A season of ripe transformations
by Chase Hawkins, Theology and Communications Studies ‘19
I am certain that I am not alone in saying that my time at Marquette has been a transformative time — a time of many joys and sorrows, a time of laughter and tears. Our precious time here at Marquette has been guided by the pillars of our University’s mission: excellence, faith, leadership, and service. These guiding values have been woven into the fabric of our college experience and have transformed us.
Much has changed since we first stepped foot on Marquette’s campus as first-year students: buildings have been torn down while others have been built, our work ethic has grown, our passions and skills have developed, our worldview has been expanded, and, ultimately, our hearts have been transformed.
When I first moved into O’Donnell Hall in August of 2015, I remember the excitement and the nervousness that comes with beginning college. Within the first few weeks, though, my floormates and I came together to form an amazing floor tradition.
On Thursdays, we rolled out a storage trunk, laptop, and a 22-inch TV into the hallway. Placing the TV on top of the trunk, we hooked up the laptop to the TV and played a movie. Each week, we gathered people from around the floor and brought out pillows, chairs, blankets, and snacks to watch a movie together in community. We had a rotation for who chose the movie and each week people shared with others a movie that was important to them. This simple, yet powerful tradition transformed O’Donnell from a residence hall into a home. And this tradition began a larger process of transformation for me — Marquette University became more than just the place where I studied; Marquette became a home to me.
We’ve seen big transformations happen during our time at Marquette. We’ve seen the lot between 17th and 18th Street be transformed from a demolition site into a hub of activity in The Commons, Eckstein Tower, and Wells Tower. We’ve seen the construction of a new Physician Assistant building and a new Athletic and Human Performance Research Center. We’ve seen the inception of the 707 Hub for innovation as well as new initiatives, student organizations, and conferences on our campus.
We’ve seen smaller, daily transformations like the facilities staff who work day and night to continually transform the places where we work, study, and play. Or like the faculty members who transform classrooms into springs of learning and personal growth. We’ve seen other small transformations like the St. Joan of Arc Chapel filling with voices at 10 p.m. Mass, dorm rooms coming alive, filled with posters, pictures, and people, or even vibrant tulips enlivening our campus each spring.
We’ve even been agents of transformation — to our friends on campus, to members of the Milwaukee community, and to many more. We have witnessed injustice in our city and in our world. We’ve learned when to speak out in the face of injustice and we’ve learned when to be silent in the midst of suffering. By starting new student organizations, introducing new initiatives, engaging in important dialogue, serving people in our city, our country, and across the world, and by actively listening to those around us, we have learned the truth that we hear in today’s reading from Revelation: “Behold, God’s dwelling is with the human race”.
This season is ripe with transformations. The readings that we heard at Baccalaureate Mass speak of the transformation and the newness that we encounter in our lives, especially in this Easter season. In the reading from Revelation, John hears the voice of the One seated on the throne say, “Behold, I make all things new.” In this season of Easter, we are reminded of the new life that comes from the Resurrection of Jesus. We are reminded that Jesus brings life out of death, he brings light out of the most desolate darkness.
In this Easter feast, we are given even more reason to celebrate because we have come to the days of our graduation. We have journeyed over mountains and into valleys; across plains and through deserts in these past years at Marquette. We have seen how God has “opened the door of faith” for us and invited us to walk through.
We have come to a new beginning. As graduates, we are reminded that God makes all things new. We are reminded of God’s transformative power in our world and in our heart. We are reminded of the love of God in this Easter season and we have come together at this Eucharistic table to give thanks for our education, for our friends, for our family, and for the many other blessings that God has given us.
As we are sent forth from Marquette, we know that we are not sent forth unequipped. We have been formed by our Catholic, Jesuit education. We have been guided by the values of excellence, faith, leadership, and service. We have become part of a family that has supported us through trial and triumph — a family that will continue support us as we go out to be women and men for others. Above all, we know that God is with us as we recall the words from Revelation: “He will dwell with them and they will be his people and God himself will always be with them as their God.”
As we go out, let us remember the ways that God has transformed our hearts and our lives. Let us continually give thanks to God for God’s transforming power. Let us rejoice in the newness and let us listen to Jesus’ new commandment from our Gospel today: “love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another.” Let us go forth to love one another. Let us go forth and be agents of God’s transformative love. Let us go out and be the difference.
