Homily given at St Joseph's Wembley on 22 May 2024 for the Silver Jubilee of Fr Joseph Kaduthanam, CMI
We have just heard the opening of Jesus’ public ministry according to St. Luke. It is a proclamation of the power of the Holy Spirit and a vision of the kingdom desired by the merciful Father.
Jesus Christ is anointed by the Holy Spirit to ‘bring the good news to the poor, proclaim liberty to captives, recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord – a Holy Year of Jubilee, of mercy and restoration into right relationship with God and one another. It is a kingdom of peace, justice and love in the Holy Spirit.
The prophet Isaiah proclaims the coming of the Messiah to redeem his people. He will be a Suffering Servant, whose life and glory will triumph over evil, suffering, rejection and death. Jesus will fulfil this call through his preaching and teaching, his miracles, and his forgiveness and healing. He is raised up on the cross where he will suffer, die and yet be raised in glory. He will love unto death so that we may be saved. From the Holy Cross, water and blood will flow out from his pierced side to become the water of baptism and the blood of the Eucharist. Through baptism, the Eucharist and the sacraments, God’s holy people will be sanctified to serve and give glory to God. The Church continues this work of Christ as Head and Body. The priest shares in this ministry of sanctification in the person of Christ as Head of the Body.
At Fr Joseph’s Mass of Ordination, the bishop anointed the palm of his hands with sacred chrism and prayed ‘The Father anointed our Lord Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. May Jesus preserve you to sanctify the Christian people and to offer sacrifice to God.’
Fr Joseph was anointed to be a priest so that those people touched by God’s grace through his priestly ministry would become holy. He was anointed to offer sacrifice to God in the celebration of the Holy Mass. The chasuble, which he wears, is derived from the sacred robes of the Jewish High Priest and is rich in symbolism. On the tunic-like ephod of the High Priest, the names of the children of Israel were engraved on the twelve onyx stones of the shoulder-pieces (cf. Ex 28:6-14). The names of the twelve tribes of Israel were also engraved on the breastplate (cf. Es 28:21).[1] Similarly, when the priest celebrates the Mass, he carries on his shoulders the people entrusted to his care and bears their names which are written in his heart. As the Pope wrote, ‘When we put on our simple chasuble, it might well make us feel, upon our shoulders and in our hearts, the burdens and the faces of our faithful people, our saints and martyrs who are numerous in these times’ (Pope Francis, Chrism Mass 2013). We carry the faces of the people entrusted to our care with us just as we carry their names in our hearts and pray for them. This was brought home very vividly after Christmas when Fr Joseph and the CMI generously invited me to Kerala. As I stood in the rather long queue to take the ferry to the Vivekanandra Memorial along with Fr Joseph and Fr Matthew who have both served in Wembley; they talked about the people they served in Wembley and Fr Matthew asked after their health and well-being. My heart was touched by the love and sign of pastoral charity which they carried in their hearts. I was also able to visit Fr John Menokari who had served you so faithfully. He also asked after you. I met the mothers and families of Fr Joseph Chakko and Fr Tebin, and also the family of Fr Joseph. They remind us that behind every priest, there is a strong family that prays and supports them. Thank you. From your many families, I hope that the next generation of priests will come; those who will follow in our footsteps. This is my challenge to you this evening.
The sanctification of God’s holy people continues through the sacrament of reconciliation when the word of absolution frees penitents from their sins. These words give liberty to the captives and like Lazarus, unbound from his shrouds in the tomb, allow the oppressed go free. Healing and consolation are given through the sacrament of the sick. I think that the times of celebrating the sacrament of the sick with the sick and dying are some of the most intimate and moving encounters of a priest’s life.
The life of every priest begins with the call of God. Like Samuel in the first reading, at first, he does not understand this voice and only knows it is the voice of God when he hears the call again and again. Then he responds generously, ‘Here I am, speak your servant is listening.’ The ‘heart to heart’ relationship of the priest with Jesus Christ is only sustained by the life of personal prayer and the commitment to the liturgy of the hours. Attentive listening and probing the scriptures to hear the word of God, to pray and to preach, needs silence, solitude and patience. Today, the priest needs your help to carve out that time because the demands of the ministry are ever increasing. Please pray for your priests and help them to find time to pray by allowing them space and silence.
The priesthood can only be sustained through the power of God’s grace. As St Paul says, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness’. He tells us that the treasure of the priesthood is held in earthenware vessels which are fragile. The priest will know his weakness, his struggles, his doubts and the challenges he faces. He must trust in the power of God and that his promise and hope that will never disappoint us. The priest can be heartened because the Holy Spirit brings about transformation from glory unto glory.
The priest must also be ready to accept the cross. On the day of his ordination Fr Joseph heard the following words when the gifts of bread and wine were presented to him, ‘Accept from the holy people of God the gifts to be offered to him. Know what you are doing and imitate the mystery you celebrate: model your life on the mystery of the Lord’s cross.’ Through the cross you will grow in love for Christ and his people.
Fr Joseph, words from the Second Letter to Timothy can encourage you today: ‘Revive the gift, rediscover the anointing, rekindle the flame so that your zeal for the apostolic ministry will not fade.’ (2 Tim 1:6) This is our prayer for you and the community of the CMI today.
St. Kuriakose Elias Chavara, pray for us.
St. Alphonsa, pray for us.
Bishop John Sherrington
[1] Pope Francis, Chrism Mass 2013