THE GOOD NEWS
ARCHBISHOP BELTRAN
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March 12, 2006 The Good News ...Rites of Election Cathedral
of Our Lady My dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ: It is with great joy that I greet you and, in the Name of Jesus Christ, welcome you here to Our Lady's Cathedral. In fact, I welcome you, not only to this beautiful church building, but more importantly, I invite you to full membership in the holy Catholic Church. At the Easter Vigil, when you are baptized, when you make your Profession of Faith, you are joining, not just a local Catholic parish, you truly become a member of the universal Catholic Church established by Jesus Himself. Christ, Who is the Redeemer of the world, is unique and universal. Thus His saving mission, which by Divine Providence is entrusted to the holy Catholic Church, is marked by that uniqueness and universality. The Gospel you just heard proclaimed stated this very simply but beautifully: "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son so that everyone who believes in Him might not perish but might have eternal life." This Gospel, inspired by the Holy Spirit, would be for us flighty and meaningless if we did not believe in God. Your enrollment in RCIA classes and your presence here today are clear signs that you do indeed believe in God. It is evident that God, our loving Father, is revealing Himself to you and leading you more closely to His Son Jesus through this unique and universal Catholic Church which He established, nurtures and watches over. The Catholic Church possesses the truth about God, about life and about salvation. This does not mean that the Church creates or manufactures the truth. Nor does it imply that the Church is an end in itself. Jesus, the eternal Son of God is the Truth. He is the Lord. He is our Redeemer. God did not will to be hidden or isolated from our world. As the Gospel proclaimed, He loves us so much that He sent His Son Jesus to be one of us. He lived. He suffered and He died for us. Then He rose from the dead and commissioned the Church to be the unique instrument of His saving mission. It is crucially important that at this stage in your pilgrim journey, you recognize and internalize your faith in Jesus and in all that He has revealed to us. He clearly shows us that the Church is His special instrument. God is not confined by the Church nor dependent on it. Yet He entrusts the Church with His mission - Go forth into the whole world and proclaim the Good News. Baptize people everywhere. Call people to repentance from sin. Take My Flesh and eat It. Take My Blood and drink It and remember I am with you always - even to the end of the world and the gates of hell shall not prevail against you. When God sent His Son into the world as the Light of the World, there were those who preferred darkness to Light. Because He was born as a human child, some put no trust in Him. Later they even said - Is He not the carpenter's son? Is not His mother the woman called Mary? Then they shunned Him and would not accept Him. When He forgave the sins of the crippled man, they questioned - How can He forgive sins? Only God can do that. When He spoke about the Eucharist saying that they must eat His Body and drink His Blood, they departed from Him. As He died on the cross, they mocked Him - If you are the Son of God, come down from that cross. Save Yourself and save us. Jesus is the Redeemer and, as such, was often a contradiction to people because they refused to open themselves to the plan and revelation of God. They preferred darkness to light because their works were evil and they refused to change. Today we have a similar challenge. The Church which Jesus established and fortifies and guides remains a community of human beings. We are all sinners. We are all in need of conversion. God's love is so great that He makes it possible for us to change, to be forgiven, to grow in holiness. But, He never forces us. He calls. He invites. He blesses us and waits for our response. Yes, the Catholic Church brings us into the light of truth because its principle God-given purpose is to bring us to Jesus. Despite our sins and failures, despite the fear and terrorism that surround us, despite confusion and contradiction, Jesus stands in our midst and says - I am the Way. I am the Truth. I am the Life. Come to Me all you who labor and are over-burdened and I will refresh you. Take up your cross and follow Me and you will have life everlasting. Dear Catechumens and Godparents, Candidates and Sponsors, Catechists, Deacons and Priests, how very blessed we are to be called. We are called to become God's people. We are called in a very special and personal way by Jesus. He is Lord. He is God. He reveals Himself to us, offers Himself to us, unites us in the unique and universal Catholic Church He established and promises us eternal life in Heaven. This is the essence of our Catholic faith. Therefore, let us rejoice. Let us hold fast to that faith. Let us always remain faithful to Jesus, our Lord and Redeemer. During the Lenten season, the Church offers a beautiful daytime prayer which I share with you now: Take
up your cross, the Savior said, Take
up your cross, let not its weight Take
up your cross then in His strength, Take
up your cross and follow Christ, This hymn is printed in the Sooner Catholic so that you can mediate on it as you continue your pilgrimage of faith. Congratulations to each of you. Thank you for answering God's call and may the Lord be with you forever. |