Youth and Young Adult Pilgrimage – Palm Sunday, March 27, 1999
How many of you might know who James Byrd Jr. is?
He is the 49 year old black man who was dragged to death in Texas because of his race.
You know that those who attack others because of race are closing their eyes to a central truth that you and I believe. No matter what the color of our skin, all are brothers and sisters, because all are children of one heavenly Father, all equally redeemed by the blood of Jesus shed for us upon the cross.
How many of you know who Matthew Shepard is?
He is the young man who was tied to a fence, beaten and left to die because he was homosexual.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches us about homosexuals:
“They do not choose their homosexual condition; for most of them it is a trial. They must be accepted with respect, compassion and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided.”
How many of you know who Dr. Barnette Slepian is?
He is the doctor who was murdered in Amherst New York because he provided abortions?
Those who commit abortion, striking at God's sacred gift of life, innocent and defenseless, are depriving the unborn of that most basic right, the right to life itself. But even if thereby they become in some sense enemies to the culture of life, they still have their own basic right to life. We have no right to inflict violence As followers of Jesus we are given this command: “…love your enemies, pray for your persecutors.”
Where will you be when the crowds strike out in violence at those they will not tolerate. Where will you be when our neighbors choose capital punishment as an appropriate response to such terrible crimes. Our Holy Father this past January in St. Louis clearly taught us a lesson. .He said “I renew the appeal I made most recently at Christmas for a consensus to end the death penalty, which is both cruel and unnecessary.”
On Good Friday we remember the violent death of Jesus who was crucified by a crowd who could no longer tolerate his unconditional love and his call for justice and for holiness in life.
Prayerful sensitivity, not violence is the response of people of faith.
You will experience the crowds that turn against you.
You will experience times when the same people that shout Hosanna! one day are shouting “crucify him” the next.
Remember that Jesus experienced this before you. He knew what it was like to have friends abandon him, crowds turn against him, people spit at him, followers deny him.
As disciples, you will experience this as well. But you will also experience the strength of the Church, the great gift of Jesus. You will experience solidarity with the 7000 young people who have signed the pledge that “true love waits.”
You will encounter the commitment made by 7 of our men in the Archdiocese who will, please God, be ordained to the priesthood this June.
You will come into contact with youth ministers, campus ministers, and teachers who choose mission over money, who are dedicated to serving you, and are ready to stand by you in your commitment.
You will meet in Bishop Bennett, Bishop Murphy and Bishop Newman, people who have profound commitments to the young Church of Baltimore.
As a sign of my confidence in you, I have issued regulations that, beginning today, allows young people 16 years of age, who have been confirmed and are continuing their own faith formation to serve as special ministers of the Eucharist at their parish.
In following Jesus, sometimes the crowd will be with you, sometimes, the crowd will be against you.
Jesus asks us to remember, “I am with you always.”
Jesus promises that he will never leave us. With God's grace, we make that same promise to him.
