Jesus’ perfect love for us is sometimes hard to imagine

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Bishop J. Peter Sartain delivered this homily at the Chrism Mass March 21 at the Cathedral of St. Andrew.

Taking the part of Jesus in the reading of the Passion yesterday, I was struck by his determination, his courage, his humility, and most especially his love for the flock. Without courageous love, how could he have endured his passion and all it entailed? Without forgiving love, how could he have persevered when Peter denied him, when three of his most trusted friends could not stay awake in prayer with him for an hour? Without humble love, how could he have continued through the jeers and insults of the very ones for whom he was giving his life? Without Divine love, how could he have paid a price that would wipe away every debt and ransom all for life eternal?
His love was great for you and me, so great as to be hard to fathom. From the Lord’s perspective, we are the pearl of great price, the buried treasure, the lost coin, the lost sheep, the lost son, the unforgiving ones with the unpayable debt. We must mean a great deal to him — even more than we can imagine — that he gave himself for us, stingy and fickle as we are in our allegiances.
Having shown his love for souls “to the end,” having ransomed us at such a great price, doesn’t it make sense that Jesus would continue loving and shepherding the flock in just the same way and at the same depth? Doesn’t it make sense that he would hand over the flock to shepherds who would shepherd them after his own heart?
Tonight the priests who serve the flock of Arkansas gather with me, the chief shepherd, to renew and be renewed through Jesus in our love and commitment to you, who are his treasure, his pearl, his beloved.
I had another experience yesterday as I took the part of Jesus in the Passion. I kept finding myself taking the part of the crowd, too, because I realized that I am one of those for whom he paid the ransom. I am one of the ungrateful ones, one of those whose frail flesh tires and fails to keep watch with him. I was speaking the words of Jesus — called by him to be his priest and love his flock — but I am as indebted to him as anyone else. He has made me his priest, and tonight with my brothers, in humility and wonder, I renew my commitment to love you as he does, to be courageous in him, to be forgiving and ask forgiveness, to persevere humbly after his example.
As Holy Week unfolds, we priests will continue to take the part of Jesus, and in doing so we will be reminded of who we are for you. Tonight we renew our commitment to the Lord and to you, and we will take the blessed oil to your parishes as the means of his continued sacramental care. On Thursday we will wash your feet, reminding ourselves that like Jesus, we are to be never-failing servants.
On Friday when we walk into our parish churches, the first thing we will do is prostrate ourselves on the floor — just as we did at our ordinations — to show our emptiness before God, to submit ourselves to him without condition, to ask that he fill us with his love for you. We will then be the first to kiss the cross, because shepherds should give example to the flock.
On Saturday we will baptize and confirm and celebrate the holy Eucharist, gathering into the flock even more of those for whom Christ gave his life, his precious ones, the souls beyond price whom he has entrusted to our care.
Tonight and throughout the week what we do in the liturgy will proclaim who we are for you in Christ. To fully grasp the mystery of the priesthood requires that we follow the path of humility.
Pope John Paul II once wrote (“Radiation of Fatherhood”), “I have decided to eliminate from my vocabulary the word ’my.’ How can I use that word when I know that everything is Yours? … I myself am more ’Yours’ than ’mine.’ So I have learned that I may not say ’mine’ of that which is Yours. I may not say, think or feel it. I must free myself, empty myself of this.”
The Holy Father’s words are a striking reminder to us priests that even the people we serve are not “mine” or “ours.” They are his, purchased at a great price, entrusted to us to shepherd and love, to guide and protect, to offer back to him as a holy gift. Only the one who learns to let go of the word “my” can give himself without counting the cost.
Tonight and during the rest of Holy Week we will renew our promises to him and to you. He loves you deeply and has said to us, his priests, “Love and care for my flock, whom I have ransomed at such a great price. They are more precious to me than gold seven times refined. Show them the depth of my love.”
And so we priests say to you, his flock, tonight: “We are for you because we are in him.”
Present tonight and at every Chrism Mass are young men asking themselves whether the Lord is calling them to the priesthood. They wonder: could it be that God is asking me to follow the way of Jesus so completely that he would make me his priest for the flock? Is it possible that I could love as much as the Lord Jesus loves?
Again, Pope John Paul II gives us insight. He wrote (“Rise, Let Us Be On Our Way”), “A young heart can understand the reckless love that is needed for total self-giving. There is no greater love than Love with a capital ’L.’” And speaking to a group of young people in Madrid in 2003, he said, “I was ordained a priest at the age of 26. Fifty-six years have passed since then. Looking back, and remembering those years of my life, I can assure you that it is worth dedicating yourselves to the cause of Christ, and for love of Him, dedicating yourselves to the service of others. It is worth giving your lives for the Gospel and for your brothers and sisters!”
Not only is it possible that the Lord is calling you to be his priests. He is also reminding us, through you, that we should never lose that first, eager, and idealistic love that impelled us to hand ourselves over to him at ordination.
The Lord’s message for us priests tonight, and for you who are contemplating the priesthood, is this: see how I love the flock, so precious to me that nothing would stand in the way of my love. Will you love them with my love?
And his message to all of us, his flock? More than anything, you are precious to me — yes, you who think yourself unworthy of my love, you who see your failings, you who have gone astray and want to return, you who do not yet know how to imitate my generosity — I have paid the ransom for every one of your lives.
See, I lay down my life for you.
Do you have an intention for Bishop Sartain’s prayer? If so, send it to him at Bishop Sartain’s Prayer List, Diocese of Little Rock, 2500 North Tyler St., P.O. Box 7239, Little Rock, AR 72217.

Special to Arkansas Catholic

Latest from From the Bishop

Jesus’ perfect love for us is sometimes hard to imagine

Latest News

Bishop J. Peter Sartain delivered this homily at the Chrism Mass March 21 at the Cathedral of St. Andrew.

Taking the part of Jesus in the reading of the Passion yesterday, I was struck by his determination, his courage, his humility, and most especially his love for the flock. Without courageous love, how could he have endured his passion and all it entailed? Without forgiving love, how could he have persevered when Peter denied him, when three of his most trusted friends could not stay awake in prayer with him for an hour? Without humble love, how could he have continued through the jeers and insults of the very ones for whom he was giving his life? Without Divine love, how could he have paid a price that would wipe away every debt and ransom all for life eternal?
His love was great for you and me, so great as to be hard to fathom. From the Lord’s perspective, we are the pearl of great price, the buried treasure, the lost coin, the lost sheep, the lost son, the unforgiving ones with the unpayable debt. We must mean a great deal to him — even more than we can imagine — that he gave himself for us, stingy and fickle as we are in our allegiances.
Having shown his love for souls “to the end,” having ransomed us at such a great price, doesn’t it make sense that Jesus would continue loving and shepherding the flock in just the same way and at the same depth? Doesn’t it make sense that he would hand over the flock to shepherds who would shepherd them after his own heart?
Tonight the priests who serve the flock of Arkansas gather with me, the chief shepherd, to renew and be renewed through Jesus in our love and commitment to you, who are his treasure, his pearl, his beloved.
I had another experience yesterday as I took the part of Jesus in the Passion. I kept finding myself taking the part of the crowd, too, because I realized that I am one of those for whom he paid the ransom. I am one of the ungrateful ones, one of those whose frail flesh tires and fails to keep watch with him. I was speaking the words of Jesus — called by him to be his priest and love his flock — but I am as indebted to him as anyone else. He has made me his priest, and tonight with my brothers, in humility and wonder, I renew my commitment to love you as he does, to be courageous in him, to be forgiving and ask forgiveness, to persevere humbly after his example.
As Holy Week unfolds, we priests will continue to take the part of Jesus, and in doing so we will be reminded of who we are for you. Tonight we renew our commitment to the Lord and to you, and we will take the blessed oil to your parishes as the means of his continued sacramental care. On Thursday we will wash your feet, reminding ourselves that like Jesus, we are to be never-failing servants.
On Friday when we walk into our parish churches, the first thing we will do is prostrate ourselves on the floor — just as we did at our ordinations — to show our emptiness before God, to submit ourselves to him without condition, to ask that he fill us with his love for you. We will then be the first to kiss the cross, because shepherds should give example to the flock.
On Saturday we will baptize and confirm and celebrate the holy Eucharist, gathering into the flock even more of those for whom Christ gave his life, his precious ones, the souls beyond price whom he has entrusted to our care.
Tonight and throughout the week what we do in the liturgy will proclaim who we are for you in Christ. To fully grasp the mystery of the priesthood requires that we follow the path of humility.
Pope John Paul II once wrote (“Radiation of Fatherhood”), “I have decided to eliminate from my vocabulary the word ’my.’ How can I use that word when I know that everything is Yours? … I myself am more ’Yours’ than ’mine.’ So I have learned that I may not say ’mine’ of that which is Yours. I may not say, think or feel it. I must free myself, empty myself of this.”
The Holy Father’s words are a striking reminder to us priests that even the people we serve are not “mine” or “ours.” They are his, purchased at a great price, entrusted to us to shepherd and love, to guide and protect, to offer back to him as a holy gift. Only the one who learns to let go of the word “my” can give himself without counting the cost.
Tonight and during the rest of Holy Week we will renew our promises to him and to you. He loves you deeply and has said to us, his priests, “Love and care for my flock, whom I have ransomed at such a great price. They are more precious to me than gold seven times refined. Show them the depth of my love.”
And so we priests say to you, his flock, tonight: “We are for you because we are in him.”
Present tonight and at every Chrism Mass are young men asking themselves whether the Lord is calling them to the priesthood. They wonder: could it be that God is asking me to follow the way of Jesus so completely that he would make me his priest for the flock? Is it possible that I could love as much as the Lord Jesus loves?
Again, Pope John Paul II gives us insight. He wrote (“Rise, Let Us Be On Our Way”), “A young heart can understand the reckless love that is needed for total self-giving. There is no greater love than Love with a capital ’L.’” And speaking to a group of young people in Madrid in 2003, he said, “I was ordained a priest at the age of 26. Fifty-six years have passed since then. Looking back, and remembering those years of my life, I can assure you that it is worth dedicating yourselves to the cause of Christ, and for love of Him, dedicating yourselves to the service of others. It is worth giving your lives for the Gospel and for your brothers and sisters!”
Not only is it possible that the Lord is calling you to be his priests. He is also reminding us, through you, that we should never lose that first, eager, and idealistic love that impelled us to hand ourselves over to him at ordination.
The Lord’s message for us priests tonight, and for you who are contemplating the priesthood, is this: see how I love the flock, so precious to me that nothing would stand in the way of my love. Will you love them with my love?
And his message to all of us, his flock? More than anything, you are precious to me — yes, you who think yourself unworthy of my love, you who see your failings, you who have gone astray and want to return, you who do not yet know how to imitate my generosity — I have paid the ransom for every one of your lives.
See, I lay down my life for you.
Do you have an intention for Bishop Sartain’s prayer? If so, send it to him at Bishop Sartain’s Prayer List, Diocese of Little Rock, 2500 North Tyler St., P.O. Box 7239, Little Rock, AR 72217.

Special to Arkansas Catholic

Latest from From the Bishop

Jesus’ perfect love for us is sometimes hard to imagine

Latest News

Bishop J. Peter Sartain delivered this homily at the Chrism Mass March 21 at the Cathedral of St. Andrew.

Taking the part of Jesus in the reading of the Passion yesterday, I was struck by his determination, his courage, his humility, and most especially his love for the flock. Without courageous love, how could he have endured his passion and all it entailed? Without forgiving love, how could he have persevered when Peter denied him, when three of his most trusted friends could not stay awake in prayer with him for an hour? Without humble love, how could he have continued through the jeers and insults of the very ones for whom he was giving his life? Without Divine love, how could he have paid a price that would wipe away every debt and ransom all for life eternal?
His love was great for you and me, so great as to be hard to fathom. From the Lord’s perspective, we are the pearl of great price, the buried treasure, the lost coin, the lost sheep, the lost son, the unforgiving ones with the unpayable debt. We must mean a great deal to him — even more than we can imagine — that he gave himself for us, stingy and fickle as we are in our allegiances.
Having shown his love for souls “to the end,” having ransomed us at such a great price, doesn’t it make sense that Jesus would continue loving and shepherding the flock in just the same way and at the same depth? Doesn’t it make sense that he would hand over the flock to shepherds who would shepherd them after his own heart?
Tonight the priests who serve the flock of Arkansas gather with me, the chief shepherd, to renew and be renewed through Jesus in our love and commitment to you, who are his treasure, his pearl, his beloved.
I had another experience yesterday as I took the part of Jesus in the Passion. I kept finding myself taking the part of the crowd, too, because I realized that I am one of those for whom he paid the ransom. I am one of the ungrateful ones, one of those whose frail flesh tires and fails to keep watch with him. I was speaking the words of Jesus — called by him to be his priest and love his flock — but I am as indebted to him as anyone else. He has made me his priest, and tonight with my brothers, in humility and wonder, I renew my commitment to love you as he does, to be courageous in him, to be forgiving and ask forgiveness, to persevere humbly after his example.
As Holy Week unfolds, we priests will continue to take the part of Jesus, and in doing so we will be reminded of who we are for you. Tonight we renew our commitment to the Lord and to you, and we will take the blessed oil to your parishes as the means of his continued sacramental care. On Thursday we will wash your feet, reminding ourselves that like Jesus, we are to be never-failing servants.
On Friday when we walk into our parish churches, the first thing we will do is prostrate ourselves on the floor — just as we did at our ordinations — to show our emptiness before God, to submit ourselves to him without condition, to ask that he fill us with his love for you. We will then be the first to kiss the cross, because shepherds should give example to the flock.
On Saturday we will baptize and confirm and celebrate the holy Eucharist, gathering into the flock even more of those for whom Christ gave his life, his precious ones, the souls beyond price whom he has entrusted to our care.
Tonight and throughout the week what we do in the liturgy will proclaim who we are for you in Christ. To fully grasp the mystery of the priesthood requires that we follow the path of humility.
Pope John Paul II once wrote (“Radiation of Fatherhood”), “I have decided to eliminate from my vocabulary the word ’my.’ How can I use that word when I know that everything is Yours? … I myself am more ’Yours’ than ’mine.’ So I have learned that I may not say ’mine’ of that which is Yours. I may not say, think or feel it. I must free myself, empty myself of this.”
The Holy Father’s words are a striking reminder to us priests that even the people we serve are not “mine” or “ours.” They are his, purchased at a great price, entrusted to us to shepherd and love, to guide and protect, to offer back to him as a holy gift. Only the one who learns to let go of the word “my” can give himself without counting the cost.
Tonight and during the rest of Holy Week we will renew our promises to him and to you. He loves you deeply and has said to us, his priests, “Love and care for my flock, whom I have ransomed at such a great price. They are more precious to me than gold seven times refined. Show them the depth of my love.”
And so we priests say to you, his flock, tonight: “We are for you because we are in him.”
Present tonight and at every Chrism Mass are young men asking themselves whether the Lord is calling them to the priesthood. They wonder: could it be that God is asking me to follow the way of Jesus so completely that he would make me his priest for the flock? Is it possible that I could love as much as the Lord Jesus loves?
Again, Pope John Paul II gives us insight. He wrote (“Rise, Let Us Be On Our Way”), “A young heart can understand the reckless love that is needed for total self-giving. There is no greater love than Love with a capital ’L.’” And speaking to a group of young people in Madrid in 2003, he said, “I was ordained a priest at the age of 26. Fifty-six years have passed since then. Looking back, and remembering those years of my life, I can assure you that it is worth dedicating yourselves to the cause of Christ, and for love of Him, dedicating yourselves to the service of others. It is worth giving your lives for the Gospel and for your brothers and sisters!”
Not only is it possible that the Lord is calling you to be his priests. He is also reminding us, through you, that we should never lose that first, eager, and idealistic love that impelled us to hand ourselves over to him at ordination.
The Lord’s message for us priests tonight, and for you who are contemplating the priesthood, is this: see how I love the flock, so precious to me that nothing would stand in the way of my love. Will you love them with my love?
And his message to all of us, his flock? More than anything, you are precious to me — yes, you who think yourself unworthy of my love, you who see your failings, you who have gone astray and want to return, you who do not yet know how to imitate my generosity — I have paid the ransom for every one of your lives.
See, I lay down my life for you.
Do you have an intention for Bishop Sartain’s prayer? If so, send it to him at Bishop Sartain’s Prayer List, Diocese of Little Rock, 2500 North Tyler St., P.O. Box 7239, Little Rock, AR 72217.

Special to Arkansas Catholic

Latest from From the Bishop