Get up, dry bones! (First School Mass)

That first reading demands
we use our imagination.

“The Lord led me out…
set me in the center of a plain
which was now filled with bones.
Bones in every direction
How dry they were!”

These bones are all those
who have lost their faith—
lost their hope.

In this City of Piqua, in Miami County,
There are many such dry bones!
Many who do not know God—
or who have little relationship with him.

So many dry bones! So many dried-out lives!

Who will prophesy over these bones?

You and I will!

Ezekiel was commanded to speak God’s word,
And they came partly to life.

But they needed Spirit—
they needed the Holy Spirit—
and that comes from God himself.

But when you and I share our faith,
We are sharing the Gift of the Holy Spirit.
It is God who will rouse people to faith—
But it is you and I
whom he calls to say something:
To speak to the dry bones!

You might think I decided
these would be the readings.
You might suppose Mr. Frierott,
or Sister Mary Alice,
or the teachers, decided it.

They did not!

These are the readings of the day.
“It just happened”—meaning, God decided it!

And that means God is speaking to us.
He’s showing us
what our mission is to be
this school year.

This year, this will be our motto:
“Speak Life to the dry bones!”

If I ask you: “What do we do with dry bones?”
You answer: “Speak Life!”

This year—
speak to the dry bones all around us.
If you meet someone
who doesn’t know who Jesus is—
Tell them! Tell them Jesus gives Life!

If you have a friendship
that's gotten dry,
Bring it to life!

There are new faces here.
If someone doesn’t have a friend:
Be a friend—give life!

When you’re at home,
will you be dry bones,
layabout, do nothing?
Or will you spring to life,
do your part?

There may be conflict
at home, it happens.
You may wonder how you can bring life.

What do we do with the dry bones?
(“Speak Life!”)

That may be hard—
don’t be afraid to get help.
If there’s something you’re facing
that’s too big for you, ask a teacher,
ask one of the priests, for help.

But when there’s darkness
and anger around us,
The one thing we must not do,
Is become part of that.

That’s hard. But you and I
have to be the ones
who let God speak life through us!

You do that with a word of peace;
when you offer to pray;
when you keep your joy,
No matter how dark
and how angry others are.
Because:
when the darkness and anger take over,
That’s when your light
will shine the brightest,
And make the most difference.
They’ll see it.

And you will be Life to them!

So: what do we do with dry bones?
(“Speak life to them!”)

If you wonder if that’ll happen,
just wait.
God will put you with people
who need to hear Life.
Ask him to give you
the right words—He will!

Just tell them what you heard today:
“Thus says the Lord GOD:
O my people,
I will open your graves
I will put my spirit in you
that you may live,
I have promised, and I will do it,
says the LORD.”