Homily for Mass Commemorating his 50th
Jubilee
Pope John Paul II
All Saints Day, November 1, 1996
1."Ecce Sacerdos magnus...".
"Behold the great High Priest who in his days
pleased God and was found just, and in the day
of wrath was the instrument of
reconciliation.... To him he gave the blessing
of all nations and confirmed his covenant upon
his head" (cf. Sir 44:16ff., 45:3ff).
These words, taken from the Mass of the Common
for a Confessor Bishop, according to the old
liturgy, often come back to mind. They take me
back to the time of my priestly ordination,
which took place 50 years ago, precisely on the
day when the Church celebrates all the saints.
Today, the mystery of Christ the Priest is part
of the liturgy for the Solemnity of All Saints.
On this day the Church proclaims that "the earth
is the Lord's and the fullness thereof, the
world and those who dwell therein; for he has
founded it upon the seas, and established it
upon the rivers" (Ps 24 [23]: 1-2). Against the
background of all the richness of creation, the
psalmist contemplates the one who is worthy to
climb the mountain of God and to stand in his
holy place (cf. Ps 24 [23]:3). He, that is, who
"has clean hands and a pure heart" (Ps 24
[23]:4); he who has received a "blessing from
the Lord", in order to present himself to the
Lord on behalf of all the generations who desire
to see the face of the God of Jacob.
Thus today's liturgy invites us to turn our
thoughts and hearts to Christ, the Eternal High
Priest.
We give thanks today to Christ the High Priest
2. "Ecce Sacerdos magnus....": Christ, Redeemer
of the world, is this "great High Priest". On
his head "the Covenant" of God with his people
is "confirmed". He is the Lawgiver and Witness
of that new and eternal Covenant which has its
"magna charta" in the eight Beatitudes recalled
in today's Gospel. This Covenant with God,
sealed by Christ's Cross and Resurrection,
continues unchanging down the centuries. Through
this Covenant what is spoken of in the passage
from the Book of Revelation just proclaimed is
fulfilled. "Behold, a great multitude which no
man could number, from every nation, from all
tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before
the throne [of God] and before the Lamb, clothed
in white robes ... and crying out with a loud
voice, 'Salvation belongs to our God'....
Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving
and honour and power and might be to our God for
ever and ever!" (Rv 7:9-12).
Who are these clothed in white robes who testify
to the eternal salvation which comes from God
and from Christ? They are those who "have come
out of the great tribulation; they have washed
their robes and made them white in the blood of
the Lamb" (Rv 7:14).
3. Jesus is the High Priest who alone can speak
to God in the ineffable language of his own
sacrifice. It is to him that we are offering
honour and thanks today. I would like to do this
together with the whole Christian community of
Rome, recalling my priestly jubilee.
Dear brothers and sisters, thank you for your
presence on such a significant occasion in my
life. First I affectionately greet the Cardinal
Vicar, the Auxiliary Bishops and all of you,
dear brothers in the priesthood, who have wished
to join with me in thanking the Lord for the
priceless gift of the ministerial priesthood. I
also greet the President of the Italian
Republic, the Mayor of the city of Rome, the
Presidents of the Province and of the Lazio
Region, as well as the other authorities
present, and I thank them for their welcome
participation.
On this occasion I naturally think with special
affection and gratitude of all the priests who
work and live here in Rome. I remember the
elderly and the sick in particular, and I assure
them of my daily "memento" in the celebration of
the Eucharistic sacrifice. My thoughts also turn
to the young priests, who are engaged in their
first experiences of the ministry, with the
respective joys and sorrows, disappointments and
hopes. May the Lord never let their lamps lack
the oil of faith, which can shed light on human
affairs and give meaning to every suffering.
Throughout these 18 years of pastoral service as
Bishop of Rome, I have had the Joy of ordaining
almost 2,000 priests, many of whom directly
serve our diocesan community. How could I not
offer a hymn of praise and thanksgiving to the
Lord for all this? I thank God for my priesthood
and for yours and I do so together with you and
all the faithful of the Diocese of Rome
spiritually joined in this jubilee celebration.
I invite everyone to pray to the "Master of the
harvest" with me, so that he will increase the
labourers which his harvest needs.
See what love the Father has given us!
4. Today how eloquently ring the words of the
Apostle St John: "See what love the Father has
given us" (1 Jn 3:1) not only has he called us
"children of God, and so we are" (ibid.), but he
has made us share in Christ's priesthood.
Through the sacrament of Orders, we priests can
offer "in persona Christi" the one and eternal
Sacrifice of the New Covenant. For this reason I
give thanks to God because he has allowed me to
celebrate Mass every day for the last 50 years,
starting with 1 November 1946.
I see passing before me at this moment the
images of that now distant day when early in the
morning I presented myself at the Archbishop of
Krakow's residence in Franciszkanka Street to
receive priestly ordination, accompanied by a
small group of relatives and friends. With deep
feeling, I see myself prostrate on the floor of
the Metropolitan Prince's private chapel, I hear
the singing of the "Veni Creator" and the Litany
of the Saints; I wait for the imposition of
hands, I accept the invitation to proclaim the
Good News, to lead the People of God, to
celebrate the divine mysteries. These are
indelible memories which I am reliving today
with unspeakable gratitude to the Lord.
5. "See what love the Father has given us", a
love that transforms us and spurs us to
holiness! Holiness is the universal vocation
given to all the baptized as today's Solemnity
of All Saints clearly emphasizes. The priest
exists to offer the faithful the means
instituted by Christ for this journey of
progressive sanctification. First and foremost
among the means of holiness is the Eucharist,
the memorial of the Saviour's Passion, Death and
Resurrection. Through the priest, the Church
makes the Eucharist, and it is this same
Eucharist which in turn makes the Church. Thus
the priest becomes the servant of the holiness
and communion of the baptized.
It is in this spirit that I think back over the
years of my priesthood. Beyond the memory of
events and persons, I look deeply, as if to
discern the mystery which has accompanied and
surrounded me throughout these decades. As a
priest, God has called me to be a man of the
Word, a man of the Sacrament, a man of the
"mystery of faith". Despite the time that has
passed the words of the psalmist continue to
well up in my heart: "Misercordias Domini in
aeternum cantabo; in generationem, et
generationem adnuntiabo veritatem tuam in ore
meo" (Ps 88:2).
6. I will proclaim your truth, Lord, I will
proclaim your love: eternal love, which
encourages us to look trustingly to the future.
St John writes: "It does not yet appear what we
shall be, but we know that when he appears we
shall be like him, for we shall see him as he
is" (1 Jn 3:2). We await this moment, we await
it with trepidation; we prepare ourselves for it
every day. The love of God enables us each day
to cross this threshold of eschatological hope.
"We will see him as he is". We will see him face
to face.
We will see him together with all those who have
accompanied us on our earthly pilgrimage; we
will meet him with those who are in the glory of
heaven, first of all with Mary, whom we
contemplate today as Queen of All Saints. It
will be full joy in the light of the Most Holy
Trinity.
Glory be to God to the Most Holy Trinity, for
ever and ever. Amen.
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