As Iron Sharpens Iron, So One Man Sharpens Another

Good morning, gentlemen.

This past summer, while on the Belen Youth Mission trip to the Dominican Republic, I overheard a group of rising seniors having a debate I’ve heard many times before. They were discussing who the greatest NBA players of all time were. The debate got pretty heated, especially when they were trying to determine whether Michael Jordan or Lebron James deserved first place. While I wasn’t invited to take part in the conversation, I can tell you I have my own opinion. 

While this isn’t the place or the moment to share it, I do think there are two names who unquestionably deserve to be on the list of top five players in the history of professional basketball in the United States. In the 80s, the decade I grew up in, there were no two players that dominated the sport more than Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. 

Fierce competitors, they each led their teams to multiple national championships. Magic was a point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers who was voted the league’s most valuable player three times and wears five championship rings; Bird was a power forward for the Boston Celtics who was the league’s MVP three times and won three national titles.

Every time they took the court, they were focused on one thing… winning. What drove them was their love for the game and their love for their teammates. Time and time again, they were matched up against each other. They pushed, they shoved, they clawed… they were relentless. They understood how talented the other was and for that reason, they practiced more and played harder and smarter. Their rivalry on the court was legendary, easily making them one of the most entertaining duos, not only in basketball, but in the history of sports. 

All that being said, they had a profound respect for each other. They understood early on in their careers they needed each other because they knew they made each other better. They knew they brought the best out in each other and that competing against each other forced them to elevate their game. Listen to what Bird said about Magic, “The relationship we’ve had over the years has meant a lot to me. We pushed each other to be the best, and I think that’s what true friends do for each other.” Of Larry Bird, Magic Johnson said, “Every day I played, I thought of Larry Bird. He made me a better player.”

Our theme for this academic year comes from the Book of Proverbs in the Old Testament: “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another” (27:17).

I want us to think about that image for a moment. Iron by itself is strong, but when it’s put to work—when it’s struck against another piece of iron—it becomes sharper, more useful, more precise. The process requires friction. Sparks fly, clanging sounds are made, tension is often felt. It can be uncomfortable. And yet, the result is something better, something stronger. Like the iron-clad basketball talents of Larry Bird and Magic Johnson, the striking together of two pieces of iron only sharpens and makes them better. 

As members of this incredible Belen community, the same is true for us. None of us can walk this journey of life and faith alone. God created us to live in community; it was His intention from the very beginning. Living in community is part of our very DNA. In this community of Belen Jesuit, you will be sharpened by your classmates, by your teachers, by your coaches, and by your friends. At times that sharpening may feel challenging—when you’re pushed to study harder, to play harder, to step up as a leader, to make the right choice when the easy one would be to stay silent or to go along with the crowd. But just as iron becomes sharper with use, you too become stronger when you allow others to challenge you, guide you, and even correct you.

Think about the Apostles. By no means were they perfect men. Peter was impulsive. James and John argued about who was the greatest. Thomas doubted. Yet by living, working, and praying together—by sharpening one another—they became the foundation of the Church. They didn’t let each other stay comfortable in their weaknesses. They called each other to bigger and better things, always towards Christ.

Or consider St. Ignatius of Loyola and St. Francis Xavier. They were classmates at the University of Paris. At first, Xavier wasn’t interested in Ignatius’s talk about serving God—he was ambitious and wanted worldly success. But Ignatius kept encouraging him, kept challenging him, until Xavier’s heart caught fire for Christ. Because Ignatius sharpened him, Francis Xavier became one of the greatest missionaries in the history of our Catholic Church, bringing the Gospel to India, Japan, and beyond. Their friendship literally changed the world.

Remember something very important, the sharpening goes both ways. It’s not only about how others shape you, but also about how you shape others. You have a responsibility to bring out the best in one another—to encourage your brothers when they are down, to hold each other accountable when you stray from the right path, and to push one another toward excellence in the classroom, on the field, and above all, in your faith.

This is what it means to be at Belen. You haven’t been called here just to get good grades or to prepare for college. You are here to be formed as men of character, men of service, to deepen a personal and intimate relationship with the person of Jesus Christ. To become his disciples. You have been called here to be sharpened by one another in such a way that when you leave this place, you go out into the world ready to make a difference, to challenge it, sharpen it, and change it.

So, my brothers, my challenge to you this year is simple: embrace the sharpening. Don’t shy away from the hard work, the tough conversations, the moments when you are stretched beyond your comfort zone. Trust that in those very moments, God is at work, shaping you into the man He calls you to be.

Gentlemen of Belen, welcome back. May this year be one in which, together, we sharpen one another in mind, body, and spirit—so that when others look at us, they see the light of Christ shining clearly and say, “this young man truly is a Belen man.”

May our Lady of Belen, who for over 170 years has lovingly watched over each member of our school community, protect you and guide you with her prayers. May her maternal love encourage you to venture out and, through hard work and perseverance, sharpen you to become the powerful men God calls you to be and the world so desperately needs.

Our Lady of Belen… pray for us.