Blue & Red Mass
St. Joseph’s Monastery, Irvington
October 23, 2022
Introduction
The Scripture readings for this Sunday portray for us a God of justice. Sirach says as much: “The Lord is a God of justice, who knows no favorites”. Yet he hears the cry of the poor, the righteous, and the lowly. So too, in the Gospel we meet the God who judges justly, the God who does not judge by appearances but by what is in the heart. The Pharisee who appeared righteous in every respect was displeasing to God, while the tax collector, though despised by his compatriots, pleased God because his prayer was humble, sincere, and heartfelt.
You, our first responders – police officers, firefighters, public safety officials – and all the civic officials and administrators who support them – you strive each day to be ambassadors of justice here in the City of Baltimore and throughout the State of Maryland. While none of us is blessed with God’s ability to read the human heart, you are called upon each day to respond to life’s most difficult situations with that mixture of justice and mercy that reflects God’s own justice and mercy. Your work is not just a job. It is a calling. It isn’t easy.
In the Line of Duty
On the contrary, carrying out your duties requires great sacrifice on your part. You often endure mental trauma as you witness desperate conditions and great suffering. You can easily find yourselves carrying emotional wounds. You also put yourselves in significant physical danger and some, in this past year alone, have made the ultimate sacrifice. We honor their sacrifice today.
Among us today are the loved ones of those who made the ultimate sacrifice. You continue to grieve the loss of your loved ones who died in the line of duty along with others who entered into God’s eternal embrace this past year. Lt. Kelsey Sadler of the Baltimore Fire Department and Lt. Brian Della of the Annapolis Police Department. We think today also of Keona Holley, a Baltimore Police Officer who was fatally shot in the line of duty. We can say of these valiant public servants that they served the cause of both justice and mercy. Borrowing words from St. Paul’s 2nd letter to Timothy, we can say they competed well. They fought the good fight. They ran the race. They kept the faith. With greatest confidence we can commend them to the God of justice and mercy, confident that he has conferred on them “the crown of righteousness”.
Our pews are filled today with first responders: police officers, firefighters, and paramedics from across the Archdiocese of Baltimore. We are also honored by the presence of the Mayor of Baltimore, Brandon Scott, and the Baltimore City Police Commissioner, Michael Harrison, & Fire Chief Niles Ford. We are honored to be joined by Annapolis Police Chief Edward Jackson and Frostburg Police Chief Nicolas Costello.
Together with Father Mike Murphy, the Pastor of St. Joseph Monastery, let me say that all of you honor with your presence. You have accepted your noble calling which you fulfill with courage and humility. You serve children, women and men, many of whom you never met … that is, until their moment of greatest need – and many you will never meet again. You encounter them in moments of violence, chaos, uncertainty, and fear. And many, more than you know perhaps, find hope in your selfless actions and security in your courageous service. On behalf of the Archdiocese of Baltimore, I offer collective and heartfelt thanks.
And it’s not like you wipe the slate of your memory clean when your shift is done. You carry in your hearts those moments when you’ve encountered danger, when you have seen humanity at its worst, when you went above and beyond, when you have served with all the courage you could muster. You remember those moments when you prayed to the Lord that you would make it home to see your family.
Despite all that you give, you frequently face criticism from a skeptical public filled with heightened distrust, a public that sometimes rushes to ill-considered judgments. Take it from me, you are not alone in this! With the strength that God gives you, especially in the Mass, the Eucharist, hold on to your humanity and do not allow these troubled times to break your spirit… or your faith in God or the kindness or service you extend to fellow citizens.
Hope for the Future
And your departments are growing, evolving, and improving – daily, as should we all – as we rise collectively to meet this moment of national race reckoning, to do better, to change systems bent and twisted by the sins of racism and greed. Our Lord is a God of justice. He sees you and knows you as people of good conscience, as people who respect others and have earned their respect, as people who love others and want to be loved, as a people who depend on God’s mercy, just as do the people you and I serve.
As we celebrate this Holy Mass, I pray that God will bless you with comfort and peace, that he will keep you safe, that he will give success to your strenuous efforts to improve the quality of life for the citizens of Baltimore and of all Maryland. Baruch tells us that “the one who serves God willingly, is heard. His petition reaches the heavens.” I am confident our prayer will be heard! So let us pray together that, through God’s protection, you will indeed return home each night in safety, and that in your efforts to serve and protect, you will also continue to build new bonds of trust with the communities you serve. We pray for an end to violence in the city and throughout the state, and that our leaders be guided by God’s wisdom, justice, and mercy.
And thanks to your families! Thank you for the sacrifices that you make as your loved ones go forth each day to serve the community. You share intimately in the sacrifices they make each day, and so, we enfold you and your intentions in our prayers this morning. May God bless us and keep us always in his love!