by Fr. Tommy Lane
If you left all the conveniences and found yourself in the scorching hot desert because you were answering the call of God, you would want reassurances from God. In our first reading we heard that God had compassion on his people in the desert and through Moses he gave them reassurance: “You have seen for yourselves how I treated the Egyptians and how I bore you up on eagle wings and brought you here to myself.” (Ex 19:4)
Jesus was also compassionate as his Father. In our Gospel passage today, Jesus felt sorry for the crowds because they were harassed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd (Matt 9:36), so he sent the twelve apostles with power to cast out unclean spirits and to cure all kinds of diseases and sicknesses. He said, “As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons.” (Matt 10:7-8) Bishops and priests continue that ministry of the apostles.
On our journey through the desert of life, bishops, priests, and deacons are called by God to point out how God has carried us on eagle’s wings and proved his love for us through Christ’s death who reconciled us with the Father, as Paul reminds us in our second reading today (Rom 5:6-11). Priests are with us at all the most important moments in our lives: baptism, marriage, forgiveness of sins, celebration of the Eucharist, sickness, and death. Every priest could tell personal stories of times when he prayed with the sick and they improved or the times when he anointed the sick and they received new strength. Every priest could tell many personal stories about the many people he helped when they were going through a difficult time. Every priest has helped to heal broken lives and has given encouragement. Every priest has been surprised to see the power of Jesus work mysteriously through him.
Jesus said to drive out demons. When a priest blesses holy water he asks God to protect us from evil when we use the holy water. Some of the prayers (from the third edition of the Roman Missal 2012) which the priest may say as he blesses the water are:
Almighty every-living God…be pleased, we pray, to bless this water, by which we seek protection on this day…grant that by this water we may be defended from all ills of spirit and body and so approach you in hearts made clean and worthily receive your salvation.
An alternative prayer for the blessing of Holy Water is this one:
bless this water, which we use in confidence to implore forgiveness for our sins and to obtain the protection of your grace against all illness and every snare of the enemy.
When Holy Water is blessed, salt may be mixed with it and this is part of the prayer to bless the salt:
we humbly ask you, almighty God, to bless this salt…Grant, Lord, we pray, that wherever this mixture of salt and water is sprinkled, every attack of the enemy may be repulsed and your Holy Spirit may be present to keep us safe at all times.
These prayers remind us of the importance of blessing ourselves with holy water and sprinkling our houses with holy water. Jesus said, “As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons.” (Matt 10:7-8)
Bishops, priests, and deacons are in need of prayer because they too have the same human limitations, weaknesses, and temptations as everyone. When was the last time you prayed for bishops and priests? If you don’t pray for bishops and priests why are you surprised if there are scandals? Bishops and priests cannot survive without your prayer. So pray for them.
Jesus said, “As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons.” (Matt 10:7-8) In so many different ways, bishops and priests continue that ministry of Jesus to us on our journey through the desert of this life. We thank God for bishops and priests and pray for them.
Copyright © Fr. Tommy Lane 2002
This homily was delivered in a parish in Ireland.
More homilies for the Eleventh Sunday Year A
One, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church 2023
The ministerial priesthood serving the priesthood of all the faithful 2008
Related Homilies: Homilies on Priesthood; Homilies on Vocation
Second Reading Related: Love of God for us 2009