Religious Persecution Underscored in St. John's Day Reflection

 

The Washington, DC and Montgomery County regions observed the Solemnity of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist, our patron, in a Mass, celebrated June 24 by Cardinal Donald Wuerl, principal chaplain of the Federal Association and concelebrated by Bishop Barry Knestout, conventual chaplain ad honorem, and magisterial chaplains Msgr. James Watkins and Rev. Richard Mullins.

 

In his homily, Cardinal Wuerl laid out “a number of contexts that point out the richness of our prayerful assembly today.”

 

Starting with the liturgical context, he said, “Saint John the Baptist is the patron of the Order and is celebrated liturgically today precisely because he is the one who is the herald of Christ, the one who points out Christ so that others can come to know the messiah.  Is that not the work of every Knight and Dame? Part of the task of the Order is to bear witness to Christ, his love and to see that love manifested in the care of the sick and aid to the needy.”

 

Proceeding to the current, ecclesial context of the Jubilee Year of Mercy, he continued, “Our Holy Father, Pope Francis, has called the Church to recognize, once again, not only our need for God’s forgiveness but the generosity of that mercy and its ready availability to each of us.”

 

Moving to the secular context, particularly the issue of religious freedom, Cardinal Wuerl said:  “Around the world in staggering numbers, Christians are persecuted, punished and even die simply because they hold in their heart and profess on their lips that Jesus Christ is Lord.”

 

He closed his homily with an exhortation to “rejoice in our call to be witnesses to the faith and accept the challenge to stand with our brothers and sisters as true Knights and Dames to speak up on their behalf and do what we can to alleviate their suffering.”