Optional Memorial of the Dedication of the Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome

REFLECTION:

Yesterday, I shared with you that our Maryknoll School staff had gathered to prepare for the start of the new school year. Well, the week continued with another important meeting. This time, our entire staff came together to begin reviewing our accreditation report as we prepare for our next accreditation visit in March 2027.

I was part of the group assigned to discuss our school's mission statement. As we reflected on it, one phrase kept coming up over and over again: "a nurturing and welcoming environment."

As I listened to everyone share their thoughts, one question kept coming to my mind: What is our definition, as a Catholic school, of the words "nurturing" and "welcoming"? Those are beautiful words, but they can mean different things to different people. Some might define welcoming as accepting everyone exactly as they are and never asking anything more of them. Others might define nurturing as making sure people are always comfortable and never challenged.

But today's Gospel invites us to look a little deeper.

Jesus encounters the Canaanite woman, someone who was considered an outsider. At first glance, the conversation seems difficult. Yet by the end of the encounter, Jesus praises her with words He spoke to very few people: "O woman, great is your faith!"

Jesus welcomed her—not because He ignored the truth, but because He saw her faith. He listened to her. He challenged her. He drew out from her a deeper trust. And in the end, He healed her daughter.

That made me realize something. A Catholic understanding of welcoming is not simply opening the door for everyone. It is opening the door and then walking with people toward Christ.

The first reading from Jeremiah reminds us that God desires to gather His scattered people. God doesn't gather us merely so we can remain the same. He gathers us because He loves us too much to leave us where we are. He gathers us into His family so that we can grow in holiness.

Today we also celebrate the Memorial of the Dedication of the Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome, one of the oldest churches dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. For centuries, pilgrims from every nation have entered its doors. Mary welcomes everyone—but she always leads them to her Son. She never points to herself. She always points to Jesus.

Perhaps that is the best definition of a Catholic community. A nurturing environment helps people grow into the person God created them to be. A welcoming environment invites everyone in, while lovingly leading everyone closer to Christ.

Whether it's a parish, a school, or even our own family, our goal is not simply to make people feel at home. Our goal is to help people find their true home in the heart of Jesus. That is the kind of welcome that changes lives.