|
Homily, 50th
Anniversary My dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ: Today, the universal Church celebrates a feast in honor of the great Saint Joseph. As foster father of Jesus and spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Joseph was brought into the profound mysteries of life and of death and of eternal salvation. It was no accident that our first bishop, Theophilus Meerschaert, dedicated this cathedral in honor of Saint Joseph and placed it under his protection. The man whom the Gospels portray as just and holy and as husband of Mary, together with Mary, they are the parents to whom Jesus returned. As today’s Gospel tells us: “He (Jesus) went down with them and came to Nazareth and was obedient to them.” The feast of Saint Joseph and the image of this truly great servant of God sets the background and the rationale for our gathering here this morning. We come as people of faith. We gather with great joy. We are here to celebrate the Eucharist for the fiftieth anniversary of religious vows of Sister Joan Marie Sanchez. We recognize that following the example of Saint Joseph and his dedicated life of service to God and to God’s people, Sister Joan Marie freely, generously and permanently dedicated herself to the Lord. Therefore, at this, your golden jubilee celebration, we are so pleased to pray with you and for you as we offer up this Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. When Saint Joseph was called by the Lord to take Mary as his wife and to guard the Child she miraculously conceived, he did not fully understand the complete meaning of that call yet responded positively. Fifty years ago, Sister Joan Marie, when you responded to the Lord’s call, you did not fully understand its meaning or implication either but you, too, answered affirmatively. During the lifetime of Saint Joseph, he faced many uncertainties and challenges. Imagine not being able to find a place for his loving wife to give birth to her Son! Then, having wise men come with gifts and an unclear message. How about having to take Mary and the Child Jesus and flee to a strange land? In your fifty years of service in the Church, Sister, you, too, faced uncertainties, challenges and even difficulties, but like Saint Joseph, you remained faithful and enthusiastic. Nowhere in the Gospel does it ever tell us that Saint Joseph finally figured it all out and totally and completely fathomed the Divine Will. Sister Joan Marie, your many works and accomplishments over the last fifty years are truly appreciated by us. Yet at the same time, you too felt the tension of community and society. Your dealings with parents and students and parishioners often challenged you. Perhaps obligations weighed heavily upon you and uncertainties surrounded you. Despite these, you persevered and while continuing to discern God’s Will, still have much to wonder about. Your life as a Religious these past fifty years has been centered on Jesus. As a young woman, you pronounced the Evangelical Vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. You were consecrated as a Carmelite Sister of Saint Therese. For a half century, you have lived, worked and prayed as a dedicated Carmelite Sister. Indeed, you have been and are the faithful spouse of Jesus Christ. Your following of Christ is best expressed as “service.” In service, we discover the quality of self-giving which was so vividly expressed by the Blessed Virgin Mary in her response to the angel: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to Your Word.” It is an expression of faith and love which is made concrete in obedience to the Divine Call. This is what we mean when we speak of the great commandment of love: “To be at the service of God and of our brothers and sisters.” This is how it was with the Blessed Virgin Mary, with Saint Joseph and with the holy women of Jerusalem who followed Jesus. This is how it is with all those who faithfully follow Jesus down the centuries. Sister Joan Marie, your presence here today and your readiness to renew your Religious Vows as a Carmelite Sister are a great witness to your faith in God, your love for Jesus and your dedication to our holy, Catholic Church. Therefore, not only on behalf of those gathered here today, but in reality, on behalf of all the people of our Archdiocese, I thank you for your life and your service. Congratulations on your golden jubilee and may Saint Joseph watch over you and pray for you always. May Almighty God bless you forever. Most Reverend Eusebius J. Beltran |