ARCHDIOCESE OF PHILADELPHIA

Praised be Jesus Christ! Now and forever!

My brothers and sisters in Christ, it is my pleasure to have you here today at the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul for this Archdiocesan Wedding Anniversary Mass. Thank you for coming today, as together we publicly celebrate your committed love for one another for twenty-five, fifty, or more years of marriage.

Today on the fourth Sunday of Easter, we heard the inspiring reading from the Acts of the Apostles about Peter and John speaking to the people in the Temple of Jerusalem. They had just cured, in Jesus’ name, a man who was "crippled from birth" (Acts 3:2). Disturbed that the two apostles were "teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead" (Acts 4:2), the priests, the captain of the guard, and the Sadducees apprehended them.

When they were questioned by the priests, elders, and scribes the next day, Peter ardently explained to them that it was not through their "own power or piety" (Acts 3:12) that this man was now able to walk, but that "it was in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene… [that] this man stands before you healed" (Acts 4:10). He explained that Jesus truly is the "stone rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone" (Acts 4:11).

Jesus was rejected by these leaders of the people, the leaders to whom Jesus had also offered salvation. They had scourged and crucified him. However, as we know, Jesus became, and will be forever, the victor—indeed, our Redeemer. Jesus Christ, who rose from the dead on the third day, conquering death itself, is the cornerstone of our Catholic faith.

Jesus is the cornerstone of the truth and fidelity that forms the foundation of your marriage as well and which empowers you to endure the trials of life, to remain faithful to one another and to be fruitful in your loving relationship. With this foundation, your marriage has become, as the Church teaches, the most fundamental living cell of society through your witness to the depth of God’s love. Today, sadly, there are those who reject the institution of marriage or seek to define it as something other than the union of a man and woman meant for unitive and fruitful love. In light of this crisis within contemporary society, your outward witness is especially needed today. We know that the sacrament of marriage is the permanent and faithful union between a man and a woman, and is the vital foundation of a just and stable society. My dear people, what we celebrate today is more than an anniversary; it is the commitment you made before God many years ago to love each other and to share this love with others in our families, neighborhoods and communities. It is a love that gives witness to the same covenant of love that Jesus has with His Body, the Church.

Today, in the beautiful Gospel from Saint John, we hear Jesus proclaim, "I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep" (Jn 10:11). A short three weeks ago, we commemorated the fact that Jesus, the Son of God, literally laid down His life for us. As His brothers and sisters, we are His flock; and He is our shepherd. When we reflect upon the importance of sheep in Jesus’ time, we know they were primarily bred for their milk and their wool. Because of their value to the shepherd, he did not keep an emotional distance from them but came to love and cherish them, even to know them individually. When the shepherd called, they came as Jesus said, "I know mine and mine know me" (Jn 10:14). In the image of a shepherd, we behold the image of Jesus, who is our friend. But He is even more than that—He is our Savior who loves us each personally and unconditionally.

Jesus also says, "A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.…No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own" (Jn 10: 11, 18). In marriage, spouses are called to lay down their lives for each other and for the good of their relationship. As Jesus laid down His life for us, so, too, we must do the same for others. As we recounted on Good Friday, Jesus submitted to suffering and ultimately to crucifixion. He endured His sacrifice, knowing that to do so would be to redeem us from our sins, bringing us new life.

Through your perseverance and commitment to each other all these years, my dear friends, you have demonstrated your willingness to lay down your life for the sake of your spouse. By being willing to sacrifice for one another, and by the many ways that you have "died to self" through the years of your marriage, you have indeed served one another and your family; and you have given a joyful witness to the love of Jesus Christ as the Good Shepherd of His Church.

Again, my brothers and sisters, I want to say thank you: for your witness to life and to love; for your clear choice to be faithful to each other and to love your family with all their strengths and faults; for laying down your lives for each other. You have shown, and continue to show, our society how important marriage is. How truly crucial it is to support and defend marriage, a lifelong covenant between one man and one woman, as the cornerstone of a just and peaceful society.

Let us all, then, united in the name of Jesus, thank God for the gift of His presence with you throughout your marriages. Let us thank Him for the gift of the Holy Family, a model of self-giving love for all of us in our families. Finally, let us thank God the Father for the gift of His Son, Jesus, in the Holy Eucharist, the source and summit of life and love.

May God the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit bless you all today, during this blessed Easter season, and for all the days of your life. Amen.