Juntos en el camino: Palabras semanales del Arzobispo Hebda
I write today from sunny San Diego, where the bishops of the U.S. are gathering for a triennial retreat. Almost without exception, every bishop that I have encountered has spoken about his prayers for our State in the aftermath of this weekend’s tragic shootings. Many prayers are certainly being offered for the Hortman and Hoffman families not only throughout our Archdiocese but throughout the country. There’s a wonderful sense of solidarity that binds us together as a Church and as a community, particularly in moments of such great tragedy. As our patron St. Paul certainly understood, the whole body feels the pain when any one part of that body is hurt.
The fact that these events would have taken place on the weekend in which our Church celebrated Trinity Sunday gives us a particularly rich context for reflection. As we grow in our understanding of the revealed fact that our one God is actually three persons—Father, Son and Holy Spirit—living always in loving communion with one another, we also deepen our understanding that we too, having been created in God’s image (Genesis 1:27), must be made for loving communion.
It’s no accident that our Catholic faith brings us together in communion. The source and summit of our life, the Eucharist, calls us to come together as a community to give God praise. Our baptism into Christ necessarily unites us with his Body on earth, the Church. By God’s design, our love for Him requires us to love our neighbor as well. As Adam recognized when Eve was created, it is not good for us to be alone. It is only in relationships, such as in the family, that we grow and mature and that we come to recognize the gifts that we have been given by God to build up his Body. I suspect that is why the Lord sent the Apostles out two-by-two and why he always brings us needed co-workers for our work in His vineyard.
The senseless violence that rippled throughout our community this past weekend is a disruption of the communion that God intends. As people of faith, we need to eradicate anything in our hearts that leads us to enmity or that obscures the dignity of each human life. The late Pope Francis rightly noted that we are fratelli tutti—brothers and sisters all—called to work in solidarity for the common good. This weekend’s events should lead us to pray for all who work to promote the common good—whether that be those like Speaker Emerita Hortman and Senator Hoffman who serve in elected office, or those in law enforcement who risk their lives to protect us, or those medical professionals who strive to bring health to those in need of healing. May our Triune God—Father, Son and Holy Spirit—bless them in abundance.
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