To the Band of Brothers: May 5, 2021
Good morning!
I was going through YouTube videos on how to improve my chip shots in golf. As I was “surfing,” I came across an old Apple Computer commercial I remember liking when it first came out. The theme of the advertisement was “think different.” It highlights the life and dreams of creative and unique individuals who thought outside the box and, by doing so, made the world a better place.
The script for the ad goes like this:
“Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.”
I like it… actually, I love it. I can’t think of anything that is more Ignatian or more Catholic than that. Think about it, for over two thousand years the Church has been encouraging men and women to not conform to the standards of this world, to reach out to new heights and greater standards. Think of the words of the greatest troublemaker in the world, the one who founded the Church… Jesus.
How often did he say to turn the other cheek or to lose your life if you want to gain it? How often did he remind us that the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath? How often did he tell us to go with someone two miles if they ask you to go with them one or to give them your tunic if they ask you for your shirt? Wasn’t it Jesus who was not fond of the rules when he healed on the Sabbath? Wasn’t it Jesus who had no respect for the status quo when he touched the lepers, ate with tax collectors, and hung out with prostitutes?
Let’s be clear, the Church has continued this legacy and has followed the example of Jesus to “think differently.” In a world where over 57% of marriages end up in divorce, the Church continues to uphold the sanctity of marriage. In a world where 87% of the population lives under the poverty line, the Church continues to speak out against injustice, feed, and shelter the homeless. In a world where laws permit abortion, the Church adamantly defends the sanctity of human life.
When you think about it, being Catholic is probably one of the craziest, most rebellious things you can do. So, I agree with Apple, “think differently.” Do not settle for the status quo, for what the world wants to feed you, for what the majority of the population considers popular or right. Think different, be Catholic.
Auspice Maria
BELEN JESUIT PREPARATORY SCHOOL
500 SW 127th Avenue, Miami, FL 33184
phone: 305.223.8600 | fax: 305.227.2565 | email: webmaster@belenjesuit.org
500 SW 127th Avenue, Miami, FL 33184
phone: 305.223.8600 | fax: 305.227.2565 | email: webmaster@belenjesuit.org
Belen Jesuit Preparatory School was founded in 1854 in Havana, Cuba by Queen Isabel II of Spain. The task of educating students was assigned to the priests and brothers of the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits), whose teaching tradition is synonymous with academic excellence and spiritual discipline. In 1961, the new political regime of Cuba confiscated the School property and expelled the Jesuit faculty. The School was re-established in Miami the same year, and over the next decade, continued to grow. Today, Belen Jesuit sits on a 30-acre site in western Dade County, only minutes away from downtown Miami.