Florida Catholic | Bishop Barbarito's Column

He stood in line with everyone else

Chrism Mass homily, Cathedral of St. Ignatius Loyola, March 18

Published: 03.21.08

In a few minutes, during this chrism Mass, we will bless and consecrate the oils that will be used for sacramental celebrations in our parishes during the coming year. Oil and chrism have a special meaning that signify healing, as in the sacrament of the sick; strength, as in the sacrament of confirmation; and being set apart, as in the sacraments of baptism, confirmation and ordination. However, there is another significance that is a natural part of being anointed with oil which we may not too often reflect upon. The anointing reminds us of our common condition and unites us, as if to seal us, with each other. Be it oil of the sick, the oil of catechumens or sacred chrism, it is with the same oil that we are anointed, which takes its significance from the blessing and consecration that take place today. It is one oil that goes forth from the cathedral to our individual parishes. Furthermore, our union with each other is solidified, as the sacramental actions in which they will be used unite us to the person of Christ.

The unifying symbolism of oil reminds us of the ultimate solidarity which the Son of God formed with us when he took our human nature to himself. He became one of us, even in our deepest sufferings and in death, in order that, with him, we can rise above these. The sacramental symbolism of oil, as reflected in different sacraments, ultimately flows from its seal with Christ, who became one of us. The solidarity of Christ with us through the Incarnation is the core of the sacramental life of the church, which culminates in the Eucharist.

Just two weeks ago, the English translation of the personal reminiscences of Pope John Paul II’s secretary, now Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, Archbishop of Krakow, became available. This account titled, “A Life with Karol,” reveals even more the depth of humanity, faith and spirituality of the great John Paul II through the lens of a close relationship of 40 years. Cardinal Dziwisz recounts many aspects and events in the life of the pope from his daily activity, assassination attempt, extensive travel to his illness and death. It becomes even clearer through Cardinal Dziwisz’s recollections that Pope John Paul II’s solidarity was not only with Christ, but also with all people.

Over and over, Cardinal Dziwisz recounts situations in which Pope John Paul wanted to become one with others, from simple daily ones to the most fundamental of life. He tells of how, “Even after becoming a bishop, he would go to the Franciscan Church for confession and get in line with the other penitents.” On another occasion, the cardinal recounts how, in John Paul’s early days as pope, they would secretly take the Holy Father out of the Vatican for some short, day ski trips. Though quite light in tone and comical in context, the pope’s propensity to identify with others was evident here as well. Cardinal Dziwisz states, “The Holy Father acted like a totally normal skier. He was dressed like everyone else: parka, cap, goggles. He stood in line with everyone else.” I was struck by the repetition of the refrain, “He stood in line with everyone else.” It does reflect of a fundamental aspect of the Incarnation.

On a much deeper level, Cardinal Dziwisz reflects on the pope’s standing with others through his suffering, even from the days of his attempted assassination. He tells us that, “Karol Wojtyla had learned to accept suffering as a part of human existence and thus to live with pain and sickness. … Lying in the hospital, he really felt like one of the sick; he really suffered, in part because his suffering united him with other people in the same condition.”

It is evident that Pope John Paul II’s spirituality and ministry were rooted in his desire to identify with others in his appreciation of the human condition which Christ took to himself. This solidarity was at the core of the pope’s priesthood as it was at the core of Christ’s.

This chrism Mass is a vivid reminder to all of us, no matter what our vocation may be, of our solidarity with each other in Christ. As we have been or will be anointed with sacred oil in some fashion or another, we stand in line with one another in Christ, “the anointed one,” who also stands in line with us. However, it is the vocation of the priest, in particular, who is ordained to administer these oils in the sacraments, to identify most especially with the human condition. The priest stands in compassionate solidarity with others through Christ with whom he is uniquely configured in ordination.

In this context, I would like to share a particular word with my brother priests as we participate in this wonderful ministry of Christ. My brothers, Christ, as priest and victim, took a human nature to himself and gave himself so that all might have life. As priests and victims as well, we need to be deeply united to Christ, to each other in a fraternal bond of charity and support, and to the people of God whom we are privileged to serve. We need to stand not apart from each other or from the people we serve, but in line to the point of suffering. Indeed, this is what we do in a sublime manner each time we celebrate the Eucharist. We are united to the human condition by standing most closely with Christ, priest and victim, whose words become our words: “This is my body, given for you. This is the cup of my blood poured out for you.”

The Holy Spirit will soon be invoked in this chrism Mass to call down God’s blessings upon the oils and to consecrate the chrism. The ministry of Christ in compassionate solidarity with the human condition was carried out through the Holy Spirit. As Christ began this ministry he invoked the Spirit, quoting the words of the prophet Isaiah: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord” (Lk 4:18-19). The Holy Spirit, the priesthood of Christ and these oils which will be used in sacramental celebration stand intimately in line. Indeed, the presence of the Holy Spirit is essential to the efficacy of these oils, not only for the strength they provide, but also for the unity they signify.

The Holy Spirit is at the very heart of the life and ministry of the priest. As St. Paul tells us, “For the Spirit scrutinizes everything, even the depths of God” (1 Cor 2:10). As priests, we need to deepen our awareness of the power of the Spirit’s presence within us, which renews and transforms us as well as those we are called to serve. When we were ordained priests, the consecratory prayer of ordination invoked the Holy Spirit upon us and most especially invoked “deep within us the Spirit of holiness.” We always need to stir into flame this gift of God, which we received through the imposition of hands. The Spirit enables us to stand in line with Christ that we might stand in line with others. It is the Spirit that prays deep within us. Again, as St. Paul reminds us, “(W)e do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit itself intercedes with inexpressible groanings. And the one who searches hearts knows what is the intention of the Spirit” (Rom 8:26-27). In our ministry, we need to listen to the Spirit deep within us.

In the book “Crossing the Threshold of Hope,” when asked the question how does the pope pray, John Paul II answered, “You would have to ask the Holy Spirit! The pope prays as the Holy Spirit permits him to pray. I think he has to pray in a way in which, deepening the mystery revealed in Christ, he can better fulfill his ministry. The Holy Spirit guides him in this.” He guides us as well in this fashion.

As priests, we call down the Holy Spirit to change bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ. We impart the Spirit in the sacraments of baptism and confirmation.

We forgive sins in the sacrament of reconciliation through the Holy Spirit, according to the words of the Lord to his apostles after his resurrection: “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven, whose sins you retain are retained” (Jn 20:22-23).

As all of us, bishops, priests, deacons, religious and faithful of the Diocese of Palm Beach, continue to celebrate this chrism Mass, may the power of the Holy Spirit, soon to be present in these oils and chrism, remind us of our unity as one body of Christ. As our priests renew their priestly commitment, may we all thank and support them for standing in line with us and for us, as did Christ himself. He became one of us to raise us to God’s life. As we all enter into Christ’s eternal giving of himself in this sacrifice of the Mass, and this bread and wine become his body and blood, may we know and feel the transforming power of the Holy Spirit who transforms and makes all things new.

May Mary, Queen of the Apostles, patroness of our diocese, the first to receive the Spirit and to enable Christ to stand in line for us, continue to guide us to her son and to bless our diocese in his Spirit.

Most Reverend Gerald M. Barbarito
March 21, 2008

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