Homily for the Mass for the California Democratic Convention Attendees
By Fr. Jon Pedigo
Readings of the Day:
Acts 4: 13-21
Mark 16:9-15
Id like to frame this homily within the context of todays given Gospel passage. In this passage two groups of people confront the Twelve with the testimony that they had seen the Risen Christ. The Twelve did not accept the testimony of either Mary Magdalene or the two companions.
Jesus first appeared to Mary Magdalene. She ran to give her testimony to the Apostles. They did not take her seriously. Was it because she was a woman? Was her way of speaking not good enough for them? Did her history tarnish her credibility after all she had been possessed by 7 demons! Jesus also appeared to 2 companions who were leaving Jerusalem, walking away from the crucifixion. After Christs appearance they too ran to the Twelve to give testimony and like Mary Magdalene, they too were dismissed. Was it because they didnt stay with the Twelve? The answer to these questions isnt in the testimony of the witnesses, but rather with the Apostles frame of mind.
Recall that the Twelve were weeping and mourning. So overcome with grief and self-defeat, they could not come to believe that Christ was Risen. Only until the Risen One appeared to them as they gathered AT TABLE at the time of Breaking Bread, did they come to believe that he was risen. At that precise moment their lack of faith at believing the testimonies of Mary Magdalene and the two companions and the Apostles own betrayal of abandoning Christ at the cross became a singularity. Christ challenged the status quo; he rebuked the Apostles and then commissioned them to go into the whole world and proclaim the Good News. For them to be agents of change and hope the Apostles had to shake off weeping and mourning.
Today we are assembled at this table and we too are dealing with the everyday realities of a broken world order that gives us cause to weep and mourn: A war that claims hundreds of thousands of Iraqi lives and over 4,000 service men and womens lives; a society in which 47 million people every day are forced to choose between food, shelter and health care. Most recently thousands of our sisters and brothers face home foreclosures and rural and urban communities suffer the effects of rising poverty levels and unemployment; and near to my heart our immigrant sisters and brothers suffer the backlash of misplaced hatred and resentment fueled by xenophobic campaigns of misinformation. Need I go on? When we think about it all, who wouldnt mourn and weep? These serious moral issues, in the words of the document, Faithful Citizenship, challenge our consciences and require us to act. Action born of hope gives birth to justice!
Todays faith message is clear: Christ is Risen and there is HOPE. We cannot get so caught up in feeling helpless. We cannot be paralyzed by the challenge of needing to make significant changes in our society. Being grounded in hope gives us ears to hear the testimonies ofhope. Have you heard the stories of immigrant families who struggle to become citizens in order that they may participate in the political process? Have you sat in town halls tohear the testimonies of the poor and marginalized as they raise their voices for better wages, for more affordable housing and health benefits?
To engage in social change is not the sole domain of politicians. This role is shared by faith communities. First, the role of faith communities in civil rights, social change and progress is well documented in American history. Secondly, as Catholics we acknowledge the unique role of Church and State: while the two spheres are distinct, they arealways interrelated (Deus Caritias Est, 28a). I want to be clear here: As people of faith, we do not seek a Catholic country, but rather seek a country in which we can live our values and participate in the political process. (DCE) What then is the specific role of politics in the Church/State divide? We believe that the central responsibility of politics is the just ordering of society and the State. (DCE 28a)
In a few minutes you will be engaged in the process of strategizing and mobilizing resources for a just ordering of society and State. And in the context of todays readings, I want to give a testimony of HOPE as you enter into the conversations that will take place at the convention. Our great nation and our faith uphold the obligationthat every person and association has a right and a duty to participate in shaping society to promote the well-being of individuals and the common good. While this task belongs to everyone, some of you are in privileged positions of influence and therefore, to whom much has been given, much is expected. Your Church calls upon you to determine what is possible to restore justice even if partially or gradually without ever abandoning a moral commitment to the full protection for all human life from conception to natural death. (Pope John Paul II, Evangeliam Vitae, n. 73)
I pray that your deliberations are grounded in a well formed conscience: that is a conscience formed by the teachings of the Compassionate Christ and the teachings of his Church. You will need to use your formed conscience to exercise what the Church calls, prudential judgment in order to determine the best way to promote the common good....A well-formed conscience results in preferential actions of justice, especially for the most vulnerable members of our communities: the unborn, those dealing with disabilities or terminal illness, the poor and the marginalized. As anexample we lift up the hard work of Democratic sponsored legislation like the Reducing the Need for Abortion and Supporting Parents Act bill (HR 1074) and the Prevention First Act (HR 819) bill, both sponsored by Tim Ryan (D_OH) and Rose DeLauro (D-CT).
We are obliged by our Baptism to protect the dignity of all life: life within the womb and a whole span of life afterwards. In the words of, Faithful Citizenship, we are ...called on to oppose genocide, torture, unjust war, and the use of the death penalty, as well as to pursue peace and help overcome poverty, racism, and other conditions that demean human life...we are called to pursue justice, eliminate racism, end human trafficking protect human rights, seek peace and avoid the use of force as only a last resort. We are also called to be careful stewards of Gods creation so that resources this present generation enjoys will be available to future generations.
Christs rebuke and challenge occurred as the Apostles gathered together at table. The message of Christ shakes our souls: it challenges the status quo and at the same time lifts the dialog to much higher level a level beyond single-issue politics and sound bites. Let us conclude this reflection with the reflective quote from Peter and John in todays first reading, It is impossible for us not to speak about what we have seen and heard?