Homily for Emergency First Responders: January 6, 2007

Given by the Most Reverend Stephen E. Blaire at St. Joseph’s Church in Modesto.

It would be redundant to say to you who are gathered here this morning that we live in a dangerous world and a very troubled society. You know this very well. From what you experience it could be easy to become cynical about life or about people. A member of my family was a homicide detective for many years, and eventually it destroyed him. I have often wondered if he had been a man of strong religious faith, would it have been different for him. You know first hand the risk to your lives each day, sometimes due to nature but more often than not to the forces of evil to which people give play.

Currently we are in the Christmas season (popularly known as the 12 days of Christmas) which ends tomorrow with the Solemnity of the Epiphany (the visit of the magi). The word “epiphany” means manifestation or revelation. Jesus is manifested to all people as a great sign of hope for the human race. By His grace of redemption He restores all that is good within humanity to its proper place in creation. This message of redemption can speak to believer and non-believer alike. It offers hope to a world afflicted with international terrorism, escalating violence, diminished ethical values, and sad to say, disregard for the importance of the practice of religion as crucial to peace. But there is hope. St. Paul in his Letter to the Romans declared: “Our hope will never be disappointed.”

There is built into the human person a powerful capacity for doing good. Christmas celebrates the redemption of this dignity, worth, goodness and potential of the human person.

The service you provide to the community validates this profound goodness. Your response as fire fighters, as law enforcement officials, as emergency medical service personnel is a source of great comfort to all of us and today we offer this Mass in Thanksgiving to God for you – to honor you.

Again it is in this Christmas season that the church reads from the First Letter of John who says: “The way we came to know love was the He laid down His life for us: so we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.” As First Responders you do this each day for us in your service to the community, and we say: THANK YOU!

Last Update January 6, 2007