Student Reflection: Memorial of St. Cornelius and St. Cyprian

Welcome to today’s Mass.

Today we celebrate the Memorial of St. Cornelius and St. Cyprian. St. Cyprian and St. Cornelius are celebrated together for a number of reasons. One of the reasons as to why is because they are contemporaries, living in the same time period of the early to mid 200s. In addition, both were martyrs for their faith. They teach us an important lesson in perseverance and staying strong in the face of challenges.

St. Cornelius and St. Cyprian both faced persecution for their faith. They both were prominent church leaders, Cornelius a bishop and Cyprian a pope, in a time where the Church was persecuted. Despite the fact that there was an easy way out, they chose not to follow it. They faced many personal trials and even went on to the point of death for their faith. They stuck with what they were committed to, and they serve as a model of perseverance.

I’m sure that we have all faced challenges of some shape or form at some point in our lives. This year for me, so far, has been a challenge, having to balance between school, work, extracurriculars, and finally college applications. It can be a lot, having to spend long nights finishing what work needs to be done and being completely dedicated to what I have on my plate. We all face challenges of some sort and sometimes it feels that it is just easier to give up. Yet even though it may feel that way. We keep going.

So what? Why is the perseverant spirit so important? Well for me it speaks to my transition to high school. Coming from a small Catholic grade school in Elmwood Park, Fenwick seemed like a whole new world to me. Classes were bigger and so was the building. Honestly, it was kind of intimidating. The schedule was new to me. On top of all that, I still had all of my homework, and that was way more than I had previously. This all stacked up to be something for me that seemed to me like an insurmountable task. What helped me to get through it all was the people in my life who supported me and gave me the courage to keep going. My family and friends were always there for me when times got tough, they cheered me on and pushed me to succeed. During this time my faith also strengthened. In times of trouble, I could always turn to God and pray. He would listen to my highs, my lows, and my God moments. Through it all He was a constant and it helped me to persevere in times of difficulty knowing that God was there for me, and He is there for all of us.  This taught me two things. One is that you are never alone. There is always someone to support you whether that be friends, family, or God. The second thing I have learned is that perseverance allows you to reach your goals and reap the rewards.

As we come here today to celebrate the lives of St. Cornelius and St. Cyprian, let us recall their perseverance through times of difficulty and apply it to our lives.  Let us also recall that through our difficulties, whether they be big, like coming to a new school, or small, like finishing a homework assignment on time. God and his people are there to support us. Taking this perseverant spirit, let us apply it to our daily lives. Let us persevere and stay strong in spite of all the challenges which seem to face us.