This is the full text of Bishop DiMarzio’s homily from the Chrism Mass celebrated at St. Joseph’s Co-Cathedral, Prospect Heights, on Tuesday, March 22.
As we come to the Chrism Mass this Holy Week during the Year of Mercy, we recognize that living the Paschal Mystery gives us an opportunity to set our sights on our future Christian lives; that after this Lent, during this Holy Year, our conversion process will have taken a step forward.
Tonight, I wish to speak about our sacramental spirituality as bishops, priests, deacons and laity. When priests are questioned in surveys about their spirituality and asked what is their greatest support or incentive to lead a holy life, they always say, the laity are those who inspire me. Then some say, my fellow priests. It always seems to follow that order. Hardly anyone mentions bishops. I hope I am not an obstacle to your priestly spirituality, or for deacons and the laity, and, hopefully, tonight, sharing some thoughts together, we might make progress in becoming more like the Father – the Father of Mercy as Jesus told us, “To be perfect as our Heavenly Father is perfect.”
What is a spiritual life? What is holiness for a priest or for a bishop, deacon or lay person? As I said, Jesus tells us to be holy as Our Heavenly Father is holy or perfect. It is the goal of every Christian life to be holy. Each one of us has that responsibility. The universal call to holiness has been given to us in Baptism, so that we can prepare ourselves for an eternity with the holy God who made us.
But what are the elements of a sacramental spirituality that every diocesan priest, deacon and lay person in this world must strive for on this path to holiness? Some years ago, while still in the Archdiocese of Newark, one of my close friends went to a Cistercian monastery for 10 years. When he returned, many priests sought him out as their spiritual director. He was the new “go-to guru” who might help them in their spiritual life. One day, I met him and he said to me, “Nick, they come to me for spiritual direction but there is nothing to direct.” What he meant was that the essential elements of a spiritual life were missing. So what are they? What must we do to find holiness in life?
Yes, understanding that each individual is different and our holiness changes with our personalities, but traditionally, the sacramental spirituality, especially for the diocesan priest, has been the structure for our spiritual life. St. John Paul II, in the Apostolic Exhortation, Pastores Dabo Vobis, tells us, “Yes, the Spirit of the Lord is the principal agent in our spiritual life. He creates our ‘new heart,’ inspires it and guides it with the ‘new law’ of love, of pastoral charity. For the development of the spiritual life it is essential to be aware that the priest will never lack the grace of the Holy Spirit as a totally gratuitous gift and as a task which he is called to undertake. Awareness of this gift is the foundation and support of the priest’s unflagging trust amid the difficulties, temptations and weaknesses which he will meet along his spiritual.”
We heard about the Spirit who prompted Isaiah in the First Reading, and in the Gospel the Spirit who came upon Jesus and anointed Him.
Tonight, we come to bless the Holy Chrism, the Oil of the Sick, and the Oil of Catechumens, to be used for anointing in four of the seven sacraments. All the sacraments, however, lead to the Eucharist, which is the source and center of our spiritual life.
In Baptism, we use the Oil of Catechumens and Chrism, to integrate the Baptized person into Christ.
In Confirmation, Chrism again is used to confirm and seal us with the Holy Spirit.
In the Sacrament of Holy Orders, Chrism is used to anoint priests and bishops signifying their complete identification with Christ.
In the Sacrament of the Sick, the Oil of the Sick is used to call the person back to full participation in the life of the Church and, especially, the Eucharist.
In the other sacraments in which oil is not used, we see the effects of the anointing that are felt. In the Sacrament of Matrimony, the couple is called to fulfill, in Christ, their unity. In the Sacrament of Reconciliation, the anointed priest absolves in the Name of Jesus Christ, so that the penitent may return to the Eucharist and the other sacraments which are the source and summit of our spiritual life.
We know that the sacraments, or their administration, do not depend on the holiness of the life of those who administer them, as they can sometimes be administered by one who has fallen into serious sin. We are assured by the teaching of the Church, however, that the sacraments are still valid and produce their effect as long as matter and form are both present. The holiness and spiritual life that we strive for helps us to be better ministers of the sacraments.
So what are the constituent elements of the spiritual life? For all of us, and especially priests who are called to be men of God, prayer, both public and private, is essential. Public prayer involves the administration of the sacraments, especially the Eucharist. Private prayer, our meditation, is also a foundation. We might compare the spiritual life to a house whose foundation on a concrete slab is the Eucharist.
Another spiritual writer put it this way, “In fact a priest cannot have a public spirituality unless his personal prayer life is a healthy one” (Spaulding, p. 6).
Our meditation and our celebration of the Eucharist are inseparable. We cannot approach the altar without first realizing the great mystery we are to celebrate. In the life of every Catholic, especially the priest, the Eucharistic presence of the Lord is basic. How can one celebrate the Eucharist if he or she does not know the Lord? Almost every year at the Chrism Mass, I have asked that we spend at least 10 minutes a day in a visit before the Blessed Sacrament. The more time we spend, however, the better. We, as priests, need to get to know the Lord, so that we can then introduce the Lord to others. The celebration of the sacraments, particularly the Eucharist, depends upon knowledge of the Sacred Scriptures, especially for preaching. Reading the Sacred Scriptures each day in preparation for a homily is not enough. Lectio Divina, the daily meditative reading of Scripture, helps us to discover what we might be missing in a cursory reading of the sacred text.
The spiritual reading of some good book and meditation on it is also a critical element of the spiritual life. With spiritual reading, we fill the well when it goes dry. We cannot meditate without input. One Spiritual Director told me that trying to meditate without a spiritual book is like going into battle without a sword. Any type of meditation which strengthens our union with God is the goal.
Now, what about the Sacrament of Reconciliation? Can one be a good confessor without being a good penitent? For any serious pursuit of a spiritual life, a Spiritual Director is necessary. There is a saying that “one who has himself for a director has a fool for a director.” Pope Francis put it this way, “The saints and teachers of spiritual life tell us that to help us develop our life in authenticity, the daily practice of the examination of conscience is very useful; indeed, it is indispensable. What is happening in my soul? Hence be open, with the Lord and then with the confessor, with the spiritual director. This is so important!” Yearly retreats and Days of Recollection give us special times of encounter with the Lord. As priests, we all need these special encounters.
And so, by now you may be thinking, “we did this in the seminary, but now with all our responsibilities and all the things you want us to do, it is impossible.” Simply stated, yes, it is possible. For God, all things are possible. With the help of the saints and our Blessed Mother, the seemingly impossible is possible, especially achieving our goal of a very important and satisfying spiritual life. Mary is our best hope and advocate. Ten minutes with her rosary each day is the best help I know in trying to accomplish the rest of the elements that produce a strong spiritual life. We go to Mary because she brings us to Jesus. In union with God and Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit through the intercession of Mary is a sure-fired way of ensuring our spiritual life. Another question I might ask; who is your special saint? Who is the one you go to? That saint that you know will listen to your petition and take it to the Lord. Perhaps that person is not even canonized but you know who that saint is. You know who your special intercessor is. Do not fail to call upon him or her, as well as the Guardian Angel the Lord has given to each of us.
Hopefully, you are not now saying, “He is like a Pharisee. He places heavy burdens on our backs but does not lift a finger to help us.” The spiritual life of a priest is a special responsibility of the bishop. But most of all, the spiritual life of a priest is the responsibility of the priest himself.
The laity are the ones who can help you the most. It is they who call you to holiness and want you to be holy men. You can ask them to pray for you. They will give you help and they will intercede and pray for the help you need to be truly holy men.
Also, priests must help one another to be spiritual men. In your rectories, pray together. Form support groups which are so essential for priestly friendship and support in the long run. The support groups must be based not only on natural friendship but also on true honesty.
Sacramental spirituality is not possible without the help of God. We pray together tonight that the Church in Brooklyn and Queens mirrors the heavenly Jerusalem, where God alone is adored and glorified.
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