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Mass for Seminarians & Families My dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ: I trust that all of you enjoyed a peaceful time snowed in for Christmas. I pray that all of you will have a very happy and holy and healthy New Year. May 2010 be a very special time of God’s grace for each of you and for all your loved ones. It was just about three weeks ago on my way back from Mount Saint Mary High School that I stopped at the Saint Francis Church rectory to visit one of our well-known, retired priests, Father Charles Schettler. What started out as an informal, friendly visit in the kitchen with the pastor, Father Murphy and with Father Schettler, soon turned into a more serious moment as we received the alarming news that Father Schettler might have terminal cancer. He was then on his way to visit his doctor where this news would be confirmed. Two days later, I returned to anoint Father Schettler. After absolution, anointing and Viaticum, Father Murphy and I continued our conversation with Father Schettler, talking openly and directly about life and death and eternal salvation. Father Schettler informed me that he did not want any treatment – just let God be God! This simple yet profound statement would be repeated by Father Schettler during his few remaining hours on this earth. Those final hours of Father Schettler were, for me, a re-enactment of the beautiful Gospel we just heard. Simeon looks at the Baby Jesus and he sees the true Savior and says: “Lord, now let your servant go in peace. Your word has been fulfilled. My own eyes have been the salvation which you prepared in the sight of every people, a light to reveal you to the nations and the glory of your people Israel.” “Now, Lord, let your servant go in peace.” Like Simeon, that was Father Schettler’s prayer, his expression of faith and hope. “Now, Lord, let your servant go in peace” should be our prayer as believers and our expression of faith and hope. Simeon saw the Child Jesus with human eyes enlightened by faith. We, too, see with human eyes when we look at the bread and wine on the altar but, enlightened by faith, we see Jesus. Christian faith is more than believing in the existence of God or the historic Person of Jesus born in Bethlehem. True Christian faith requires us to believe that the Word of God became Flesh and dwelt among us and continues to abide among us. The truth and the reality of the Incarnation of the Word of God is at the basis of the Body of Christ in the Eucharist and the Body of Christ as Church. Pope John Paul II clearly taught us that while the Eucharist commemorates the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus, it is also in continuity with the Incarnation. The Eucharist is truly the Body and Blood of Jesus Who was born in Bethlehem, died on Calvary and rose from the dead. The sacrament of Christ’s Body and Blood is called the Eucharist and is celebrated by the whole community of the Church. However, certain members are called by God in and through the Church to a special service of the community. These servants are chosen and consecrated in Holy Orders thus becoming priests of the New Covenant. Tonight, we have here some who are already ordained priests, others who are discerning God’s call to priesthood and the parents of our seminarians. All of us are believers in Jesus, the Eternal Son of God, the Word made Flesh, Who was born of the Blessed Virgin Mother in Bethlehem. All of us need the eyes of faith to see the Divine Child among us as Simeon did. We need the eyes of faith to see that Divine Person in the Eucharist we celebrate as did the Apostles and Martyrs and Saints of the past. For all of us pilgrims of faith on a journey of life to life everlasting in heaven, the Eucharist is and must always remain our clearest and most vibrant sign of God’s presence among us. For the Eucharist is God’s special gift of Himself to us. Through the Eucharist, Jesus calls priests to share in His ministry. Through the Eucharist, seminarians can discern God’s Will and call. Through the Eucharist, parents can give praise and thanks to God for the gift of life God created through you. Therefore, we rejoice tonight in this gathering in faith and we thank our Heavenly Father for sending His Son Jesus to save us from sin and to bring us to life everlasting. Amen. Most
Reverend Eusebius J. Beltran |