THE GOOD NEWS
ARCHBISHOP BELTRAN

December 18, 2005

The Good News

...A Blessed Christmas!

My hope and my prayer is that every person of our Archdiocese will appreciate the real meaning of the Christmas event and celebration.

Jesus came to be with us. He was born as one of us and lived among us. He suffered and died for us. He then rose from the dead and ascended to His Father. But He told us that He would not leave us! He said He would always be with us.

Jesus fulfilled His promise. In many ordinary ways and in some dynamic and mysterious ways, He remains with us. Through His Word in the Scriptures, through the sacramental action of the Church and through the outpouring of His Holy Spirit, Jesus is with us. He is saving us!

The celebration of Christmas, the birth of Jesus, is a reminder and even more than that. It is a renewal of Christ among us. This is what Christmas is all about - the coming and the continuing presence of God among us. May each of you experience this Christmas reality and truly have a most Blessed and Happy and Holy Christmas.

This year I was fortunate to have a very special opportunity to prepare for Christmas. The Church gives us the Advent season for that very reason. I was able to usher in the Advent season with a spiritual retreat in Rome. Those were five beautiful, prayerful and inspiring days that will lead me to a Blessed Christmas.

My retreat was held in Saint Peter Basilica itself. Since I was staying at the Domus Sanctae Marthae just one hundred feet from the sacristy of Saint Peter’s, I had easy and constant access to the basilica. Each morning at 7:00, I would celebrate Mass at a different altar. Several times other priests concelebrated with me. These included two priests from the Diocese of Tulsa whom I ordained and who are now serving in Rome, Monsignors Peter Wells and Daniel Mueggenborg.

On Saturday evening, November 26th, our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, began the Advent season by presiding at First Vespers. I was blessed to be present there before the High Altar of Saint Peter’s. I sat just a few rows away from the place where I received the pallium from Pope John Paul II as your Archbishop about thirteen years ago.

Because of the easy open access, I was able to return to Saint Peter’s throughout the days - morning, noon and evening. My retreat was centered on the Eucharist with meditative readings of Pope Benedict XVI’s book, “On the Way to Jesus Christ.”

As part of the retreat, I also spent time in prayer at the tombs of six popes whose lives have had very special meaning for me.

The first of these was Pope Saint Pius X. As a seminarian, I developed a special devotion to him after being told he was the patron for diocesan priests. Some years after my ordination and on my first visit to Saint Peter’s, I requested and was granted the privilege of saying Mass at his altar tomb. Since then, I have frequently celebrated Mass there and especially now. You may recall from our centennial celebration that it was Pope Saint Pius X who erected the Diocese of Oklahoma on August 17, 1905.

The next pope’s burial place was that of Blessed Pope John XXIII. It was Blessed Pope John XXIII who convoked and opened the Second Vatican Council. As a young seminarian and priest, I was greatly inspired by the life and teaching and example of Blessed Pope John XXIII.

Another tomb I visited for prayer was that of Pope Paul VI. He was the first pope I ever actually saw. I had gone to Rome for the final session of the Second Vatican Council and stood in awe as I watched him enter Saint Peter’s. Years later, I was awed and humbled when Pope Paul VI appointed me bishop. Now, whenever I am in Rome, I pray for Pope Paul’s canonization and ask for his intercession as I gratefully thank him for calling me to be a bishop.

At Pope John Paul I’s tomb, I stood a long time even though his pontificate was so short (only thirty days). But I happened to have spent most of the days of his reign in Rome as I was there for an American bishops study session.

The burial place of Pope John Paul II continues to call pilgrims and witnesses. The lines of people are still long with young and old alike. There I frequently joined the many people kneeling in prayer. I thanked him for the example of his life and the pastoral care he gave us during his long pontificate. I asked his blessing for all of us in the Archdiocese so that we too will remain faithful and zealous witnesses of God’s goodness and love. I prayed too for his canonization.

While I feel a particular relationship with the five popes mentioned above, there is yet another pope that I feel fundamentally related to and he is also buried here. I’m referring to Saint Peter, the Apostle Jesus called The Rock. He is the one to whom the Keys of the Kingdom were entrusted. He was to be the leader and head of the Twelve.

The remains of Saint Peter are preserved in a special urn just below the high altar. The container is visible from the main floor of the basilica as well as the crypt level. A great portion of my retreat was there before the mortal remains of him who is apostle, martyr and saint.

While three of these six special popes have not yet been canonized or even beatified, I believe they are in heaven with God. Therefore, at each of their tombs, I asked for their intercession and their prayers, especially for you and for me, the Catholic people of Oklahoma. I prayed that we will all be faithful to our baptismal call and fulfill the role God gives each of us.

On the last day of my retreat, I attended the audience of Pope Benedict XVI. In his continuing catechetical instruction, he explained Psalm 136 as a fitting teaching for our celebration of Advent.

The retreat ended and I returned to Oklahoma to complete the Advent season and to prepare for Christmas. In this spirit of great faith and with much joy, I extend my very best personal wishes to each of you. May you and your loved ones have a most blessed Christmas celebration. May the feast of the birth of Jesus bring you renewed joy and faith as we continue the journey of daily life now to life everlasting in heaven. A Merry and Blessed Christmas to all!