Homilies

In his annual meeting with the worlds’ Vatican diplomatic ambassadors on January 9 of this year, His Holiness Pope Francis spoke powerfully to the gathering representatives about “the defense of life,” threatened as he stated, “by the ‘alleged’ right to abortion.”

For most of us growing up in the Catholic Church, the “idea” of the “missions” was something that we thought about “at a distance.” Missionaries were priests, brother and sisters who were sent by their religious orders to far away places “to convert, to spread the Gospel and to minister to their populations in ‘missionary lands’.” Unless we felt “called” to this kind of missionary vocation, we never expected to meet or encounter the missions “up close and personal.” Regularly, missionaries come to our parishes, and we take up special collections “for the missions” and over the years, your prayers and contributions have sustained priests, religious and lay pastoral leaders in more than 1,100 mission dioceses in Asia, Africa, the Pacific Islands, and parts of Latin America and Europe as they proclaim the Gospel, build the Church, and serve the poor.

“What do you want to be when you grow up?”  When I was in Catholic school like you, people would ask me and my friends that question all the time.  We gave all kinds of answers, depending on our ages and different experiences.  We were influenced by our parents, families, and friends.  We took some ideas from books we read in Catholic school, by things we studied, our favorite subjects, from people on tv and in movies or athletes in sports we watched.  We would change our minds many times as we got older.  I wonder what you would say if I asked you right now, “what do you want to be when you grow up?”

The Holy Father gives a public audience every Wednesday in Rome. Thousands of pilgrims from all over the world attend to hear his message and receive his blessing. Perhaps some of you have had the occasion and opportunity to attend.

In a few days, the “10th World Meeting of Families” will take place in Rome. Such a gathering, called by the Vatican, has taken place every three years since 1994.  This meeting, originally scheduled for last year, was postponed until this year due to the pandemic.  Its theme, announced by Pope Francis, is “Family Love: A Vocation and a Path to Holiness.”  Although every diocese throughout the world cannot attend the events in Rome, every diocese has been asked to participate by hosting its own meeting.  And, so, we gather here to celebrate family life in the Diocese of Trenton.

A bishop in the Catholic Church is called a “successor of the apostle.”  To me, that is one of the most powerful and, yet, most humbling titles I can imagine.  Through the laying on of hands by other bishops and the prayer of consecration, the authority to teach, to govern and to sanctify as a bishop is handed on in an unbroken line of succession from the apostles themselves 2,000 years ago.

In his meeting with a few thousand members of the Cursillo Movement in Italy at the end of May, our Holy Father Pope Francis encouraged the group to move toward “communion and mission” in all their activities, two words, two directions that Pope Francis uses frequently in his talks and homilies to groups within the Church. 

There is a saying often attributed to the early 20th century Irish writer and poet James Joyce (1882-1936) that explains “Catholic means ‘here comes everybody’.”  I find that quote very insightful, beautiful really.  The word “Catholic,” drawn from its Greek roots, is translated “universal.”  We Catholics are a universal Church: universal in extent and scope; universal in faith; universal in embrace. 

I remember going shopping as a boy with my mother and grandmother – I guess, maybe 60 years ago – when I asked my Mom to buy me a toy. We had just finished having lunch at the W.T. Grant Department store restaurant counter – remember those? – and I pleaded with her, “please get me this.”  My grandmother interrupted, “June, you are spoiling that boy,” and my Mom accepted her observation telling me to put the toy back. As Mom continued her shopping, distracted from us, Grandmom took my hand and whispered, “Go get it, I’ll buy it for you.” So much for being “spoiled.”  

On the evening of Holy Saturday, Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., urged the faithful to remember that nothing was ever the same again after the dark hours of Jesus’ Death gave way to the light of his glorious Resurrection.

Some of you may remember seeing the classic romantic­comedy film from the early fifties, "The Quiet Man" starring screen legends John Wayne, Maureen O'Hara and Barry Fitzgerald. Some of you may not remember either the film or the actors but it took place in Ireland, where John Wayne had returned after a boxing career in the US to find some peace and quiet, hence the film's title "The Quiet Man." Ironically, he fell in love and found just the opposite.

After the Readings that we hear at Mass, the reader says, “The Word of the Lord, the Gospel of the Lord,” and we respond, “Thanks be to God, praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.” Although we might not think about it too much, that is a very important dialogue. We are expressing our belief as Catholics that the Scriptures we hear and read are THE WORD OF THE LORD. Pretty awesome, don’t you think?

Just a little over one month ago, all Catholics and Christians celebrated the Birth of Jesus in Bethlehem on Christmas Day. 

Today, as a Diocese and throughout our many parishes, we celebrate a “Mass of Giving Thanks to God for the Gift of Human Life.” One need not be a Catholic to express that intention of gratitude. But one cannot, however, be a Catholic without that sentiment rooted deep in our souls.  

The coronavirus pandemic that has gripped most of the world is a crisis on so many levels that very few parts of our society have been spared its impact.  Our own state has been one of the regions in our country hardest hit, so much so, that the things that have been, and are, an ordinary part of our everyday life have been put “on hold” in virtually every sphere of endeavor, including our life in the Church. 

Jesus of Nazareth lived most of his life in obscurity without much notoriety or attention paid to him.  The Gospels tell us about his birth in Bethlehem and, later, about his appearance in the temple at age twelve.

The Thursday before Easter is called “Holy.” Some Christian communities use the expression “Maundy” as their reference, a term less familiar to Catholics – coming from French and Latin roots – meaning “commanded.”  It is a reference to the command of the Lord Jesus on that first Holy Thursday to wash the feet of his disciples: “As I have done for you, you should also do (John 13: 15).”  We hear that command in tonight’s Gospel of St. John.

Did Jesus ever go to school? The Bible doesn’t say so we cannot be sure. Did you ever wonder about that? The New Testament does tell us that Jesus could read, something he had to learn somewhere. The New Testament also suggests that Jesus could write, again something he had to learn somewhere. Jesus also knew the Hebrew Scriptures, the Old Testament, since he quoted it often. Where did he learn the Jewish religion and all its rules and practices?

In my Christmas Message to the Diocese this year, I wrote “The whole world becomes different at Christmas.” Those are my words, yes, but they are not my idea. The prophet Isaiah —- 800 years before the birth of Christ —- expressed the idea this way, as we heard in our First Reading tonight, “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.” Light makes the dark world “different.” It enables people to see. And what do we see at Christmas? “A child is born for us,” Isaiah explains, “A son is given us. Upon his shoulders dominion rests.” This is what we see; this is whom we see at Christmas. A Child. A Son. “They name him: Wonder Counselor, God-Hero, Father Forever, Prince of Peace.” It is the Child, the Son who shatters the darkness of this world and brings his light.