THE GOOD NEWS
ARCHBISHOP BELTRAN
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March 18, 2007 The Good News ...Rites of Election Cathedral of Our Lady My dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ: I welcome you, the catechumens and your godparents, the candidates and your sponsors. I welcome our priests and deacons, the catechists and all members of this assembly. You have come here today from various parishes throughout our expansive Archdiocese. You have come here with faith and joy for this Sacred Rite of Election. I could not greet you any more enthusiastically than to use the words and invitation of Jesus in the Gospel just proclaimed: “It was not you who chose Me, but I who chose you.” Do you realize the magnanimity of God expressed in this invitation? You are indeed the Elect, the Chosen Ones of God. Today you come with us, the members of the Holy Catholic Church, to prepare for your own membership in the visible Body of Christ, the Church. You are able to come because Jesus is calling you, as He says: “It was not you who chose Me, but I who chose you.” Thank God for this invitation and for His countless blessings of life and the promise of salvation. Our Catholic faith is centered and founded on the Person of Jesus Christ.We believe that He is the Eternal Son of God, true God and true Man. In the loving mysterious plan of God, Jesus accepted our human nature as His own. He became one of us in all things but sin. He lived. He suffered. He died for us. He is our Lord. He is our Savior. Therefore, as Catholic people, we believe in the Divinity of Jesus and we accept all that He taught us, all that He revealed to us. Jesus is the Way, and the only way, of reaching our Almighty Father. Outside that Way, one is offcourse. He said: “No one comes to the Father but through Me.” Outside that foundation, pre-established by God, nothing is stable. Outside of that Redeemer and of faith in His merits, there is no salvation at all, still less any holiness. Christ Jesus is the one and only Way, the one and only Truth, the one and only Life. A person who does not follow that Way is diverging from the Truth and seeking life unavailingly. As the Gospel itself says: “He that has not the Son, has not life!” Jesus Himself said: “I came that they might have life and have it more abundantly.” The life Jesus offers us is not a nebulous promise. He is the eternal Son of God. For us then to live supernaturally to become holy and fulfilled people, we must share in the plentitude of the Divine Life, that is Jesus Christ. In baptism we are adopted as God’s children by the remission of sins and incorporation into the Body of Christ. These truths of faith are revealed to us in Sacred Tradition and the Sacred Scripture, both of which constitute the Word of God. This is the source of the Catholic Church’s sound theology and teaching, the Revelation (Scripture and Tradition) that comes from God. This Divine Revelation, beautiful as it is, will be of no benefit to us if we only consider it in an academic or theoretical way. God does not force His teaching, His grace or His love upon us. Through the Catholic Church which He established, Jesus continues to present these revealed truths so that God’s wisdom and goodness is made known to us. Then, through faith, we can freely and lovingly receive them. Some of you have only recently begun to examine the Catholic Church while others have had a long relationship with our faith communities. All of you, however, are now actively discerning God’s Will and your own faith commitment. As you study and pray, the beauty and truth of the Church will bring you closer to the Lord. As I said earlier, our Catholic faith is centered on the Person of Jesus Christ. He is the Church’s foundation. He is the source of grace and the goal of our pilgrimage of faith. When you are baptized or make your profession of faith, you will become a member of the universal Catholic Church. I beg you, therefore, do not take this step lightly. Do it only in faith and with a resolve and a commitment that with God’s grace, you will live the fullness of our Catholic faith. This means that you will have accepted certain responsibilities and they must be taken seriously. One of the very evident responsibilities you will accept is the obligation to participate in the Eucharist every Sunday and Holy Day of Obligation. Active participation at Mass every Sunday and Holy Day is a very serious obligation that you accept at the time of your entrance into the Catholic Church. Remember, our Catholic faith is founded and centered on Jesus Christ. The Eucharist (the Mass) is the re-enactment of the life, the death and the resurrection of Jesus. In the Mass, bread and wine are changed into His Body and Blood to nourish and sanctify us on our journey of life. Whether or not you go to Sunday Mass will not be a frivolous or arbitrary choice you make each week. Rather, it must be the fulfillment of your faith commitment which is the free and responsible choice you make when you join the Catholic Church. Another important responsibility of membership in the Catholic Church stems from the fact that as human beings, we are all sinners. Therefore, we need continuing forgiveness throughout our lives. Where do we find such forgiveness? We know that God alone can forgive sins. Therefore, we go to God in the way that He prescribed. It is in the sacrament of Penance where we meet Christ in His Church ready and eager to absolve our sins and restore us to new life. The Sacrament of Penance, like all seven sacraments, was instituted by Christ for our salvation. Although Catholics are obliged to go to Confession only once a year or when they commit serious (mortal) sin, we really should confess more often. The Sacrament of Penance should be received on a more regular basis. Certainly, Lent, Advent, times of importance or crises are ideal times to make a sincere confession and receive sacramental absolution. Moreover, the Church clearly teaches that the normal way for Catholics to receive forgiveness of mortal sins is through Confession to a priest in the Sacrament of Penance. Indeed, your active participation in Sunday Mass every week and your regular reception of the Sacrament of Penance are serious obligations. However, they should not be considered as burdens. They are responsibilities that you freely and lovingly accept when you join the Catholic Church. They are opportunities the Church provides for us to grow in our knowledge and love of God. They are stepping stones on the pilgrim journey of life as we move in an ongoing relationship with God. The Eucharist and sacramental Confession are gifts from God through His Church which are essential for our life of faith. Your life as a Catholic must not be a static event. You must continue to grow in the knowledge and love of God. By living your Catholic faith fully, you will be living the great commandment of love. Therefore, love God first and foremost and your neighbor as yourself. Love the Catholic Church which will guide you and lead you to eternal life in heaven. It is there and only there where Jesus will be yours forever! |