Stewardship of Service Witness Talk/Homily
May 2015
Given by Phil Hayes
My name is Phil Hayes. I've been a CCD teacher at St Pius for 9 years. I've taught 3rd, 4th, 7th and 8th grades. But I'm not a teacher by trade, so how did I start doing this?
Well, 15 years ago, I attended a Christ Renews retreat. If you haven't done it yet, it's a powerful experience. That weekend, I learned that the Holy Spirit is very much present and acting in each of our lives! I also learned that we need to serve others, just as Christ instructed us when he washed the feet of his disciples. So after the retreat, I was ready to get involved in the Church.
St. Pius offers about a hundred different ways that we can serve! Many of you do so much more than I do. Thank you for your wonderful work! My wife, Claire, is active in four ministries. But I work full time as the General Manager of a Bus Manufacturing company, so I had to find things that fit with my schedule. I decided to sign up for Eucharistic Minister on Sundays, Eucharistic Adoration, and The Great Bible Adventure - what a fantastic adult bible-study course, right here at St. Pius! I highly recommend it.
In that class, I learned that before Moses died, he told the Israelites that the most important thing we can do is to pass our faith on to our children and grandchildren. So I decided to fill out that little card that I would be willing to teach CCD.
My first class of 4th-graders had just 6 students. 4th graders soak up every word like a sponge, and they love to participate. In fact, when you start to ask a question, all their hands are high in the air, saying "call on me, call on me!" And they don't even know the question yet! It's a great blessing to see that joy in a 4th grader's eyes. 4th grade studies the 10 commandments, so it was very humbling....I was reminded of my own sins every week!
Four years ago, I was "promoted" to 7th and 8th grade, with classes of 20-25 students. Much more challenging! The older children are beginning to question the various teachings of the Catholic Church. For example: Why is abortion so wrong? Why is human life so precious? Why is marriage defined as between 1 man and 1 woman? Is Christ truly present in the Eucharist? I learn as much as they do along the way. If you want to really know something, try teaching it!
During the school year, we go through a journey together. Two years ago, a very difficult thing happened. My oldest daughter, Jeannie, died of a sudden illness, very unexpectedly. My 8th grade class stuck with me. They cried with me. They prayed with me. They were just one part of a large support group from St. Pius that helped me and my family to increase my faith in God. That's what service is - helping someone in your community who is in need.
I teach CCD on Monday nights, and when I get home from class, I often have this feeling that I might have just made a difference in some of those children's lives. It's a rewarding feeling. I'm sure that people in all types of service work have that same feeling.
When you give of yourself, you receive so much more in return. Serving others, and serving God, bring us the highest level of happiness we can have in this life, and bring us closest to what we hope to experience in the next.
Thank you for listening. May God bless you and your families.
