By Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz, D.D.
“Reform our lives and believe in the Gospel, remembering that we are dust and unto dust we shall return.” The admonitions with the distribution of ashes are a sobering reminder that this world presents many roadblocks on the path to life. We always hear one or the other as the ashes are placed upon us. Reform or remember!

Through the years I have often wished that we could combine the options in order to enter more fully into the death and resurrection of the Lord who reveals the wisdom of God in the Cross. Sin, sickness, suffering and death have cast a shadow over the human condition since the fall from grace, but it has been intensified over the past year through the pandemic. Enormous hurt and undying heart have been on display each day. Is this the paradox of the Cross, and an invitation to see with the eyes of faith that every day the Lenten call to pray, to fast, and to give alms drive the efforts of many?

This year’s journey through Lent can immerse us in the paradox of the Cross, and the power of the resurrection, perhaps in a way that we never have known. With St. Paul we proclaim to the world that “the message of the Cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to those who are being saved it is the power of God. To those who are called, Jesus Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God.” (1Cor 1:18ff)

In his message on the world day of prayer for the sick this week for the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, Pope Francis speaks to the rhythm of dying and rising at the foot of the Cross. “The experience of sickness makes us realize our own vulnerability and our innate need of others. It makes us feel all the more clearly that we are creatures dependent on God. When we are ill, fear and even bewilderment can grip our minds and hearts; we find ourselves powerless … Sickness raises the question of life’s meaning, which we bring before God in faith.”

In his world-wide gaze, Pope Francis repeatedly has called for a more just social order because “the current pandemic has exacerbated inequalities in our healthcare systems and exposed inefficiencies in the care of the sick. Elderly, weak and vulnerable people are not always granted access to care, or in an equitable manner.”

This is the agony of the Cross in our sin and suffering afflicted world. Yet, the Good News of Jesus Christ does not end in hopelessness but in the power of God in the words of our Holy Father.

“The pandemic has also highlighted the dedication and generosity of healthcare personnel, volunteers, support staff, priests, men and women religious, all of whom have helped, treated, comforted and served so many of the sick and their families with professionalism, self-giving, responsibility and love of neighbor. A silent multitude of men and women, they chose not to look the other way but to share the suffering of patients, whom they saw as neighbors and members of our one human family … Such closeness is a precious balm that provides support and consolation to the sick in their suffering. As Christians, we experience that closeness as a sign of the love of Jesus Christ, the Good Samaritan, who draws near with compassion to every man and woman wounded by sin.” This is the living icon of the presence of God in our world, and the view from eternity for all disciples baptized into the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus.

“Unless the grain of wheat falls to the earth and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat, but if it dies it produces much fruit.” (John 12:24) It is never easy to die to sin and selfishness, but may our prayer, fasting and almsgiving unite us to the Lord’s Cross and resurrection as we allow the Gospel to turn ashes into grains of faith, hope and love during this Lent and always. “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning, great is your faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:22-23)

By Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz, D.D.
On this past Sunday of the Word of God, the third Sunday in Ordinary time each year, we heard the summons of the Lord Jesus to his first disciples, Peter and Andrew, James and John, a call that is ever ancient and ever new. “The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand; reform your lives and believe in the Gospel.” (Mark 1:14-20) Events unfold rapidly in the Gospel of Mark.
In the space of half of the first chapter, the reader is blessed to know that the Good News is about Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who is then baptized, tempted in the desert, and propelled into daily life announcing the Kingdom of God. This Good News is revealed at the Lord’s baptism when the voice from heaven lovingly proclaims, “you are my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.”

Reforming one’s life is about hearing the Lord, following him along the path of life, turning away from sin, and allowing him to transform our hearts and minds. This is the work of lifetime, but the call to holiness of life is daily.
The heart of the Good News is that we embrace our own identity as beloved daughters and sons of God, the crown of creation, made in the image and likeness of our creator. “If God is for us, who or what can be against us,” as St. Paul who was grasped by Christ, boldly writes. (Romans 8:31)
As the church began to grow and spread throughout the ancient world, the early Christians, in the face of martyrdom, but with minds and hearts transformed, witnessed to an astounding new way of living. Indeed, they preached the Good News to the poor, fed the hungry, welcomed the stranger, cared for the sick and the dying, buried the dead, shunned violence, and rejected the Roman customs of infanticide and abortion. While worshipping the Lord who called them from darkness into his marvelous light, they also witnessed to a profound respect for life that grew organically form faith in their crucified and risen Lord.
In every generation then, the disciples of the Lord, the church, proclaim this Good News of salvation, the gift for time and eternity. Against the backdrop of so many violent protests throughout 2020, culminating with the protest that morphed into the disgraceful assault on the hallowed halls of government, today, January 29, marks the anniversary of the March for Life. Faithful pilgrims on behalf of life have marched peacefully for nearly five decades, 100s of thousands each year. Thank you, Pro-Life activists, for your witness on behalf of life, and these days, for your witness to the integrity of the first amendment of our constitution, upholding the right to assemble peacefully. America, please take notice on both counts. In conclusion, the 2021 statement for the March for Life to be held virtually, portrays a profound and comprehensive respect for life.
“The protection of all of those who participate in the annual March, as well as the many law enforcement personnel and others who work tirelessly each year to ensure a safe and peaceful event, is a top priority of the March for Life. In light of the fact that we are in the midst of a pandemic which may be peaking, and in view of the heightened pressures that law enforcement officers and others are currently facing in and around the Capitol, this year’s March for Life will look different. The annual rally will take place virtually and we are asking all participants to stay home and to join the March virtually. We will invite a small group of pro-life leaders from across the country to march in Washington, DC this year. These leaders will represent pro-life Americans everywhere who, each in their own unique ways, work to make abortion unthinkable and build a culture where every human life is valued and protected. We are profoundly grateful for the countless women, men, and families who sacrifice to come out in such great numbers each year as a witness for life – and we look forward to being together in person next year. As for this year’s march, we look forward to being with you virtually. “The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand, repent and believe in the Gospel.”

By Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz, D.D.
Emerging from the Christmas season we hope and pray that we are blessed in spirit in the knowledge that our faith in the Son of God “conquers the world” as we proclaimed in the scriptures on the feast of the Baptism of the Lord.

This metanoia is so much more than any and all new year’s resolutions that too often fold and crumple like discarded wrapping paper. Rather, it is a renewed perspective alive in the Spirit of God who hovers, enlightening our minds, hearts and imaginations in the awareness that we are God’s children now, beloved in a way that surpasses all understanding.

On that first Christmas night, the heavens were opened with the chorus of angels singing, “glory to God in the highest.” Years later they were torn asunder at the Baptism in the Jordan River by the voice of the God of eternal glory, revealing that this Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ of history and the beloved Son of the Father, the Word made flesh. “You are my beloved Son; on you my favor rests.”

In this time of raging pandemic, appalling civil strife and violence, and seemingly intractable rancor and division, where do we find the light and the power to live a life worthy of our calling as God’s children?

Look no further than to the Prologue of St. John’s Gospel, a Christmas day proclamation, which is resplendent with hope in the beloved Son of God, the eternal Word, for our unstable and disturbed times. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came to be through him, and without him nothing came to be. What came to be through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” John 1:1-5
Even now, the darkness has not overcome this divine life and light. Unfortunately, this vision for our lives can easily be lost in the assault of shadows, darkness and death.

Nonetheless, the Christmas season was a celebration of the light shining in the darkness, inviting us to renew our vision to see that God is with us, Emmanuel. The Incarnation raises us up to heaven’s door, and the Baptism of the Lord speaks of God’s full immersion in all things human, who lays aside his glory and humbly joins us in our sinfulness. Like the Blessed Mother, it behooves us to cherish the gift of faith in the manner she embraced the Christ child in her arms, pondering what this treasure means for our lives.
The mystery of our faith that conquers the world reveals to us that the wood of the manger is never separated from the wood of the Cross. The baptism of Jesus at the Jordan is inseparable from the crucifixion; his immersion in water anticipates his immolation on the Cross. It dawns upon us when we take these things to heart that the entire New Testament was written in the aftermath of the crucifixion and resurrection of the Lord through the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit.

How then does our baptism unite us to the beloved Son of God, the Light that shines in the darkness?
A passage that is often selected from Saint Paul’s letter to the Romans for the celebration of the sacrament of Baptism and at many funeral liturgies unfolds the mystery. “Are you unaware that we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were indeed buried with him through baptism into his death, so that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live in newness of life. For if we have grown into union with him through a death like his, we shall also be united with him in the resurrection. We know that our old self was crucified with him so that our sinful body might be done away with, that we might no longer be in slavery to sin.” (Romans 6:3-6)

Forgiveness of sin, growth in the Lord, no longer slaves to sin, fear and hopelessness, and newness of life are essential signs that we are living a life worthy of our calling. It is a humble awareness inspired by the Holy Spirit, cleansed by waters made holy, and blood poured out on the Cross, that we belong ultimately to God.

We are beloved sons and daughters of God grafted onto the living vine, the Body of Christ, the church. The love of Christ impels us to live our baptism, our vocation, our discipleship growing in the power of faith to know that we are God’s beloved children, fully immersed in this world, committed to greater justice and peace for all, and always leaving an opening for eternal life to hover close to our daily preoccupations and decisions.

By Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz, D.D.
“The Spirit and the Bride say, come! The one who inspires faith says, Yes, I am coming soon. Maranatha, come, Lord Jesus!” The Bible ends with these words from the Book of Revelation, or the Apocalypse, expressing the holy longing that we cultivate during this sacred season of Advent leading up to Christmas. These heartfelt words have been the prayer of the church every day for nearly 2000 years, a long stretch of time, for sure.
However, we heard from the letter of Peter last Sunday that “for the Lord one day is like a thousand years and a thousand years is like one day.” (2Peter 3:8) Since we are just about to begin the third day following the death and resurrection of Jesus there is no reason why this great mystery and drama of salvation should ever grow old. It remains ever ancient and ever new.

We pray for the grace of the hunger and thirst of St. Augustine during these Advent days. “Late have I loved you, O Beauty ever ancient, ever new, late have I loved you! You were within me, but I was outside, and it was there that I searched for you. In my unloveliness I plunged into the lovely things which you created. You were with me, but I was not with you.” (Confessions) It is a stretch to measure a millennium in our imagination, and it is incomprehensible to grasp eternity, but we can, and we must seize the opportunity that each day offers to rediscover the ancient and new grace of God in its manifold expressions.
In the moment, John the Baptist is our guide. Prepare the way of the Lord, are the words of the voice who echoes down the centuries. He, whose pulpit is the doorstep of the desert, clears the way for the eternal Word made Flesh. This is the Good News of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the opening words of the Gospel of Mark from the second Sunday of Advent. Believing this, what sort of lives are we to live, brothers and sisters, is the question from St. Peter in his letter.
The answer to this eternal question is found in the gathering at the Jordan River where the people were coming to John the Baptist to confess their sins and to be baptized by him in the Jordan river. The first step forward in the knowledge of our salvation is the forgiveness of our sins. (Luke 1:76-77), as expressed in the Benedictus, the glorious prayer of Zacharias, the father of the Baptist. Returning to the letter of Peter again from last Sunday we hear that “the Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance… But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.”
Biblical righteousness is grounded in reconciliation with God and getting it “right” with one another. The gift we receive is then given as a gift. (Matthew 10:8). In the midst of this distressing pandemic, the prophet Isaiah’s exhortation is compelling. “Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.” (40:1) So many people have lost so much throughout this past year. Righteous living inspires us to take many steps forward by giving comfort, by restoring hope, by providing support in whatever ways we can. To be reconciled with God is to unite heaven and earth. To create by God’s grace a “new heaven and a new earth” each day is within our power. Last Sunday’s psalm response conveys God’s vision and our goal. “Kindness and truth shall embrace; Justice and peace shall kiss! Truth shall spring from the earth, and justice will look down from heaven.” (85:10)
Indeed, we have been baptized with the Holy Spirit as John the Baptist prophesied at the Jordan River, an anointing and an indwelling that is the pledge of eternal life and the inspiration to build up the Kingdom of God today, and every day. In doing so we will have an impact for 1000 years. “Maranatha! Come, Lord Jesus!”

By Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz, D.D.

In 1990 Black Catholic History month began to be celebrated in November in various parts of the United States. At the 30 year mark our Catholic people have grown to better understand that the Catholic Church in the United States and Black Catholic History are deeply intertwined.

Over the past 40 years the Bishops of the United States have produced three documents that resurrect the gift of the African American Catholic experience, and the unrelenting struggle to overcome the legacy of slavery and racism that afflict our nation and Church. Brothers and Sisters to Us 1979 — What we have Seen and Heard 1984 — Open Wide Our Hearts, The Enduring Call to Love 2018. In their 1979 document the Black Catholic bishops embraced the words of Pope Paul VI when he spoke at the Eucharistic Conference in Kampala, Uganda in 1969 – ”You must now be missionaries to yourselves, and you must give the gift of Blackness to the whole Church.”

“Do you know the gift?” is the title of the feature article by Richard Lane in the current edition of the Catholic TV Monthly. It provides, in part, a fascinating glimpse of the African presence in the church from the beginning. Three of our popes were of African origin, and Pope Melchiades held the Keys of Peter when Constantine issued the Edict of Milan in 313 ending the nearly three centuries of brutal martyrdom. This successor of Peter needs to be front and center when we recall this watershed moment in church history. Do we know the gift?

Remember that St. Monica and her son, St. Augustine hailed from Algeria, and remain models of parental devotion and intellectual prowess. Do we know the gift?

The Black bishops in their 1984 document portray a perspective of history that is easily overlooked. “Just as the church in our history was planted by the efforts of the Spaniards, the French and the English, so did she take root among Native Americans, Black slaves and the various racial mixtures of them all. Blacks whether Spanish speaking, French speaking or English speaking, built the churches, tilled church lands, and labored with those who labored in spreading the Gospel. From the earliest period of church history in our land, we have been the hands and arms that helped build the church from Baltimore to Bradstown, from New Orleans to Los Angeles, from Saint Augustine to Saint Louis. Too often neglected and too much betrayed, our faith was witnessed by Black voices and Black tongues — such as Pierre Toussaint, Elizabeth Lange, Henriette Delille and Augustus Tolton.”

The Bishops also point out in “What We Have Seen and Heard” that Catholic dioceses and religious communities across the country for years have committed selected personnel and substantial funds to relieve oppression and to correct injustices and have striven to bring the Gospel to the diverse racial groups in our land. The church has sought to aid the poor and downtrodden, who for the most part are also the victims of racial oppression. But this relationship has been and remains two-sided and reciprocal; for the initiative of racial minorities, clinging to their Catholic faith, has helped the church to grow, adapt, and become truly Catholic and remarkably diverse. Today in our own land the face of Catholicism is the face of all humanity – a face of many colors, a countenance of many cultural forms.”

All of this resonates with the history of the Catholic faith in Mississippi, and one of our own, Sister Thea Bowman, FSPA, embodies our proud tradition. In February 2018, the Catholic Diocese of Jackson announced it has begun researching the life, writings and works of Sister Thea Bowman, FSPA, as a preliminary step in opening an official cause for sainthood.

Sister Thea’s story is well known and her amazing journey of faith from a star struck child in Holy Child School in Canton, Mississippi into the heart of the Catholic Church as a religious sister was pure grace. Her prophetic spirit, brilliant mind and boundless stamina inspired many, and became a beacon for the church to embrace more authentically the essence of Catholicity. Her suffering over the final years of her life from an incurable cancer united her to the Cross of the Lord Jesus, and served to deepen her love and her graceful spirit. Indeed, she lived until she died.

The 30th anniversary of her death was to have been celebrated with much love and fanfare, but the pandemic derailed the festivities. Nevertheless, Sister Thea was a gift to the church from the moment she set foot in Holy Child School right up to the moment when she addressed the United States Catholic Conference at Seton Hall toward the end of her life. She remains a gift in death. From a star struck child to a shooting star, her cause will be a beacon of light and hope for the church and for our nation.

Open Wide our Hearts, the Enduring Call to Love 2018 will direct the efforts of the Diocese of Jackson in the months ahead in our commitment to be faithful as disciples of the Lord Jesus. The Bishops in their 1984 document prophetically address the work of justice for which every generation must sacrifice. “The cause of justice and social concern are an essential part of evangelization. Our own history has taught us that preaching to the poor and to those who suffer injustice without concern for their plight and the systematic cause of their plight is to trivialize the Gospel and mock the cross. To preach to the powerful without denouncing oppression is to promise Easter without Calvary, forgiveness without conversion, and healing without cleansing the wound.”

May the words of the Prophet Micah burn brightly. “Do Justice, love goodness, and walk humbly with God.”