ARCHDIOCESE OF PHILADELPHIA

Praised be Jesus Christ!

Bishop McIntyre,
Brother Priests,
Dear Deacons and Religious,
All of you who collaborate in the Church’s mission
of Evangelization and Catechesis,
Dear Friends in Christ,

Thank you for taking the time to gather here today. I am grateful for the many ways you contribute to the building up of the Kingdom of God within the Archdiocese. Your sacrifices of time, talent and treasure are essential means by which the Word of God takes root and flourishes in the hearts of many. I hope your participation in this day fosters your own growth in faith so that you will be even more effective witnesses of Jesus Christ.

The theme of this day is “Sacred Mysteries, ever ancient—ever new.” In common usage, the term mystery is applied in many ways. Many people enjoy reading mystery novels. Law enforcement officials address mysterious crimes. Scientists probe the mysteries of the universe. Even sports fans discuss the mystery of why the Phillies failed to win another world series.

When the term mystery is applied to elements of faith or religion, it has a far more profound meaning. Sacred mysteries, including the most fundamental mysteries of the Most Blessed Trinity and the Incarnation, are all rooted in the fact that God Himself dwells in inaccessible light. His life cannot be fully grasped by human beings. God is He whom no one has seen, and whose free action toward humanity is a mystery. The mystery of the infinite God reaching out to finite human beings culminates in the person of Jesus. In the mystery of the Incarnation, God is not merely present “to” the world, He is present “in” the world. Hence, mystery is an essential aspect of reality. Jesus is at the center of the mystery of God’s eternal plan for the salvation of the human race. That mystery continues to be manifest through the Holy Spirit and culminates in the beatific vision.

The term mystery is generally applied to situations in which there is no immediate answer. In these cases a mystery is something that seeks a solution. The searcher or researcher keeps probing with anticipation that an answer will be found and the mystery solved. Sacred mystery, or the mystery of God, is different. It is not a problem for which we find an answer. Sacred mystery draws us to desire to know God. In the process, we are drawn further into mystery. We are invited to a deeper relationship with a loving God whom we cannot fully grasp.

Rather than attempting to solve the mystery of God, we are invited to exercise our freedom in loving God and in accepting the future as God’s future. Saint Paul suggests that we are called to live with mystery willingly, obediently and trustingly. In his letter to the Romans, Saint Paul writes, “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How...unsearchable his ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord...? ...To him be glory forever.” Sacred Mystery, calls us to rise above ourselves, in loving adoration of God.

The liturgical life of the Church celebrates the sacred mysteries of our faith. The sacraments, mysteries themselves, are gifts from God to the Church. Through the celebration of the sacraments, the divine mystery is made present and effective in the world. In Baptism we celebrate God’s liberation of humanity from the bonds of original sin. Confirmation celebrates the mystery of the Holy Spirit active in our lives and the Church. The mystery God’s abundant mercy is celebrated in the sacrament of Penance. Marriage celebrates the mystery of man and woman becoming one and providing a living example of the love that God has for the Church. In the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick, the Church celebrates the mystery of God’s healing and purifying power in those who are ill and suffering. The sacrament of Holy Orders celebrates the mystery through which men, though unworthy, are given a share in the one priesthood of Jesus Christ. In the Eucharist we celebrate the mystery of Christ’s death and resurrection as the means of the salvation of the world.

In and through the celebration of the sacraments, the mystery of the eternal God is made ever new in the life of the Church. Through our celebration of the sacraments, the mystery of divine life is kept alive in each one of us.

Today we remember Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini. She is an example of what happens when we allow the mystery of God’s life to transform us. As a young girl she was inspired by the stories of missionaries that her father would read to the children gathered around the table. She imagined sailing off to India or China. At eighteen, she desired to become a nun, but poor health prevented her from being admitted. After spending several years as a teacher, her Bishop requested her to found the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart to care for poor children. Then at the urging of Pope Leo XIII she came to the United States with six religious Sisters in 1889 to work among the Italian immigrants.

Filled with a deep trust in God and endowed with a wonderful administrative ability, this remarkable Sister was responsible for the establishment of nearly seventy orphanages, schools and hospitals. Described in the words of Saint Paul, she was “holy and beloved,” filled with “compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.” She did everything in the name of Jesus. At the time of her death in 1917, her community had established houses in the United States, Europe, South and Central America. Known more affectionately as “Mother Cabrini,” she became the first American citizen to be canonized a saint.

Her life, like that of so many saints is a mystery, every ancient and new. She was a seemingly very ordinary child that God called to extraordinary heights. She opened herself to God and permitted God to enter into the innermost reality of her existence. She did not shy away from mystery. She celebrated it through her participation in the sacramental and liturgical life of the Church. As a result, the word of Christ dwelt in her richly, and she bore fruit that still remains.

Thank you again, dear friends, for your presence today and for your collaboration in the spreading of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is He, Jesus Christ, who calls each of us to be His friends. In the Gospel passage that we have just heard proclaimed, Jesus offers us an extraordinary gift. He offers us His love, but He explains that it is the love that He has received from His Father. He says so simply, so beautifully, so powerfully: “As the Father loves me, so I also love you.” With these words Jesus introduces us deeply into the mystery of God’s life, the mystery of Trinitarian love, ever ancient, ever new. And then Jesus charges us saying: “This is my commandment: love one another as I love you.” We are invited to bear fruit by laying down our lives in loving service of others. May our words and deeds always be done in the name of the Lord Jesus. And may we experience with Mary the Mother of Jesus, who is the Son of the living God, the joy of making the ever-ancient mystery of God’s love ever-new and present in the world. Amen.