Chrism
Mass: we celebrate gift, mystery of priesthood
Homily of Cardinal Justin Rigali
Chrism Mass
Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul
March 20, 2008
Praised be Jesus Christ, our great High Priest, the Faithful Witness,
the Firstborn of the dead and Ruler of the Kings of the earth!
Your Eminence,
Dear brother Bishops and Priests in the presbyterate of Philadelphia,
Dear Deacons, Religious and Seminarians,
Dear Students and Young Men exploring a vocation to the sacred priesthood,
Dear Friends in our Lord Jesus Christ,
We are closely united today in this Sacrifice of the Mass with our Holy
Father Pope Benedict XVI, chief representative of our great High Priest,
Jesus Christ. We ask God to give him special grace and strength on this
Holy Thursday. Together with him and all the priests of the world we give
thanks to God for gathering us together to proclaim Jesus Christ as the
great High Priest anointed by the Holy Spirit.
At this Mass we celebrate the gift and mystery of the priesthood. We celebrate
Jesus Christ as He Himself is anointed Priest of the New Covenant and
as He shares the priesthood with those whom He has personally chosen.
This is the day on which the faith of the Church shows the relationship
of the priesthood to the Eucharist and the Eucharist to the priesthood.
This is the day on which we express support and love for all the priests
who carry forward their daily dedicated pastoral care of God’s people.
I would like to extend a greeting especially to you young people who have
come here from so many parishes to be with your Bishop and your priests
on this Holy Thursday: the day when Jesus instituted the Holy Eucharist
and the priesthood—the day when He gave priests the power to offer
up the Eucharistic Sacrifice, to celebrate Mass.
Throughout the whole world this is the day when the Bishop comes together
with his priests, as a united presbyterate, to celebrate the Eucharist.
Today the Bishop also blesses the oils that benefit all the People of
God and are used in administering four of the sacraments of the Church:
Baptism, Confirmation, the Anointing of the Sick and Holy Orders. Your
presence here this morning, dear young people, is very important.
In the life of the Church there are different moments when we emphasize
different vocations and different aspects of God’s plan for His
Church. For example, on the feast of the Holy Family, the Church proclaims
the special importance of the family, the vocation of husbands and wives,
mothers and fathers of families—and also the role of children and
their importance. On the feast of the Presentation of the Lord in the
Temple, the Church emphasizes the great value of religious consecration
in the midst of the People of God. At that time she also underlines the
deep meaning of the evangelical counsels of chastity, poverty and obedience
as they are lived in joy by men and women religious throughout the world.
On Deacon Day we celebrate the providential role of the diaconate in the
Church and give thanks for the service that our deacons render.
Today, Holy Thursday, the Church concentrates on the Eucharist and Christ’s
gift of the priesthood, which benefit all people—young and old,
married and single, clergy and religious. She emphasizes the importance
of the vocation to the priesthood. The Church needs the priesthood. The
People of God need the priesthood. Jesus Himself needs the priesthood
to fulfill His plan of salvation. Today at this Mass I ask those young
men who may experience a vocation to the priesthood to open their hearts
to the call of our Lord and not to be afraid to say yes.
All of you, dear People of God, by your participation at this Mass show
your faith in the Church, in the priesthood and in the Eucharist. You
are all very much aware that despite the weaknesses and sins of individuals,
the Church, which is the Body of Christ, is strong in faith and love.
Our hope is in the living God. We believe in the power of the Death and
Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ to forgive sins, to renew hearts
and to bring us all to ever deeper conversion in our lives.
On this Holy Thursday I would like to speak especially to my priests.
These times continue to be challenging for all of us and for the People
of God. We pray in a special way for all our brother priests, including
those who for various reasons need God’s special grace and strength
in a particular way. We remember those in pain, sickness and suffering.
We know that Jesus our High Priest takes on the sins of all of us and
offers all of us forgiveness and mercy. As ministers of reconciliation
we know how much the world and ourselves constantly need repentance, pardon,
penance and new life.
As a community we renew today our commitment to holiness of life, to sacred
celibacy and to faithful service. It is my conviction, dear brother Priests,
that you are already deeply involved in this search for holiness and in
this reawakening of the ideals of total self-giving to Christ. And what
strength and joy you find in this!
Dear brother priests: this is the day for all of us to re-live the joy
of our ordination. This is the day for the Church to pray earnestly for
vocations to the priesthood. These vocations are deeply rooted in the
enduring power of Christ to attract young men to a life of generosity
and sacrifice in the priesthood. In God’s providence priestly vocations
are also fostered by the witness of your own priestly fidelity and joy.
This is the day for all priests to experience and bear witness, through
the Holy Spirit, to a special relationship with Christ and therefore with
the Father. We are called to experience the joy of paternity in the Church;
to express gratitude for the sentiments of our people, for the love they
have for priests. It is the moment to realize the esteem of the faithful
for the celibacy that we have promised and that we freely, and with determination,
renew today. It is the occasion to express fraternity among ourselves
in the presbyterate.
It is because of the priesthood that the Church possesses the Mass, Holy
Communion, Viaticum, reservation of the Blessed Sacrament, Eucharistic
Adoration and all the Sacraments. Through the priesthood every vocation
is sustained in the Church. Christian marriage and the Christian family
are a special part of the daily pastoral care that priests give to the
faithful. In God’s plan the priesthood exists to support all God’s
people.
And how grateful we are to the People of God here and in our parishes,
and throughout the entire Archdiocese of Philadelphia, for their trust
and love and support. We renew our commitment to them because we renew
our commitment to Jesus Christ and to the mission of His Church. We experience
confidence not because we have no weaknesses or sins, but because Jesus
Christ died for us and in the Eucharist His Body and Blood are offered
up to the Father “so that sins may be forgiven.”
Dear brother priests: the People of God count on your love, your pastoral
service, and your fidelity to the end. Jesus Himself has chosen you to
serve the rest. You have been anointed like Jesus, to be able to proclaim
the Gospel to the poor and to the whole world. Brother priests: never
forget how important you are in God’s plan of salvation! Rejoice!
Be strong, be faithful! You are not alone! Mary, the Mother of Jesus is
with you at all times. The prayer of Christ’s Church supports you.
And Jesus Himself calls you to support, by your love, one another and
all your brothers and sisters in the Church.
Finally, all praise and thanksgiving to you, Lord Jesus Christ, our great
High Priest, for the gifts of the priesthood and the Eucharist—to
you who have loved us and freed us from our sins by your Blood, who have
made us into a Kingdom, priests for your God and Father, to you be glory
and power forever and ever (cf. Rev 1:5-6). Amen.