First part
This day is a special day for the Church and for the members of the clergy in a special way as they renew the promises of their ordination.
While I am not sure how much time each one of us dedicates to this, it is a wonderful opportunity for us to reflect on the gift we have received, unworthy as we are. Both the biblical passages of today’s celebration and our own experience allow us to always discover new dimensions to it.
There are two I would like to underline this year, connected to each other.
The first one we see is that – at least from today’s first reading and Gospel passage – the call we have received does not put us at the centre. The centre is somewhere else or someone else.
Every year on this day we meet Jesus proclaiming his mission by quoting the prophet Isaiah: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me… He has anointed me… has sent me to the afflicted, the captives, the blind, the oppressed…”.
It is this mission that has been entrusted to the Church.
We, members of the clergy, are entrusted with leading this which is Jesus’ own mission. Therefore, our main concern, passion and joy is to make sure we fulfil it.
Our main concern, passion and joy is to lead the Church in touching the lives of those afflicted, captives, blind and oppressed; and to transform their lives with the Good News we have received.
We transform their lives with the power of Jesus’ Word and with the power of the sacraments we celebrate today by consecrating the oils of the sick, the oil of catechumens and the chrism.
We transform their lives by listening to them, by visiting them, by praying for their needs, by being with them in their sickness and by bringing consolation at the time of death.
We transform their lives with other initiatives: like Caritas Eswatini – the umbrella body of all our social initiatives – where the bishop is president and each parish priest chairs it in his own parish, we also do it through the Eswatini Catholic Parliamentary Liaison Office making sure that the laws in the country raise the dignity of our people.
We not only welcomed the afflicted, the captives, the blind and the oppressed, but we look for them.
I have always been touched by that beginning of the Gospel of Mark when – after what I would call “a successful day” of healing and preaching – Peter looks for Jesus who had gone away to pray. When Peter finds him, he says: “everyone is looking for you” (Mark 1:37) but Jesus replies: “let us go elsewhere…” (Mark 1:38). There are others. The good news needs to reach others. That’s Jesus and that is us, looking for them, reaching out! Always reaching out… and always helping each other become aware of those we have not reached out to yet.
One particular concern I have is about our presence in prisons. We haven’t developed a pastoral care of those in prison. The reality of suicide in the country should be bringing sleepless nights to us and so should the one of abuse in families.
As the clergy of this diocese, I ask you to help me open my eyes to the realities we have not reached out to yet.
May you lead in this journey but listening to the laity and religious as they also open your eyes to other realities.
Remember, you and I are called to lead this reaching out in our diocese and parishes.
