Archbishop Sartain began his homily by noting that when he is holding the crosier (the outward sign of his role as our shepherd), he is actually following the crosier, as the crosier always goes before him. As a bishop shepherds the flock, the crosier (Christ) leads the bishop. He asserted that he (and we) should always be following Christ, rather than putting himself (ourselves) before Christ. How can we follow Christ if we put ourselves in front of Him?
He encouraged us as apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers to heed the call to build up the church, emphasizing our need to work as community toward this end.
Archbishop Sartain offered insights gleaned from Radiation of Fatherhood, by Fr. Karol Wojtyla (who became Pope John Paul II), suggesting that we forget the word "mine" and rather remember that everything is "yours" (everything is from God).
He encouraged us to pray the name of Jesus at every moment of every day, to let the name of Jesus be always on our lips. By praying the name of Jesus we bring Christ's recollection and order into our lives. We take our place among the blind and the lame, and all those who cried out to Jesus for healing, asking Him constantly to form us, correct us, and love us.
Archbishop Sartain inspired us to intensify our hunger for God during this season of Advent, to be captivated like children before the Nativity scene. God's love took on flesh and blood to redeem humanity, he reminded us, and in the manger the infant Jesus laid down his life for us in a food box, as our food. Jesus was sent to feed us, to do God's will and build up the Church and proclaim the truth, to lay down His life for us and to lead us to the pasture where we will feed on the bread of life!
After the homily, Archbishop Sartain brought us the bread of life in the Eucharist!
to be continued!
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