Location: St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church
As part of Psalm 110, we just prayed these words of the Father to the Son: “Sit on my right: your foes I will put beneath your feet.” And then, we have pronounced this acknowledgment: “The Lord will wield from Zion your scepter of power: rule in the midst of all your foes.” It was necessary for the final victory of our Lord Jesus to be prophesied, so it would not give rise to fear, but rather be anticipated with faith and hope. The Lord is Risen! However, we await the fullness of his glory. Indeed, we are called to proclaim, with our lives, that we look forward to the final judgment, when sin will be no more, and all our relationships will be restored to the state intended by the Holy Spirit.
Pointing out that the laity constitute most of the Church, Pope Francis has said: “The lay faithful, above all, are called to go out without fear to meet the men and women in cities: in daily activities, at work, as single people or as families, together with the parish or in the ecclesial movements they belong to, and break down the wall of anonymity and indifference that often reigns in cities. It is about having the courage to take the first step to approach others, to be apostles of the neighborhood. By becoming joyful proclaimers of the Gospel to their fellow citizens, the lay faithful discover that there are many hearts that the Holy Spirit has already prepared to receive their witness, their closeness and their attention.”
We confidently prayed, in Psalm 130: “My soul is waiting for the Lord, I count on his word. My soul is longing for the Lord more than watchman for daybreak.” That is why we “confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and favor and to find help in time of need.” (Heb).
And we already “give thanks to the Father for having made you worthy to share the lot of the saint in light.” (Col).
You, honorees, are already an answer to our prayers, and a sign of our hope. The witness for which your are recognized today is a preview of the new earth for which we hope. The victory of Christ over the enemies – sin and death – of which we hope to participate fully one day, is already partially prefigured in you. Your dedication to the work of the Lord prepares us for when everything is a glorious manifestation of the glory of God. That for which we hope has been revealed to us through the only sacrifice worthy of the Father. It is Christ our Lord, who offered himself on the Cross as a victim through his eternal priesthood. He himself is the altar on which we are called to offer our lives purified by his blood.
May Our Lady of Guadalupe help us confidently approach the throne of grace.
