Florida Catholic | Blue Mass

To "serve and protect" is more than a slogan

Annual Blue Mass honors all first responders.

Published: 09.28.07

Bagpipes corps lead the way into St. James Cathedral for the annual blue Mass.

Members of the Orlando Fire Department Bagpipes and Drum Band process into St. James Cathedral for the annual Blue Mass.
VALETA ORLANDO | FC

ORLANDO | On Sept. 10, we celebrated our annual observance of our Diocesan “Blue Mass.” Celebrated in many dioceses across the country since the 1930s, this Mass honors the “men and women in blue”; but we honor not only those dressed in blue — for their uniforms come in all shades. We honor all of them — law enforcement officers, firefighters, emergency personnel. They are the first responders — that thin blue line — that make our neighborhoods communities and not jungles.

Their work as first responders is indeed the Lord’s work. “To serve and protect” is more than a slogan, it is a worthy and noble vocation, a true calling and a path to holiness for those who embrace this calling as a way to respond to God’s commandment: Love your neighbor as you love yourself. And while loving our neighbor can indeed be a labor and a struggle at times, we must always be conscious of God’s power working in us.

Oftentimes, the Blue Mass is observed on or about the Feast of St. Michael the Archangel. St. Michael, who defeated the forces of evil and stands guard at the gates of heaven, is a fitting patron for law enforcement officers. We invoke his intercession asking that he be our “defense against the wickedness and snares of the Devil.” The 91st Psalm reminds us that, “the Lord has put angels in charge of you to guard you in all your ways.” And I am sure that more than once in the line of duty these public safety personnel have felt the protection of their own guardian angel. But, they, too, are angels 24/7, doing good, saving lives — they also defend us every day “against the wickedness and snares of the Devil.”

But just as these invisible messengers of God protect us, each one of them carries out their duty often unnoticed and unappreciated — until we get into a jam and need to call 911. And transcripts of those 911 calls reveal how drastic and heartrending are so many of those emergencies. During this month when we remember the ill-fated Sept. 11 of six years ago, we recall how the 911 transcripts of that day underscored the heroism and nobility of their profession.

The celebration of the Blue Mass gives us the opportunity to lift public safety personnel up in prayer. We ask God to keep them safe from all harm; and we pray for the repose of the souls of all who have fallen in the line of duty. And we thank God for them as they serve and protect us. In defending the weak, in protecting the honest, in fostering peace in our communities, they recognize that our lives are gifts from God. Yes, our lives are gifts from God — so that in turn we can give them to others.

St. Michael the Archangel, patron of police officers, pray for us.

St. Florian, patron of firefighters, pray for us.

St. Luke, patron of medical personnel, pray for us.

Mary, Mother of God and our Mother, pray for us and lead us to Jesus, to Jesus who heals us and enables us to be healers and forces for peace and justice in our community.

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To "serve and protect" is more than a slogan

Annual Blue Mass honors all first responders.

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