Bishop Guerrini of Saluzzo
The following is a translation of the homily of Bishop Guerrini of Saluzzo presented at the Festival of Life in Saluzzo, July 2006.
The Community of the followers of our Lord is one that is sent forth and missionary. We are here to celebrate this "Festival of Life," because the twelve Apostles began to announce and communicate the extraordinary experience that they had lived, the encounter that turned their lives upside down. The Word of God which we heard today gives us some elements in regards to this encounter, elements that I will categorize in just four words. At the foundation, there must be a very strong experience, like the experience that Amos had. Today we heard in the first reading that Amos says to the court prophet, "I am not a prophet by profession. I am not doing this to earn a living. The Lord has taken me from among the cattle and said to me, "Go, and prophesy to my people Israel.'"
It must be an encounter that involves the concrete aspects of my life, my questions, my difficult situations, my hopes, my dreams, what I believe in, what I hope in...the encounter between me, my life, and the specific, concrete Word of God, of His experience, an encounter that we experience as illuminating, resolving, healing.
Thus, the first word is faith, that is to say, this personal encounter. It's not automatic. Specifically, the page prior to today's Gospel reading, which we read last Sunday, presents us with another encounter but, in that case, it is also taking a distance. Jesus goes to His town among His people, among the people from His town, and they ask Him, "From where do all these things come to him?" and Mark the Evangelist comments "They were scandalized by Him" Here I can see in Him the Savior, He who heals me, He who responds to my hope, but I can also pass right by Him without the slightest involvement.
Again, faith is the foundation. "I believe. I am convinced. I'm committed. Let's look at Peter, "Lord, to whom shall we go? Only you have the words of eternal life"...and all of us, in one way or another, are here because have had this experience, and we said, "I'm committed. I'll try. I'm convinced, I believe..."
The second word is "poverty." The testimony of this meeting, this encounter is not based on organization, nor is it based on strength. Jesus commanded them not to take anything with them for the journey." What do you mean, nothing? Not even that which seems necessary? Bread, a little bit of money? "Don't take anything for the journey." It's a word that we heard last Sunday, a verse from the second letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians that says, "My grace is enough for you." Poverty for us is not self-denial just for the sake of self-denial. It's not that we are disgusted by nice things, but it is way to lead us to that which is foundational in life, a search for that which truly gives life. It is the Lord who heals. It is He opens your heart to hope, who opens your heart love, who answers all every question you have about life. The rest? Yes, the rest is an answer, even though it is tiny, inadequate, and insufficient.
The third word is "Community." The faithfulness of the Lord always contains this dimension. "I send into the world two by two," as though to say that it is not the initiative of a single person; rather, there is always the dimension of communion, sharing, brotherhood.
"Comunità Cenacolo" which means a building together of an experience, a journey, a hope, putting together your faith with all aspects of your daily life. Community: that means that we are never alone. We are never solitary explorers. We believe in this reality of sharing, of journeying together, of helping and supporting one another in life circumstances, above all because Lord is with us. Because of this, our experience in Community is always an experience of the Church, a calling of one other to the Lord. We are, therefore, called by the Lord. We have this experience of being together. We are called to take this personal encounter with Jesus to the world, to transmit this way of life, this conviction, this hope.
The fourth word, which comes out of our reading today, in particular from the letter of St. Paul to the Ephesians, which is a type of hymn, of song, is the word "gift." Perhaps, instead, we should say the plural, "gifts," because there is a cascade of gifts. This page of the word of God is one that we need to read over and over again, because it expresses the beauty of our faith, the reasons for our hope, for our joy, and expresses the profound meaning of the word "Life." It is the "Festival of Life" because "the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ has blessed us with every spiritual blessing." "Blessed" doesn't mean a sign, a formula----. Blessed means life is goodness, and goodness is beauty, joy and harmony. St. Paul continues: "...Chosen first before all creation, predestinated to be his adopted children according to the richness of his abandoned grace, poured into us with wisdom and knowledge..." It seems as if St. Paul is short on words, and so he searches for every imagine that expresses, richness, positive life, grace, wisdom, intelligence...and one more expression: "the design to sum up all the things in Christ"...To sum up all things in Christ means to reclaim Christ as our Captain. In him the world will find harmony, and in him the hunger and thirst that we have inside shall be satisfied. So he is the answer, and in him is the fountain of life. He is the Savior and St. Paul announces this in conclusion, saying: "We who have received Baptism, who have hoped in him, who have received Confirmation, we have received the seal of the Holy Spirit." It is like a deposit, an anticipation. St. Paul wants to say that these are not fable words, they are not a "manner of speech." but it is an advance and we are celebrating this advance. Sure we don't see him face to face yet, we still walk with difficulties in the fog, we are challenged to go forward everyday...but we have this hereditary deposit, this certainty in the complete redemption of our lives. We celebrate the "Festival of Life" for experimenting this certainty: That God is the God of Life, and the God of Love, and the God of Gifts; The hope placed in him is a well-placed hope. This is why we celebrate the Eucharist, it is an anticipation of these new heavens and earth, this fullness of life. It is a step, moving in this direction. Really because he is our point of reference. Our slogan of the "Festival of Life." "No greater love has a man than this: that he lay down his life for a friend," is not a manner of speech or a play on words, but it is a reality, we see it in Him, in the Lord Jesus, because we will celebrate him in the Eucharist, also if we search with difficulty to live it day by day. He is our Teacher, our Savior, He is the Light, and in Him is the life of the world: Let's look at him and also ourselves, and like the twelve apostles say to each other: "There is Hope!" Death does not have the last word, Life does. Darkness does not have the last word, Light does. Division and hate don't have the last words...but Love does. May this Eucharist which concludes our days of the "Festival of Life," that will help us in our walks, be truly a deposit and advance, of this meeting and this joy.