DIOCESE OF GALLUP

Chrism Mass

Monday, March 21, 2005

Dear Friends,

     Thank you for being here this evening from all over the diocese and for joining us on this Chrism Mass day to honor our priests and to celebrate the gift and sacrament of priesthood. As in the past, my brother priests have been here most of the day for an afternoon led by Franciscan Father Berard, a day which has come to be known as a day of priestly sanctification. And a few hours ago we all enjoyed a wonderful meal together at the family center. Now we gather around the Eucharistic table and in your presence to renew our vows of priestly commitment, to offer thanks to all of you who collaborate with us in ministry and to bless the sacred oils to be used for the sacraments during this coming year. In the name of our priests I thank you for your on-going love and support, while asking you for continued encouragement in our individual and personal efforts in living out our priestly vocation.

     One of the most important elements of this Holy Week gathering of priests is to share with them the annual Holy Week letter from our Holy Father to the priests of our Church. Very often this letter has not arrived in time for our celebration. Fortunately this year this letter to priests arrived a week ago and each one of our priests has received a personal copy of the Pope’s message.

     In the context of the Year of the Eucharist, the Holy Father’s message is a very powerful one and all the more significant and strengthening for our priests because it is written and signed just a week ago from his hospital bed. This frail, terribly ill man in the final stages of his life has not only taught us how to live as priests but now how to face our deaths. Allow me to share briefly with you what his letter reflects as the major aspects of our priestly spirituality.

     He takes as his inspiration the words of the Eucharistic consecration – which we as priests say every day in order to make Christ present on our altars. “These words,” he says, “Provide us with illuminating insights for priestly ministry: If the whole Church draws life from the Eucharist, all the more then must the life of a priest be shaped by the Eucharist.” He describes how the words of institution must be a formula of consecration that must be a “formula of life.”

     He goes on to explain what he means by this formula of life which must describe our priesthood.

-         A life of profound “gratitude”

     Gratitude is the disposition which lies at the root of the very word “Eucharist.” In the Eucharist Jesus thanks the Father with us and for us.

-         A life that is given: “Take and eat. Take and drink.” In a certain sense when we as priests say these words, we must learn to apply them also to ourselves and to speak them with truth and generosity. If we are to offer ourselves as a gift, placing ourselves at the disposal of the community and at the service of everyone in need, our lives as priests take on its true meaning.

-         A life that is “saved” in order to save:

     The body and blood of Christ are given for the salvation of the world – “Shed for you and for all for the life of the world.” The Holy Father reminds us that unless we sense we ourselves as priests are saved how can we be convincing heralds? “Only if our lives manifest the fact that we are saved do we become credible heralds of salvation.”

-         A life that “remembers:”

     Jesus says: “Do this in memory of me!” The Eucharist does not simply commemorate the fact: It commemorates him.” Through this daily repetition in the person of Christ of the words of the “memorial,” we as priests are invited to develop a “spirituality of remembrance.” At a time when rapid social and cultural changes are weakening the sense of tradition and leading the younger generation especially to risk loosing touch with their roots, we as priests are called to be within the community entrusted to us the man who faithfully remembers the entire mystery of Christ.

-         A “consecrated” life:

     Each time we as priests celebrate Eucharist we proclaim after the words of consecration: “mysterium fidei – let us proclaim the mystery of faith.” Every time we proclaim these words we express our “ever – renewed amazement” at the extraordinary miracle worked at our hands. It is a miracle which only the eyes of faith can perceive. We priests are the celebrants but also the guardians of this most sacred mystery. It is our relationship to the Eucharist that most clearly challenges us to lead a “sacred” life. This must shine forth from our whole way of being and above all from the way we celebrate.

-         A life centered on Christ:

     Every time we celebrate Eucharist the remembrance of Christ in his Paschal mystery leads us to desire for a full and definitive encounter with him. The Holy Father asserts that “In priestly spirituality, this expectation must be lived out through pastoral charity, which impels us to live in the midst of God’s people, so as to direct their path and nourish their hope.” Finally:

-         A “Eucharistic” life at the school of Mary:

     The Holy Father concludes his letter to us by calling on Mary, the “Woman of the Eucharist” to help us to taste the greatness of this Eucharistic mystery by teaching us how to celebrate these sacred mysteries with due fervor. He ends by sending us Easter greetings and a special blessing for our elderly and sick priests and those in difficulty. In the silence of his own suffering John Paul II repeats with the example of his life given to the end the offering of suffering as a sign of love for the world.

     Those of you who wish a copy of the full text of the Holy Father’s letter can secure it through the Pastoral Center or perhaps it will appear in the Voice of the Southwest. For me personally reading and praying over the Holy Father’s letter was like an examination of conscience as a priest and even what one could call a “Eucharistic audit.”

     In a few minutes I and the priests who serve you so generously and faithfully will make a renewal of commitment to priestly service. Please continue to support us with your love and prayers. Then as we bless the sacred oils, as a local Church we will pray that the power with which God invests these oils will empower each of us to bring the healing and comfort of Christ to our world and bring the Spirit of the Anointed and Risen Lord to every corner of our lives and our society.

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	Chrism Mass Monday, March 21, 2005 Dear Friends, Thank you for being here this evening from all over the diocese and for joining us on this Chrism Mass day to honor our priests and to celebrate the gift and sacrament of priesthood. As in the past, my brother priests have been here most of the day for an afternoon led by Franciscan Father Berard, a day which has come to be known as a day of priestly sanctification. And a few hours ago we all enjoyed a wonderful meal together at the family center. Now we gather around the Eucharistic table and in your presence to renew our vows of priestly commitment, to offer thanks to all of you who collaborate with us in ministry and to bless the sacred oils to be used for the sacraments during this coming year. In the name of our priests I thank you for your on-going love and support, while asking you for continued encouragement in our individual and personal efforts in living out our priestly vocation. One of the most important elements of this Holy Week gathering of priests is to share with them the annual Holy Week letter from our Holy Father to the priests of our Church. Very often this letter has not arrived in time for our celebration. Fortunately this year this letter to priests arrived a week ago and each one of our priests has received a personal copy of the Pope’s message. In the context of the Year of the Eucharist, the Holy Father’s message is a very powerful one and all the more significant and strengthening for our priests because it is written and signed just a week ago from his hospital bed. This frail, terribly ill man in the final stages of his life has not only taught us how to live as priests but now how to face our deaths. Allow me to share briefly with you what his letter reflects as the major aspects of our priestly spirituality. He takes as his inspiration the words of the Eucharistic consecration – which we as priests say every day in order to make Christ present on our altars. “These words,” he says, “Provide us with illuminating insights for priestly ministry: If the whole Church draws life from the Eucharist, all the more then must the life of a priest be shaped by the Eucharist.” He describes how the words of institution must be a formula of consecration that must be a “formula of life.” He goes on to explain what he means by this formula of life which must describe our priesthood. - A life of profound “gratitude” Gratitude is the disposition which lies at the root of the very word “Eucharist.” In the Eucharist Jesus thanks the Father with us and for us. - A life that is given: “Take and eat. Take and drink.” In a certain sense when we as priests say these words, we must learn to apply them also to ourselves and to speak them with truth and generosity. If we are to offer ourselves as a gift, placing ourselves at the disposal of the community and at the service of everyone in need, our lives as priests take on its true meaning. - A life that is “saved” in order to save: The body and blood of Christ are given for the salvation of the world – “Shed for you and for all for the life of the world.” The Holy Father reminds us that unless we sense we ourselves as priests are saved how can we be convincing heralds? “Only if our lives manifest the fact that we are saved do we become credible heralds of salvation.” - A life that “remembers:” Jesus says: “Do this in memory of me!” The Eucharist does not simply commemorate the fact: It commemorates him.” Through this daily repetition in the person of Christ of the words of the “memorial,” we as priests are invited to develop a “spirituality of remembrance.” At a time when rapid social and cultural changes are weakening the sense of tradition and leading the younger generation especially to risk loosing touch with their roots, we as priests are called to be within the community entrusted to us the man who faithfully remembers the entire mystery of Christ. - A “consecrated” life: Each time we as priests celebrate Eucharist we proclaim after the words of consecration: “mysterium fidei – let us proclaim the mystery of faith.” Every time we proclaim these words we express our “ever – renewed amazement” at the extraordinary miracle worked at our hands. It is a miracle which only the eyes of faith can perceive. We priests are the celebrants but also the guardians of this most sacred mystery. It is our relationship to the Eucharist that most clearly challenges us to lead a “sacred” life. This must shine forth from our whole way of being and above all from the way we celebrate. - A life centered on Christ: Every time we celebrate Eucharist the remembrance of Christ in his Paschal mystery leads us to desire for a full and definitive encounter with him. The Holy Father asserts that “In priestly spirituality, this expectation must be lived out through pastoral charity, which impels us to live in the midst of God’s people, so as to direct their path and nourish their hope.” Finally: - A “Eucharistic” life at the school of Mary: The Holy Father concludes his letter to us by calling on Mary, the “Woman of the Eucharist” to help us to taste the greatness of this Eucharistic mystery by teaching us how to celebrate these sacred mysteries with due fervor. He ends by sending us Easter greetings and a special blessing for our elderly and sick priests and those in difficulty. In the silence of his own suffering John Paul II repeats with the example of his life given to the end the offering of suffering as a sign of love for the world. Those of you who wish a copy of the full text of the Holy Father’s letter can secure it through the Pastoral Center or perhaps it will appear in the Voice of the Southwest. For me personally reading and praying over the Holy Father’s letter was like an examination of conscience as a priest and even what one could call a “Eucharistic audit.” In a few minutes I and the priests who serve you so generously and faithfully will make a renewal of commitment to priestly service. Please continue to support us with your love and prayers. Then as we bless the sacred oils, as a local Church we will pray that the power with which God invests these oils will empower each of us to bring the healing and comfort of Christ to our world and bring the Spirit of the Anointed and Risen Lord to every corner of our lives and our society. Back