Mass for Marriage and the Family

Celebrated by Archbishop Denis Hart
at Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, Melbourne,
on Sunday, 7th September, 2003 at 11.00am

Introduction

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

I am delighted today to welcome members of families here present for our Annual Mass for Marriage and the Family.

This Mass places us directly in the context to a family, as we thank God for those who are his greatest gift to us, the members of our family.

Parenthood, with its ability to give, receive and nurture life, the special role of fathers which we will consider on this particular year, the spiritual fatherhood which priests exercise for our parishes, are all themes which will enrich our liturgy today.

As we call to mind our sins, let us ask that we will be open to the invitation the Lord gives us to see the beauty of his gift to us in the members of our family.

Homily

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Today I recognise with joy the presence of so many families, thanking God for the gifts which you share, particularly in modern times when people can be reduced simply to what they do rather than what they are.

Today’s Gospel story of the healing of the deaf can challenge us concerning our relationship with one another.

Mark Twain said, “Kindness is a language which the deaf can hear and the blind can read.” Jesus even challenged us further to open up and be alert to each other’s needs and we know in the Gospel that the man’s ears were opened and his tongue was freed to proclaim God’s truth.

Perhaps the big challenge that occurs for us, Sunday after Sunday, is expressed in the prayer which has been said at baptisms for over thirty years. “The Lord Jesus made the deaf hear and the dumb speak. May he soon touch your ears to receive his word, and your mouth to proclaim his faith, to the praise and glory of God the Father.”

In an era of instant results, if we are suffering from an illness we want it be fixed. Or if there is someone blind, or deaf, or handicapped, we want to sweep away this disability because it does not sit comfortably with our idea of a perfect world, where there is no sickness.

Particularly in families you and I know that life is not like that. There is strong evidence to suggest that a burdened or sick member whose illness we have never sought can draw out of their parents and siblings great amounts of love which would be otherwise untapped. Rather, we have to begin to learn that God’s way often leads us on a crooked road and yet to a discovery of what is really important. It can address such a fundamental thing as thanking God for each other as we are, freely choosing to walk his path, rather than wanting to manipulate life along our own path and programme.

Saint Augustine said, “Faith is to believe what we do not see, and the reward of this faith is to see what we believe.” The healing of the man born blind is a challenge to see things in our family and our life in God’s way. At the end of the second Reading it was “those who were poor according to the world that God chose to be rich in faith and to be heirs to the kingdom which he promised to those who love him.” (James 2:5)

As we thank God for our family, let us ask him to share with us a humbler, more gentle, more accepting love and awareness of those God has chosen in his wisdom to share with us life’s journey. We are indeed rich and privileged in our family, as Jesus was in his.

+ Denis J. Hart,
Archbishop of Melbourne.