ARCHDIOCESE OF PHILADELPHIA

Your Eminence,
Dear brother Bishops and Priests,
Dear Deacons, Religious and Seminarians,
Dear Parents, Family Members, Friends of the Ordinands,
Dear Brothers and Sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ, and especially you,
Jonathan, Anthony, Jeffrey, Richard, Michael and John,
as you await the laying on of hands and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit
in the Sacrament of Holy Orders,

All of us in the Church of Philadelphia rejoice today with great joy as we celebrate the ordination of six new priests.

As the Church transmits to these men the priesthood of our Lord Jesus Christ through the Sacrament of Holy Orders, she proclaims God’s plan for the salvation of the world. The Church needs the priesthood in order to exist, since without the priesthood there is no Eucharist and without the Eucharist there is no Church.

We gather here as disciples of Jesus Christ—some of us as family members of those to be ordained, some of us as brother priests, all of us with our differing vocations in life and our differing roles in the family of the Church.

All of us gather with our need for the Eucharist, our need to be fed with the Body and Blood of Christ, our need for the forgiveness of our sins, our need to experience the merciful love of Jesus Christ in those whom He Himself chooses as His priests to shepherd us in His name and by His power. The priesthood is indeed the expression of Christ’s love and pastoral care for His people.

This morning in the proclamation of the word of God we reflect on what the priesthood means for the whole community of the Church and for each of its members. We realize that the priesthood is above all the gift of God’s love that passes through the heart of Jesus Christ.

In our reading from the Letter to the Hebrews we hear that the gift of the priesthood is given not to those who choose it but to those to whom God chooses to entrust it. Hence we ponder the words: "No one takes this honor upon himself but only when called by God."

But what is involved in this priestly office? The same Letter to the Hebrews states that "Every high priest is taken from among men and made their representative before God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins." In the priesthood of Jesus Christ, the "gifts and sacrifices for sins" are the Eucharistic Sacrifice of the Body and Blood of Christ. To offer this Eucharistic Sacrifice is the most important role of the Catholic priest. Because the priest is a man, human like all his brothers and sisters, "He is able to deal patiently with the ignorant and erring for he himself is beset by weakness and so for this reason, must make sin offerings for himself as well as for the people."

As a representative of Jesus Christ, the priest stands in the midst of the community proclaiming Him by word and example. The summit of his preaching is, however, the sacramental proclamation of Christ’s Death and Resurrection, which takes place in the offering of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

Could any human being be worthy of this honor? No. But Christ is able, by His strength, to call those whom He chooses, to exercise a power beyond human merits. But why does Christ permit human beings to exercise such an exalted role? Saint Paul reveals the deep plan of God when he says: "We hold this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing power may be of God and not from us." The humanity of the priest draws attention indeed to the need for God’s surpassing power. In God’s eternal plan the action of the priest is effective only to the extent that the priest acts in the person of Jesus Christ, the one High Priest and Eternal Shepherd of the Church.

Today dear friends, in the Gospel of Saint John, which we have heard proclaimed, Jesus reveals to us so much of the meaning of the priesthood. For Jesus, to be a priest is to be the Shepherd of His people—the Good Shepherd of the Church.

All those who share in the priesthood of Jesus Christ share in His role of Shepherd. All the pastoral activity of a priest is a participation in that of Jesus. Jesus shares His ministry with His priests, not withstanding their human limitations and weaknesses. Everything that is accomplished in their ministry comes from Him. And so the people of God can always say: "The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want. In verdant pastures he gives me repose; beside restful waters he leads me; he refreshes my soul. He guides me in right paths for his name’s sake."

But what is it that Jesus tells us about Himself as the Shepherd of His people? He says: "I am the good shepherd." But what are the characteristics of the Good Shepherd? What makes Him the Good Shepherd? What is the pattern found in Jesus that must be imitated by every priest who shares the role of Jesus and wishes to be authentic in his own ministry? Jesus explains it very simply, very concisely, very powerfully. He says: "A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." As we hear these words we immediately remember Calvary and the Sacrifice that Jesus offered on Calvary as He gave His life for the salvation of the world.

In the Gospel Jesus goes on to explain and emphasize His words. He says again: " I am the good shepherd...and I will lay down my life for the sheep." Jesus takes the occasion to reveal to us even more deeply the mystery of God’s love. He adds: "This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life ...." But Jesus has still not finished His revelation. He goes on to say: "No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own." And finally Jesus cries out: "I have power to lay it down, and power to take it up again."

Five times Jesus explains what it means for Him to be the Good Shepherd. And five times, dear Ordinands, Jesus explains what it will mean for each of you to be a good shepherd for His people.

Jesus is proud of the power given to Him by His Father to lay down His life. He insists: "I have power to lay it down." Today Jesus gives you this power in a special degree through the Sacrament of Holy Orders. Through the exercise of this power you will unite yourselves more intimately with Jesus, High Priest and Victim, as you sacramentally renew in the Sacrifice of the Mass the offering of His life to the Father.

At the same time, like Jesus and with Jesus, each of you is called to be Priest and Victim. The integrity of your priestly ministry will depend on the exercise of the power that Jesus received from His Father and that He shares with you—the power to lay down your life for Christ’s sheep.

As you endeavor, dear brothers, to be faithful in charity and celibacy, in zeal and sacrifice, to your pastoral role, remember those very moving words of Jesus: "This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life ...." What was true for Jesus is also true for you. The Father loves you because, with Jesus, you are willing to lay down your life for the flock. And Jesus will help you to understand that there is nothing greater or more exhilarating than to be loved by His Father in the communion of the Holy Spirit.

Dear brothers: in the presence of your families and before the witness of God’s people, you solemnly promise anew fidelity to Jesus Christ and to His Church. You accept freely the role of laying down your life for the Church, in imitation of Jesus the Good Shepherd.

Remember always that in your priestly life and ministry you are supported by the love and prayers of Mary the Mother of Jesus and Mother of His Church. As she was close to Jesus she will be close to you in all the joys and hopes, in all the sorrows, temptations and challenges of your life. And remember that as you endeavor, with fidelity and integrity, to be the Eucharistic servants of God’s people they too will support you with their prayers and love. This is the great tradition of the Catholic faithful.

Dear brother Priests present here this morning: may this day be for all of us a day of renewal and recommitment to our sacramental calling to share Christ’s role as the Good Shepherd of God’s people. May we have new insights today into the dignity of our calling, and new strength to fulfill it in fidelity and joy.

Dear family and friends of our Ordinands, dear people of God, may this day of grace and hope bring you all deep fulfillment in your holy Catholic faith and in your love for the Priesthood and the Eucharist—those great gifts that come to us from the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Amen.