Rite
of Election begins journey toward full communion
Homily of
Cardinal Justin Rigali
Rite of Election
First Sunday of Lent
Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul
February 9-10, 2008
Praised
be Jesus Christ! Now and Forever!
Dear brother Priests,
Dear Deacons, Religious, Catechumens, Candidates, Godparents, Sponsors,
Family and Friends,
How good it is for us to be here this day. As we continue to celebrate
200 years as a Diocese, I welcome you all to the Cathedral Basilica
of Saints Peter and Paul, the mother Church of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia,
for the Rite of Election. I especially welcome the catechumens and the
candidates for full reception who have been chosen to begin their final
preparation for reception of the sacraments of the Catholic Church.
God has written His call deep within your hearts and you have responded
“yes” to the marvelous power of God’s love. The seeds
of God’s word have taken root in your life as evidenced in your
practice of prayer and service, and your desire to learn the teachings
of the Catholic Church. Your pastors, catechists, godparents and sponsors
have recognized in you a deepening conversion to the person of Jesus
Christ and can testify to your readiness and willingness.
In the name of the Church, I will soon accept you as those elected to
receive the sacraments of initiation at the Easter Vigil. This Rite,
therefore, marks a significant and sacred moment in your journey of
faith. Now your faith will sustain you as you continue to walk with
Christ as God’s chosen ones.
On this first Sunday of Lent, we begin a journey that leads us to the
cross of Calvary and the joy of Easter. Today’s readings reflect
on temptation and sin. In the first reading, Adam and Eve fall to the
temptation to trust their own knowledge and judgment rather than God’s.
In doing so, they set themselves up for a journey that takes them away
from the Garden of Paradise and from eternal life with God. In the Gospel,
Jesus journeys with the Holy Spirit into the desert, where, in His human
nature, He faces the temptation to take physical and spiritual matters
into His own hands. Jesus places His trust in God His Father for everything
He needs and sends the devil away. Lent invites us to turn away from
sin, embrace the Gospel and move closer to God, trusting in His guidance
and love.
The story of Adam and Eve in the garden probes the mystery of sin and
suffering. In the garden, God the Creator and Protector has planted
trees for the first man and woman and established a moral order. He
gives them permission to eat the fruit of nearly everything in the garden;
only the tree of the knowledge of good and evil is forbidden. God explains
that this order exists for Adam and Eve’s well-being, but the
serpent convinces the woman to think that God’s order only keeps
them from becoming more like God. The woman allows herself to be convinced
and eats from the tree of knowledge as does Adam. The result is shame
and broken relationships: they hide their nakedness, hide from God,
and blame one another. Sin always brings alienation and suffering.
Jesus, on the other hand, resists temptation and trusts in God’s
faithfulness and love. The devil tries to persuade Jesus to prove He
is the Son of God by using His power to feed Himself and by testing
God’s protective love. However, Jesus is secure in His loving
relationship with God His Father. Jesus does not have to prove anything;
He knows that God’s order, God’s will in His human life,
is for His good and the good of all.
Today’s Gospel tells us that even Jesus, who was God from all
eternity, when He came to earth, was tempted in His human nature by
the devil but maintained His clear focus on fulfilling the work given
Him by the Father. Clearly our focus too has to be on God. These stories
of temptation remind us that our life is lived in the midst of human
weakness, which we too can overcome as Jesus did. The more we trust
God’s love and the wisdom of His ways, the more we will be able
to overcome the temptation of sin and live in the light of God’s
truth.
On this first Sunday of Lent we hear the words of Psalm 51, “A
clean heart create for me, O God, and a steadfast spirit renew within
me.” May these words remind you, dear friends, that the Spirit
of God is always with you, helping you to chose good and reject evil.
In all that lies ahead, the good experiences and the trials, remember
that you are not alone. As one who is baptized, each of you is a member
of the Body of Christ, united as one in faith and love, as one given
the promise of victory over sin. In the sacramental and prayer life
of the Catholic Church you will find the strength and courage needed
to profess your faith in Christ, by your words and actions.
My dear catechumens and candidates: as you continue your important journey
of faith, we look forward to the day when you will be one with us at
the table of the Lord. I assure you of the prayerful support of the
Church community as you journey with joy and trust to the Easter Sacraments.
Be at peace and continue to hear God’s call as you prepare to
enter more deeply into the Paschal Mystery of His Son, our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.