The Lord remains forever
Archbishop George H. Niederauer delivered the following homily at a Mass for the World Day of Prayer for the Sick, Feb. 7, at St. Mary's Cathedral in San Francisco.
We disciples of Jesus Christ believe that we are saved forever by His life, His death on the Cross, and His resurrection. On that first Easter Sunday evening, the risen Jesus appeared among his first followers, and the following week invited the doubtful Thomas to put his hand into Jesus' side, and to note the mark of the nails.
On this Day of Prayer for the Sick, at this Mass in honor of Mary, Health of the Sick, we hear the prophet Isaiah, in our first reading, describing the Suffering Servant of Yahweh, in a passage that the worshiping Church applies to the suffering and death of Christ, especially on Good Friday. Isaiah describes this Servant of God as a "man of suffering," held in no esteem, so unattractive in his agony that people turn away from him. He suffers without complaint, "like a lamb led to slaughter." The prophet stresses that he suffers for the people, for us: he was "pierced for our offenses" and "crushed for our sins." So powerful is the effect of his suffering that Isaiah says it has "made us whole," indeed, "by his wounds we are healed." After his death, Isaiah tells us, the Suffering Servant was given a "grave among the wicked," and the prophet asks the question, "Who would have thought any more of his destiny?"
However, our Catholic faith tells us a different ending. It is true that the Son of God did not remain, does not remain, outside our human suffering and death, but takes it all on himself, to share it with us. Nevertheless, that is not the end. The Good News is, "Jesus is risen!" His tomb is empty, and because of His resurrection, we shall rise, our tombs will be empty too.
St. Paul the Apostle, whom we are celebrating in a special way this year, is our great teacher about the power of the suffering, death and rising of Jesus. However, in his letter to the Colossians, Paul says a strange, yet wonderful thing: "Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ on behalf of his body, which is the church . . . ." (Col. 1:24) Is Paul saying that the suffering of Jesus on the Cross was inadequate, not enough to save us? Not at all! Paul is saying that Jesus our Redeemer wants so much to be one with us, now and forever, that he makes sure that he shares in our joys and sufferings and that we share in his. Remember, St. Paul knew this truth from personal experience. Earlier in his life, as Saul of Tarsus, the future apostle had actually persecuted the new church, and when Jesus spoke to him at the moment of conversion, he identified himself with these words: "I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting." Saul had never met Jesus during his lifetime on earth, but if he was persecuting the followers of Jesus, he was persecuting the Jesus who grew up in Nazareth.
That is how intimate is the union of each of us with Jesus the Lord, and with one another in Him. Our sufferings are united with his sufferings on the Cross, and they help to extend the redeeming power of his sacrifice. Everything we experience, everything we do, has value and power in union with the healing and redeeming sacrifice of Christ.
Just as the resurrection joy of Easter follows on the suffering of Good Friday, so the joy of our Gospel reading follows on Isaiah's prophecy. We hear from Luke's Gospel the story of the Visitation, in which Mary, expecting the birth of the Savior, visits her cousin Elizabeth, expecting the birth of John the Baptist. We see this moment pictured so beautifully in the bronze at the front of the aisle on the western wall of this Cathedral. After the greeting of Elizabeth, St. Luke gives us the prayer of Mary, the Magnificat, so beautifully expressing humble joy at being drawn by God into his plan of salvation for all.
It is a dreadful mistake for us merely to label this as "Mary's Prayer," so that we sit passively by while she prays about her special role in God's saving plan. Mary's prayer is also our prayer, your prayer and mine. Indeed, the Catholic Church puts this prayer on our lips, at evening time, every day of the year. Our souls proclaim the greatness of the Lord, our spirits rejoice in God our Savior. The Lord has looked on each of us in our lowliness, and because he has looked on us in love, from now on all ages will call us blessed. That is just as sure and true as the fact that the Lord and his Mother looked with love on St. Bernadette Soubirous, over 150 years ago, and now all ages call her blessed.
The Mighty One has done great things for us, and holy is his name! Jesus heals the whole of our human nature, through our faith in him, through the teaching and unity of our Catholic Church, through the prayer and worship of the Church, especially in the Eucharist and the other sacraments, especially the holy Anointing of the Sick which we will celebrate in a few moments. Jesus heals and strengthens us through the prayerful, caring and loving ministry of one another, especially our families and friends. After Communion we will celebrate this powerful channel of God's love through the blessing of the hands of caregivers.
Mary, whom we pray to as Health of the Sick, shared in the sufferings of her Son and offered herself with him. Mary, who did not shed her blood, nevertheless is Queen of Martyrs, because she stood at the foot of the Cross while her son was tortured and died. Still, Mary's prayer looks forward in hope to resurrection joy, as she concludes by praising the Lord's mercy, that works from age to age in the lives of those who trust in him, and who do not try to life as sufficient solely within themselves, because of their pride or their possessions. The Lord will keep faith forever with those who have faith in Him.
As we continue our celebration of this Eucharist, let us pray, through the intercession of Mary, Health of the Sick, that the graces of this Mass and Anointing will deepen our faith in God's healing presence in our lives, strengthen our hope in his saving plan of salvation, and urge to ever more generous, loving service to those most in need of meeting Christ in us.
By Archbishop George H. Niederauer
From February 13, 2009 issue of Catholic San Francisco.
