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Bishop Burbidge's Homily for Lector Installation Mass
Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lector Installation Mass - Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish, Newton Grove
September 7, 2008
“There I am in the midst of them” are the concluding words of Jesus in today’s Gospel. The evangelist Matthew, throughout the Gospel, emphasizes this theme to his community: Jesus is Emmanuel, God with us until the end of time. Matthew also constantly reminds us of our mandate to strive daily to manifest the Lord’s abiding presence to others.
At the invitation to prayer following the homily, we will pray for our soon-to-be instituted lectors in a special way asking the Lord to help them to carry out this mandate and be faithful in “proclaiming Christ to the world.”
As we reflect upon God’s Word for this Sunday, we are instructed on how they and all of us can do so: we must be listeners and lovers, prophets and “pray-ers.”
Dear candidates, if you are to proclaim Christ to the world and convince others that Jesus is God with us, then you must first be people who listen to His voice, for it is His Word you proclaim, not your own. The psalmist prays for us, “Oh that today you would hear his voice!” Dear candidates, in the midst of the demands of your formation program and of your countless obligations, it is essential that you allow time each day simply to be still and to listen to the Lord speak to your heart. It is in that moment that the Lord will speak to you the Word He wants you to hear and to deliver to others. Thus, the Prayer of Institution reminds you “to meditate constantly on the Word of God so that you may grow in its wisdom and faithfully proclaim it to God’s people.”
Dear candidates, if you are to proclaim Christ to the world and convince others that Jesus is God with us, you must be known as people who love one another. When the words we speak about others and to others demonstrate respect for each and every person, our brothers and sisters come to see the love of God. When our deeds and actions demonstrate a care, compassion and concern for those in most need, our brothers and sisters come to see the love of God. When others, especially those who have offended and hurt us, see our willingness to forgive, our brothers and sisters come to see the love of God. No wonder Saint Paul tells you and all of us today, “Owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another.”
If you are to proclaim Christ to the world and convince others that Jesus is God with us, you must imitate the prophet Ezekiel in our First Reading and have the courage and conviction to speak out against all that is evil. As candidates for the permanent diaconate, God-willing, you will soon be entrusted with the proclaiming and preaching of the Gospel. You must always preach the truth in all its beauty and richness. You must always teach the truth in love. You must challenge and instruct so that others are led to avoid evil and to embrace all that is good, holy and pleasing in the sight of God. For then you are truly a prophet and a messenger of the Lord.
Dear candidates, if you are to proclaim Christ to the world and convince others that Jesus is God with us, you must be people who pray constantly. Such a commitment demonstrates your belief that your ministry is rooted in the Lord, the One who accomplishes all things in and through us. The willingness to pray constantly shows your patience and perseverance. It shows your conviction that when we entrust our efforts and good works to the Lord, He will produce fruit in ways and at a time we can never imagine. It is such prayer that will sustain you in responding to the mandate to reflect for others the Lord’s abiding presence in our midst.
At the end of Mass on Friday evening, Bishop Gossman highlighted these words of Jesus from today’s Gospel: “Amen, I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything for which they are to pray, it shall be granted to them by my Heavenly Father. My sisters and brothers in Christ, can we agree to pray for these candidates so that they and all of us will be listeners and lovers, prophets and prayers? For then, our lives proclaim Christ to the world and convince others that Jesus is Emmanuel, God with us until the end of time.