Most Reverend Vincent Long Van Nguyen OFM Conv DD STL, Bishop of Parramatta
Homily for the 130th Jubilee, North Parramatta
Readings: Sirach 26:1-4; 1John 5:1-5; Luke 7:11-17
26 August 2024
To care for people the way Jesus cares for them
Dear brothers and sisters,
It is with a deep sense of gratitude that we have gathered to celebrate the 130th anniversary of our parish community here at North Parramatta. Along with St Patrick’s Cathedral, it is one of the oldest parishes in our young Diocese. Since the time of Fr James Joseph Mahoney, the first Parish Priest, this community has proudly witnessed to the rich spiritual heritage of our Catholic faith. It has manifested God’s presence, love and power. Through its commitment to worship, education, social justice and outreach, it has made a difference to so many families and individuals.
There is an African adage that says “You sit on the old mat to weave the new one”. The clergy along with the Sisters of Mercy and other pioneering parishioners left us with a great legacy. They worked hard to build up the infrastructure and unify a fledgling community. They wove a rich tapestry of many diverse groups of people united in worship, education and service. This tapestry is still being woven and enriched by the present-day parishioners. In fact, St Monica’s is known as one of the most diverse communities in Western Sydney. In particular, it has become the home of the Chinese Chaplaincy in our diocese. You are the model for the wider society in how to welcome, integrate and enrich each other’s culture, heritage and tradition.
The Word of God on this Feast of St Monica encourages us to cultivate a life of faith, hope and love despite the trials and tribulations that may come our way. It reminds us that in all things and all circumstances, God is with us. This God does not abandon us to our own devices. He accompanies us. He walks and even suffers with us. Most of all, he empowers us to overcome our challenges and attain our full potential.
The book of Ecclesiasticus, also known as Sirach, is a collection of ethical teachings gleaned from various sources over the centuries. They give practical guidance on how to live a righteous and harmonious life. In today’s episode, it praises the virtuous wife who is the joy of her husband. The virtues such as love, patience, cheerfulness, humility and strength of character are not only relevant to a wife or a mother but also to all who desire to live a godly life.
The Gospel reading tells us a moving story of the widow of Nain who has lost her only son. As she walks behind the hearse weeping and wailing, Jesus notices her plight, has compassion on her and tells her not to weep. He performs a miracle; he raises the dead man to life and gives him back to his mother. By doing so, he brings her back to life. Jesus heals more than a dead man. He heals a woman broken by a society. He restores her dignity. He shows us the face of the God who cares especially for those who are sidelined and diminished by the society.
We have to remember that to be a widow at the time of Jesus was to have no legal status, no social standing and no voice. His interaction with the widow of Nain, therefore, has significance far more than the raising of a dead man. As in the story of the widow’s mite, the real significance is that God in Jesus privileges the most vulnerable. In acting in their favour, he challenges us to address their dehumanization in the way that God is the defender of the poor, father of the orphans and protector of the widows.
To follow Jesus, therefore, is to ensure that we care for people in the way Jesus cared for them. It is to treat everyone as St John says in the second reading, a child of God. It is this universal, unreserved and radical love that is shown in Jesus that we endeavour to witness to the world. We do it when we welcome all people into our churches. We do it when we work to ensure that all are fed, and clothed, and housed, and cared for. We do it when we work to transform unjust social structures. We do it when we fix any system or practice that treats anyone as undeserving of a full life.
Dear brothers and sisters,
Today, we honour St Monica as a model mother and a model Christian. She demonstrated the virtues that the Book of Ecclesiasticus speaks about. When her son Augustine went off the rails, she did not give up on him. She persisted in her undying love, kindness and prayer. She suffered with tears and heartache for his conversion. Like a widow of Nain, God noticed her pain and worked his miracle in changing the trajectory of Augustine’s life. Monica exemplifies for us unconditional love, strength of character, courage and unwavering hope.
Our celebration of this milestone anniversary is a time of gratitude, trust and joyful hope in the future. We are grateful for what has been achieved. But we are also confident of a hope-filled future knowing that God will bring the triumph of love out of the pain we bear. May we become catalysts for renewal and transformation through our living the Gospel values, practice of Christian virtues and the Beatitudes. Let us grow as a community that cares for each other, especially the most vulnerable. Let us radiate the fragrance of the Good News to people around us. Then we can truly be the conduit of mercy and the sign of hope for all.
