Solemnity of St. Joseph
March 19, 2010

Tonight the Archdiocese of Edmonton gathers in a spirit of profound thanksgiving and great joy. We rejoice in the gift of a new priest, who will lead and serve the people of God in this local Church. That this event occurs in the Year of the Priest only magnifies our thanks for what God is doing for us. In these past months we have been renewed in our appreciation of the mystery of the ministerial priesthood. Now we witness a man raised to the order of priests in the presbyteral order, an act which testifies to the fidelity of our Lord. It is the Lord who calls a man to follow him as a priest. We are grateful that Michael, having heard the call of Jesus deep within his heart, is responding with faith and the gift of his entire life.

Our need for priests is clear. Enabled by the grace of ordination to act in persona Christi capitis, they cooperate with the Bishop in shepherding the local Church by teaching, sanctifying and governing the people of God. In his preaching and catechesis, the priest announces the truth and beauty of the Gospel and explains the wondrous deposit of faith handed on in Scripture and Tradition. Through the sacraments he brings to people in their many needs the salvific power of Christ's paschal mystery. In the governance of the people entrusted to him, he serves as the touchstone of fidelity for the community of disciples as they seek at all times to remain faithful to their Lord and Master. He does all of this not by his own power but by the grace of Jesus Christ in whose person he acts.

Now, although the Church acknowledges that the effect of a priest's ministry is dependent upon Christ and not upon the personal worthiness of the minister, nevertheless she has always prayed for the grace of holiness to inhabit fully those who occupy this sacred office. Ordination makes a man a priest. Of itself, however, it does not make a man a good priest. For this, the grace of holiness is required. Therefore, Michael, stay close to Christ, who, by the gift of the Holy Spirit, will enable you to participate in his holiness, in his ever-faithful Amen to the will of the Father (cf. 2 Cor. 1:20). As a priest your life and ministry will derive entirely from your relationship with Jesus Christ. It is he who has chosen and appointed you, and who calls you his friend. Pray always that your union with Christ will so deepen that your life and ministry will be an effective witness to the holiness God wills for all his people.

To understand what the Church means by holiness, learn from St. Joseph. Regarding sanctity the patron saint of our Archdiocese and country teaches us two things. First, holiness is rooted in faith. Joseph is described in the Gospel as a "righteous" man. St. Paul teaches that, in the economy of salvation, righteousness springs from faith, the faith of Abraham. This is a faith that trusts fully in God's fidelity to his promises. Be, therefore, a man of faith, Michael. Trust always in the fidelity of our Lord and teach your people to do the same. Remind them of the ancient promise made to David through Nathan to raise up from among his descendants a son, upon whom he will found a house and establish an everlasting kingdom. Teach them that this promise has been fulfilled in Christ, who has fashioned by his blood that wondrous house we call the Church, and in whom the eternal kingdom of God has erupted into human history. Recall to their minds the promise made by Jesus himself always to be with his Church and never to leave his disciples orphaned. Demonstrate God's never-failing fidelity to his promises and encourage the faithful to place their complete trust in him.

The second important lesson we learn from St. Joseph is this: the performative expression of faith is obedience. Because we trust in the love and fidelity of our God, we obey his word and call, even when the divine summons takes us in unexpected directions beyond the reach of human understanding. In tonight's beautiful passage from the Gospel of St. Matthew, we hear God, through his angel, call Joseph to set aside his own plans for Mary and their future together and to participate in God's plan for them and for the world. In the call to take Mary as his wife, Joseph is invited to step beyond, far beyond, the familiar, the expected, and the reasonable, and into the mystery of God's saving action among his people. Joseph does not ask for a roadmap and timelines. He does not protest his unworthiness or present reasons why someone else might be more suitable for the task. Sufficient for him is the knowledge that the call is from God, that God is already at work in what has happened to Mary, and the assurance that he need not be afraid. Joseph placed his faith in the love of God and obeyed.

By his faith and obedience, St. Joseph shows us the way of holiness. Michael, pray that this will form the pattern of your own life as a priest. You have already heard the call of Christ to set aside your plans and follow his purposes for you, and you are responding today with faith and obedience. Learn well from this experience because it will happen again and again and again. Following the model of St. Joseph and relying on the help of his intercession, trust always in the fidelity of Jesus, obey his call wherever it may lead you, and cast aside all fear and anxiety.

Michael, the life of a priest is not without its challenges, of course, but it is one that brings great and lasting joy. There is nothing more beautiful and joyful than knowing Jesus, following him, and announcing him to others. We are grateful to the Lord that he has called you to do so as a priest.

Now I invite you to declare your intention to assume the priestly ministry. Do so with confidence in the love of God and with the assurance of the support of God's holy people.

Richard W. Smith
Archbishop of Edmonton