2015-16 Opening of School Homily

To the classes of 2016 through 2024—particularly all the new students and most especially you C formers,—to faculty and staff, trustees, and parents welcome to a new school year. Joyous moments await all of us. Spectacular new fields to compete on, a class schedule that we are familiar with, and close to 100 new students, faculty, and staff of varying backgrounds and interests to inject new life into our community. The fun begins now gentlemen, so buckle up for the exhilarating ride.

Part of the ride will be the challenge you face daily from teachers who will ask you to think... think... and think some more. This is a foundational element of our school. As a history teacher, I am fond of starting class with a question to get Cities students thinking, so indulge me as I repeat a technique this morning. You are lucky that in the Cathedral, I am unable to utilize my “Professor Cold Call” method to call on any of you, but regardless, my inquiry is a simple one:

Whom do you care for?

Let me start by defining what it means to care. Caring comes when we want the best for someone. We bring them joy and relieve pain. We consider their perspective. We are emotionally present when they speak. We listen. We are honest. We respect. We forgive.

As the school year starts, gentlemen, that is the question I am asking myself. Whom do I care for? Or maybe whom should I care for?

As I contemplate the year ahead my lesser angels direct me to focus first on myself eat right, exercise, spend time with God, get plenty of sleep, save some room for fun.

Selfish? Perhaps.... But necessary. I would offer, gentlemen, that when we care for ourselves we are best prepared to care for others. We have the mental and physical energy to respond to the
the second of God’s greatest commandments, the one we heard in this morning’s passage from Mark: “Love thy neighbor as thyself.” Jesus wants us to love our neighbors expressly by
imagining they are us—one in the same. Love with empathy.

So… who is my neighbor... whom should I care for?

My thoughts naturally go to family—my wife, first. Make time for her in my busy schedule. Remember that the emotional life should have a strong tether to that person who is closest. Next, my daughter a—young woman just three years older than you seniors. She, too, sat in this Cathedral for nine opening services, received her wonderful education, played her sports, and accepted her diploma steps from where I stand now. I will support her in her triumphs and struggles.

From there, I feel the pull of my work. I think of you students, from C form to sixth. Whether I am shaking your hand as you arrive at school, reading stories to the C formers, sharing lunch with an Upper Schooler, teaching a freshman about Sparta, or yelling commands on the athletic field. (Yes, gentlemen, yelling can be caring).

I think of the adults who will work with you and the staff that make all that work possible. That caring makes work fulfilling for me and for my colleagues.

OK, so, how about you?....Who is your neighbor...Whom should you care for?

It goes without saying that your care should start with your family. That will be the foundation of your efforts this year.

As for your relationships at school, consider this. The opening procession at this service is a wonderful symbol of caring. Every year seeing our oldest and youngest students walking through the nave together reminds us of the special brotherly relationships we have at St. Albans. In Mr. Wilson’s Lower School prize day remarks last spring, he challenged the upcoming leaders of Form II to take good care of the incoming C Formers. We all remember, as we coped with tragedy last spring, the care you showed each other, the care the faculty showed for you, and perhaps most touchingly the care you, the students, showed us, the adults. I ask all of you here to show me care this year. I will need your help.

These moments of care we see frequently are moving. We use the phrase “St. Albans Man” or “Band of Brothers” a lot around here. I offer that we are truly St. Albans men and a close-knit unit when our bond is cemented with the empathy of caring for one another.

Whom should you care for?

So let me challenge you in another way. The empathy you feel when you’ve supported a friend, a teammate, a castmate, a younger student, or maybe your favorite teacher your brothers of all ages... is that really your best self? Or is that something less?

Let us consider a higher standard instead. Rather than care only for our brothers who have our same interests or share our grade level, what about our brothers who are much different than we?
They have other interests; they play a different sport; maybe they don’t even like sports; they live in a distant neighborhood or attended a school you never heard of; maybe worship in another place or maybe no place at all. Caring for people that are different raises the standard. This is when we are a community, not a clique. Hear me clearly... community not clique. This is when we are a fully inclusive family of brothers.

Whom should you care for?

Have you found your best self yet, caring for all your brothers? Let me challenge you again. There is a group of women sitting with you today eager to teach, coach, and counsel you. There is another group, students who sat here twenty-four hours ago at their own Opening Service, preparing themselves for the same challenges you face. Like your classmates and your male teachers are your brothers of all ages, these faculty and these NCS students are your sisters. These are your family members.

While we are unapologetically a boys school and proud of it, I would offer to you that we are at our best when we care for all of the people in this community—and hear me again gentlemen—I mean all of the people in all of the community. Yes, you are brothers, but our best selves lie in the notion that you must connect to and care for all who are with you here on the Close. Then and only then can you call yourselves St. Albans men and a school family.

Whom should we care for?

My sincere hope as we embark on this school year journey together is that we find our best selves—that part that allows us to support, embrace , and care for each other on all corners of this Cathedral Close. With God’s help we will.

Welcome to the 2015-16 school year, gentlemen. May God bless all our endeavors.