September 4, 2026

The Homily of Bishop Evelio Menjivar-Ayala from the Mass of the Holy Spirit

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

How appropriate it is that we begin this academic year by gathering around the altar and asking for the gift of the Holy Spirit.

And I ask you to please include me in your prayers as well, because in truth, I belong in with the freshman class! I just moved to Wheeling, and I’m still learning my way around.

At a Catholic university, we recognize that education is not simply about accumulating information or earning degrees. Education is about forming and cultivating the whole person. It is about seeking truth, wisdom, and ultimately God himself, who is the source of all truth and all wisdom.

Jesus tells his disciples in today’s Gospel: “I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth.”

Those words seem particularly appropriate at the beginning of a university year: “The Spirit of truth will guide you to all truth.”

But this does not happen in a passive way. We must actively seek the truth. That is why we have schools and universities! Students come here to learn, to grow, to be formed, and to be equipped to take their rightful place in society.

But, if we are humble, we must admit that this applies not only to students. Professors continue learning. Administrators continue learning. And certainly, bishops continue learning!

As the philosopher Socrates said, “The only thing I know is that I know nothing.”

All of us are students in the school of life and, ultimately, in the school of the Gospel, where Jesus himself is our teacher.

The moment we think we know everything is probably the moment we have stopped learning.

Jesus tells us that there are things we do not yet understand or comprehend. But he does not leave us alone to figure everything out by ourselves. He promises us the Holy Spirit – the Spirit of wisdom, understanding, counsel, knowledge, and truth.

The Holy Spirit is our teacher, our guide, and even better, our friend whom we can always call upon for help.

My mom taught me, to always pray to the Holy Spirit when stuck and going nowhere during a test and searching for an answer. “Pray to the Holy Spirit” she always says.

But that grace doesn’t come to us like a lighting out of nowhere. It comes through channels, events, processes, and above all, through people. We all are called to channels of grace as we are temples of the Holy Spirit.

That is precisely what we hear in our first reading from the prophet Isaiah: “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me.”

When the Spirit of God rest upon someone that person is sent to a mission. As the motto of our university says: “Let your light shine” (Luceat Lux Vestra). When you come ine and go out, and walk around this beautiful university campus is what your are constantly reminded of: “Let your light shine” (Luceat Lux Vestra)

And I think this is particularly important for a Catholic university.

You are here to receive the extraordinary gift of an education. Here you gain knowledge, develop skills, prepare for professions, careers, and for whatever God and life has for your future.

Education is a tremendous gift, but every gift brings with it a responsibility. What will you do with those gifts? How will you use the gift of an education to make our world a better place for all?

Never take your education for granted. There are millions of young people throughout the world who would give almost anything for the opportunity to receive the education that you are receiving. I was one of them.

So, receive this education with gratitude. But also receive it with a sense of responsibility and generosity of heart.

Knowledge gives us power, we hear. And the Christian question is always: How will I use that power?

Will I use what I know simply to advance myself, or will I use it also to lift up others? Will I use it to:

“Bring glad tidings to the poor,

 to heal the brokenhearted,

 to proclaim liberty to all captives…”

And this mission belongs not only to the students, but also to the faculty and staff of Wheeling University.

A student may eventually forget some of what they learned in a classroom. But they may never forget those experiences and encounters they had outside of the classroom: the professor who believed in them when they were failing; the staff member who went the extra mile to help them; the coach who challenged them and brought out the best in them when they were ready to give up; or the counselor or campus minister who noticed that they were struggling or going through a crisis and stopped what they were doing to accompany them at a crucial moment.

Sometimes the most important lessons taught at a university will never appear on an exam. They are lessons about becoming better human beings – people of character, integrity, faith, and service. And those things are not so easily measured by a grade, they do not appear in the report card. But they are the very essence of what we do here.

So, as we begin this new academic year, let us ask the Holy Spirit not only to help us learn more and get good grades (I hope you do so), but also to help us become more: more compassionate, more generous, more courageous, more attentive to others, and more like Christ.

May the Lord send us forth, anointed and empowered by the Holy Spirit; to become the presence of Christ to others and to use whatever gifts we receive here to make a difference in our communities, and in our world.

Luceat Lux Vestra – Let your Light Shine.