Education as an Act of Love: Bishop Menjivar’s Homily at Reunion

Education as an Act of Love: Bishop Menjivar’s Homily at Reunion

On Saturday, October 28, 2023, Washington Auxiliary Bishop Emilio Menjivar celebrated Trinity’s Reunion Liturgy in Notre Dame Chapel. This is the text of his homily:

125^th Anniversary of
Trinity Washington University

October 28, 2023

Congratulations to Trinity Washington University for its 125^th Anniversary of Foundation and congratulations to the Class of 1973 for their Golden Jubilee of graduation.

125 years educating and changing the life of women. That is a great accomplishment.

“LOVE – AND DO WHATEVER YOU LIKE” is a statement attributed to St Augustine. Notice that Saint Augustine didn’t just say “Do whatever you like” but “LOVE and do whatever you like.” The word ‘LOVE’ changes completely the meaning and the outcome of the statement.

It is said that in the Old Testament there are over 600 different laws or commandments. That is without counting the many other precepts promulgated in other code of law such us the Mishna and the Talmud. Jewish People used to spend a lot of time arguing over trivial details of these laws that regulated their daily lives and relationships. Among so many laws and precepts which one is the most important? Is there one that touches the core of people’s relationship with God?

Jesus answered the scholar’s question quoting not one law but two. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and will all your mind.” Probably those who were listening to Jesus didn’t have any problem agreeing with this answer. But then Jesus says: “The second commandment is like it: “You must love your neighbor as yourself.”

By putting these two commandments together, Jesus was making a significant change in the understanding of the law. From the rest of the New Testament, it is clear, that we cannot love God without loving our neighbors at the same time.

We are expected to love God through others. We cannot love GOD in a vacuum, we must do it in a concrete way. “Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.” Jesus said (Matt 25:40).

Today’s First Reading, taken from the Book of Exodus tells us very explicitly that we must show special concern and compassion to those who are the most vulnerable in our society and who are at risk of being treated unjustly. Today’s first reading tells us:

“You shall not molest or oppress an alien, for you were once aliens yourselves in the land of Egypt. You shall not wrong any widow or orphan. If ever you wrong them and they cry out to me, I will surely hear their cry.”

It is very clear that caring for foreigners, widows, orphans, and “the poor of Yahweh” is not a political issue. It is not! It is a commandment from God. And if we claim to be a just nation, “a nation under God,” we must do it without delay, without complaint, and without bias. Remember “you were once aliens yourself in the land of Egypt.” God would remind this fact to Israel when he was fed up with their behavior. To us Americans, God would have said: “remember your country is a country of immigrants.”

I would like to commend Trinity Washington University for putting the commandments in practice by showing LOVE in a very unique and concrete way: EDUCATION. It is said that “To change your fate, all you need is education and hard effort.” “Education turns dreams into reality.”

But for many women, especially Black and Hispanic women, the fate is almost certain: lower education, low-paying jobs, poverty, and exclusion.

I am very happy to learn that Trinity is helping to break this pattern.

Trinity enrolls more D.C. residents and more graduates of D.C. Public Schools than any other private university in the city. As a result, Trinity’s student body is 55% Black and 30% Hispanic.

Just as Trinity College was a pioneer in the education of women, an underserved segment of the population when it started, 125 years after, Trinity continues to be a forerunner in offering opportunities to underserved Black and Hispanic women. 10% of the undergraduate women are Dreamers, undocumented students with DACA status.

Gandhi said: “If you want to change the world, start with yourself.” I would add: “If you want to change the world for the better faster, make Higher Education more accessible to women and minorities. Indeed, Trinity has been changing the world for already 125 years by doing that.

Let us pray today that the Holy Spirit of God may continue giving Trinity Washington University, its faculty, the student body, alumnae, and benefactors, the vitality, the courage, the joy, and the generosity to continue the great mission of changing one person at a time.

Amen.