Most Reverend José H. Gomez Archbishop of Los Angeles
Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels September 19, 2021
My brothers and sisters in Christ, 1
It’s always wonderful to get together for this special Mass for all immigrants.
As you know, last week we launched our Jubilee Year to mark the 250th anniversary of Mission San Gabriel Arcángel, which was founded in 1771, before the United States was even born.
I was thinking that our beginnings, here in Los Angeles, show us our destiny.
From the start, this local Church, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, was meant to be a family of families, one people of God, drawn from all the peoples on the face of the earth.
San Gabriel Mission, as we know, was founded by indigenous men and women, together with missionaries from Spain, including the great St. Junípero Serra. And then, from San Gabriel Mission, some of them came to start La Placita. Some of the families who worshipped at the mission came to found the city of Los Angeles, and they were immigrants from Europe, Latin America, Africa, and elsewhere.
So we give thanks to God for the fact that we are a Church of immigrants and we especially ask for the grace to continue building the family of God here and everywhere in our nation.
But the truth that we have to continue praying, and we are sad in some sense, because once again this year we gather to pray with uncertainty clouding the situation of so many of our brothers and sisters seeking refuge and asylum in our country.
There continues to be controversy and confusion about our immigration policies, especially our policies on our southern border. But we pray today that our leaders may rise above politics and recognize the humanity of those who are suffering and in distress right here and now. So let’s especially pray for that today.
As we turn to our readings today, we hear these same themes of unity and hospitality, rooted in Jesus Christ and in our dignity as children of God, made in God’s image.
In the Gospel that we just heard, we have a beautiful “human” scene. It’s very interesting.
Jesus is telling his disciples that he is going to have to die, as we just heard, he said: “The Son of Man is to be handed over to men and they will kill him, and three days after his death the Son of Man will rise.”
It’s also very interesting to notice that the disciples do not ask him any questions. They don’t express any sorrow or sympathy. Instead, they start talking about themselves, they end up having an argument over “who is the greatest.”
And then it’s beautiful to see how Jesus uses this moment to teach them, and all of us, something essential about what it means to be a follower of him, to be a disciple.
We have that beautiful scene where he calls one of the children, and says: “Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me; and whoever receives me, receives not me but the One who sent me.”
Jesus always teaches with living examples, just like this. And with this wonderful image of the child, he is telling us something very profound about the mystery of the human person.
So my brothers and sisters, today we should reflect on how every man and woman is created by God, out of his love, and made in God’s image. That’s what Jesus is saying today. He is present in the little ones, in the children. And we need to seek him, to seek God — in every person we meet, but especially in the poor and the vulnerable.
So when we welcome one of our neighbors, we are welcoming Jesus. And when we welcome Jesus, as we know, we welcome God.
So Jesus is calling us to build a society that is just and compassionate, where everyone is respected and treated with dignity. He is calling us to be defenders of the weak, and advocates for those who cannot speak for themselves.
And our witness in society, my dear brothers and sisters, should be different.
Our vision is rooted in God, in creation. It is not about politics. We work for a better world because this is what God wants for his children.
So God wants that we treat one another with dignity and respect, remembering that no one is better or more important than anyone else.
The greatest person is the one who thinks the least about himself. Jesus says, “If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.”
And that’s also what St. James says in the second reading of today’s Mass. He says, “Where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every foul practice.”
Again, he is telling us that in the Church we should treat one another with dignity and respect, remembering that no one is better or more important than anyone else.
This is a beautiful way to live. Let’s pray that we can do that in our daily lives. We need to work on it. We need to examine our hearts, every day, always making sure we are doing the right things for the right reasons.
So my dear brothers and sisters, in this Jubilee Year, let us strive to follow Jesus more closely — to be a light to the world, to change every environment we find ourselves in — for the better, for God, for love.
And let’s turn to Mary, Our Blessed Mother. May she go with us as we seek to continue the mission of her Son, and build his kingdom, the family of God, on earth.
1. Readings (25th Sunday in Ordinary Time): Wisd. 2:12, 17-20; Ps. 54:3-8; Jas. 3:16-4:3; Mark 9:30-37.