ANNUAL RED MASS
ST MARY’S CATHEDRAL, EDINBURGH
HOMILY PREACHED BY CARDINAL KEITH PATRICK O’BRIEN
SUNDAY 25 SEPTEMBER 2011
Introduction:
My dear friends, the instructions given to the preacher at our Red Mass each year are clear: preach on the readings of the day, but link them to the practice of law and the dispensation of justice – and don’t preach for more than 5 minutes! The time limit is by far the easiest part of the instruction to carry out – although many of you are aware of my ability to extend that time!
So it was with a degree of trepidation that I sat down to write today’s sermon. However, as is so often the case, in such situations, divine providence plays its part and as we have just heard, particularly in the first reading and our Gospel, the readings of the day already contained much that is relevant to members of the legal profession.
There is no doubt that one of the biggest challenges facing Catholic lawyers in Scotland today is a challenge which has faced many people and different groups in society down the ages: how do you live and act out your professional lives while at the same time remaining true to the teachings and doctrine of the Church. Specifically for lawyers the challenge must be how can you represent your clients’ interests to the best of your abilities while applying the law of the land, when at times these two pressures may be in conflict with your own Catholic faith.
Like all challenges which endure – it is a difficult one, but one which I think you can face more easily when considering the messages in today’s readings.
Teaching of the Prophet Ezekiel:
In today’s first reading, the Prophet Ezekiel delivers to us a very powerful message: those who turn away from their sinful life and change their ways to live in a way that is just and right will be saved. At the same time, those who believe that they have already been saved and turn from the path of righteousness will not be saved.
Of course at that time Ezekiel was preaching to a rebellious people and was trying to explain to them that we each have a unique relationship with God and the nature of that relationship is an individual responsibility.
The first reading contains two clear messages: firstly, we can and never should be complacent about our relationship with God – it is also too easy to take his goodness for granted, but we should remember that we are human and as such we can fail at any time.
Secondly, no matter how far we have strayed from God, and how far we believe our relationship with him may have broken down, it is never too late to turn back to him and seek his forgiveness. When we do so we can be completely assured that he will always welcome us back with open arms.
In our relationship with God, he is calling each and everyone of us to live by the standards of heaven in everything that we say and do. For us Catholics you might say that we must practice what we preach.
For those of you who are Catholic lawyers that must surely also mean that you cannot divorce what you do and say in your professional lives from what you know and believe as Catholics to be right. That I know will from time to time present you with real difficulties!
Teaching of Jesus Christ:
In today’s gospel Jesus presents his own challenge to the religious leaders of the time. This challenge is expressed in the well known parable about two sons whose father owns a vineyard. He asks the first son to go and work there. He initially refuses, but later changes his mind and does indeed go on to do as his father asked. The second son is also asked by his father to go and work there. He agrees readily, but in fact then decides not to go at all.
Jesus asks the question: which son did his father’s will? The leaders readily agree that it was the first son – the one who at first had refused to go but later changed his mind.
In case there was any doubt, Jesus quite deliberately shocks and insults his audience by spelling out to them more clearly what he means. He tells them that tax collectors and prostitutes, perhaps the most despised of all people from the religious leaders’ point of view, were making their way into the God’s Kingdom of God before the chief priests and the elders.
He goes on to remind them, that they had also refused to believe John the Baptist, “a pattern of true righteousness”, when he called them to repentance. On the other hand, the tax collectors and prostitutes did. Yet, even after that, the priests and elders still refused to do so.
In the eyes of the priests and elders, the idea that tax collectors and prostitutes should enter the kingdom before them was outrageous and so while they listened to John’s words they did not act on them. The very idea that such evil and immoral people should take precedence over the religious leaders in God’s eyes must be totally unjust and therefore impossible.
The religious and civil leaders of the people in Jesus’ time spoke much about God and, in particular, how God was to be served by a strict observance of the Law.
But it is clear they did not have the spirit that Jesus was communicating through his life and teaching, namely, the spirit of love, compassion, caring and forgiveness for the weak and vulnerable. They also heard the teaching of Jesus but made no effort to carry it out. They excused themselves by challenging Jesus’ legal authority to do what he was doing. Because Jesus’ teaching was in conflict with their legal world, they rejected him.
Jesus tells them that the tax collectors and the prostitutes are making their way into the kingdom of God before they do. These groups were certainly not keeping God’s Law. They even had said “No” to his commandments many times. But then they encountered Jesus and they experienced a radical transformation in their lives. They listened to him and they responded. The chief priests and the elders are like the second son in the story. They say ‘Yes’ to obey God but they do not listen to Jesus, the Son of God, or follow his instructions. The sinners, the outcasts of both Jewish and Gentile society, are like the first son. They do not obey God’s commands, they commit many sins, but later they accept the teaching of Jesus and become his followers.
In our relationship with God actions speak louder than words. Thus in the context of the parable the son who actually did what his father requested fulfilled his father’s will. The point which Matthew makes throughout the gospel is that we must actually strive to do God’s will rather than just talk about doing it.
Some thoughts for the Legal Profession:
Why then do I say that these passages also have particular relevance to the legal profession?
Lawyers have a privileged position in our society. You are able to interpret laws and persuade courts to apply them in certain ways. Equally at an earlier stage in the legal process you are able to influence the way in which laws are drafted and debated. This can be as individuals or as part of a group or committee drawn from your particular branch of the profession or your particular area of expertise. You are also in a far better position than the politicians who pass these laws to see the effects they have – sometimes quite unintended effects.
My challenge to you therefore is to lead by example – do not sit on the sidelines when these debates are taking place, but as we have heard; “practice what you preach”; “do God’s will rather than simply talking about it”.
In doing so I am echoing the words of His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI, in his seminal address at Westminster Hall during his visit to the UK almost exactly 12 months ago: The Pope called upon the lay faithful, “within their respective spheres of influence”, to seek ways of promoting and encouraging dialogue between faith and reason at every level of national life.
He reminded those present and the wider audience that there are many areas in which the Church and state can work together for the common good. But for such cooperation to be possible, religious bodies – including institutions linked to the Catholic Church – “need to be free to act in accordance with their own principles and specific convictions based upon the faith and the official teaching of the Church.”
Echoing the words in today’s Gospel, the Holy Father was making it clear that in a society which seeks to be fair and just, laws cannot be passed in a moral vacuum.
I urge you then to remain strong to your religious beliefs and use your positions when and wherever possible to influence the laws which are made and applied in our country. In your professional lives I suggest you must give careful consideration as to what you should do when laws you are interpreting or administering bring you into conflict with your faith. There is a heavy responsibility on your shoulders – and consequently, your actions must be guided by your relationships with God in your lives of prayer.
Conclusion:
I thank you all for coming here to Mass today and for bearing public witness to your faith. I wish you every prayer and blessing on your work in the legal year which lies ahead.
May you all be guided by the Holy Spirit and may St Thomas More, patron saint of lawyers, always be your example!
Amen.