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From Archbishop Donoghue|
Mass for Participants in the RUAH Program |
[See Georgia Bulletin account] Dear Friends in Christ, I am grateful to be here this evening and to take part in this Mass, which is offered with the intentions of all the first graduates of the Ruah program in mind. This Mass, although infinite in its ability to offer us grace, still represents but a little time, when we think of the two years that the participants have given to the program, and the two years of devotion that have been displayed by the instructors. All are to be congratulated - and all, I know, will remember this Mass long after today, as marking a special moment - not only in the lives of those who have participated, but in the lives of every Catholic in the Archdiocese of Atlanta. We have heard many beautiful sentiments expressed in our readings from Scripture this evening - but the words that I consider most important, or most replete with meaning for men and women who would be called teachers of the Faith are these, from the letter to the Colossians: Let the peace of Christ control your hearts, the peace into which you were also called in one body. No matter who we are, we cannot escape the turmoil of life - the unexpected events, which turn us around - events such as the birth and death of those we love, or the sudden necessity for changing where we live or what we do for a living, or the sudden discovery that someone we have trusted has suddenly become no longer our friend, but our enemy. Life is filled with twists and turns, and we cannot avoid these transforming events. But we have been given the gift - through the Sacrament of Baptism, and through the life in the spirit to which Baptism call us - we have been given the gift of claiming for ourselves the peace of Christ - and it is the peace of Christ which will give us the self-control and the endurance to weather the difficult times that come our way. We speak very highly in the Church of love- and truly, love is the new commandment of the Lord - but we must love others no matter how they come to us - in anger, in sorrow, in doubt, in arrogance, even in war - love exists in the midst of all these things, and must find a way to let it rule, no matter the circumstances. And hope and faith are the same - we may encourage those who need but a little encouragement - or we may be faced with the necessity of pouring out in copious amounts, our own hope and faith in order to overcome what might be the overwhelming doubt and despair of those we are trying to help. But if we are to be successful, in communicating love - in reinforcing the faith and hope of others, and of ourselves - if we are to be successful, in other words, in teaching the Faith of Jesus Christ, then we must have a steady and secure platform from which to offer our efforts - and that platform is the peace of Christ - the peace that passes all understanding - the very peace that Christ Himself offered the Apostles when first He appeared to them after His Resurrection, saying, not "Love be with you" - or "Faith and Hope be with you" - but rather, "Peace be with you." And that peace, truly the peace of Christ, is pinpointed by the second half of St. Paul's statement, where he describes it as. . . "the peace into which you were also called in one body." Our peace is found in the one body which is Christ's Church on earth. It is found in faithful attendance upon the Sacraments - it is found in the dutiful understanding of Scripture as revealed and explained by the Saints, the Doctors, and holy writers of our Faith - and it is found in what the Church teaches - what is made explicit in her Catechism, the manual for understanding what the Faith is, how it is to be explained, and in what form and manner it is to be passed on. If the branch is cut off from the vine, there is nothing remaining for it but death. And if we, as teachers of the Faith, let ourselves be cut off from any of these vines - the Sacraments, the traditions and the teachings of our Church, then our peace will be lost, and soon, our spirits too, will wither and die. Therefore tonight, as a part of this Mass, and as we look now to the future, and to the service which we now intend for the glory of God, and for the prosperity of His Church and His People on earth, let us pledge solemnly, and with the intention never to renege on our promise, to follow always the guides of the Church in determining what we are to teach, and how we are to impart the peace of Christ - the peace that comes from knowing that what we say is right - the peace that can only bring life and peace to those who hear us, and who follow our guidance. And though our labors for the rightness of the Church may be exacting - though we may ourselves become victims of those who can do nothing but hurl abuse upon the Truth - let us always remember the richness of our inheritance - the grace of Baptism, the love of the Lord in the Eucharist, and the flawless knowledge that comes from the Holy Spirit who guides our beloved Church - and let us rise to the occasion as the occasions demands, remembering always, that if we give ourselves to the truth of God, God's truth will endure in us. As Job of the Old Testament said - who endured the worst that life could offer, but whose faith prevailed: . . . the spirit of God has made me - the breath of the Almighty keeps me alive. + |