Optional Memorial of Saint John Henry Newman, Priest and Doctor of the Church

Brief Background:

St. John Henry Newman (1801–1890) was born in London, England. Originally an Anglican priest and Oxford scholar, his deep study of Scripture and the early Church Fathers led him to convert to Catholicism in 1845. His conversion came with great personal sacrifices, including the loss of friendships and his position in the Anglican Church. He later became a Catholic priest and cardinal, dedicating his life to preaching, education, and helping others deepen their faith. He was canonized in 2019 and declared a Doctor of the Church in 2025.

Patron saint of Catholic education, scholars, converts to Catholicism, and those searching for truth.

REFLECTION:

Our Maryknoll School students and teachers are currently enjoying their Fall Quarter Break. And I hope they're actually taking a break! Because sometimes we say we're taking a break, but our minds are still working. We're thinking about the emails we need to answer, the problems waiting for us, the people we need to deal with, and everything that needs to get done when we return.

And isn't that how life can be sometimes?

Whether at school, at work, in our families, or even in the Church, we can become so overwhelmed because we think we need to fix everything and sometimes everyone!

We want to solve every problem, make everyone happy, and make sure everything goes according to plan. But here's the problem. God never asked us to fix everything or everyone.

Today we celebrate St. John Henry Newman, who once wrote: "God has created me to do Him some definite service. He has committed some work to me which He has not committed to another." What I love about that quote is one little word: "some." Newman doesn't say God created us to do ALL the work. He says SOME work. And there's a difference!

Sometimes we act as though the entire world depends on us. If we don't do it, nobody will. If we don't fix it, everything will fall apart. But perhaps we need to remind ourselves that we're not God! And thank God for that, because imagine having to answer everyone's prayers and emails!

In today's first reading, St. Paul reminds us of Abraham, a man of faith. Abraham didn't have all the answers. He didn't know how everything would turn out. But he trusted God. And in today's Gospel, Jesus reminds us that a kingdom divided against itself cannot stand.

Sometimes that division happens within our own hearts. We want to trust God, but at the same time, we want to control everything. We say we have faith, but we carry burdens as though everything depends entirely on us.

St. John Henry Newman reminds us that God has entrusted each of us with a particular mission. Not everybody else's mission. Not every problem in the world. Just the work God has given us.

And sometimes that work is simply to be present, to listen, to encourage, to love, and yes, sometimes even to step aside and let God do his work.

So perhaps this Fall Break is a good reminder for all of us, whether we're on vacation or still working. Rest is not a sign that we've abandoned our responsibilities. Sometimes rest is an act of faith because it reminds us that God continues working even when we stop.

Friends, we cannot fix everything. We cannot change everyone. And we certainly cannot carry every burden. But we can be faithful to the "some" that God has entrusted to us. And perhaps the question we should ask ourselves today is not, "What else do I need to do?" But rather, "Lord, what is the work you have entrusted to me, and what are the things I need to leave in your hands?"