Homily 110925

 This weekend, Bishop Zubik asked all parishes in the Diocese of Pittsburgh to read a letter he had written to the faithful of the Diocese at all Masses, in every parish across the Diocese.  The subject matter was on the proposed "Preventative Services Mandate" (to go into effect on 1 August 2012), which is part of the Federal Health Care Plan (to be fully implemented by 2014).  You can read about our Bishop's letter to Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius here, as well as an option to write Secretary Sebelius requesting that she halt the "Preventative Services Mandate".

Once the letter was read, I followed with my homily, written below:

My brothers and sisters in Christ:

You know it’s very infrequent for me to read my homily or to preach from the ambo on a Sunday, let alone from the celebrant’s chair.  But given what we have just heard from our Bishop, it seems rather appropriate today.

Our Gospel today reminds us in no uncertain terms that when it comes to the practice of our Faith, we cannot be of two minds.  Rather, we must be decisive in following Christ, without question, knowing that our baptismal promises oblige us to do so.

Our Lord, in today’s Gospel pericope, presents to us the choice to follow Him, or not.  We either put our faith into action, or we remain silent and still.  Those are our only two options, and they equal spiritual life or spiritual death: Life in the ever-loving Spirit of God or death through our own pride, selfishness and sinfulness.  But, in reality, this is nothing new – these are the choices we face every day.

When we reject the life God gives to us, we cry out, “The Lord’s way is not fair!”, those same words we hear from the prophet Ezekiel in today’s First Reading.  These are the words we hear in society today, because our culture sees iniquity everywhere – but not seeing with the eyes of God, but using the vision of our limited human nature.  Currently, our government is trying to implement a program in which they believe to be virtuous, but in doing so, they are enacting restrictions on religious liberties for us and others around our nation.  And I am not speaking just about us Catholics, or just for Christians in general, but also including our Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim and Jewish brothers and sisters as well – all people of any faith.

You see, once one begins to chip away at the liberties held by one group, religious or otherwise, others quickly follow.  And once one begins to chip away at any of the liberties we hold dear, one begins tearing away the fabric of our national identity – an identity founded on the pursuit of life, liberty and happiness; a national identity founded and guided by the Providential Hand of God.

And so, my brothers and sisters, we must be as Paul says in the Second Reading: “of the same mind, with the same love, united in heart, thinking one thing.”  And in our unity, we begin to “have in [us] the same attitude that is also in Christ Jesus.”  And that attitude is a selfless love, a self-sacrificing love.  A love which goes beyond our individual self and implants itself in others when we turn from acts of iniquity to acts of virtue.

This is the attitude, the virtue we develop when we put our faith into action.  The words of the Responsorial Psalm come to life when we embody the selfless love of Christ and share that love with others.  It is in our selfless actions and humble attitude that we come to know the ways of the Lord.  But we cannot fully carry out that mission if our hands are tied, and we are told who we can serve or how, if at all, we can practice our faith.  We cannot truly know of the Lord’s ways if we are not free to hear His voice.

And so, today, my brothers and sisters, choose life!  Choose the freedom found in a life with Christ!  Choose the virtuous ways that God was given to us!  His Providence has guided this nation for the last 235 years to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.  That same Divine Providence will continue to lead us with zeal and conviction if we only choose to let our faith guide the way we live our lives – privately, publicly, professionally, and politically.  Yet this Divine Providence will guide us when we come to realize that we ARE “one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice FOR ALL.”

Let us pray:

We pray, Thee O Almighty and Eternal God! Who through Jesus Christ hast revealed Thy glory to all nations, to preserve the works of Thy mercy, that Thy Church, being spread through the whole world, may continue with unchanging faith in the confession of Thy Name.

We pray Thee, who alone art good and holy, to endow with heavenly knowledge, sincere zeal, and sanctity of life, our chief bishop, Pope Benedict, the Vicar of Our Lord Jesus Christ, in the government of his Church; our own bishop, David, all other bishops, prelates, and pastors of the Church; and especially those who are appointed to exercise amongst us the functions of the holy ministry, and conduct Thy people into the ways of salvation.

We pray Thee O God of might, wisdom, and justice! Through whom authority is rightly administered, laws are enacted, and judgment decreed, assist with Thy Holy Spirit of counsel and fortitude the President of these United States, that his administration may be conducted in righteousness, and be eminently useful to Thy people over whom he presides; by encouraging due respect for virtue and religion; by a faithful execution of the laws in justice and mercy; and by restraining vice and immorality. Let the light of Thy divine wisdom direct the deliberations of Congress, and shine forth in all the proceedings and laws framed for our rule and government, so that they may tend to the preservation of peace, the promotion of national happiness, the increase of industry, sobriety, and useful knowledge; and may perpetuate to us the blessing of equal liberty.

We pray for his excellency, the governor of this state, for the members of the assembly, for all judges, magistrates, and other officers who are appointed to guard our political welfare, that they may be enabled, by Thy powerful protection, to discharge the duties of their respective stations with honesty and ability.

We recommend likewise, to Thy unbounded mercy, all our brethren and fellow citizens throughout the United States, that they may be blessed in the knowledge and sanctified in the observance of Thy most holy law; that they may be preserved in union, and in that peace which the world cannot give; and after enjoying the blessings of this life, be admitted to those which are eternal.

Finally, we pray to Thee, O Lord of mercy, to remember the souls of Thy servants departed who are gone before us with the sign of faith and repose in the sleep of peace; the souls of our parents, relatives, and friends; of those who, when living, were members of this congregation, and particularly of such as are lately deceased; of all benefactors who, by their donations or legacies to this Church, witnessed their zeal for the decency of divine worship and proved their claim to our grateful and charitable remembrance. To these, O Lord, and to all that rest in Christ, grant, we beseech Thee, a place of refreshment, light, and everlasting peace, through the same Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Savior. Amen.

The prayer which closed the homily is a prayer written by the first bishop and archbishop of our country, John Carroll.  He wrote the prayer in 1791, and asked the Catholics of the United States to pray it on major federal holidays.  I thought it most appropriate to pray it at the end of this homily.

Usually I don't like to "mix religion and politics" - but sometimes we need to voice the potential threats and injustices to our liberties when we see them coming over the hill.  It's our constitutional right for the freedom of speech, so let's use it.

The window to write Secretary Sebelius to request the withdrawal of the "Preventative Service Mandate" from the Federal Health Care Plan is coming shortly - Friday, 30 September 2011.  I would ask that you click on the link in the first paragraph to write to Secretary Sebelius and urge her to halt the implementation of the mandate.

Enjoy the journey . . .