My dear friends, rejoice in the Lord always. I say it again. Rejoice. Those are the words we just heard from St. Paul to the people of Philippi.
And, of course, tonight we do gather here with great joy in our hearts, all of us. Because in our midst are 40 of our sisters and brothers who have been chosen to be honored by Pope Francis for their extraordinary witness, for their deep generosity, for the great conviction of their hearts and faith, as in the midst of our church, as catalysts – catalysts of hope.
And yet it is remarkable, isn’t it, my friends, that those words come from the man who was no stranger to suffering and challenge. By the time St. Paul wrote these words to the people of Philippi, he had already been shipwrecked more than once, imprisoned, literally escaped by the skin of his teeth, certain death precisely because of his faith and commitment to Jesus Christ.
And yet Paul was a man who knew that God’s grace could overcome any challenge, any difficulty, any suffering for those who are willing to stand firm in faith. And so when you see rejoicing in that context, it also gives us a clue why we are here in the first place and why those of you, my dear friends, who are being honored are being honored tonight.
For you yourselves have been no stranger to not only challenge in your own lives, which we all share, but to see clearly the challenges of our sisters and brothers those who are poor, those who are homeless, those who are sick, those who are young, seeking an education to be formed in the mind of Christ. Those of you who walk quietly and generously in your life, making a difference in so many unassuming ways for those who are facing such profound challenge. Many, when they see such challenge, walk away. But you did not, and you do not, and you will continue not to. Why?
Because the same faith and conviction that burned in the heart of St. Paul burns in your heart and has for some for many, many years.
You see, my friends, you may be tempted to believe that you are here solely because of the good works that you have done. And that is, in fact, one reason you are here. But it is not the most important reason you are here. You are here because you have been chosen precisely because you have lived a life that demonstrates sin, who can rejoice in the Lord and make a difference in those who face challenge and suffering day in and day out. You are here because of who you are more than what you have done.
Now, you may say, Bishop, that’s lovely. It’s quite slowly. But what do you really mean?
Well, let me demonstrate it by this way. When you ask young people why they left the Church and they have left the Church in large numbers, the number one reason might surprise you. It certainly surprised me. It is not, first and foremost, the teachings of the Church, even the moral teachings of the Church. Certainly they struggle with them.
But it is not the principal reason they’ve walked away from the Church. It is not the misgivings and the sins of the leaders of the Church which trouble all of us. But the number one reason they cite why they leave the Church is because they do not see integrity of life among the Christians. They know or to put it bluntly, they know many Christians who talk the talk and do not walk the walk. And they say, if it’s not worth walking, why are you asking me to walk it with you?
You, my dear friends, are here being honored because you are among those who walk the walk. For you are men and women of deep integrity, who don’t just speak about your faith, just don’t simply do the things of faith, but that in every plot, in every moment of your lives, you have been like St. Paul, a woman or man whose faith animates and radiates your heart. And if you’re thinking sitting there, he’s talking about someone else and not me, I am talking about you.
All of you who are being honored are deeply humble, and many of you have done things that no one will ever know. But what everyone does know, because you cannot hide it, is that you are a people who love Christ and are not ashamed to show it in every day of your life. And that, my dear friends, is a reason for the whole Church to rejoice. And Pope Francis is inviting all of the Church to rejoice with you.
Allow me one last thought, because I see you’re all very uncomfortable.
Can you imagine how many people’s lives you have touched in so many small and big ways? Children who had a path to an education they would not have dreamt of before? Someone who is homeless, who now has a place where his or her name is known and they considered our guests, not our clients. How many people have you touched by the simple smile that radiates an honesty of a hospitality and a devotion that perhaps a person has not encountered for a very long time?
Consider, young and old, the thousands, the tens of thousands, perhaps even more than that, whose lives have been made better, more whole and more holy because they simply met. You, my dear friends. That is why you’re here.
You have been ambassadors of the Renewal of the Church long before there ever was a Bishop Caggiano here in Bridgeport. And the truth is, you are my greatest and most important colleagues to continue the renewal of the Church. Because the renewal of the Church will not be any grand program, any grand initiative. It’s no great banner. There’s none of that.
All those days are over. The Renewal of the Church is going to be one person of authentic life, touching the life of someone else. And when we touch one after another after another, we begin to create a tsunami of renewal. And you, my friends, are at the forefront of that. And for this reason, I can say, in the name of Francis, the successor of Peter himself, and all the good people of this diocese, thank you for your witness and for the remarkable men and women you are.
St. Paul says rejoice in the Lord. I say it again. Rejoice in your midst. My friends, this night it is easy to rejoice.
And so I congratulate you. And I thank you. And we have more work to do. And together we will bring that renewal to the whole Church.
