By Archbishop Thomas Wenski - The Archdiocese of Miami
Archbishop Thomas Wenski preached this homily at the annual chrism Mass, celebrated March 27, 2018, Tuesday of Holy Week, at St. Mary Cathedral.
“And Jesus said, ‘Today, this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” That “today” of the Gospel is renewed in a special way during the Chrism Mass. The Chrism Mass is sort of a “prelude” to the Sacred Triduum that begins Thursday evening with the Mass of the Lord’s Supper. And, if Thursday evening’s Mass focuses on the gift of the Eucharist and Our Lord’s New Commandment of Love, this Mass gives prominence to the ministerial priesthood. For the work of salvation � announcing glad tidings to the poor and liberty to captives � continues today through the ministry of priests anointed by the Spirit to fulfill Christ’s command: “Do this in memory of me.”
Today each of the priests here will renew their priestly promises. And each one of us cannot help but feel deep emotion as we remember the day of ordination when we said “yes” to this great gift and mystery which is the Catholic priesthood. And this is especially true of our jubilarians. We do have a goodly number of golden and silver jubilarians. Ten are celebrating 25 years since their hands were anointed to offer sacrifice: Congratulations to Bishop Fernando Isern and Fathers Rolando Cabrera, Angel Calderon, Enrique Estrada, Franky Jean, Chris Marino, Juan Carlos Rios, Julio Solano, Marcos Somarriba and Gabriel Vigues. Celebrating 50 years of priestly service are Monsignor Jim Fetscher and Fathers Andres Coucelo, Mike Kelly, Tony Mullane and Jean Francois Simeon Jeanot.
Our golden jubilarians were ordained in 1968 � the tenth anniversary of the founding of our diocese and the year that it was made an Archdiocese � but nevertheless 1968 was a terrible year to become a priest. 1968 was the year of Vietnam War protests and race riots, the year of the youth culture’s rebellion against authority, the year of the assassinations of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Senator Robert F. Kennedy, the year of Humanae Vitae that saw many walk away from the Church and reject her teachings. Not an easy year to begin one’s ministry as a priest.
The saying goes, “If the Lord takes us to it, he’ll take us through it.” And so, it is particularly fitting that, in the presence of God’s people, these jubilarians and all of us priests together renew gratefully the commitment we freely embraced on the day of our ordinations, when for the offering of sacrifice, our own hands were anointed with chrism. May our renewal of our priestly promises encourage the four deacons here who will be ordained priests in May � and not only them but our seminarians and young people. A vocation to the priesthood or consecrated life is not a burden imposed but a gift offered and freely and joyfully accepted.
Pope Francis says, “The people of God receive through our words and deeds the oil of gladness which Jesus, the anointed one, came to bring us.” The sacred anointing we receive is never just “about us.” Jesus in establishing the priesthood of the New Testament did not intend to establish a “caste” with special privileges and perks to be lorded over the “lesser” Christians. We are ordained to be men for others. We congratulate these men for their years of faithful � and truly meaningful � service to the Church. In their ministry, they have been and continue to be men for others.
Together we will soon bless and consecrate the holy oils used in sacraments requiring an anointing. Oil is a symbol of strength used since antiquity to prepare athletes for competition. I supposed it made them slippery and thus harder to be pinned down by an opponent. But also oil is a symbol of health and of healing, and combined with perfumes, it is a symbol of the easing of pain and also of growth and maturation. Thus, oil is used in various sacraments � for, what we might call, “medicinal purposes.” The oil of catechumens and the oil of the sick is used to heal and strengthen us; but also oil, especially the sacred chrism, is used to protect us � to make us “slippery” in a sense so that we will not be pinned down by that adversary “who prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (cf. 1 Peter 5: 8)
Later this year, Pope Francis will convoke a Synod
which will focus on youth and vocations. As we renew our priestly promises, let
us also commit ourselves to encourage young people in their vocational discernment.
John Paul II, the year of his death in 2005, wrote these words to us priests:
“Particularly in the context of the new evangelization, the people have a right
to turn to priests in the hope of ‘seeing’ Christ in them (cf. Jn 12:21). The
young feel the need for this especially; Christ continues to call them, to make
them his friends and to challenge some to give themselves completely for the
sake of the Kingdom. Vocations will certainly not be lacking if our manner of
life is truly priestly, if we become more holy, more joyful, more impassioned
in the exercise of our ministry. A priest ‘won' by Christ (cf. Phil 3:12) more
easily ‘wins’ others, so that they too decide to set out on the same
adventure.”
Yes, and what an adventure it is! “For the Spirit of God is upon us and he has
anointed us.” May this Scripture passage is fulfilled in our hearing � today!
