Chrism Mass, St. John’s Cathedral, 27^th March 2024

Homily Notes of Bishop Brendan Leahy

We hear Jesus this evening in the first flush of enthusiasm for mission. Confident, forwarding thinking and excited, he outlines a bold mission statement. He’s a man of vision. There’s drive and determination in his step. A dream has lit a fire in his soul that will not be easily quenched. In tomorrow’s Lord’s Supper liturgy, we’ll be invited to look again at Jesus – this time the Jesus teaching by example how mission works. We’ll be brought to the night before he died, the night he gave the great example of the washing of the feet, the night he gave the great commandment: love one another as I have loved you. Yes, in the years of his public ministry it became ever clearer to Jesus that he alone, working on his own, would not see his dream become reality. It would be his community that would continue his work and indeed, do even greater things than he managed in his earthly existence.

After this death, the disciples gathered together as community with Mary and the other women in the Upper Room, needing now to re-ignite the mission. They remembered his dream, his example, his words, but they needed a new descent of the Spirit to rekindle their enthusiasm, determination, and endurance. In that Upper Room, the New Commandment was surely ringing in their ears. They awaited the outpouring of the Spirit by renewing the prayerful bonds of communion that linked them.

Here I would like to recall a simple fable that I heard recently. After the Ascension Jesus was on his way up to heaven and was met by two Archangels, Raphael and Gabriel. In looking down to earth and, seeing Jerusalem, they noticed a bright dot. And so, they asked Jesus: “what is that bright dot”? “It is the Upper Room”, Jesus replied. “The apostles are gathered there with Mary and the women”. Continuing the conversation, one of the angels then asked Jesus, now that he had arrived after the Ascension, what his next plan was. To which Jesus replied: “My plan is to send the Spirit there so that the dot will multiply.” The other archangel asked him: “what if your plan fails”? Jesus replied: “I don’t know, I have no other plan. There is no other plan”.

There is no other plan. Mission is never a solitary exercise. It is a Spirit-led community-endeavour. It is animated by the Holy Spirit. Its shape is the New Commandment. Jesus’ plan for diocese, our presbyerate, our parishes, our religious communities and movements, is to be the multiplication of that “dot” of the Upper Room, communities united in mutual love and open to the Spirit, wherever we are – in Abbeyfeale, Kilmallock, Cratloe, St. John’s….  Dots of the new life in Christ that paint the picture of Jesus’ continuing mission in the world.

In this light, as we gather for our Chrism Mass with the blessing of the oils and the priests’ renewal of their promises, I want to suggest three elements that we might keep in mind.

Renew Belief in the work of the Holy Spirit

First, this evening’s liturgy invites us to renew our belief in the work of the Holy Spirit. At times it can seem as if God has gone silent. Where is the spark of former generations? we ask. And yet, though apparently our times speak of desolation, our faith affirms God is at work. God is the One who is both absent and present. We think of the words of the prophet Habakkuk:

Though the fig tree does not blossom,
   and no fruit is on the vines;
though the produce of the olive fails
   and the fields yield no food;
though the flock is cut off from the fold
   and there is no herd in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the Lord;
   I will exult in the God of my salvation.
God, the Lord, is my strength.

As the oils are being blessed, oils that will convey the strength of the Holy Spirit, each one of us here can ask ourselves: do I really believe in the transforming action of the Holy Spirit, the God, the Lord, who is our strength? Priests renewing their priestly promises are called to “rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands” (2 Tim 1:5). On our ordination day, dear brothers in the priesthood, the Spirit lay hold of us to make of us instruments of his plan, ministers giving God’s self-giving to others. Pope Francis has written “We become fully human when we become more than human, when we let God bring us beyond ourselves in order to attain the fullest truth of our being.” It is in living our priestly service, both baptismal and ordained, in the light of the New Commandment of Love, that we let God bring us beyond ourselves, we let the Spirit act among us, the Spirit of freedom that liberates us from worrying about the future of the Church (we need to be occupied but not preoccupied), the Spirit who brings liberation from wanting everything neatly worked out. That’s not how an organic body like the Church works.

The Way of Synodality – Conversations in the Spirit

The Holy Spirit is today highlighting the way of Synodality. At times people say they’re not quite sure what it means. One thing is clear. It’s not just about specific moments or events. It’s about a way of journeying together. There’s always the temptation of thinking it would be easier to do things on my own. We know the saying, originally a West African proverb, “If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together.” The way of “together” can seem more onerous. Jesus too could have said it would have been easier for him on his own, but we know he didn’t as it wouldn’t have been true to who he is. He formed a community. That required patience on his part - there was jockeying for power, envy, gossiping, misunderstanding, perplexity, weariness. But he recognised community was the way for his mission to continue beyond his lifetime. It’s a similar invitation to us. The Church of the future will be synodal in its arrangements. And we’re the ones called to set this process in motion. In the words of another African proverb, “alone a youth runs fast, with an elder slow, but together they go far.”

One aspect of Synodality I would like to emphasise is conversations in the Spirit. This was a major take away from the Synodal Assembly last October which, as you know, I was privileged to attend as one of the 364 members from around the world. We spent four weeks engaged in conversations in the Spirit where, listening to one another, we aimed not so much at simple discussions but rather attentiveness to what the Spirit was saying. It involved, listening, receiving, giving and prayer. I hope as a diocese, laity, religious and clergy, all of us can all of us grow in engaging in conversations in the Spirit. We need to learn this way. I enjoyed seeing this method used at a diocesan Synodal conversation in the Spirit last Thursday in our diocesan centre. To facilitate wider adoption of the practice, in the coming year I hope we can develop training for all of us in this way of conversing. It will contribute much to our discernment about future directions.

Supporting one another

As well as waiting for the outpouring of the Spirit, when the apostles and Mary and the women came together in the Upper Room, they realised they needed to support one another. It is important for us not to lose sight of this. We all need to look for ways to increase our support for and care of one another. Today the number of those who come to church regularly is in decline. The number of families we see on Sundays is small. Young people feel isolated in our parish gatherings. We need to find ways of supporting those who today find themselves challenged in pursuing the way of faith whether they come regularly or simply occasionally to Church. We need new forms of community life. I believe a rediscovery of the Gospel is central to this. The Gospel not just something to read and study (though this is important); the Gospel is to be lived and shared. Pope Francis reminds us: “Whenever we make the effort to return to the source and to recover the original freshness of the Gospel, new avenues arise, new paths of creativity open up, with different forms of expression, more eloquent signs and words with new meaning for today’s world.” Let’s pray this evening for a deep discovery in our Diocese of the Gospel and its power.

Priests need to support and care for one another. Our work-load increases. In a more secularised environment, it’s easy to feel out of sorts. At times it seems we are talking one language where others are talking another. It can seem like what we have to offer is not appreciated or wanted. There can be frustration and irritation when expectations upon us seem unreasonable. We can sense the weariness of years and the burden of failures. In this climate, priests can offer each other an important gift of care. It is good when priests meet up with one another, have lunch together, take time to chat. It’s good to know how to lose time to ensure we are making and nurturing friendships with one another. I was struck recently when I heard about the lectio divina groups that have formed in a neighbouring diocese. Perhaps this is something we too should consider. It is something that should come about spontaneously rather than bureaucratically. It is an invitation I issue this evening to clergy gathering here.

I thank the lay faithful and religious for your support of priests. It is so important. The age profile of priests is increasing. Illness strikes more than before. There is vulnerability. The Working Document for last year’s Synodal Assembly refers to the loneliness of many priests, and ‘their need for care, friendship and support.’ Perhaps those not in regular contact with Church do not appreciate the changed profile of priests’ lives. Demands on priests can be unreasonable, wanting a particular baptism or funeral liturgy or other service within a time frame that is just not realistic. We need to help one another recognise the level and way of services provided by priests in the past just simply won’t be possible in the future.

Conclusion

So let’s conclude. Jesus’ mission statement in Capernaum was wonderful. It is our mission statement too. Jesus’ plan for that mission is that we be communities that are Spirit-led, “dots” that continue the experience of the “Upper Room” in the company of Mary, welcoming the Spirit, conversing in the Spirit, supporting one another and with the Gospel as our treasure. To Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness among us gathered in his name, To him who loves us and has freed us, to him be glory and power forever and ever.