“The spirit of the Lord has been given to me,
for he has anointed me.
He has sent me to bring the good news
to the poor,
to proclaim liberty to captives
and to the blind new sight,
to set the downtrodden free,
to proclaim the Lord’s year of favour.
He rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the assistant and sat down. And all eyes in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then he began to speak to them, ‘This text is being fulfilled today even as you listen’. (Lk 4)
With all eyes in the cathedral this evening fixed on me, I want to say very clearly that this text from the Prophet Isaiah “is being fulfilled today even as you listen”. (Lk 4) It is not an aspiration from an ancient past. It is a reality here and now in our everyday twenty-first century lives. The Spirit of God has been given to us. Yes! - given to you and to me. To quote the Book of Revelations (that we have heard from in the second reading) – God “who is, who was and who is to come – the Almighty” (Rev 1) has reached out to each one of us. God has befriended us. God now walks with us in the ups and the downs of the road of life. If only we might realise this – even a tiny bit more -what a transformation it would bring to our living.
At times, I get frustrated, when I hear Catholics refer to the Church as “them” or “they” as if it was an entity distanced from themselves. I understand why it happens – for in the not too distant past – for a variety of reasons – the word Church became associated almost exclusively with the Clergy – the Pope, the Bishops, the Priests – they were the Church. Everyone else was to “pay, pray and obey”. However, at its core -the Church is all those who have been called by Jesus, those who have the Holy Spirit in their hearts. Those who have been sent out to make a difference for the better in their families, in their communities and in this world of ours. Let us be clear that all of us – you and I, we are the Church. No one of us is better than the other. All of us are fundamentally equal in the eyes of God.
However, from the time of Jesus himself and through the inspiration of the ever directing presence of the Spirit, different people are called to different tasks for the good of the faith community as a whole. Each year, at the Mass of Chrism, we are invited to consider in particular one of these callings which is fundamental to the reality of the Church itself – the call to be a Priest. It would be an understatement if I was to say that the traditional idea of Priesthood is under pressure today. Some see the increasing and by right involvement of the laity in the life of the Church as a sign that there is or will be no need for Priests. Others cite celibacy, a male only priesthood and the scandal of abuse as the reasons behind a decrease in ordinations to the priesthood. Recent discussion has even turned to whether or not our current generation of priests will be the “last Priests in Ireland”.
Against such a backdrop, I think we should be clear that ministerial priesthood will always be part and parcel of the essence of the Catholic Church. The Catholic faith community needs priests today as much as it did in the past. The calling to be a Priest is a noble call. The life of a priest is a life where personal fulfilment is indeed possible. I am convinced that the priests you see here this evening will not be the “last Priests in Ireland.”
Now while the idea of Priesthood might be under pressure today – the reality of the life of a priest is also not without its pressures either. I know the daily sacrifices being made by our priests to serve their communities as their numbers decline, responsibilities increase and the challenges of ministry grow ever more complex. On behalf of the people of the Diocese and on my own behalf I want to say thank you to all our priests for being the people they are – each one different – each one unique. Thank you for your generosity in answering God’s call. For some that decision was made many years ago and you have a lifetime of service given. For others it was only recently and you have an exciting adventure of service yet to live. Thank you for your love for the faith community – the Church and for your selfless service to them day in day out.
In these days of relentless change – where the future will be almost unrecognisable in the past – I urge our Priests to take confidence from the Gospel we have just heard. For the Spirit of the Lord has been given to you, you have been anointed – you have been sent to proclaim the Good News. These days call us to let go of much that has been and to take on new and different ways as we readjust to new and different realities. We live in a time of planting seeds rather than gathering the harvest. Be brave as you plant those seeds. Patiently brood over them. Wait for them to sprout -for new growth will come. These are days where we as priests must not succumb to the temptation to simply put in the time, to merely exist or to cocoon ourselves from reality. They are the only days we will be given. They are days not for half-living but days for us to truly flourish – days when we become the best that we can be as human beings and as priests.
I know how deeply people appreciate the service of our priests, especially when their lives intertwine with those important moments of joy and sorrow that life brings. I ask you to be understanding of our priests and the reality they find themselves in today. Drawing on that profound realisation that you are the Church – that the Spirit of the Lord has been given to you too, I encourage you to take your rightful part alongside our priests in actively caring for and directing your local parishes. This more synodal, co-responsible way of looking at things will take time for priests and people to get their heads around. In the end, the Church is not a “them” or a “they” but an “us”. We all have our different parts to play into the new and exciting future that the Spirit of God is calling us to be part of.
In a few moments, we will renew and bless the oils that will be used in the Sacraments in the year to come. It is a reminder that just as Priesthood is fundamental to who we are as Catholics – so too are the Sacraments. In fact the two are more than often intrinsically entwined. As well as reflecting on priesthood, the Mass of Chrism is also a time to reflect on the Sacraments and their significance in our lives as Catholics.
What an incredible gift the seven Sacraments are. Each in their own way put flesh on that “Spirt of God that has been given to us.” (Lk 4) Through the water and words of Baptism we are made new again as members of the family of God- brothers and sisters in the Church. With the anointing with Chrism at Confirmation we are sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit as a helper and guide for the journey. Then as one family, we gather for the Eucharist. Over and over again we receive Christ’s real presence as food and nourishment to sustain us on the way. The Sacrament of Confession offers us the chance of a new beginning – forgiveness and healing – leaving our failings behind and starting ever anew. In our physical infirmities, old age and death the Sacrament of the sick brings a special strength, healing and help. The Sacrament of Marriage brings with it a pledge from God to be ever present in the couples' love for each other. The Sacrament of Holy Orders ensures that the people of God have shepherds and guides -it configures and strengthen those involved to lovingly serve the faith community – the Church. Seven unique moments where the divine light shines in its own unique way onto the tapestry of our lives. Today we thank God for the Sacraments.
As we edge closer to the celebration of those life giving days of the death and resurrection of Jesus, what a wonderful celebration this Mass of Chrism is. A reminder from beginning to end that “the spirit of the Lord has been given to us” – to you and to me. A reminder that together we form the Church community – and together each and every one of us is responsible for it according to our own particular vocation. A celebration of the fundamental gift of priesthood and a time to reflect upon and acknowledge the ministry of our priests. A time to contemplate the gift of the Sacraments and to appreciate the role they play in our daily lives.
“He rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the assistant and sat down. And all eyes in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then he began to speak to them, ‘This text is being fulfilled today even as you listen’.” (Lk 4) That today is our today – the 27th March 2024. Amen.