Homily of H.E. Mons. Claudio Gatti of January 11,2009

Baptism of the Lord

1sr Reading: Is 55:1-11; Psalm: from Is 12; 2nd Reading: 1 Jn 5:1-9; Gospel: Mk 1:7-11

The Bishop speaks at the beginning of the Holy Mass

Today we celebrate the anniversary of God's announcement, to all humanity, of the Triumph of the Eucharist, of the Bishop of the Eucharist and of the Victim of the Eucharist. I undertake, publicly, to ensure that this feast is introduced into the Church on January 10 of each year. In the Church there are smaller and more modest feasts, in my opinion. For example, November 9 is the feast of the Dedication of S. John Basilica, September 17 is the feast of Saint Francis’ stigmata, October 7 is the celebration of the victory of Lepanto by Christians over Muslims. But these feasts and others pale in comparison with this feast which will have to be introduced into the Church.

Several years ago, when Our Lady told us that the history of the community would become part of the history of the Church, we marveled and did not fully believe it, not because we doubted her words, but because our doubts were about us. In fact, it seemed absurd to us that the history of a small group of people could become part, as of today, of the Church millennial history. Yet it is so, an intervention by God so great and secondary only to the redemption wrought by Christ cannot be silenced. Faced with this feast, the others will have to give way, because here there is a direct action by God. If in the other feasts there may have been a simple consent from God, here, instead, there is really an action understood in the strictest term. And then in the future, when God wills, this feast will be celebrated not only here in the thaumaturgic place with the few people who are part of this community, but by the whole Church. The whole Church will celebrate this victory and this triumph. We shouldn't be envious, nor behave like those workers of the first hour's Gospel parable. Yes, it is true, we are the first hour workers, but we must rejoice in the fact that others will join us in ever greater number, ever more enthusiastic in thanking and praising God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit. Thank you, let's resume the Holy Mass.

Homily

These passages that we have just read highlight God's style. And what is God's style? It is discretion, silence and humility. The event awaited for centuries, that is, the Incarnation, takes place in full inattention on the part of everyone. Who are those admitted to participate? The simple and some important and powerful characters: the Three Wise Men. However, the latter are humble and really belong to the pure and simple of heart. The Triumph of the Eucharist, after the redemption, is the greatest reality wrought by God. Whom does the Lord address to make the Eucharist triumph in the whole Church? To a few people, simple people: initially to a priest and a girl, then to a bishop and a Seer, two humble, simple people who, as you heard today in God's letter, are not even aware of what they have done, because the credit for all this belongs exclusively to God.

This is where my and Marisa's gratitude comes from: God has taken us and brought us to such a lofty height that we would never have reached on our own, with our own strength: this is God's style. Other ecclesiastics struggle, fight, they also do bad things in order to reach the top, showing power, vanity, pride, but all this is not of God. Unfortunately, all these behaviors are still present in many members of the Church and above all in the highest levels of the ecclesiastical hierarchy. So is it God who has to convert to the style of men or are men who should convert to the style of God? We have accepted and lived God's style. By saying we, I am not referring only to myself and Marisa, but also to you. I have always said that the guarantee of the success of all that God has accomplished, using us, is humility: neither of us has coveted high positions. And what happened? God himself brought us higher: you truly see the greatness of what God has done. I say it again: none of us is fully aware of the greatness of the Triumph of the Eucharist. We fail to understand it because first of all, it is a work of God. Therefore it is so great that human intelligence cannot understand its greatness, it only perceives some effects and sees some signs. So I asked the Holy Spirit to enlighten us to take a further step forward in understanding what God has done and to help us to be humble, small tools, but, and I emphasize this, chosen by God.

Let us ask the Holy Spirit for this light and this understanding; we live in the simplicity that has always characterized our being because, the simpler we are, the more we will be taken to the top, not according to human judgment, but according to divine judgment. Those who have been condemned, humiliated and who have been subjected to vilification, mockery and derision will be raised up while those who fought against them, even trying to eliminate them, will be cast out by God.

As much as possible let's look forward confidently and serenely and today we thank God. Marisa and I can say, as Our Lady said: "The Almighty has done great things for me!" We have done great things, because He wanted it. The gift of the episcopate, willed directly by God and the Triumph of the Eucharist, are grandiose interventions, which should have shaken even the minds of the most powerful people. I am not afraid to state that if the Lord had left me the choice of indicating a person as the instrument of this masterpiece, I certainly would not have chosen myself. And you know that when I speak I am sincere, deeply sincere. The Lord wanted this, I can't help it, Marisa can't help it and even less all of you.

Meditate and savor everything I have told you: this is permissible to do. I won't talk anymore, don't worry.