ARCHDIOCESE OF PHILADELPHIA

Dear scouts and scouters, family members and friends of Scouting in the Catholic Church,

It is with great joy that I welcome you to our annual celebration for Scout Sunday. We gather as God’s family to be nourished by His Word and Sacrament that we might live in Jesus and be faithful witnesses to His Gospel.

For many people, when they hear the term scouting, they envision boys camping and engaging in a variety of outdoor adventures. Even the boy scout handbook states that "Scouting is three-quarters - outing." For many scouts, maybe you, there is the wish of one day participating in one of National’s High - Adventure Programs at Philmont Scout Ranch, Florida’s Sea Base or one of the Northern Tier Adventure Programs. Yet Scouting in and of itself is a high adventure program taking a young cub or boy scout, a teenage boy or girl venturer down the trail to responsible adulthood by knowing oneself, developing that self physically, mentally and morally; becoming familiar with people of varying backgrounds, getting along with others, helping other people at all times; admiring and taking responsible stewardship for our natural environment while acknowledging and maintaining our relationship with God, the source and destiny of our existence.

Our Holy Father Pope Benedict designated this year—the year of Saint Paul. As we commemorate his birth, we reflect on his life, his conversion to Christ, his subsequent missionary activities, and his preaching and teaching, that like Saint Paul, we might daily be formed in the image of Christ Jesus and be able to say with Saint Paul "yet I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me."

To live in Jesus and to serve as His ambassador bringing the Good News of God’s saving love to all who would listen was for Paul the height of "High Adventure". His encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus would forever change his life. His commitment was total—he gave all and surrendered all—that all might come to know Christ and be saved.

By our Baptism, Jesus has called each of us to be His chosen instruments, to herald His Name and message throughout our life. In Confirmation, Jesus sealed us with the Holy Spirit to be His true witnesses, more strictly obliged to spread and defend the faith by word and deed. Our commitment can be no less than Saint Paul’s. Like Paul, God has chosen us to be part of His "High Adventure".
My brothers and sisters, God has gifted us with a wonderful world and has bestowed upon us countless blessings for which we must be grateful.

In spite of our blessings, our nation and the world community must address many challenges: the instability of the economy, global warming, record unemployment, famine, violence and long-standing and newly risen armed conflicts around the globe.

In addition to these and countless other challenges, we must face the reality of an ever growing wave of anti-God, anti-religion and anti-Christianity movements especially in North America and Western Europe.

In stark contrast to these movements, today’s readings are a proclamation of the healing power of Christ crucified! Job questions "Is not man’s life on earth a drudgery?" Without the healing power of Christ crucified, we must answer YES. But Saint Mark in the Gospel assures us that the healing power of Christ is present even before His Death and Resurrection, as Jesus goes about curing the sick and driving out the many demons. So, we the followers of Jesus of Nazareth, Christ crucified can respond to Job with a confident and bold no way!

Simon and those who were with him pursued Jesus and on finding Him said, "Everyone is looking for you." Unfortunately, not everyone today is looking for Jesus and yet He and He alone is the solution to our challenges. With Jesus, there is the promise of a new dawn and the assurance of a tomorrow filled with hope.

Jesus has chosen you as He did Paul to follow Him and proclaim His Gospel of salvation by what you say and by the way you live and serve others.

Do not be afraid—go forward with Christ, be a part of the greatest High-Adventure!