The following Homily was given by Fr. Herbert Nicholls on June 15th
at the Mother of the Light Convent
My
reflections today are taken from a homily given by John Cardinal O’Connor,
former Archbishop of New York on a Friday night at a conference at Franciscan
University in Steubenville, Ohio.
The
Cardinal began with his well publicized chastisement of the New York Yankees
for playing their home opener on Good Friday between 12PM and 3PM. As a result
he told Mr. Steinbrener that he would not attend any Yankee games that year.
The Cardinal received many letters of encouragement and support from laity and
clergy as well. But several weeks later when he asked that Little League
organizations refrain from playing on Sunday mornings, the volumes of letters
turned against him.
The
Cardinal explained that baseball is not the issue. “I am as much a supporter of
baseball and little league as anyone, but I chose to bring attention to a much
broader picture—the secularization of modern society”.
In a
secularized society, there is no such thing as mystery. There is no reality
except that which can be experienced through the senses. There is therefore no
such thing as Eucharist. It is not the Body and Blood of Christ, but merely bread
and wine. Since mystery cannot be unveiled, there is no need for a mediation
from God on our behalf.
Each
person in a secularized world has rights that are not God-given and inalienable
but rather given by the government. In such a society where government endows
rights, it also reserves the right to rescind them. They are no longer
inalienable. We have seen the results of such thinking in the society of Nazi
Germany where persons became victims of the state. Are we beginning to see the
formation of similar thinking in our own society today?
In a
secularized society, the Church must defend itself, and its need and right to
worship. The Church which is the Body of Christ must be involved in the defense
of every aspect of God-given self-defense, based on the dignity of persons and
God-given inalienable rights.
This
confrontation becomes a nasty struggle, requiring much courage to continue and
not give up. The temptation is there not only for laity and priests but for
this Cardinal as well. The courage required to persist can only come from
feeding on the Body and Blood of Christ, the one who never gave up; from
communion with Him who strengthens our heart’s desire to be saved.
The
Cardinal went on to speak of his own ministries to the physically and mentally
handicapped and the autistic, to aids victims, to mothers who would otherwise
have aborted their child. He went on to give example of a young autistic girl
who was unable to demonstrate any visible response, not even the batting of an
eyelash, no response even to her mother. Yet when the Cardinal comes for Mass,
the child insisted upon sitting near him and watching his every move, staring
intently as if she truly understood the mystery unfolding before her. Is it
coincidence or is it miracle?
According
to one recent survey, 71% of Catholics claim to no longer believe in the
Eucharist because they have lost the sense of intimacy. Some of the early
Fathers of the Church were not embarrassed to compare the intimacy of the
Eucharist with the intimacy of marriage. The Sacrament of Marriage is complete
unless and until it is consummated, until the bodies become one in an act of
love. Unless the bodies are given to each other in unity the marriage is
invalid.
Can
we also say that the union of persons, body and blood, must be given to each
other for the Sacrament of the Eucharist to be valid and effective? The Bible
speaks of sexual intercourse as “knowing”. Adam knew Eve and Mary did not know
man, but God invites us to know Him in a sacred spiritual union.
We
can come to Mass merely to fulfill an obligation, to be present through the
rituals; many marriages make that same mistake and fall apart. We can choose
not simply to be present as Mass but to participate by entering into a
relationship with God, Who is absolute Love, who can empower us to change our
lives as well as society. We can enter into mystery but only if we believe,
only if we want to. It must be our heart’s desire. God does not force love,
there is no such thing. Forced love is no love at all.