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April 13, 2022Abu Dhabi.Bishop Paul Hinder presided over the Chrism Mass at St. Joseph's Cathedral Abu Dhabi today at 7pm. All the priests of the Vicariate attended the mass and renewed the priestly commitment. The Holy Oils were blessed by the Bishop and were received by the parish priests from various parishes of the Vicariate.
Below is the full text of the homily delivered by Bishop Paul addressing the priests of the Vicariate.
Readings of the Day
Is 61:1-3.6.8-9; Ap 1:5-8; Luke 4:16-21
Dear brother priests, today during the Chrism Mass you will renew your commitment as priests. You do it in a day when the priesthood is put to test in many regards. After all the abuse cases that have come to light during the past few years, many priests are living under a cloud. In some parts of the world the extreme respect for priests has given way to disregard or even contempt. Others, even certain theologians put into question the ministerial priesthood conveyed by the sacrament of ordination through the bishop. Amidst such trials we should never forget the immense number of priests who daily do their dedicated ministry, some of them amidst persecution.
On a day like today it is good to reflect on what we pray in the Second Eucharistic Prayer after the Consecration: “We offer you, Lord, the Bread of life and the Chalice of salvation, giving thanks that you have held us worthy to be in your presence and minister to you.” Today is first of all a day of thanksgiving. We are surely not worthy to be in the presence of the Lord and to minister him. However, it is HE who is holding us worthy. Worthy of doing what?
It is his presence that that counts and that gives meaning to our sacramental and pastoral work.Therefore, it is important that we take time for him, with him.
Priestly existence must be rooted in prayer.“We give thanks that we are held worthy to be in your presence”:
“To be” in the presence of the Lord! It is his presence that that counts and that gives meaning to our sacramental and pastoral work. Therefore, it is important that we take time for him, with him. Priestly existence must be rooted in prayer.
“To be” in his presence means also to be vigilant and alert. It preserves us from sleeping on days of trials (cf. Gethsemane) and gives us the strength to fight against the power of the evil. It gives us the courage to stay with Jesus when he is spit and contemned and we have to take a share in it.
“To be” in his presence means to live in the truth and to stand for it.
“To be” in his presence keeps our inner eyes clear that we can look at the things and people around us with the eyes of Jesus.
Today is a day of thanksgiving to the Lord who “held us worthy … to minister” to him.
“To minister” to him means first of all to be obedient to the mandate the Lord has given: “Do this in memory of me”. It also means to celebrate the liturgy, the sacred mysteries, according to the rules of the Church and not according to our personal tastes. We also must avoid to fall into an empty routine that kills the spirit of the liturgy.
“To minister” to him means to listen carefully to the Lord’s word that we must transmit faithfully to our brothers and sisters and to all those who thirst for the Word of God (“good news to the poor”).
“To minister” to him means to do what we shall hear tomorrow evening (Holy Thursday) from the mouth of Jesus: “You call me ‘teacher’ and ‘master,’ and rightly so, for indeed I am. If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another’s feet. I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do.” Our task is therefore to minister the Lord in the others, and not to lord over the others.
“To minister” to him means that “not my will, but thine, be done”.
Here follows a word of thanks to all the priests as my co-workers and a final encouragement to renew the priestly commitment with the word:
“Here I am, Lord! Send me!”
