Archives: Homilies

Most Reverend Joseph C. Bambera, D.D., J.C.L.
Bishop of Scranton
HOMILY
World Day of the Sick with the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick
February 10, 2018
Isaiah 61:1-3; James 5:13-16; John 19:25-27 

The theme for this year’s Day of the Sick chosen by Pope Francis for the universal Church is provided by the words that Jesus spoke from the cross to Mary, his mother, and to John, the beloved disciple. Listen to them once again. “Woman, behold your son. … Behold your mother. And from that hour the disciple took her into his home” (John 19:26-27).

Jesus’ words so powerfully illuminate the mystery of the cross, which does not represent a hopeless tragedy, but rather the place where Jesus manifests his glory and shows his love to the end. That selfless love, in turn, becomes the basis and rule for the life of each disciple and for the entire Christian community.

Speaking from the cross in the midst of profound human suffering, abandonment and pain, Jesus singles out his mother, Mary, as the model of discipleship. And he entrusts to her care not only John and Jesus’ closest followers, but all those disciples who would follow after them, down through the ages and even to this day in my life and in yours.

What is so amazing in that exchange between Son and Mother is that the unspeakable suffering that her son experienced and that pierced her heart does not paralyze her. Quite the opposite. Pope Francis notes that “as the Lord’s mother, a new path of self-giving opens up before her. On the cross, Jesus showed his concern for the Church and all of humanity, and Mary is called to share in that same concern.”

What a special gathering this is in our cathedral today – a moment of prayer that has the power to touch our lives profoundly. And why? Because Jesus is present. … And your very presence here today reflects the great message of the scriptures that teach us so powerfully of how God works mightily in our world and how he responds to us in our pain and suffering.

We bring to this moment a hope and prayer for something more – for something better – for an end to pain – for healing – and for the lifting of the crosses that we carry, don’t we? It hardly warrants being said that all of us seek a life of peace, free from pain – free to engage our world as we choose, unencumbered by disabilities or restrictions of time and space. None of us wants to see those we love and care for burdened in any way. None of us wants to suffer. … Neither did Jesus. Yet, even when confronted by his own cross, the Gospel today is a vivid reminder of the selfless nature of his life and the enduring love and compassion that poured forth from his heart for those who are afflicted in so many ways.

It is essential that we understand that when Jesus embraced his cross, he didn’t remove illness and suffering from the human experience. Rather, by taking them upon himself, he transformed them and gave them new meaning. Through Jesus’ resurrection, the agony of the cross gave way to God’s triumph over sin and death. As such, for us as Christians, our suffering and pain no longer have the final word. Instead, through faith in Jesus and the power of his resurrection, his selfless, redeeming love envelops us and gives us hope.

Pope Francis, in a reflection upon the gift of faith – which lies at the heart of today’s celebration and every sacramental experience, for that matter – offered this insight, “The proof of authentic faith in Jesus is self-giving and the spreading of love for our neighbors, especially for those who do not merit it, for the suffering and for the marginalized.” … My brothers and sisters, the self-giving that Pope Francis invites us to embrace is quite evident in today’s gospel – in the actions of Jesus – in the concern of Mary – and in the response of John, the beloved disciple – each of whom were willing to go beyond themselves for the wellbeing of others.

Such selfless love – which is so often a quality of caregivers who respond to human needs – is a love that we are all challenged to make our own – even those of us who ourselves are sick and suffering. Just as Jesus’ selfless embrace of his cross gave way to life, we’re called through Baptism to carry our crosses with the same selfless spirit that Jesus maintained – and so find meaning, life and peace, even in our suffering.

My sisters and brothers, Jesus is true to his word. Through his example of selfless love, we find the pattern for our journey in this world. Through his cross and resurrection, we discover the path to life, even and especially in our suffering. And through the wonderful Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick, every one of us who approaches it with faith and hope will be healed. Some may experience a physical healing. All will encounter the Lord Jesus who promises to touch our spirits and give us peace.

Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, D.D., J.C.L.
HOMILY
Christmas – December 25, 2017 

Welcome to Saint Peter’s Cathedral for this celebration of the birth of Jesus.  Welcome to our faithful parishioners and friends who are with us every week.  Welcome to the friends of our Cathedral parish and those of you are visiting with your families and loved ones.  And welcome to those of you from other religious and faith traditions.  You honor us with your presence and we hope you feel at home.

Not long after the celebration of Christmas last year, I met a couple whom I’ve known for many years.  We talked about their family and how they celebrated Christmas.  Then they eagerly shared with me a story about their five-year-old grandson, Patrick.  Patrick was a pre-school student at the time and was selected to play the innkeeper in the school’s annual Christmas pageant.  He practiced repeatedly the lines that he was to proclaim to Mary and Joseph that would, in turn, send them to the stable in Bethlehem where their son, Jesus, would be born.  As the day of the pageant approached, little Patrick was so excited and, of course, like any of us, his parents and grandparents were anxious to see that he’d fulfill this pivotal role in the Christmas story appropriately.

The time for the pageant arrived.  The curtain in the school auditorium opened.  Mary and Joseph entered the little village of Bethlehem and knocked on the door of the inn.  On cue, little Patrick opened the door and boldly asserted to the tired travelers, “There’s no room in the inn.”  …  Then, like any budding actor, Patrick decided to ad-lib in the best way he could as he just as boldly assured Mary and Joseph, “But you can stay at my house if you want!”

In the cherished gospel passage just proclaimed, Saint Luke sets the stage for the events that unfolded at the birth of Jesus.  We know the story well.  We treasure the image of the Christ child lying in a manger surrounded by animals and visited by shepherds and kings.  But have any of us ever wondered why Jesus was born there and not in the place reserved for travelers journeying to Bethlehem?

As little Patrick asserted, Saint Luke tells us quite clearly that there was “no room in the inn.”  Presumably, the place where travelers lodged was filled.  Yet, it’s not inconceivable to think that while there may have been some space available, the innkeeper just didn’t want to engage this young couple – perhaps most obviously because Mary was about to give birth to her child.

We will never know the circumstances surrounding Mary and Joseph’s inability to find safe lodging in Bethlehem.  All we know is that an innkeeper in Bethlehem two thousand years ago, for some reason, missed the opportunity to encounter the living God!  What also matters is that for all that we believe and profess as people of faith, sometimes, like the innkeeper, we too miss opportunities to encounter God, don’t we?  We miss opportunities to welcome Jesus into our homes and hearts like little Patrick was so willing and eager to do.

Years ago, I came upon these words from an anonymous author.  Perhaps you’ve heard them before:  “He who desires to see the living God face to face should seek him not in the empty firmament of his mind but in human love.”  How very well these words capture the heart of the Christmas miracle – God with us!

What truly lies at the heart of this great celebration of Christmas is that, by embracing our broken humanity in the birth of his son, Jesus, God forever filled our world and our lives with his presence, his grace and his love.  …  Yet, sadly, the best of us are not always eager to embrace God’s plan for our salvation.  Instead, we relate to God on our own terms.  We assert all too quickly that there is “no room in the inn” of our lives for those who are different than what we expect them to be – those who are more broken than how we see ourselves to be – or those whose presence is simply less convenient than we would want them to be.

As a result, conflict and division so often prevail in our world despite the fact that Bethlehem gave birth to the Prince of Peace.  Nations continue to war one with another. Terrorism and the consequences of hatred are rampant in all corners of the globe and even into our own cherished land. Self-centeredness and pride tear apart relationships with those we love.  The treasured gift of life is increasingly disregarded, in the unborn, the poor, disabled and elderly. And immigrants, refugees and those merely seeking a better life are so often forced to the margins of society by discrimination, bigotry and hatred – evils that simply will not die.

Yet, in the midst of a world that seems to have gone awry due to a lack of respect for lives that are made in the very image of the Christ whose birth we celebrate, we have reason to hope.  In his apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, Pope Francis reminds us of where that hope is to be found, “We are called to find Christ in the poor, to lend our voice to their causes, but also to be their friends, to listen to them, to speak for them and to embrace the mysterious wisdom which God wishes to share with us through them.”

And who are the “poor” whom Pope Francis references?  …  They are all of us.  We are all poor in one way or another, aren’t we?  …  Some of us are poor because of a lack of resources.  Many of us are poor due to a lack of welcome, due to unfair judgment by others, and due to loneliness that comes from a lack of love and forgiveness.  On our own, we will never be able to provide ourselves with the meaning, purpose and peace that each of us so desperately seeks in life.  When we are humble enough, however, to open our hearts to the presence of God, to admit our need for a Savior and to, in turn, follow the pattern of Jesus’ life in service of our sisters and brothers, we discover just how rich we are and how blessed each of us truly is.

The Catholic theologian and mystic, Thomas Merton, shared these thoughts on the Christmas story.  “Into this world – this demented inn – in which there is absolutely no room for Him at all, Christ has come uninvited.  But because He cannot be at home in it, because He is out of place in it, and yet He must be in it, His place is with those others for whom there is no room.”

My brothers and sisters, thank God that so many of you recognize every day the presence of Jesus living among those for whom there is no room in our world.  In your concern for the poor; in the care that you provide for the unborn, the sick and the dying; in your efforts to work for reconciliation and peace in your neighborhoods and even in your own families; in your support of victims of natural disasters; and in your desire to gather in prayer as we do at this sacred hour, you serve the poorest among us and reverence the presence of God who knocks on the door of your hearts looking for a place to be born.  In so doing, you give birth to Jesus every day and you engage the real work of Christmas!

May this celebration of the birth of Jesus be a moment of joy for you and your families.  And may the embrace of its true message bring lasting peace to you and to all to whom you give room in your lives.  Merry Christmas!

Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, D.D., J.C.L.
HOMILY
Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe – December 9, 2017
Saint John Neumann Parish, Scranton

What a beautiful day to honor our Mother Mary – Our Lady of Guadalupe – here in Saint John Neumann Parish near the historic site of the first Mass ever to be celebrated in the city of Scranton in June, 1840 – 177 years ago.  What a blessed way to begin our Diocese’s 150^th Anniversary year!

Today’s celebration in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe recalls an event that took place in history many more years ago than even the first Mass celebrated in this community.  In 1531, our Mother Mary appeared to Saint Juan Diego who was out walking in the early hours of the morning doing his chores in order to take care of his family.  Speaking to him in his native language, she told him that she wanted a church built upon Tepayac Hill, where she would – in her words – offer her people “love, compassion and protection.”

But, as we know, Saint Juan Diego was uncertain about the role that he was being directed to assume.  When he returned to the place of the apparition, he asked Our Lady of Guadalupe to send someone else to the bishop in order to persuade him to build a church.  …  Do you recall what Our Lady of Guadalupe said in response to Saint Juan’s request?  …  “My little son, there are many I could send.  But you are the one I have chosen.”

The words that Our Lady of Guadalupe spoke to Saint Juan Diego are words that reflect, in so many ways, the exchange between Our Lady – the Virgin Mary of Nazareth – and the angel Gabriel in today’s gospel passage from Saint Luke.  Gabriel announced to Mary that she would conceive and bear a child – Jesus – the Son of the Most High God.  Mary – like Juan Diego – was overwhelmed.  Yet, despite her confusion and her fear in being asked to assume this unique role in God’s plan to save his people – despite her own questions and concerns about how this could come to pass – Mary responded with these simple words:  “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.  May it be done to me according to your word.”

Because of her willingness to trust unconditionally and to say “yes” to following the Lord completely, Mary became a woman for all ages – even and particularly for us today.  …  Mary became a sign of hope to all of us who struggle to find meaning, purpose, and a way forward in our lives.  …  Mary became the handmaid of the Lord who traveled a lowly path throughout her life.  And God lifted her up and did great things for her!

Mary’s message to us is a simple one.   She reminds us that the same mercy and love of God that carried her through life and entrusted to her the gift of her son Jesus – as unlikely as she saw herself to be in God’s plan for creation – will fill our lives and lead us to lasting peace if we but open our hearts to God, trust in his ways, and serve our brothers and sisters with love.

Now reflect again on the words that Our Lady of Guadalupe spoke to Saint Juan Diego:  “My little son, there are many I could send.  But you are the one I have chosen.”  …  My brothers and sisters, do you believe these words of Our Lady spoken to Saint Juan Diego?  …  More precisely, do you believe that these same words are spoken to you?  …  I hope and pray that you do, because – like Saint Juan Diego – regardless of how ill equipped you may find yourself to be, you too are chosen by God to build His Church – to proclaim the Gospel message in both words and acts of service and love – and to bring hope and peace to your corner of His great world.  And you are chosen for the simple fact that you have value, worth and dignity – not because of a passport, a green card, a visa or a work permit – but because like Mary, you are created in the image and likeness of God!

I understand that these are difficult times for many of you.  Some of you fear for your future.  Many of you have friends and family members who are anxious that they might lose their opportunity to work and their protection from deportation.  Perhaps some of your children are being bullied in school.  And so unfortunately, discrimination has raised its ugly head in many of our communities and neighborhoods.

Sadly, such realities can wound our spirits and diminish our hope.  In the face of such struggles, however, I want you to know that, as your bishop and brother, the Church stands with you – for the simple fact that YOU are a treasured and valued part of the Family of God.  …  Above all, Our Lady of Guadalupe is with you and speaks to us the same words of encouragement and challenge that she spoke to Saint Juan Diego:  “Do not be disturbed in your heart; do not be afraid.  I am with you, I who am your mother.  …  There are many I could send.  But you are the one I have chosen.”

In February of last year, Pope Francis visited the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City.  He offered these words of hope that also call us to mission and service in in the Church.  “Visiting this Shrine, the same things that happened to Juan Diego can also happen to us. Look at the Blessed Mother from within our own sufferings, our own fear, hopelessness, sadness, and say to her, ‘What can I offer?’  …  We look to our Mother with eyes that express our thoughts: there are so many situations which leave us powerless, which make us feel that there is no room for hope, for change, for transformation.  …  And in looking at her, we will hear anew what she says to us once more, ‘What, my most precious little one, saddens your heart?  Yet am I not here with you?’”

Pope Francis continued to reflect upon the message of our Lady of Guadalupe, “‘Am I not your mother? Am I not here? Do not let trials and pains overwhelm you,’ she tells us. Today, she sends us out anew; today, she comes to tell us again: be my ambassador, the one I send to build many new shrines, accompany many lives, wipe away many tears. Simply be my ambassador by walking along the paths of your neighborhood, of your community, of your parish; we can build shrines by sharing the joy of knowing that we are not alone, that Mary accompanies us. Be my ambassador, she says to us, giving food to the hungry, drink to those who thirst, a refuge to those in need, clothe the naked and visit the sick. Come to the aid of your neighbor, forgive whoever has offended you, console the grieving, be patient with others, and above all pray to God.”

The Holy Father concluded his reflections with these words of Our Lady of Guadalupe spoken to each of us this day, “‘Am I not your mother? Am I not here with you?’  …  Go then and help me to lift up the lives of my sons and daughters, your brothers and sisters.”   Amen.

Most Reverend Joseph C. Bambera, D.D., J.C.L.
Bishop of Scranton
HOMILY
First Sunday of Advent – December 3, 2017
Opening of the Diocese 150^th Anniversary Year Celebration 

My brothers and sisters, welcome to our cathedral Church as we gather to celebrate the First Sunday of Advent and the beginning of a yearlong celebration in commemoration of the 150^thanniversary of the founding of this local Church – the Diocese of Scranton.

It is with particular joy that I welcome on your behalf, His Eminence, Cardinal Justin Rigali, Archbishop Emeritus of Philadelphia and former Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Scranton from August 2009 until April 2010.  Your Eminence, we are truly blessed to have you with us today to commemorate this historic moment in the life of our Diocese and to welcome you “home” to a Church that you served so well – even if for a brief period of time.

I am also pleased to welcome Bishop Timlin, the 8^th Bishop of Scranton, Bishop Dougherty, Monsignor Joseph Quinn, pastor of Our Lady of the Snows Parish in Clarks Summit and chairperson of our 150^th Anniversary celebration and Monsignor Thomas Muldowney, our Vicar General along with priests, deacons, women and men in Consecrated Life and – of course – you, my brothers and sisters representing our 120 parishes and 20 schools who are this wonderful local Church, whose founding we celebrate this day.

“Be watchful!  Be alert!  You do not know when the time will come.”  Today’s gospel passage, taken from the 13^th chapter of Saint Mark’s gospel, is often referred to as the “Little Apocalypse,” as it focuses our attention on the end of the current age and the in-breaking of the reign of God.  Yet, for all of its focus on the end of this world as we know it, Saint Mark includes this apocalyptic message in his gospel to serve as a source of consolation for those in the early Church who were suffering because of their faith.  The conviction that the world would one day be transformed and that God’s people would reign with the risen Jesus in glory was meant to provide them with a horizon of hope against which they could interpret and accept their sufferings as well as to help them find meaning and purpose in their efforts to live as disciples of Jesus in the present.

While written to some of the first members of the Church, these same words of Saint Mark have the capacity to convey comfort and consolation to us as well, don’t they?  And they do so by means of a challenge given to all believers.  While the gospel writer draws our attention to the coming of the Lord at the end of our material world, he clearly beckons us to move beyond the darkness of our broken and sinful world into the light and promise of faith in the here and now!  “Be watchful!  Be alert!”  Look for opportunities to encounter and serve the presence of the Lord when he comes!

During his historic trip to the United States two years ago, Pope Francis celebrated a special Mass in the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul in Philadelphia.  In his homily, the Holy Father referenced Saint Katharine Drexel and her great contribution to the life of faith in Pennsylvania and throughout the United States.

He recalled that shortly after Katharine’s wealthy father had died, she and her two sisters traveled to Europe in 1887 where they were privileged to meet Pope Leo XIII in a private audience.  Katharine asked the Holy Father for missionaries to staff some of the Native American missions that she and her family had been financing.  To her surprise, however, Pope Leo’s first response was not to grant her request.  Rather, he asked her a question:  “What about you, Katharine?  What are you going to do?”

“Those words,” Pope Francis noted, “changed Katharine’s life, because they reminded her that, in the end, every Christian man and woman, by virtue of baptism, has received a mission.  Each one of us has to respond, as best we can, to the Lord’s call to build up His Body, the Church.”

My brothers and sisters, the same resolve and determination – rooted in faith – that prompted Saint Katharine Drexel to respond to the Pope Leo’s challenge to serve the neediest in our country lies at the heart of our celebration today.

Few, if any, of the earliest pioneers who helped build this local Church of Scranton would have ever been confronted with the question like that posed by Pope Leo to Katharine Drexel – “What are you going to do … with your baptism?  What are you going to do to build the Church?”  Nonetheless, countless numbers of clergy, religious and lay faithful knew implicitly that if the faith that they had come to cherish was ever to flourish in this region of our young country, they would be the ones responsible for carrying out the Church’s mission in northeastern and north central Pennsylvania.

And so, beginning in 1793, it was evident what the earliest settlers of our region of Pennsylvania were going to do for and because of their faith in Jesus.  Just seventeen years after the founding of the United States – a French colony was established on the banks of the Susquehanna River between Wyalusing and Towanda.  Within that colony, was found the first verifiable presence of the Catholic faith in what is now the Diocese of Scranton.

Thirty-two years later in 1825, an Irish born missionary priest by the name of Father Jeremiah O’Flynn used his own savings to purchase property where the first Catholic church within the territory of what we now know as the Diocese of Scranton would be built.  The church, placed under the patronage of Saint Augustine, was erected at Silver Lake in Susquehanna County.  Following a fire that destroyed the original church in 1870, the present Saint Augustine Church was dedicated the following year and continues to serve as a house of worship for Catholic faithful in Susquehanna County.

From the time that Father O’Flynn first settled in Susquehanna County, the fledgling Church in northeastern and north central Pennsylvania was served by missionary priests from the Diocese of Philadelphia and several religious congregations, including members of the Society of Jesus, the Congregation of the Holy Cross and the Franciscans until the founding of the Diocese in 1868.

While clergy were responsible for the sacramental life of the emerging local Church of Scranton, the contribution of women religious from various congregations promoted and advanced the institutional life of the Church.  Led by the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and joined over a short period of time by several other congregations of women religious, including the Sisters of Christian Charity, the Sisters of the Holy Child and the Sisters of Mercy, through the efforts of these dedicated women, schools were opened and the important responsibility of educating the young had begun.

Much can and should be said about the selfless service of the clergy and religious who laid a solid foundation of faith for this blessed local Church of Scranton.  Yet, no matter how heroic or selfless, each of them was only able to fulfill the work entrusted to their care because of the commitment of the faithful souls they served – souls who had been touched by the mercy and love of God and who realized that they too – in their own way – were responsible for proclaiming the good news of the gospel.  …  My friends, those faithful souls are like all of you, who understand that even and particularly today, it is your responsibility – just as much as it is mine – to build the Church – the body of Christ – and to be his hands and voice and heart to a world so much in need of God’s grace.

When the Diocese of Scranton was created by a decree issued by Pope Pius IX on March 3, 1868 – just forty-three years following the construction of its first church – and the Reverend Doctor William O’Hara was named its founding bishop, 24 parishes had already been established.  With the movement of peoples and the arrival of immigrants throughout its 150 years, those 24 parishes grew to as many as 239 by the early 1970’s.

While the number of parishes have diminished in recent years due to changing demographics and cultural challenges, thankfully, this portion of God’s kingdom that all of you represent so beautifully continues to vibrantly embrace the mission of the Church entrusted to all of the baptized.  …  And it will continue to embrace that mission if we are humble, generous and selfless enough to confront time and again the same question posed by Pope Leo XIII to a young Katharine Drexel – now a canonized saint of our Church.  “What about you?  What are you going to do” to build the Church and proclaim Jesus’ message of salvation and life?  …  “What are you going to do?”

My sisters and brothers – may this blessed anniversary year of celebration and remembrance serve as a time of renewal for each of us who are called to make the mission of Jesus our own.  Just like the first missionaries who traveled to our eleven counties in times that were different but just as challenging as our own, we too have the responsibility to build Church.  And, like them, we would do well to remember that if anything profound is to happen through us, it will only happen in relationship with Jesus.

So, “be watchful!  Be alert!”  Continue to look for opportunities to serve the Lord Jesus – in those who have lost their way – in the poor – the suffering – the marginalized – and the brokenhearted.  Work for justice.  Forgive generously.  Give Jesus room to mold our lives into the pattern of his own.  Continue to be the leaven of the gospel in our corner of the world.  And give thanks – for all that has been and for all that will be in this local Church through the grace and presence of God in our midst.      Amen.

Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, D.D., J.C.L.
HOMILY
Solemnity of Christ the King – November 26, 2017
Saint Peter’s Cathedral, Scranton

The great Christian writer, C.S. Lewis, wrote these words about judgment and death.  “When we get to heaven, there will be three surprises.  …  We will be surprised by the people that we find there, many of whom we surely had not expected to see.  …  We will be surprised by the people who are absent – the ones we did expect to see but who are not there.  …  And finally, the third surprise – of course – will be that we’re there!”

We don’t often talk about judgment and death, much less ponder out loud what’s in store for each of us when we pass from this world into the next.  In fact, the gospel from Saint Matthew that we just heard proclaimed on this great feast of Christ the King is the only description of the Last Judgment in any of the gospels.  …  While of course we are saved by the mercy of God and our faith in Jesus Christ, the same Jesus in today’s parable reminds us that judgment is linked to the pattern of our lives, which authenticate our faith.  …  It certainly seems, then, to be the case from today’s scriptures that the degree to which we will be at peace in eternity is rooted in a reality of life that is both disarmingly simple yet the very essence of the Christian message.

In his vision of the final judgment, Matthew presents Christ as the king who sits in judgment – but more like a shepherd who separates sheep from goats.  And in that moment of judgment, precisely who Jesus has been and continues to be throughout his life and ministry comes to the fore.  Jesus, yet again, reminds us of how God has chosen to work and be present in our world and where God can be found.  …  In other words, if we seek to encounter God in our lives – yes, pray – yes, listen to God’s word in the scriptures – yes, receive the Lord Jesus in the sacraments – but recognize that this body of believers that we know as the Church – you and I who are made in the very image and likeness of God – is also where the Lord can and will be found.  It’s no surprise, that as he speaks of judgment and how we have engaged the presence of God in our lives and lived as his disciples, Jesus clearly and unequivocally identifies himself with the poor and broken in today’s gospel of the final judgment.

Suddenly, our place in eternity is gauged less by our ability to articulate the nuances of what we believe as Christians.  Instead, compassion and charity become the standards for determining our entry into eternity.  Our place in God’s kingdom will be determined by our ability to reach beyond ourselves to bring justice, peace and reconciliation into the lives of everyone.  …  Who would ever imagine that God would link such basics of life – food, drink, and welcome – to our final judgment?  Recall today’s gospel, “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothes me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.”

And yet, for as simple as the basis for our judgment may be – it is likely more challenging for me and each of you than we may imagine.  In spite of our confession at the beginning of this and every Mass – forgive me Lord “for what I have done and what I have failed to do” – we often feel that we are doing enough in this complicated world by simply avoiding evil as our ticket into eternity even if, in the process, we fail to go the extra mile to do the right – the good.

Today’s familiar and somewhat disturbing parable reminds us that it is not so much what we do that will do us in, but what we do not do.

So often we cling to all that we’ve been given in life and are hesitant to let go of our time, our resources, and our lives for the sake of another.  …  We worry that we’ll have less than what we need in the process of giving.  …  Yet, have you ever stopped to consider that everything you and I possess – everything – will one day belong to somebody else?  We don’t carry with us to the day of judgment dollars and cents, houses and cars, rings and things.   We do, however, carry with us the love that we’ve shared, the faith we’ve lived, the kindness that we’ve shown and the forgiveness that we’ve given to all who are the face of Jesus in our world.

The blessed Saint Teresa of Calcutta put today’s gospel theme on this solemnity of Christ the King so succinctly when she said:  “At the end of life we will not be judged by how many diplomas we’ve received, how much money we have made, how many great things we have done.  We will be judged by the words of the gospel:  I was hungry and you gave me to eat.  …  I was naked and you clothed me.  …  I was homeless and you took me in.  Hungry not only for bread – but hungry for love; naked not only of clothing – but naked of human dignity and respect; homeless not only for want of a room of bricks, but homeless because of rejection.”

The opportunity to live this gospel and to serve Jesus abounds in our midst every day.  As we reflect upon how we have been blessed by God, may we pray for the courage to live as Jesus lived – to give away what we’ve been given – and so prepare our way to an eternity of peace.

Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, D.D., J.C.L.
ORDINATION TO THE PERMANENT DIACONATE
25 November 2017
(Jeremiah 1:4-9; II Corinthians 4:1-2, 5-7; Matthew 20:25b-28)

It is a joy to welcome all of you to Saint Peter’s Cathedral this morning, together with Bishop Timlin, Bishop Dougherty, so many brother priests and deacons, and especially the wives and children, family members and friends of those to be ordained.  Thank you for your presence, for your prayers, and for the vital role that you have played in enabling these men about to be ordained deacons to hear and answer the call of the Lord.  Today is a day of great rejoicing for all of us gathered this morning in our cathedral, for the entire Church of Scranton and especially for those of you, who, through God’s grace in the Sacrament of Holy Orders, will be ordained as servants in ministry to the People of God.

Thank you as well to all who have been responsible for the formation of our candidates – countless numbers of instructors, spiritual directors, pastors – and in particular, Monsignor David Bohr, Director of Permanent Diaconate Formation.

I am especially grateful to the wives of our candidates.  In so many respects, because of the call that you and your husbands answered to your first vocation to married life, you assumed an integral role in their journey to their second vocation: Holy Orders.  Your willingness to encourage them to listen to the call of the Lord – your selfless love and support amid their struggles to discern their place in the Lord’s plan – and your fidelity in prayer as together you have journeyed to this day – have been a blessing not only to your husbands but to the Church of Scranton and to the lives of all those who will be touched by their ministry of service.  Thank you.  May you too find fulfillment, meaning and peace in the days ahead.

Not too long ago, I celebrated Mass in a parish in our Diocese where I had served as pastor.  During a reception after Mass, I saw numerous parishioners whom I had gotten to know well from my time with them.  Many of them very kindly recalled events from those days when I apparently did something that impacted their lives in a positive manner.  What was interesting to me, however, was what they remembered.  They didn’t reflect upon programs or councils that I implemented in the parish.  They didn’t recall renovations or building projects that I led.  They reflected upon simpler things – like a visit to the hospital when they were sick – a listening ear when they needed someone to talk to – a thought from a homily that I had long ago forgotten.  …  In short, what they remembered most were moments when I got out of the way and allowed God to touch them!

Recall the words from today’s second reading from Saint Paul’s second letter to the Church at Corinth, “We hold this treasure – the ministry entrusted to our care by the Lord Jesus – in earthen vessels, that the surpassing power may be of God and not from us.”  Christ’s call to be the servant of others means to let God work through our own efforts to love, to forgive, to secure justice, to support and to help.  Seeking this type of “greatness” means never being discouraged by the seeming smallness or insignificance of what we are able to do for others.  Indeed, the faith of an authentic disciple enables one to experience fulfillment not in the acclaim that we receive for what we do or in the success we can measure or list on a resume but in the joy and peace that we are privileged to bring into the lives of others through the grace of God at work within us – even and often when that privilege comes with the price of pain and suffering.

Today’s gospel account from Saint Matthew puts the reality of our ministry into stark perspective.   The verses proclaimed are actually the culmination of a very uncomfortable exchange that takes place between Jesus and the mother of two of his disciples, James and John.  In the exchange, James’ and John’s mother – on their behalf – asks that her two sons be given places of honor, influence and respect when Jesus begins his reign.

We know well how the exchange unfolds.  Jesus responds to James, John, and the other disciples with these words, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and the great ones make their authority over them felt.  But it shall not be so among you.”

Jesus’ words – “It shall not be so among you” – constitute perhaps the greatest challenge of the Gospel.  To be a disciple of Jesus means to put ourselves in the humble, demanding role of servant to others, to intentionally seek the happiness and fulfillment of those entrusted to our care, regardless of the cost to ourselves.  …  The admonition of Jesus links the lives of his disciples – each of us – to the reality of the cross and the mystery of our faith, rooted in Jesus’ suffering, death and resurrection. There is simply no other way to understand and to manifest authentic ministry in the Church.

Just about a month ago, Pope Francis wrote the prologue to a book on the diaconate entitled The Diaconate in the Thought of Pope Francis: A Poor Church for the Poor.  Among the many thoughts that the Holy Father shared, the following provide particular meaning and insight into what those to be ordained this day are called to embrace in their ministry:  “The service of the diaconal ministry finds its identity in the act of evangelizing, as John Paul II said in a homily in 1979, addressed to a group of new deacons, and reminding them of the words of the handing to them of the Book of the Gospels during their ordination: ‘Receive the Gospel of Christ, whose herald you have become. Believe what you read, teach what you believe, and practice what you teach.’  …  In your role as deacons, you have come to be and are associates of Peter, John, and all the apostles. You help in the apostolic ministry and share in its proclamation. As the apostles, you ought to feel impelled to proclaim the resurrection of the Lord Jesus in word and works. Also you ought to experience the urgency to do good, to be of service in the name of Jesus crucified and risen, and the urgency to carry the Word of God to the life of his holy people.”

My brothers – Carl, Paul, Herbert, Andrew, Maxime, Michael, Leonard, Ronald, John, James and Robert – today’s gospel passage is a stark reminder of the human condition that each of us experience, including Jesus’ first and closest disciples.  As such, you need to remind yourselves that you have not been called to ordination because you are perfect.  …  None of us are.  …  Like the disciples, we too carry a lot of baggage as we set out on mission to serve the Lord in his people.  …  You have been called by the Lord, gifted for ministry and chosen in the mystery of God’s plan because the Lord knows that you love him and seek, however feebly, to serve him in his people.

The words of the Second Vatican Council put your role within the Church in perspective.  “Strengthened by sacramental grace,” you are called “to serve the People of God, in the diakonia of liturgy, word and charity, in communion with the Bishop and his presbyterate.”  As such, you are ordained to be a sign and instrument of Christ, who came “not to be served but to serve.”

Your service to the People of God is three fold: service to the Word of God – service at the altar of the Lord – and service to the poor.  Allow me to share a few words about each of these ways in which you are called to serve.

As deacons  …  you shall proclaim the Gospel, preach homilies, convey the needs of the people of God in the General Intercessions and offer many other forms of instruction.  You are to be agents of the New Evangelization and proclaim Christ to the world.  …  However, in receiving the Gospel of Christ, remember that it is his Gospel that you preach, not yours.  As ministers of the Church, you must understand that it is the truth that judges events – not vice versa.  By your faithful service to the Gospel in its integrity – without compromise, without accommodation, hesitation or fear – you must help the world to discover the Truth that has a human face, the Truth that is the person of Jesus Christ.

As deacons  …   you shall also serve at the altar of the Lord, preparing the altar for the banquet of Christ’s sacrifice, distributing Holy Communion to the faithful, as well as to the sick and homebound.  You will baptize, preside at weddings, funerals, and other prayer services.  …  I urge you to be good servants of the Church’s sacramental life.  Fulfill your role with reverence in accord with the Church’s liturgical directives.  As servants of the liturgy, always point to Jesus, our life and our hope.

Finally, as deacons …   you are called to be the living and working expression of the charity of the Church.  To you, then, is entrusted in a special way the ministry of charity that is at the very origin of the institution of the deacon.  You are to serve the poor and needy, imitating the Lord who washed the feet of the apostles at the Last Supper.

Pope Francis, in the recently published work referenced just a moment ago, offers a passionate plea on behalf of the poor.  “The diakonia of the church – of which the ministerial diaconate is sign and instrument – has its heart beating in the Eucharistic Ministry and is made real in the first place in the service of the poor who carry in themselves the face of Christ who suffers. The deacon Lawrence, who was the administrator of the diocese of Rome, when the Emperor asked him to bring the treasures of the diocese to pay something to the emperor and save himself, showed him the poor. The poor are the riches of the Church.  …  If your heart is poor and not attached to money, it will always be a heart at the service of others. Poverty is this type of detachment in order to serve those in need, to serve others.  …  Therefore, a poor Church for the poor.”  …  My brothers, your ministry, to be fully diaconal and unified must include some form of direct service to the poor and to those most in need.

My brothers, God has called you to a vital ministry in service of the Gospel.  Set aside your fears.  Embrace your call with deep trust in Jesus’ promise to walk with you always.  Follow Jesus’ example of selfless love and mercy.  And serve God’s people generously as you would serve the Lord himself.

Supported by the prayers of your wives and families, by all of the Christian faithful of this local Church and beyond and by the great communion of Saints whom we will invoke in prayer, may the Lord who has begun this good work in you bring it to completion.

Most Reverend Joseph C. Bambera, D.D., J.C.L.
Bishop of Scranton
HOMILY
“#leaveamark17”
31^st Sunday of the Church Year – November 5, 2017 

A year ago, we gathered in this sacred space on the same weekend of the year – November 6^th to be precise – in response to a challenge issued by Pope Francis.

Last summer, at a gathering of over two million young people from around the world in Krakow, Poland for World Youth Day, the Pope touched us all with these very real and powerful words. “Young people, we didn’t come into this world to ‘vegetate,’ to take it easy, to make our lives a comfortable sofa to fall asleep on. No, we came for another reason: to leave a mark. … God expects something from you. God wants something from you. … Life is always beautiful when we choose to live it fully, when we choose to leave a mark.”

During the past year, so, so many of you have responded in an amazing way to the Holy Father’s challenge. You’ve sought to give life to your faith and to our beliefs as Catholic Christians in a far more authentic manner than ever before – on the college campuses where you live – in your work places – and among your family and friends. In mid-September, over 250 of you participated in a Day of Service in the Diocese of Scranton in direct response to Pope Francis’ call for us to “leave a mark” for good in our world. From a walk-a-thon to benefit hurricane victims – to feeding the hungry at Saint Francis Kitchen – to raising awareness for finding permanent homes for children in foster care – you’ve touched our corner of the world with the hope and love of Jesus in ways that you can only begin to imagine.

Today, we recommit ourselves to embracing Pope Francis’ challenge – which ultimately is the essence of what it means to be an authentic disciple and follower of Jesus.

It’s certainly not by chance but by the providence of God that the scripture readings that the scripture readings just proclaimed speak so vividly to our gathering this evening. In the Old Testament book of Malachi, the writer challenges the People of Israel to listen to God’s commandments, to take them to heart, and then to live them out in their relationships one to another and with the poorest among them.

It’s the Gospel passage from Saint Matthew, however, that most clearly reflects what we are about this day. In today’s verses, Jesus challenges the detached and legalistic religious observances of the scribes and Pharisees. While the laws which these two groups of religious leaders embraced are not the subject of Jesus’ condemnation, the scribes and Pharisees are. Jesus denounces their failure to live up to their teachings, criticizing them for being far more interested in dominating rather than serving the people entrusted to their care. From Jesus’ perspective, the greatest leaders and teachers are those who share their vision of faith not in words alone but by the power of their example, in the integrity of their lives, in their commitment of service toward and respect for those in their charge. In short, in the reign of God, those who exercise authority have a particular responsibility to lead by serving. … And it is in our service, that our beliefs are given life and the mark we leave in our world finds its light!

Earlier this fall, a unique event took place in the Church of the United States. For the first time in our history as a nation, an American-born priest was recognized as a martyr for the faith and beatified on September 23^rd in a ceremony that took place in Oklahoma City – the final stage before canonization as a saint. The priest’s name is Stanley Rother – now Blessed Stanley Rother.

If you’re not familiar with his story, I’d encourage you to become familiar with it. Stanley Rother was born in 1935 in Oklahoma. If he were alive, he would only be 82 years of age. In fact, he studied for the priesthood with at least one priest from our own Diocese of Scranton whom some of you may know – Monsignor Joseph Rauscher, who served as pastor of Saint Nicholas Parish in Wilkes-Barre for many years.

Shortly after Stanley was ordained a priest in 1963, he sought permission to join the staff at his diocese’s mission in Guatemala. Father Stanley connected well with the native tribes who were decedents of the Mayans. He learned their languages. He embraced the poverty that they lived. Having grown up on a farm, he put his skills to use by helping them in the fields and building irrigations systems. He ministered in their homes, eating with them, visiting the sick and aiding them with medical problems.

While Father Stanley served in Guatemala, a civil war raged. The Church was caught in the middle due to its insistence on catechizing and educating the people. During the conflict, thousands of Catholics were killed.

Eventually, Father Stanley’s name appeared on a death list. For his safety, Father Stanley was directed to return to his home in Oklahoma. However, his stay in the United States didn’t last very long. It wasn’t enough for him to merely talk about the atrocities that were being inflicted upon the people that he had served in Guatemala. He needed to be with them, stating, “the shepherd cannot run” from his sheep.

Father Stanley eventually returned to Guatemala. Within a few months of his return, three men entered his rectory around 1:00 a.m. on July 28, 1981, and executed him.

The people of the village where he served mourned the loss of their leader and friend. Because of the affection and veneration that his people displayed for Father Rother, they requested that his heart be kept in Guatemala where it remains enshrined to this day.

Blessed Stanley Rother died for his faith. But far more significantly, he lived for Jesus and left an indelible mark for good in the world.

Years ago, I came upon this quote written by an Indian mystic. It’s pretty powerful: It’s easy to die for Christ. It’s hard to live for him. Dying takes an hour or two but to live for Christ means that we have to die daily. Only during our few years of life are we given the privilege of serving each other and Christ. We shall have heaven forever – but only a short time for service here. Therefore we must not waste the opportunity.

As Christians – as disciples of Jesus – we have but one responsibility. We are called through baptism to embrace his life, death and resurrection. In so doing, we are challenged to make his example of selfless love and service our own. Recall again the words from Saint Matthew’s Gospel proclaimed just a few moments ago. “The greatest among you must be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled but whoever humbles himself with be exalted.”

Pope Francis echoes Jesus’ command with his own simple words, “If Catholics do not proclaim Jesus with their lives, then the Church is less than what it should be. … But when believers share their faith … embrace the power of their baptism … and serve with love … there is life.”

My sisters and brothers, the good news is that there is indeed life in our gathering this evening. … Life abounds through our faith in Jesus. … There is life in this celebration of the Eucharist. … And there is life and hope for our world in your expressed commitment this day to go forth from this sacred place to continue to leave a mark for good in Jesus’ name.

Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, D.D., J.C.L.
HOMILY
All Soul’s Day Mass – November 2, 2017 

Not too long ago, I had the opportunity to share in a very blest conversation with someone whom I’ve been privileged to know for many years.  He shared with me that he’s facing an illness that will eventually take his life much sooner than he had ever anticipated.  Being a person of deep faith, he never once expressed fear about what the future held in store for him.  Quite to the contrary, his words were filled with a belief in and the assurance of a blessed eternity with God that awaits him when he eventually passes from this world to the next.  I marveled at his expressed confidence in the mercy and love of God that touched me so deeply that it challenged me to reflect upon how I might react if – and when – confronted by a similar life and death situation.

The strength of my friend’s ability to face his mortality and the hoped for rewards of a life of faith was tempered, however, when he said with an obvious depth of honesty and emotion, “The hard part is having to say good-by to those I love.”

And isn’t that the hardest part of what any of us experience in the face of death – letting go of those we love?

Today, however, we celebrate as a Church what most of us seek to affirm every day – namely – the belief that while life and death can separate us physically for a time from those we love, as Christians, we believe that there is more to this world than we can see and touch.  And that profound belief is such because of the reality spoken about by Saint Paul in today’s second reading, “If we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him.  We know that Christ, raised from the dead, dies no more; death no longer has power over him.”

The Feast of All Souls provides us with an opportunity to remember and to continue to support with our prayers all of the holy souls and all of those dear people who have been woven into our lives, who have passed from this world to the next, and who journey to God.

This feast, more than any other in the Church year, allows us to put faces and names on those we honor and for whom we pray.  Yet, by that very fact and its connection to our lives, this day and this mass can bring a sadness to our lives.  It is never easy to let go of those whom we love.  There is never a right time or reason to say good-by.  And so, because of that reality, it is essential that we see in this day the heart and substance of our faith as Christians – Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.

In so many respects, today’s Gospel speaks to our hearts and our struggles far more than it speaks about those who have died.  Jesus says, “Come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest.  Take my yolk upon you and learn from me for I am meek and humble of heart.  And your souls will find rest for my yolk is easy and my burden is light.”

Jesus offers very real words.  Notice that he doesn’t white wash life.  He doesn’t say that if you’re a good person and if you pray, you will never have a cross to carry or a burden to bear.  No.  He says “Come to me with your struggles and pain … and I will give you rest” – now – and into eternity.

Our belief in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus won’t necessarily take away the pain that comes from grief, but it does have the power to help us make sense of why we feel the presence of our loved ones, even in their passing – why we choose to gather in prayer for them today.  It affirms what all of us believe, even if we cannot understand – that those whom we have loved and lost are now with us more than ever.

Pope Francis captured the essence of this day best in these words, “There is a deep and indissoluble bond between those who are still pilgrims in this world — us — and those who have crossed the threshold of death and entered eternity. All baptized persons here on earth, the souls in Purgatory and all the blessed who are already in Paradise make one great Family. This communion between earth and heaven is realized especially in the prayers that we offer for one another.  …  This is the reality of our lives … that accompanies us on the journey of life.  …  Let us go forward on this journey with trust, with joy  …  sustained by the help of brothers and sisters who are taking the same path toward heaven; and also by the help of brothers and sisters who are in heaven and are praying to Jesus for us. Go forward on this path with joy!”

Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, D.D., J.C.L.
HOMILY
Funeral of Monsignor George R. Demuth
28 October 2017

On behalf of Bishop Timlin, Bishop Dougherty, the priests, deacons, religious and lay faithful of the Church of Scranton, I extend to Monsignor’s sister Marian, to his nieces and nephews, to his family and dear friends and to the Little Sisters of the Poor, Father Kelly and the staff of Holy Family Residence our sympathy and prayers.  You lost a very important part of your lives and we lost not only the oldest priest of the Diocese of Scranton, but a gentleman and a priest who simply was one of the finest to ever serve this local church.

My relationship with Monsignor Demuth began on November 8, 1983, three days after I was ordained and assigned by then Bishop O’Connor to serve as Monsignor’s assistant pastor at Saint Mary of the Assumption Parish in South Scranton.  To say that we were opposite personality types would probably be an understatement.  When coupled with an age difference of 37 years – suffice it to say that the 1981 Broadway Show entitled Mass Appeal that chronicled the relationship of an older, well-established pastor and his young, unseasoned assistant had nothing on us!  Yet, we grew to appreciate and respect each other deeply over the years.  In fact, when I was informed of his passing, I said to Monsignor Muldowney, our Vicar General, that given Monsignor Demuth’s age, if he requested someone to preach his homily who might not be in a position to do so, I would be honored to preach.  In response, Monsignor Muldowney stated, “Monsignor Demuth beat you to the punch.  He already has you listed as the homilist.”  And I am honored and humbled to fulfill this role.

I will leave the treasured work of remembering the countless numbers of stories that involved so m any of you and Monsignor to your personal reflections during the course of this day.  For my part, while my initial experiences of Monsignor Demuth evoke memories of closed circuit TV cameras – well ahead of their time, alarms and buzzers and gadgets, not to mention “all things German,” the priest and friend I came to know for the past thirty-four years taught me and, I’m certain, all of you so much more  …  about life, about the gift of the priesthood, about aging with grace and gratitude, and most especially about what it means to be a person of faith.

We all know that Monsignor would hardly be thrilled to be held up as an example of faith for us today.  Yet, in so many simple ways he challenged us to see God in the midst of our lives, didn’t he?  Therefore, what better place to look than his life, to see how one man, one Christian, one priest lived the faith, and gives us hope in our efforts to do the same.

Today’s gospel – St. Matthew’s version of the Beatitudes – is a perfect starting point.  This familiar and beloved gospel passage challenges us to abandon our desire for control in life and to recognize our utter dependence upon God and upon each other.  To be a people of the Beatitudes is to embrace the spirit of humility that begins with valuing life as a gift from God, a gift we have received on through God’s love, not through anything we have done to deserve it – and a gift that will carry us through this world to God’s eternity of life and peace if we but open our hearts to his presence through faith

Blest are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.  …  This beatitude sets the tone for the entire gospel passage.  Do you know what it means to be poor in spirit?  It means that we are humble enough to acknowledge our need for God and our dependence upon him.  It means that we are not too proud to say that it’s God who is the source of our life; it’s God who carries even the strongest of us through each day.  It’s God who is the focus of all that we do and all that we are.

For twenty-six years, Monsignor served as pastor of his beloved Saint Mary of the Assumption Parish in South Scranton.  While he oversaw the building of the rectory and the remodeling of the church, his efforts were never about pointing to himself but were always focused on the pastoral care, the wellbeing and the safety of the people entrusted to his care.  …  When the time came for him to retire after serving the faithful of the Diocese of Scranton for 77 years, he left St. Mary’s with a grateful heart, never looking back, never criticizing, never suggesting that his approach might have been better than those who followed after him.  …  His ministry was about the one whom he proclaimed – Jesus – and not himself.  …  Blest are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.

Blest too are they who mourn, for they will be comforted.  …  Life is the greatest gift we receive from God – so precious a gift that we grieve when life is lost – as we do today.

Like all of us, Monsignor grieved the loss of those he loved: his mother and father, his dear sister, Jean, and countless numbers of parishioners and friends.  But his belief in the resurrection was so deep and so profound that it sustained him and enabled him to help others face their grief and loss.  …  Blest are the sorrowing; they shall be consoled.

Blest are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.  …  Do you know what another word for mercy is?  Love.  Blest are they who love generously, by the witness of their lives and not merely the words that they share.  Blest are they who give of their time, who sacrifice, who work hard for those entrusted to their care, who are grateful for all that they have been given.

I couldn’t begin to count the number of times during the four years that I served with Monsignor at Saint Mary’s that he would thank me for the things that I did at the parish – whether it was planning a special liturgical celebration or cooking a less than stellar meal.  He was a gentle and kind priest who, in his own quiet way, loved generously.  …  Blest are they who show mercy; mercy shall be theirs.

Blest too the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.  …  What a gift it is to be blessed with peace and to work to create an environment of peace in which we hold fast to our values and live with respect for one another.  Monsignor’s example during the past few years, his acceptance of the diminishment that comes with aging, his graciousness amid physical struggles and his peaceful demeanor are testimony of the abiding peace of Jesus at the center of his life.

Blest are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.  …  Doesn’t this beatitude speak to the man whose memory we hold so dearly today.  He preached and lived the Gospel of Jesus with deep conviction.  He never rationalized away the message nor did he fear the opinions of those who maintained that the Gospel was outdated and out of touch with the world in which we live.  Would that we all were as committed to the Gospel message.

As we reflect during these blessed moments upon Monsignor Demuth’s life through the framework of the Beatitudes of Jesus, we see so much, don’t we?  …  We see the blessings of a long and full life and how God was woven into every step of the journey.  …  We see the gift of the priesthood and its power to touch and change hearts to God.  …  We see that a life given in service has every reason to expect the resurrection.  …  And we especially see a pattern of life and love and service that every one of us as followers of Jesus – like our brother George – is called to embrace in our lives – a pattern of life, love, service and faith that ultimately give us hope and the promise of resurrection and peace.

So we give thanks this day the life of our brother, our uncle, our pastor and our friend, Monsignor George Demuth.  …  We give thanks for 71 years of priestly life and ministry.  …  We give thanks for his example to us of what it means to be a faithful disciple and follower of Jesus.  …  And we affirm in hope the Word of God proclaimed this day in Saint Matthew’s gospel to all who seek to embrace the life of Jesus as their own:  “Rejoice and be glad,  for your reward in heaven is great.”