By Archbishop Thomas Wenski - The Archdiocese of Miami
Archbishop Thomas Wenski preached this homily while celebrating the annual Blue Mass with members of the law enforcement community and first responders on the feast of St. Michael and the Holy Archangels, Sept. 29, 2023, at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Doral.
The “Blue” Mass has been traditionally celebrated in September, on or near the feast of St. Michael the Archangel, who in the Book of Revelation is described as the head of the angelic armies. For centuries, Christians have sought his intercession: "St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the devil." St. Michael is the patron of police officers – our men and women in blue. And of course, in uniforms of different colors and hues. As first responders, you are like guardian angels. For our police officers, along with firefighters and other emergency personnel, also defend us against the wickedness and snares of the devil.
Our thoughts and our prayers today are with the families of police officers who have died in the line of duty. Today's Blue Mass also honors those men and women, our finest, and all our public servants, living and dead, who daily place themselves in harm's way in the performance of their duty, a duty whose burden we in civilian life often fail to sufficiently appreciate and acknowledge.
The stress of your jobs also too often goes underappreciated. Stress on the job can also be carried over to stress in your marriages. Divorce, drinking, even suicide are occupational hazards that unfortunately come with the job. Those of us who fly know the instructions the flight attendants give the passengers before take-off. “In the unlikely event that the cabin loses pressure, an oxygen mask will pop out of the ceiling” and, we are told, “place the oxygen mask on yourself before attempting to help your child or another passenger put on their mask.” There is a lesson here for you as well: In order to help us, you have to help yourself first. Don’t neglect to seek help for yourselves as you deal with the stress of your jobs so that you can continue to help us. For if you do battle with the Devil on our streets and in our communities, you also may have to contend with interior demons.
In celebrating this Holy Mass for you, we express our gratitude for your commitment to the common good. We thank God for you, and we thank you for your sacrifice as we ask God to protect you and keep you safe.
Because of your work, you see too often the dark side of our fallen human nature. It is a thin blue line that protects us from barbarity; it is a thin blue line that defends our communities so that they remain just that, communities, and not moral jungles.
Too often, we can become complacent and forget how fragile the world we live in is. That we can become complacent is perhaps a tribute to you and your effectiveness as public servants. Most days you do your jobs so well we take you for granted: Thanks to you, the wickedness and snares of the devil seem far removed from us. But tragedies – whether they originate in evil minds or come about because of the fury of Mother Nature or they happen because of the limitations of our humanity in avoiding mistakes and accidents – these tragedies bring home to us the fragility of our lives.
The liturgy today honors the Archangels, Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael. These biblical messengers, God's emissaries as it were, signify God's transcendence and loving care: Michael's name means "Who is like God," Gabriel's means "God's strength" and Raphael "God's remedy."
Who is like God? Indeed. The response to human weakness, the response to human fear, and human sinfulness is simply dependence on the grace and strength of the Lord. At the celebration of every Mass, we acknowledge God's greatness, and we ask him for the strength to let go, and let God, lest we become overwhelmed by the stress of our jobs and the challenges of our daily lives. Here, before the Altar of Sacrifice on which Jesus' gift of himself is recalled and made present anew, we ask for God's strength so that we may always remain worthy of the trust given to us. Here, at the table of his Body and Blood, we seek God's remedy, the remedy of forgiveness and reconciliation.
Too often, our society values people for what they have and not for who they are, and when getting rather than giving is prized, celebrities are taken as role models. Starlets with bare midriffs are deemed worthy of emulation; and sports personalities, whose records unfortunately also include rap sheets, are idolized.
But, today, we honor you law enforcement officers, as well as firefighters, and rescue personnel. You put your lives on the line to serve and protect people you don't even know. We honor you not because you are celebrities. The good work you do is not often mentioned in the papers or on the evening news. Like priests, you only make news when you get into trouble. We honor you because you are heroes.
You are heroes not because you did not ever feel fear, but because you did not let fear overwhelm you so as to keep you from helping your neighbor. You are heroes because in the face of evil, you respond firmly and resolutely to the forces of hate to protect and serve the common good.
Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil; May God rebuke him, we humbly pray; And do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host, by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan and all evil spirits who wander through the world seeking the ruin of souls.
