(The following excerpt is Part III of a homily delivered by Archbishop Seán Patrick O'Malley, OFM Cap., at his Mass of Installation as the sixth Archbishop of Boston, July 30, 2003, at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross, Boston.)
“The Catholic Church in the United States has made invaluable contributions to the spiritual and material well being of our country. As Catholics, we have so much to be thankful for, so much to be proud of. As Catholics, we must be proud of the fact that we have educated millions upon millions of Americans in our schools, saving US tax payers many billions of dollars and giving countless children from immigrant and working class families an excellent education. Even today, there are almost three million students in our Catholic schools and colleges; 20% of the hospitals in the country are run by the Church, the largest social service agencies and relief organizations in the land are agencies of the Catholic Church. This is not just a philanthropic enterprise; it is rather an extension of the Christ who opened the book of Isaiah in the synagogue in Nazareth and said: "The spirit of the Lord is upon me and has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor, recovery of sight to the blind and relief for the oppressed." The followers of Jesus are also anointed "“ Christian means anointed "“ anointed to be part of the same mission that is Christ's "“ to reveal the face of our loving and merciful Father in heaven.
Once the Archbishop of New York received an intercom call from a new receptionist working in the chancery. She said: "Your Eminence, there is a man in the lobby who says he is Jesus Christ. What should I do?" The Archbishop replied: "Look busy!" Although the Archbishop's words merit a chuckle, on another level they are dead serious. The homeless schizophrenic man off his meds, who says he is Jesus Christ, is Jesus Christ "in a distressing disguise," as Mother Teresa used to say.
Jesus is present to us in the least of our brothers and sisters. He is with us in the hungry, the poor, the Alzheimer's patient, the unborn, and the homeless person with AIDS, all of whom have a claim on our love. He is here where two or three are gathered in His name. Here we recognize Him in the breaking of the Bread and in His Sacraments. We recognize Christ present in His Church. We must not only look busy, we must be busy fulfilling the great command He has given us to carry on His mission.
Even more important than the great education, healthcare and social institutions of the Catholic Church is the mission of the Church to build a community of faith around the Word of God and around the Eucharist. It is in our parishes where we gather around the altar, as Christ's Body the Church fed by Christ's Body, the Eucharist, that we find the strength to lead good lives, generous lives, faithful lives. We know that by carrying the Gospel and the Sacraments in the life of the Incarnation, the Church enjoys a culture transforming power, to help bring about a civilization of love. The work of Christ's Church is the work of salvation: making God's Kingdom more visible here and now and preparing us for eternal life.
In a community of faith, we learn to worship our God, to forgive one another and to serve those around us. We discover the true dignity of each and every person made in the image and likeness of God. No matter how small the unborn, no matter how debilitated, and unproductive the aged and infirm, we must take care of each other. No one is expendable. Each and every person counts in God's sight. The Gospel of Life will always be the centerpiece of the Church's social Gospel.
Where shall we find strength to move ahead, to bring healing and reconciliation, to live out the mission of Jesus to be the face of God's mercy in the world? We shall find that strength in the shadow of the Cross. Today I invite you to renew with me our baptism commitment to take up the Cross each day and follow Jesus.”
