ARCHDIOCESE OF PHILADELPHIA

Praised be Jesus Christ!

It is a joy for all of us to be together today in this Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul. We are here for this annual gathering of our altar servers and for this celebration of Sunday Mass. It is good to see so many of our altar servers assembled on this occasion, and it is a blessing to be with you. I thank all of those who have made this gathering possible.

Today, of course, is a very special day of the week. Today is Sunday, the Day of the Lord, the day when all of us Christians throughout the world gather together to give praise and thanks to Almighty God as we celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus our Lord and Savior. As Catholics, we mark this day in a very special way, as we celebrate Holy Mass, in which we gather at the Altar to serve Jesus and where, in His great love for us, Jesus in turn, serves us! For it is here at this Mass that Jesus teaches us with His Word. It is here at this Mass that Jesus nourishes us with His Body and Blood, giving us grace, wisdom and strength for the days ahead. The presence of so many of our altar servers is a concrete reminder to all of us of the tremendous service which takes place in this Eucharist as we give to the Lord our love and receive from the Lord His Love. What a beautiful gift! What a wonderful exchange of love transpires here today!

Of course, today, February 14th, is also Valentine’s Day—a day in this country on which we remember in a particular way loved ones and friends. It is common on this day to exchange greetings, flowers and other remembrances to those close to us. Such kind gestures are appropriate, but they do not last, do they? Such expressions of love are only for a day. By the end of the week, the flowers will be wilting and the other remembrances gone. Such signs and symbols of friendship and love are just that, namely signs and symbols; they are not love itself. Love is much deeper. It is not limited to the symbols of this day, but rather is found in persons, in relationships, in human hearts, in the Heart of Jesus.

It is with this in mind, dear friends, that we gather here today with great joy and faith. For we know that it is here at this Eucharist, here at this altar, that we are given not a symbol of God’s love, but the reality of God’s love, Jesus Himself. It is here in this Eucharist that we are given the living heart of God, the real and living presence of Jesus who has promised to give His heart to us, and who shares with us in this Mass His endless Love. We hear of this real and enduring love of God in our readings today which speak to us of the Beatitudes and of two ways of living. There is a way that leads to life and that endures, and there is a way that leads to sadness, a way that leads away from life, that does not endure. Both the prophet Jeremiah and the Psalm which we hear today describe these two ways of life, using a very beautiful image, the image of two trees. One tree is planted by running waters, where it is able to stretch out its roots and drink freely of the water. This tree is well provided for, even during the difficult seasons; this tree remains strong, bearing fruit, and its leaves never fade. The other tree is not near the waters, and as such it has no nourishment and cannot survive. This tree bears no fruit.

Dear friends: God is reminding us today that you and I are like those trees and that Jesus Himself is the living water. Jesus invites us today and every day to be close to Him so that we may drink freely of His love, so that we may have life and bear fruit that endures. This invitation of God to us is the reason we are here today, to receive the living water, the very gift and life of Jesus Himself.

How you may ask do we do this? How can we grow strong in the love and strength of God? We do so by remaining close to Jesus Himself. By following His commandments, by walking in His ways and by being faithful to the sacraments, especially Sunday Mass. For, it is in the Mass that we meet the Lord and have life; without Mass, we miss this meeting and remain deprived of life.

Dear young people: It is in reflecting on God’s Word that you realize how blessed you are to be servers of our Lord at Mass. You realize how blessed you are to be near Jesus, to receive Jesus and to grow in His grace. You are like those trees that are planted near the running waters and endure. You are meant to be witnesses for others of God’s love and power.

The world today needs witnesses of God’s love and power, and you, dear young people, can be tremendous witnesses of God in this world. Through your faithful service, through your joy and zeal, through your enthusiasm and reverence, you bring hope to the world. When others see you at Mass, when others see you serve, when others see your reverence, attention and love, they begin to realize the presence of Jesus. Your service then becomes a witness for all to see.

This week, the Church throughout the world will enter the holy season of Lent. We begin Lent on Ash Wednesday and receive ashes on our foreheads that many people will see. This mark is a sign. But, like the hearts on Valentine’s day, the ashes will quickly disappear. They last only for a short time. You and I, then, are called to something greater; we are called to live forever, to be living witnesses of God’s unchanging love.

Dear Servers: It is through your service to the Lord at the Altar, that you will grow in the gift of God’s love. Countless Saints served the Lord in this way. Many priests and religious brothers and sisters did the same when they were younger. And now is your time to do the same. Pray to the Lord each day, give Him thanks for His countless blessings and ask Him to help you to be His living witnesses in the world, witnesses of His enduring love.

And remember that Mary, the Mother of Jesus and our Blessed Mother too, will always help you to perform well your important service in the Church. Amen.