Red and Blue Mass

Senator Moore, Honorable members of the Board of Selectmen, Mr. Bianchi,

Police and Fire Chiefs and personnel, My brothers and sisters in Christ, all:

There aren’t many people like that widow.  Into the temple marched the rich people, waving large bills before they dropped them into the collection basket for all to see.  And they were accompanied by the well dressed and powerful, who only wanted the others to notice them.

And behind them all stood Jesus and his disciples, watching their grandiose display.

And then from the side, broken and poor, so unseen that the Lord to point her out to his disciples, there comes a widow with one small coin.  Her last coin.  And she, Jesus tells us, gave more than anyone else!

·        There aren’t many people like the widow, except for the firefighter who at 2am while we’re sound asleep, braves the flames and the smoke to save the old woman on the second floor;

·        There aren’t many people like the widow, except for the officer who puts himself between the violent drunk and his beaten wife when there’s no one else there, just because it’s the right thing to do;

·        There aren’t many people like the widow, except for the one who has to tell a father that his son has just died, or console a weeping wife over the dead body of her husband. 

·        There aren’t many people like the widow, except for the men and women who day and night, day after day, put their life on the line to save us from fire and violence and sometimes even ourselves. 

Men and women who we usually take for granted, and who like the widow are often  scorned..  How crazy!  Giving away the little you have!  Charity begins at home!  Real life starts by thinking of number one!  Let someone with lots of money take care of those in need…you can’t afford it!

The rest of the world looks at the widow and you as a fool.  Just like they scoffed at Christ on the cross. 

But you and me and the widow have seen the Lord and we know his cross.  We know the secret of life.  We know that, as Saint Paul says, the only things that last are faith, hope, and love.

·        The kind of love that moves an officer to risk his life by running into the woods after someone who’s just threatened the life of a stranger.  The kind of love that moves an officer to give respect to a citizen not because of their age or wealth or power, but because they’re another human being. 

The kind of love that would rather breathe in smoke than see a little child cough;

·        The kind of love that gives dignity to every person, regardless of age or race or disposition.

·        The kind of love that treats the drunk or the criminal or the addict with compassion and dignity;

·        The kind of love that returns reason for rage, professionalism for insult, and kindness for derision;

·        The kind of love that lays down everything for the common good, that risks life and limb for the sake of the neighbor;

·        The kind of love that first drew you to the vocations you now so proudly serve.

As we honor those who like Christ lived that sacrificial love  unto death, let us never forget the model of that sacrificial love lived by those who sit beside you today and who will work beside you tonight or tomorrow morning.  For each time you put on that badge, each time you wear that uniform, you state your willingness to serve, not for personal gain, but because it is the right thing to do.

Finally, let us not forget those who sacrifice, sometimes in an even greater way than we do: the spouses and the children who wait and hope and pray for you, who are painfully called to a sacrifice over which they have little control.  They too are a part, an essential part, of the vocation of love which you have embraced.

And so, on behalf of our community, on behalf of the Church and on behalf of Christ, I thank you…

·        I thank you for the love of the poor, the oppressed and the victims of violence;

·        I thank you for all the risks you take in maintaining the public peace;

·        I thank you for your willingness to defend the rights of all our citizens, just because they’re human beings;

·        I thank you for your patient endurance in the face of violence, disrespect. and scorn;

·        I thank you for your modeling the self-sacrificing love of Christ.

And I pray that God will reward our fallen brothers and sisters for the sacrifices they have made for each of us.

And that through the intercession of Saint Michael the Archangel, he will guard and protect each and every one of you, as you guard and protect all his children in Blackstone, in Bellingham, in Woonsocket, and in all our communities.

May God bless you for the blessing you are to each one of us.