure he would stay Catholic. But he was gifted a Bible and decided to read it, which changed his life.
“Do what the Lord wants of you and you will be happy,” he told the Hoban community. “Be agents of change. You are my youngest brothers and sisters. I see so much youthful enthusiasm in you.”
He said it’s not necessarily a bad thing to have doubts, but he cautioned the students to never stop using those doubts as a springboard for truth. “Never forget to listen to your heart. You are beloved sons and daughters of God.”
The bishop suggested that they find a place of silence and imagine God telling them how much he loves them as his beloved sons and daughters. “Do that and you will realize who you are.”
After Mass, he enjoyed lunch and conversation with a group of students in the Holy Cross Room.