HOMILY
24th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Mass for Suicide Healing
September 15, 2024
“Who do you say that I am?” …. Peter’s response to Jesus’ question captures the heart of why we gather today, doesn’t it. Despite the crosses that we bear and the struggles that challenge our peace, it’s our faith in the power and presence of God in our lives – a faith that we may not always feel, appreciate or understand – that prompts us to be present today and helps us navigate our world with hope.
Thank you for your participation in today’s Mass for suicide healing and remembrance during this month focused on its awareness and prevention as we pray for all who have died by suicide and for those who grieve their passing.
Sadly, for all of you who grieve, know that you are not alone. More than most of us might ever imagine, suicide is a leading cause of death in our land and throughout our world, with over 50,000 people dying each year in the United States alone and over 700,000 dying each year worldwide.
Just about all of us know someone who has died by suicide. Many of you here today grieve the loss of a child, a spouse a brother, a sister, a parent, a friend. While most of us will never know the extent of the pain that another person experiences, please know that are hearts break with and for you in your loss. And for those of you who have attempted or contemplated suicide yourselves, we give thanks that you are here with us today.
It’s vital that you know that if you, or someone you know, is afflicted with suicidal thoughts there is no shame in seeking professional mental health care. Pope Francis has reminded us of the blessing and indispensable value of psychological counseling and mental health care, noting that the Church is also here to support you spiritually; not judge you or reject you. And he encourages you and all of us to allow the words of Jesus to speak to our hearts: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
Recently, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has initiated a National Campaign for Mental Health. As part of that campaign a novena for mental health is available. Day 8 in the novena is for suicide awareness. The novena offers a reflection on how there remain unfortunate but common misperceptions of the beliefs of the Catholic Church with respect to people who tragically take their own lives.
In truth, the Catholic Church reaffirms this deeper understanding of suicide in acknowledging that “grave psychological disturbances, anguish, or grave fear of hardship, suffering, or torture can diminish the responsibility of the one committing suicide.” While suicide is always considered a grave matter and the Catechism states “We are stewards, not owners, of the life God has entrusted to us and it is not ours to dispose of,” it also affirms that we “should not despair of the eternal salvation of persons who have taken their own lives. By ways known to him alone, God can provide the opportunity for salutary repentance. The Church prays for persons who have taken their own lives”.
And in addition to the leadership provided by Pope Francis and the US Conference of Bishops, I am proud to recognize the many mental health ministries and grief support groups that have been started here in our own diocese.
I am most grateful to our own Cathedral Permanent Deacon, Ed Shoener, who, along with his family, as a result of their own struggles with their daughter Katie’s suicide, has been instrumental in establishing Mental Health Ministry in countless numbers of parishes both within our Diocese and throughout the world.
As today’s second reading from the Letter of Saint James reminds us, “Faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” Many good parishioners right here in our local Church have taken this challenge to heart and have worked to give their faith a life through the gift of their time and resources to support ministries in their parish communities. Close to home here in Lackawanna County we have ministries here at the Cathedral of Saint Peter Parish and also at St Gregory & Our Lady of Snows, St John Vianney, Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and Divine Mercy Parishes, along with ministries in many other areas of the diocese.
I am so pleased to offer my support to these mental health and grief support ministries through your generosity to our Diocesan Annual Appeal. If anyone is interested in starting a mental health ministry or grief support ministry in their parish, please contact your pastor and also feel free to contact our Diocesan office for Parish Life for support and guidance.
In a few moments, we will bring forward a flower and place it in the basket before the image of the Pieta, of Mary holding the body of her son Jesus. This simple ritual of laying the flower before the altar carries with it a powerful symbolism. We are presenting two precious things to Christ. … One, we are symbolically placing our loved one in the loving arms of Mary who holds our loved one and presents them to Christ. … And two, we are laying our burden of grief down before Christ. Christ can help heal us as we learn to live with our grief. God can turn all things to good – even our grief – as we open our lives to his presence, trust in his mercy and surrender ourselves to his wisdom and grace.
As I close these reflections with the prayer that is on the back of your program, I invite you to silently pray along while remembering your loved one who died by suicide:
Crucified Savior, you know all things, and I do not. Help me accept the reality that I may never fully understand why my loved one died by suicide.
You suffered on the Cross, and cried out, “My God, my God why have you abandoned me?” My loved one must have experienced such intense, persistent psychological pain. Remove their suffering and bring them eternal peace.
I know that all things work for the good of those who love you, and that we are called according to your purpose. Help me to remember what my loved one loved and to bring that love into the world. Help me take their suffering and transform it into loving service to those who suffer. Guide me to find ways to honor my loved one’s memory and to live gratefully as they would have hoped.
Give me hope and confidence in your loving mercy. Help me to survive the trauma of this suicide and be healed. Amen.