Homily for the St. Stanislaus, New Church Dedication: February 15, 2009

Given by the Most Reverend Stephen E. Blaire at the Cathedral of the Annunciation in Stockton.

A very warm welcome to all of you gathered in this magnificent building. I can only utter a few small words which convey a huge expression of gratitude to everyone who has contributed enormous amounts of time, commitment, perseverance and resources to the construction of this sacred place of worship for the Catholic people in Modesto. In the name of the Church I have accepted the gift of this building and have entrusted it to the care of your pastor Fr. Ramon Bejarano and to the wonderful people of St. Stanislaus Parish.

But God does not dwell in this building. God does not reside in any structure made by human hands, here or anywhere in the world, as if God were to be found here within these walls but not out on the streets of the city. On the other hand, God indeed is present here in a unique way, because the living Church, the people of God, is gathered here in assembly. God is made present through Christ who is the head of the Church and through Christ’s body which is the Church. The reason the building is called a church, is because the Church gathers here within these walls for worship. What makes the church building a sacred place is the assembly of God’s people in union with Christ the Shepherd of the Church and her cornerstone. Today you are participating in one of the most beautiful liturgies of the Church. However, you will understand its meaning only if you appreciate that the building and all the rituals are symbolic of the living Church of which you are a member. The cover of the program booklet is entitled the Dedication of a Church and an Altar because the altar symbolizes Christ; and the building, its walls and stones, symbolizes the people.

One enters the Church through the sacrament of baptism in which we are washed clean from sin. You have already been sprinkled with the waters of baptism which were blessed at the very beginning of this Mass. The walls of the building have been purified as a sign that we are to live our baptism daily with a clean heart faithful to God. We are not here as mere spectators of today’s dedication. We must allow our hearts to be cleansed once again with the baptismal waters so as to follow Jesus Christ ever more fully. The prophetic voice of Ezechial cries out in the name of God: “I will sprinkle clean water upon you to cleanse you from all your impurities….I will give you a new heart and a new spirit within you….and make you live by my statutes, careful to observe my decrees.”

The Church cleansed and purified is then created anew by the Word of God, who is Jesus Himself. Those who individually read the bible and meditate on the word of God can grow spiritually. But when the Church gathers, the word of God must be proclaimed as it was solemnly done this afternoon. When Ezra, the Old Testament priest of God read the law of Moses, the people answered, “Amen, Amen.” They wept with joy as they heard the word of God. The proclamation of the word of God gives birth to the community of the Church. When the people receive into their hearts the word of God they become the Church and Christ dwells in them. We cannot be here as mere observers. We gather as the Church to receive the word of God into our hearts so that we can be transformed by grace within the community of the church. We can never exhaust the riches of the Word of God.

Soon we will anoint the altar with the oil of Chrism. This most sacred piece of furniture symbolizes Jesus, the anointed of God. When Jesus came out of the waters of baptism by John, the heavens were opened, a dove descended symbolizing the coming of the Holy Spirit, and a voice was heard: “You are my beloved Son.” The walls of the church also will be anointed in twelve areas symbolizing that we are an apostolic church and reminding us that through our baptism and confirmation we are the anointed followers of Jesus. We have been anointed to gather around the altar table with Jesus Christ our great high priest in the worship of God His Father and our Father. We simply cannot stand around and watch. We are the anointed sons and daughters of God.

The incense rising up to heaven symbolizes Christ’s offering of Himself to the Father for our salvation. We in turn are incensed because we are God’s holy people who join with Christ and through him offer our lives to God.

As soon as the candles are lit, the words of Jesus begin to burn themselves into our minds and hearts: “You are the light of the world.” The dedication of this church, the celebration of this liturgy becomes empty unless we go out into the world to live our faith in a way that bears witness to the reality and presence of God in all dimensions of life and in all our human experiences. No words are more powerful than the virtuous life of the believer.

The celebration of the Eucharist by the Bishop and the priests with the people gathered around this anointed altar consecrates this church building to be a sacred space for the worship of God and the celebration of the sacraments of the Church. The summit of the Church’s activity is to gather around this altar for the Eucharist in which Christ in His passion, death and resurrection becomes present, so that through Him, with Him and in Him all honor and glory is given to the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit. Catholic worship takes place when the Church offers herself, that is ourselves, with Christ to God, all that we are, all that we do. How sad it is when all the church is not gathered together on Sunday, the day of the Lord’s resurrection, for the highest moment of the church’s life in the week.

Our fullest participation in the great liturgy of Eucharistic worship of the Father occurs when we receive Holy Communion. In this most intimate communion with Christ we become the one body of Christ in communion with one another. We are fed by the bread of life. Through the Eucharist we become ever more the Church.

As long as we the church, the living stones, gather here in assembly with Christ, the Good Shepherd of the Church, to celebrate the Eucharist, around this sacred altar, this building will be a holy place, a truly consecrated church.

Last Update February 25, 2009