Chrism Mass

By Bishop Paul S. Loverde
Bishop of Arlington
(From the issue of 4/15/04)

The following homily was given by Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde on April 8, 2004, at the annual Chrism Mass at  St. Thomas More Cathedral, Arlington.

Brothers and Sisters in Christ, and especially my brother priests gathered here in our Cathedral for this Chrism Mass within which we shall recommit ourselves to the priestly service of God’s holy people, - disciples all in the Lord,

There are many concrete ways to describe who we are as the People of God. Given the present context and circumstances in which we find ourselves in society and in the Church, I would say without hesitation that we must be a people of hope. Yes, we must be a people of hope – hope rooted in Christ Jesus and in His Gospel and in His Cross.

Why can we be people of hope? Why must we be people of hope? Because we have been anointed and sealed with God the Holy Spirit precisely in order to proclaim the good news of Christ.

Jesus says to us this morning what He said to His audience in the synagogue of Nazareth: "Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing." What was the scripture passage to which He referred? The passage from the prophet Isaiah which Jesus had just quoted at the beginning of His address, the passage which we heard in today’s first reading. "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord." Yes, in their hearing and in our hearing, this passage is fulfilled. After all, each of us has been anointed with the Holy Spirit at Baptism and again at Confirmation. We were anointed and sent forth to be heralds of hope, united to the Lord Jesus, Who is the source of all hope.

In the Gospel passage just proclaimed, do we not find words of authentic hope? Is not the Gospel itself a message of Christian hope? Do not our sacramental celebrations, especially Penance and the Holy Eucharist, deepen our union with Christ precisely in order to become and to live as heralds of hope?

In fact, the oils being specially blessed during this Chrism Mass are themselves tangible signs and instruments of hope. Is not hope reflected in these words from the Blessing of the Oil of the Sick: "…Make this oil a remedy for all who are anointed with it; heal them in body, in soul, and in spirit, and deliver them from every affliction." Hope is likewise reflected in the Blessing of the Oil of Catechumens: "…bless this oil and give wisdom and strength to all who are anointed with it in preparation for their baptism." Surely, there is much hope underlying the Consecration of the Chrism: "…make this mixture a sign and source of your blessing, …Let the splendor of holiness shine on the world from every place and thing signed with this oil."

Yes, all of us here present, anointed by the Holy Spirit to proclaim the good news of Jesus, are truly heralds of hope within a society marked by its radical separation from the Source of Truth, Goodness and Life.

If all the members of God’s holy people are to be heralds of hope, how much more must we be, my brother priests, who have been anointed and consecrated by the Holy Spirit at our ordination to act "in persona Christi," to act in the Person of Christ, Head and Shepherd and Spouse of the Church! So now, let me speak with you more personally.

Dear brothers in the priesthood, you and I must truly be men of hope, since we are configured to Christ in a unique way and He is the source of all Christian hope. Without a doubt, our Holy Father sees the bishops as heralds of hope. In his recent Apostolic Exhortation to us bishops, Pope John Paul II clearly calls us bishops "servants of the Gospel for the hope of the world" (Pastores Gregis, no. 5). Since priests are the principal coworkers with the bishops, I would affirm that you too, my brothers, united with me, are intended to be servants of the Gospel for the hope of the world – heralds of hope par excellence!

Our preaching must bring genuine hope to people surrounded by cynicism, broken promises and near-despair. Speak to the weary a word that will rouse them (cf. Is 50:4). On our knees before Jesus truly present in the Blessed Sacrament, we listen to the words that come from His Sacred Heart and are thereby transformed and strengthened to preach and to teach in a way that gives hope and encouragement to the people entrusted to our care. Ours must be a clear and unambiguous proclamation of the Gospel. As Pope John Paul II reminds us, "The Gospel of God’s love for man, the Gospel of the dignity of the person and the Gospel of life are a single and indivisible Gospel" (Evangelium Vitae, no. 2).

Our sacramental celebrations are truly hope-filled encounters with the Lord Jesus Christ. We ourselves and our people too meet the Lord of life and love through these sacred signs or sacraments and are thereby united more closely with Him, Who is our Way, Truth and Life (cf. Jn 14:6 ). Especially in the Sacraments of Penance and the Holy Eucharist, do we experience genuine hope, as our sins are forgiven and we experience a new beginning, and as we become uniquely one with the Lord Jesus, Who comes to us to be our spiritual food and constant companion – our very salvation!

Is not our pastoral love and service to God’s holy people a sign and source of hope, as we empty ourselves for their sakes, in imitation of Christ, Who "emptied himself, taking the form of a slave and who humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on the cross" (cf. Phil 2:7-8)? As we interact with the people to whom we are sent, entering into their lives marked by joy and sorrow, wholeness and brokenness, are we not sent precisely to bring hope – the hope which is Jesus Himself and His promise of eternal life?

Finally, is not our personal holiness of life a witness to hope? As we allow the Lord to transform us by His grace, do we not give evidence that He can accomplish wondrous things in those who are open to the power of His love and mercy?

Soon, my brothers, you and I will recommit ourselves to priestly service for the salvation of the people whom God entrusts to our pastoral care. Surely, we willingly and joyfully renew our commitment because our hope is in the name of the Lord. We trust in His loving mercy and therefore gladly entrust ourselves to Him once again. Our renewal of priestly commitment, made in the presence of our people, is itself a sign of hope both to them and also to us. Indeed, may our hope be strengthened as we reach out to the Lord Jesus, Who chose us to be His priests for the salvation of His people.

Yes, dear brothers, we must be servants of the gospel for the hope of the world, and with our people, heralds of hope!

I am convinced that the following words of encouragement, addressed by our Holy Father to bishops can equally be addressed to you, who share with me in truly a unique way the pastoral care of our people. "Only by the light and consolation born of the Gospel can a Bishop succeed in keeping his own hope alive (cf. Rom 15:4) and in nourishing the hope of those entrusted to his pastoral care. He must therefore model himself on the Virgin Mary, the Mother of Hope, who believed in the fulfillment of the Lord’s words (cf. Lk 1:45)" (Pastores Gregis, no. 3).

I entrust you, my brothers, to our Blessed Lady, the Mother of Hope. May she keep us close to her Son Jesus, so that united to Him, you and I may be faithful servants of the Gospel for the hope of the world, especially for this diocesan church to whose service we willingly and gladly give our lives – today, tomorrow and all days. Amen.

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