Archbishop Thompson relates annual chrism Mass to defining moments in the Church

Priests serving across central and southern Indiana listen on March 26 to Archbishop Charles C. Thompson preaching a homily at the annual archdiocesan chrism Mass. (Photo by Sean Gallagher)

By Sean Gallagher

In his homily at the annual chrism Mass on March 26 at SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral in Indianapolis, Archbishop Charles C. Thompson related the meaning of the liturgy to important events happening in the broader Church.

Taking place between the first and concluding sessions on synodality of the Vatican’s Synod of Bishops, Archbishop Thompson noted at the chrism Mass that the oils blessed at the liturgy for use in the sacraments highlight the “co-responsibility” of all the faithful for the Church, which the synod on synodality has emphasized.

In particular, he reflected on how chrism oil used in baptism, confirmation and holy orders is a living sign of how all the faithful, not just those who are ordained, “are commissioned to assume responsibility for the mission entrusted to the Church by Jesus Christ.”

“With sacred chrism, we receive a special anointing in baptism, confirmation and holy orders,” Archbishop Thompson said. “We are anointed as priests, prophets and kings to carry out the two-fold task of evangelization and catechesis, not either/or, but both/and.”

This year’s chrism Mass also took place within the three-year National Eucharistic Revival of the Church in the U.S. and less than four months before tens of thousands of Catholics from across the country will come to Indianapolis in mid-July for the National Eucharistic Congress.

In his homily, Archbishop Thompson proposed the “four pillars” of the revival “for consideration of living out our shared identity, witness and mission as the body of Christ.”

First, he identified “seeking personal encounters with the Lord and one another.”

“Not just to know about him,” Archbishop Thompson said. “We have to know him personally if we are to witness to him to others.”

Second, he spoke of “striving to reinvigorate full, conscious and active participation in worship.”

“We don’t look just to come back as we were before COVID, but to go far beyond,” Archbishop Thompson said. “We want to bring people to not just be mere spectators at liturgies, but to a full, conscious and active participation.”

The third pillar Archbishop Thompson shared was “deepening ongoing formation and education in the faith for all ages.”

“We never graduate from evangelization and catechesis, not on this side of death,” he said.

Finally, Archbishop Thompson spoke of “calling forth missionary disciples to provide a eucharistic-centered witness to the transforming grace of Jesus’ saving presence in the world.”

“We must go out,” he said. “What we do here this afternoon within these walls is something beautiful and inspiring. But it means little if we can’t take it and live it outside these walls and doors.”

“The most holy Eucharist unites us to God and one another, not through our merit, but through the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ,” Archbishop Thompson said in concluding his homily. “In him, united with the community of believers both local and universal, we are indeed blessed as one, holy, Catholic and apostolic Church.” †

 

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