This evening I would like to share a beautiful story and reflection…
sent to me by a wise friend.
The story comes from a Catholic “blog” site…
where the author…a fellow named Oswald…
shares his reflections on the faith.
He writes that he was sitting toward the back of his parish church one evening…
gazing at the Tabernacle…
and praying.
He heard some noise behind him…
A young woman came in.
Not expecting anyone else at the late hour…
he presumed that she was there to lock up for the night.
Instead, she said that she had come to make a visit to the Blessed Sacrament.
Without hesitating, she walked right up to the Tabernacle…
which is in a side niche…like ours…
and knelt on the floor in adoration.
She stayed in the church for a very long time, he writes…
even after he left himself.
He goes on to describe the woman…
There was nothing pretentious about her or about her prayer.
She came to visit Jesus as if it were simply a regular part of her life,
nothing to be ashamed of…
and not a matter of self-promotion either.
As he writes, he was struck by the woman’s true devotion
and saw in her the healing presence of God in the midst of our world.
He is…as surely many of us are…
disturbed by the manifestations of evil in the world today.
Not just the violence in the Middle East…
but disturbing scenes in our own country and even our own communities.
Evil seems to have the better hand these days…
And yet, as Oswald writes…
even if the world be “sunk in corruption”
…that one woman…
kneeling and praying and pleading for the grace of God…
redeems it all!
[PAUSE]
Today’s First Reading is the story of the evil cities of Sodom and Gomorrah
and the pious prayer of Abraham, the humble servant of the Lord.
The sins of Sodom and Gomorrah are grave and horrible…
and they stir up the wrath of the Lord.
The evil and violence…then as now…seem overwhelming.
Then we see Abraham approaching the Lord without hesitation…
without fear or shame…
without concern for himself…
to plead for mercy.
The devout Abraham bargains with the Lord…
The Lord promises to spare Sodom and Gomorrah
if even a handful of virtuous people are found within their gates.
In the midst of bewildering evil…
when we behold the virtue manifested in the piety of holy souls…
we know that god has won the battle!
Yes, there is evil in our world today.And yet, where one virtuous person remains…there is victory!
The complex creativity and varied evils of Satan
are conquered by the simple prayer of humble women and men.
Where there are a thousand Christians gathered and praying…
the victory is tremendous!
[PAUSE]
In today’s Gospel…we are privileged to behold an intimate moment
between Jesus and His Disciples.
They sit at Jesus’ feet and ask Him to teach them to pray.
Jesus in turn shares with them the thoughts of His own heart
and the wisdom that comes from His own prayer…
from His own intimate communion with the Father.
He teaches them the prayer which the Church has recited unceasingly…
We pray it at every Mass.
Those priests, religious men and women, and lay faithful
who pray the Liturgy of the Hours,
recite it at every Lauds and Vespers.
We pray it 6 times in every Rosary.
The Lord’s Prayer is the common prayer of all Christians in every time and place.
Jesus exhorts the apostles to be persistent in prayer.
The needs of the man in His parable…
who is begging for bread…
are met because of his persistence.
Jesus tells us to persist in our prayer…
to keep asking…seeking…knocking…
And He promises that we, too, shall be rewarded with an abundance of grace
in return for our constant commitment to prayer.
We who are conformed to Christ as the members of His Body, the Church…
We have a vocation to prayer!
If evil is to be overcome…
If we are ever to be happy…healthy…loving people…
then persistence in prayer must be a hallmark of our lives.
The authentic Christian prays constantly…daily…
The disciple of the Lord prays as He taught…
according to the pattern of the Our Father…
which is the perfect model of all prayer.
The committed Catholic prays before the Tabernacle…
adoring the person of Christ, who is really and truly present in the Eucharist.
I know that you have Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament here on Thursday nights.
I am delighted to see that.
I commend all those who come to pray before the Lord.
I encourage each and every one of you to come to Adoration.
Prayer before the Blessed Sacrament is a unique moment of intimacy,
in which we unite ourselves ever more closely to the person of Jesus Christ.
If even one virtuous woman or man remains…
God’s work is alive in our midst!
The prayer and devotion of even one virtuous person
is an instrument of God’s grace and healing!
And so we pray…daily… unceasingly…persistently…`
until at last we are taken up into the prayer of heaven…
the eternal Sacred Liturgy of the Lamb of God…
where holy souls give glory to God forever!
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Homily Sixteenth Sunday of the Year 22 July 2007
Etched in glass above the door at the entrance to Leander Hall
on the campus of Saint Vincent Seminary…
are these words from the monastic Rule of St. Benedict…
"Let all guests be received as Christ."
These words form the foundation of the hospitality
for which the Benedictine monks are so famous.
Today’s readings can be seen as stories of hospitality.
Abraham welcomes the three angels and feeds them in his own home.
Then in the Gospel, Martha welcomes the Lord Jesus and cares for Him…
serving Him and feeding Him from her own food.
Martha and Mary show us how to receive guests…
how to care for them and be attentive to them.
When our friends visit do we not cook for them…
and sit at their feet while they regale us with stories of travels and life at home?
This is also how we receive the Lord.
We welcome Him with great joy in the Eucharist…
show him great love and tenderness in our prayer
and sit at His feet listening intently to His Words of life and peace.
[PAUSE]
On a much deeper level…
Martha and Mary reveal to us the two-fold life of the Church…
the active and the contemplative dimensions.
Busy Martha is the active servant, burdened with much work for the sake of Jesus.
We see her spirit alive in
the diocesan priesthood,
in religious communities of friars, and nuns,
who teach, care for the sick and the poor,
and evangelize those who do not know Christ…
in all those who labor tirelessly for the good of the Church.
Pius Mary is the contemplative soul, resting at the feet of the Lord
and soaking up the splendor of His holy words.
Mary’s spirit lives
in the orders of monks and nuns
who spend their lives in the solitude of their convent or monastery,
praying and adoring the Lord…
Her spirit lives in the hearts of those who enter into conversation with God in prayer.
[PAUSE]
There are active members of the Church and there are contemplatives.
Dominicans…
Poor Clares…
Among the saints the spirits of both Martha and Mary are alive.
Saint Francis…
Saint Therese…
Each of us…
as members of the Body of Christ…
and heirs of a great treasure bestowed upon us by the Lord Jesus…
is called to embrace the fullness of the life of the Church.
There needs to be both an active and a contemplative dimension to our lives.
If we work our fingers to the bone and never pause for prayer…
our minds and souls will be without the nourishment they need…
and soon they will whither like fruit on a tree that is without water.
And yet, if one is absorbed in prayer and never labors in the Lord’s vineyard…
the fruits of prayer are never put into action…
and the contemplation of our hearts never blossoms into good deeds.
There must always be a balance in our lives.
There is a time and place for work…
the work we do to sustain our families
and our labor in service to the Church…
…and there is a time and place for prayer,
and for reading the Scriptures and spiritual books.
Through her active service and contemplative prayer
the Church is always in relationship with Jesus Christ…
and remains open to the mysteries He reveals to us.
Through our own work and prayer…
we open our hearts to the mystery of Christ…
the mystery which Saint Paul tells us was hidden from past ages
but is revealed to us as the members of God’s Holy Church.
[PAUSE]
In recent days, our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI,
has called us in unique ways to open our hearts to the mysteries of Christ.
If you have followed the news,
you know that there have been important developments from the Vatican...
The Holy Father has issued a document called a motu proprio (Explain term…)…
which gives all priests permission…
where necessary for the good of the faithful…
to celebrate the ritual of Mass according to the Missal of 1962,
the ritual in place before the Second Vatican Council.
The Pope calls this celebration of the Mass the "extraordinary form."
The Mass as we know it, according to the Missal of 1970,
remains the "ordinary form."
Having these two forms of the one Roman Rite celebrated together
opens the Church up to new and exciting possibilities in worship.
It allows us to behold and to appreciate
the fullness of our Catholic liturgical tradition.
The missal of 1962 can teach us many lessons
in the area of reverence and cherishing a sense of the sacred.
The Pope says that both forms can learn and borrow from the other.
Perhaps in time we will see a mingling of the old liturgy and the new…
a blending of Latin and English…
and even more significantly a beautiful, noble, liturgy…
filled with the best elements of the whole Catholic tradition.
This decision of the Pope does not negate the goodness of Vatican II…
nor does it change our ordinary experience of the Mass.
It allows the whole Church to experience the fullness of her liturgical heritage…
and opens our hearts to experiencing the mystery of Christ in a fuller way.
[PAUSE]
As Catholic people we rejoice and give thanks for the splendor of our faith!
We open our hearts to the mystery of Christ
as revealed in the beauty of our liturgical tradition…
both the former ritual and the one we are accustomed to today.
Through our labors and our prayer,
may we always keep our hearts open to experiencing ever more deeply
the mystery of Christ.
on the campus of Saint Vincent Seminary…
are these words from the monastic Rule of St. Benedict…
"Let all guests be received as Christ."
These words form the foundation of the hospitality
for which the Benedictine monks are so famous.
Today’s readings can be seen as stories of hospitality.
Abraham welcomes the three angels and feeds them in his own home.
Then in the Gospel, Martha welcomes the Lord Jesus and cares for Him…
serving Him and feeding Him from her own food.
Martha and Mary show us how to receive guests…
how to care for them and be attentive to them.
When our friends visit do we not cook for them…
and sit at their feet while they regale us with stories of travels and life at home?
This is also how we receive the Lord.
We welcome Him with great joy in the Eucharist…
show him great love and tenderness in our prayer
and sit at His feet listening intently to His Words of life and peace.
[PAUSE]
On a much deeper level…
Martha and Mary reveal to us the two-fold life of the Church…
the active and the contemplative dimensions.
Busy Martha is the active servant, burdened with much work for the sake of Jesus.
We see her spirit alive in
the diocesan priesthood,
in religious communities of friars, and nuns,
who teach, care for the sick and the poor,
and evangelize those who do not know Christ…
in all those who labor tirelessly for the good of the Church.
Pius Mary is the contemplative soul, resting at the feet of the Lord
and soaking up the splendor of His holy words.
Mary’s spirit lives
in the orders of monks and nuns
who spend their lives in the solitude of their convent or monastery,
praying and adoring the Lord…
Her spirit lives in the hearts of those who enter into conversation with God in prayer.
[PAUSE]
There are active members of the Church and there are contemplatives.
Dominicans…
Poor Clares…
Among the saints the spirits of both Martha and Mary are alive.
Saint Francis…
Saint Therese…
Each of us…
as members of the Body of Christ…
and heirs of a great treasure bestowed upon us by the Lord Jesus…
is called to embrace the fullness of the life of the Church.
There needs to be both an active and a contemplative dimension to our lives.
If we work our fingers to the bone and never pause for prayer…
our minds and souls will be without the nourishment they need…
and soon they will whither like fruit on a tree that is without water.
And yet, if one is absorbed in prayer and never labors in the Lord’s vineyard…
the fruits of prayer are never put into action…
and the contemplation of our hearts never blossoms into good deeds.
There must always be a balance in our lives.
There is a time and place for work…
the work we do to sustain our families
and our labor in service to the Church…
…and there is a time and place for prayer,
and for reading the Scriptures and spiritual books.
Through her active service and contemplative prayer
the Church is always in relationship with Jesus Christ…
and remains open to the mysteries He reveals to us.
Through our own work and prayer…
we open our hearts to the mystery of Christ…
the mystery which Saint Paul tells us was hidden from past ages
but is revealed to us as the members of God’s Holy Church.
[PAUSE]
In recent days, our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI,
has called us in unique ways to open our hearts to the mysteries of Christ.
If you have followed the news,
you know that there have been important developments from the Vatican...
The Holy Father has issued a document called a motu proprio (Explain term…)…
which gives all priests permission…
where necessary for the good of the faithful…
to celebrate the ritual of Mass according to the Missal of 1962,
the ritual in place before the Second Vatican Council.
The Pope calls this celebration of the Mass the "extraordinary form."
The Mass as we know it, according to the Missal of 1970,
remains the "ordinary form."
Having these two forms of the one Roman Rite celebrated together
opens the Church up to new and exciting possibilities in worship.
It allows us to behold and to appreciate
the fullness of our Catholic liturgical tradition.
The missal of 1962 can teach us many lessons
in the area of reverence and cherishing a sense of the sacred.
The Pope says that both forms can learn and borrow from the other.
Perhaps in time we will see a mingling of the old liturgy and the new…
a blending of Latin and English…
and even more significantly a beautiful, noble, liturgy…
filled with the best elements of the whole Catholic tradition.
This decision of the Pope does not negate the goodness of Vatican II…
nor does it change our ordinary experience of the Mass.
It allows the whole Church to experience the fullness of her liturgical heritage…
and opens our hearts to experiencing the mystery of Christ in a fuller way.
[PAUSE]
As Catholic people we rejoice and give thanks for the splendor of our faith!
We open our hearts to the mystery of Christ
as revealed in the beauty of our liturgical tradition…
both the former ritual and the one we are accustomed to today.
Through our labors and our prayer,
may we always keep our hearts open to experiencing ever more deeply
the mystery of Christ.
Monday, July 16, 2007
On the new translation on the Roman Missal
The following is the essential content of a letter sent today to the Bishops' Committee on the Liturgy (BCL) and the International Committee on the Use of English in the Liturgy (ICEL). The letter further commends the fine work of the translators.
This content appeared previously but has been edited here. The old posting is found in the archives.
I am writing in response to the invitation of The Most Reverend Donald W. Trautman, Bishop of Erie, printed in his May 12, 2007 article in America, to "speak up" regarding the English translations of the Roman Missal. While I appreciate the Bishop’s concern for the participation of the faithful in the Liturgy, I find the language of the new prayers that he cites to be beautiful, inspiring, and an eloquent linguistic expression of the splendor of the Catholic faith. I desire to share my thoughts with you on this matter of translations.
I believe that three essential considerations must be noted in this discussion of translations. First, the Christian Faith, which we celebrate in the Sacred Liturgy, is rich beyond compare and deserves a form of language that, despite the inadequacy of any human words to express the mysteries of faith, is the best means of transmitting those sublime mysteries. It makes no sense to use common language to express what is anything but ordinary. The words chosen for liturgical prayer should be our best words, our most eloquent constructions, the words of poetry. Of course liturgy should resonate with culture. Yet, it should be recognized that the authentic culture of English-speaking peoples is more than the language of every-day conversation. The Church has the opportunity to be instrumental in preserving that culture for future generations through her liturgical texts.
Second, we clergy should give our Catholic faithful the respect that they deserve. They are not incapable of grasping the complexities of the English language. Seeking the lowest common denominator in liturgical language, in order to ensure that the people understand every word, undermines the sense of mystery and the uniqueness of the Liturgy. I believe that the new prayers, in their beauty and depth, are just what our people need and will be joyfully accepted by those who hear them. The people are hungering for the truth of our Faith and for a deeper experience of the Church. They will welcome liturgical prayers with rich vocabulary. In those instances where a prayer is not easily comprehendible, there is a teachable moment, wherein a person can grow in his understanding of both the faith and his own mother tongue.
Third, prayers of rich vocabulary and complex syntax require particular attention in liturgical proclamation. Sentences filled with descriptive adjectives and segmented with dependent clauses need to be read slowly and with care. Furthermore, time needs to be devoted to rehearsing the prayers beforehand, especially when they are to be sung. This presents an additional challenge for the celebrant in his preparation for, and celebration of, the Sacred Liturgy. It is a challenge I welcome.
The new prayers of the Roman Missal will, in my own humble estimation, communicate the mysteries of faith in a new and more abundant manner. I believe we shall, as Catholic clergy and people, fall in love with their eloquence and through them be drawn ever deeper into the mysteries of our Faith.
This content appeared previously but has been edited here. The old posting is found in the archives.
I am writing in response to the invitation of The Most Reverend Donald W. Trautman, Bishop of Erie, printed in his May 12, 2007 article in America, to "speak up" regarding the English translations of the Roman Missal. While I appreciate the Bishop’s concern for the participation of the faithful in the Liturgy, I find the language of the new prayers that he cites to be beautiful, inspiring, and an eloquent linguistic expression of the splendor of the Catholic faith. I desire to share my thoughts with you on this matter of translations.
I believe that three essential considerations must be noted in this discussion of translations. First, the Christian Faith, which we celebrate in the Sacred Liturgy, is rich beyond compare and deserves a form of language that, despite the inadequacy of any human words to express the mysteries of faith, is the best means of transmitting those sublime mysteries. It makes no sense to use common language to express what is anything but ordinary. The words chosen for liturgical prayer should be our best words, our most eloquent constructions, the words of poetry. Of course liturgy should resonate with culture. Yet, it should be recognized that the authentic culture of English-speaking peoples is more than the language of every-day conversation. The Church has the opportunity to be instrumental in preserving that culture for future generations through her liturgical texts.
Second, we clergy should give our Catholic faithful the respect that they deserve. They are not incapable of grasping the complexities of the English language. Seeking the lowest common denominator in liturgical language, in order to ensure that the people understand every word, undermines the sense of mystery and the uniqueness of the Liturgy. I believe that the new prayers, in their beauty and depth, are just what our people need and will be joyfully accepted by those who hear them. The people are hungering for the truth of our Faith and for a deeper experience of the Church. They will welcome liturgical prayers with rich vocabulary. In those instances where a prayer is not easily comprehendible, there is a teachable moment, wherein a person can grow in his understanding of both the faith and his own mother tongue.
Third, prayers of rich vocabulary and complex syntax require particular attention in liturgical proclamation. Sentences filled with descriptive adjectives and segmented with dependent clauses need to be read slowly and with care. Furthermore, time needs to be devoted to rehearsing the prayers beforehand, especially when they are to be sung. This presents an additional challenge for the celebrant in his preparation for, and celebration of, the Sacred Liturgy. It is a challenge I welcome.
The new prayers of the Roman Missal will, in my own humble estimation, communicate the mysteries of faith in a new and more abundant manner. I believe we shall, as Catholic clergy and people, fall in love with their eloquence and through them be drawn ever deeper into the mysteries of our Faith.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
I am writing in response to the invitation of The Most Reverend Donald W. Trautman, Bishop of Erie, printed in his May 12, 2007 article in America, to "speak up" regarding the English translations of the Roman Missal. While I appreciate the Bishop’s concern for the participation of the faithful in the Liturgy, I find the language of the prayers that he cites to be beautiful, inspiring, and a most eloquent and worthy linguistic expression of the splendor of the Catholic faith.
I believe that three essential considerations must be noted in this discussion of translations. First, the Christian Faith, which we celebrate in the Sacred Liturgy, is rich beyond compare and deserves a form of language that, despite the inadequacy of any human words to express the mysteries of faith, is the best means of transmitting those sublime mysteries. It makes no sense to use common language to express what is anything but ordinary. The words chosen for liturgical prayer should be our best words, our most eloquent constructions, the words of poetry. Of course liturgy should resonate with culture. Yet, it should be recognized that the authentic culture of English-speaking peoples is more than the language of every-day conversation. The Church has the opportunity to be instrumental in preserving that culture for future generations through her liturgical texts.
Second, we clergy should give our Catholic faithful the respect that they deserve. They are not incapable of grasping the complexities of the English language. Seeking the lowest common denominator in liturgical language, in order to ensure that the people understand every word, undermines the sense of mystery and the uniqueness of the Liturgy. I believe that the new prayers, in their beauty and depth, are just what our people need and will be joyfully accepted by those who hear them. The people are hungering for the truth of our Faith and for a deeper experience of the Church. They will welcome liturgical prayers with rich vocabulary. In those instances where a prayer is not easily comprehendible, there is a teachable moment, wherein a person can grow in his understanding of both the faith and his own mother tongue.
Third, prayers of rich vocabulary and complex syntax require particular attention in liturgical proclamation. Sentences filled with descriptive adjectives and segmented with dependent clauses need to be read slowly and with care. Furthermore, time should be devoted to rehearsing the prayers beforehand, especially when they are to be sung. This presents an additional challenge for the celebrant in his preparation for, and celebration of, the Sacred Liturgy. It is a challenge I welcome.
The new prayers of the Roman Missal will, in my own humble estimation, communicate the mysteries of faith in a new and more abundant manner. I believe we shall, as Catholic clergy and people, fall in love with their eloquence and through them be drawn ever deeper into the mysteries of our Faith. Having been invited to speak up, I say to the translators: "Keep up the good work." My prayers are with them.
I believe that three essential considerations must be noted in this discussion of translations. First, the Christian Faith, which we celebrate in the Sacred Liturgy, is rich beyond compare and deserves a form of language that, despite the inadequacy of any human words to express the mysteries of faith, is the best means of transmitting those sublime mysteries. It makes no sense to use common language to express what is anything but ordinary. The words chosen for liturgical prayer should be our best words, our most eloquent constructions, the words of poetry. Of course liturgy should resonate with culture. Yet, it should be recognized that the authentic culture of English-speaking peoples is more than the language of every-day conversation. The Church has the opportunity to be instrumental in preserving that culture for future generations through her liturgical texts.
Second, we clergy should give our Catholic faithful the respect that they deserve. They are not incapable of grasping the complexities of the English language. Seeking the lowest common denominator in liturgical language, in order to ensure that the people understand every word, undermines the sense of mystery and the uniqueness of the Liturgy. I believe that the new prayers, in their beauty and depth, are just what our people need and will be joyfully accepted by those who hear them. The people are hungering for the truth of our Faith and for a deeper experience of the Church. They will welcome liturgical prayers with rich vocabulary. In those instances where a prayer is not easily comprehendible, there is a teachable moment, wherein a person can grow in his understanding of both the faith and his own mother tongue.
Third, prayers of rich vocabulary and complex syntax require particular attention in liturgical proclamation. Sentences filled with descriptive adjectives and segmented with dependent clauses need to be read slowly and with care. Furthermore, time should be devoted to rehearsing the prayers beforehand, especially when they are to be sung. This presents an additional challenge for the celebrant in his preparation for, and celebration of, the Sacred Liturgy. It is a challenge I welcome.
The new prayers of the Roman Missal will, in my own humble estimation, communicate the mysteries of faith in a new and more abundant manner. I believe we shall, as Catholic clergy and people, fall in love with their eloquence and through them be drawn ever deeper into the mysteries of our Faith. Having been invited to speak up, I say to the translators: "Keep up the good work." My prayers are with them.
Thursday, July 05, 2007
Homily Synopsis - Nativity of Saint John the Baptist - 24 June 2007
The Nativity of Saint John the Baptist
is the first moment of revelation of God’s great plan to redeem mankind…
the first moment of joy and anticipation for God’s people.
Even before the Birth of Jesus…
before the Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth…
before the Annunciation of the birth of Jesus to Mary by the angel Gabriel…
the one who would announce the presence of the Messiah
to the people of Israel is born.
This is one of those rare days in the Church’s liturgical calendar
when a Feast of a Saint takes the place of the celebration of Sunday.
Not in Lent and Advent…
Solemnity…
Shows the significance of this feast in the history of salvation…
John the Baptist is the child of the barren woman Elizabeth…
Out of her barrenness God brings new life…
His birth is a sign that out of the barrenness of fallen creation
God wishes to bring new life…
That life comes to us in the person of Jesus Christ…
in all that He teaches to the Apostles…
in the Sacraments and the life of the Church…
In Christ God showers new and abundant life on a world barren because of sin.
Sin had made the world barren and rendered it incapable of producing life.
The victory of the Cross overcomes sin and death
and the Resurrection brings new life to all of creations…
John the Baptist is the forerunner of Christ…
the one who prepared the way for the Messiah…
who made a straight path through the desert for the coming redeemer.
He performed a ministry of baptism by water along the Jordan River…
calling the people to repentance for their sins.
He is a prophet announcing the presence of God in the midst of the people of Israel.
When Jesus appears to begin His public ministry…
John cries out…
“Behold the Lamb of God…”
In every Mass…the priest elevates the Host and Chalice and calls out…
“Behold the Lamb of God…
Behold His who takes away the sins of the world…
Blessed are they who are called to His supper…”
Blessed are those among us who are worthy to receive Communion…
Blessed are the members of the Church who share in this holy supper.
Truly blessed are those who now share in the banquet of the Lamb in Heaven.
We who partake of the holy Body and Blood of Jesus Christ…
are called to be just as much prophets as John the Baptist.
We live in a world that remains in many ways “barren”
because of sin and a culture of violence and death…
a world in which Jessie Davis and her unborn daughter are taken from us…
[a reference to a local murder case that affected the Canton community]
The world needs us to call out…
like the priest at Mass…
and like John the Baptist of old…
“Behold the Lamb of God…”
In our schools and workplaces…
we call out…
“Behold the Lamb of God…”
“Behold this Jesus whose Gospel can transform your life and make it new.”
“Behold the one who takes away your sins in the Sacrament of Penance.”
“Behold the one who gives Himself to you in the holy Eucharist.”
Yes, the world needs Jesus and needs Him desperately.
The prophetic mission of proclaiming the truth of Christ is entrusted to us.
For the sake of all those who do not know Christ
and whose lives can be made whole again if only they come to embrace Him.
we pledge our lives for the cause of the Gospel.
is the first moment of revelation of God’s great plan to redeem mankind…
the first moment of joy and anticipation for God’s people.
Even before the Birth of Jesus…
before the Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth…
before the Annunciation of the birth of Jesus to Mary by the angel Gabriel…
the one who would announce the presence of the Messiah
to the people of Israel is born.
This is one of those rare days in the Church’s liturgical calendar
when a Feast of a Saint takes the place of the celebration of Sunday.
Not in Lent and Advent…
Solemnity…
Shows the significance of this feast in the history of salvation…
John the Baptist is the child of the barren woman Elizabeth…
Out of her barrenness God brings new life…
His birth is a sign that out of the barrenness of fallen creation
God wishes to bring new life…
That life comes to us in the person of Jesus Christ…
in all that He teaches to the Apostles…
in the Sacraments and the life of the Church…
In Christ God showers new and abundant life on a world barren because of sin.
Sin had made the world barren and rendered it incapable of producing life.
The victory of the Cross overcomes sin and death
and the Resurrection brings new life to all of creations…
John the Baptist is the forerunner of Christ…
the one who prepared the way for the Messiah…
who made a straight path through the desert for the coming redeemer.
He performed a ministry of baptism by water along the Jordan River…
calling the people to repentance for their sins.
He is a prophet announcing the presence of God in the midst of the people of Israel.
When Jesus appears to begin His public ministry…
John cries out…
“Behold the Lamb of God…”
In every Mass…the priest elevates the Host and Chalice and calls out…
“Behold the Lamb of God…
Behold His who takes away the sins of the world…
Blessed are they who are called to His supper…”
Blessed are those among us who are worthy to receive Communion…
Blessed are the members of the Church who share in this holy supper.
Truly blessed are those who now share in the banquet of the Lamb in Heaven.
We who partake of the holy Body and Blood of Jesus Christ…
are called to be just as much prophets as John the Baptist.
We live in a world that remains in many ways “barren”
because of sin and a culture of violence and death…
a world in which Jessie Davis and her unborn daughter are taken from us…
[a reference to a local murder case that affected the Canton community]
The world needs us to call out…
like the priest at Mass…
and like John the Baptist of old…
“Behold the Lamb of God…”
In our schools and workplaces…
we call out…
“Behold the Lamb of God…”
“Behold this Jesus whose Gospel can transform your life and make it new.”
“Behold the one who takes away your sins in the Sacrament of Penance.”
“Behold the one who gives Himself to you in the holy Eucharist.”
Yes, the world needs Jesus and needs Him desperately.
The prophetic mission of proclaiming the truth of Christ is entrusted to us.
For the sake of all those who do not know Christ
and whose lives can be made whole again if only they come to embrace Him.
we pledge our lives for the cause of the Gospel.
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