BISHOP JOSEPH F. MARTINO’S HOMILY AT HIS INSTALLATION MASS
 AS THE NINTH BISHOP OF SCRANTON
OCTOBER 1, 2003

My friends! Permit me to begin my homily today by thanking everyone here for the kind reception which you have given me. Since it was first announced that I would be the next Bishop of Scranton, whether it has been during my several visits to the Diocese or through your many touching letters, I have been overwhelmed by the warmth and friendliness of the clergy, religious, and laity of the Diocese of Scranton. Again, my deepest thanks!

Before proceeding further, I need to acknowledge the presence here today of my brother Bishops, especially Cardinals Bevilacqua, Keeler, Law, and McCarrick. In a particular way, I want to thank Archbishop Montalvo, the Apostolic Nuncio in the United States, for honoring the Diocese of Scranton by coming here today. Archbishop Montalvo represents our Holy Father, Pope John Paul II. It is my sincere hope, Your Excellency, that you will convey to His Holiness, the firm loyalty and devotion to him and to the teachings of the Church on the part of the Bishops, priests, and people of Scranton , as well as our prayerful best wishes as he celebrates twenty-five years as Pope.

I would also like to express particular comments to Cardinal Bevilacqua. On September 18^th, there was supposed to be a Farewell Mass and Reception for me at the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul in Philadelphia . Then Hurricane Isabel arrived and I cancelled the Mass and Reception out of concern for the safety of all concerned. The weather deprived me of an opportunity to thank Cardinal Bevilacqua in public for his confidence in me and for the many pastoral opportunities which he afforded me over the years. The fruitfulness of my ministry here will be enhanced by what I experienced at Cardinal Bevilacqua?s side, and I thank him most sincerely. At the same time, perhaps the many good priests and people (including my mother, Rose, my sister, Eleanor, and many relatives and friends) who have traveled here today from Philadelphia will take back to their counterparts in Philadelphia my deep love for the priests and people of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, the home of Saints John Neumann and Katharine Drexel. I will never forget you and I will be ever buoyed by your love and prayers.  

I would be remiss if I did not take this opportunity to thank once again Bishop James C. Timlin who has been such a wonderful and holy Shepherd here in Scranton for almost twenty years. It is my fervent wish that you, Bishop Timlin, will have many happy and fruitful years with us still. I will look forward to your guidance, and I know that the priests and people of Scranton will cherish your continued episcopal ministry among them. I would also like to say how happy I am to have not only the episcopal companionship of Bishop Timlin, but also the fraternal collaboration of Bishop John M. Dougherty as Auxiliary Bishop. Bishop Dougherty's wisdom and prayerfulness will be a great consolation to me. At this time, I want to make public that I am appointing Bishop Dougherty as the Vicar General of the Diocese of Scranton.  

I want to welcome everyone here: priests, deacons, religious women and men, seminarians, lay men and women, certainly my family and friends, and civic officials. In a special way, I welcome the representatives of the local Christian denominations, particularly the Polish National Catholic Church and the Orthodox Churches, as well as the Jewish leaders and other religious leaders present. On one occasion about forty years ago, a Catholic speaker skipped the usual introductions typical of the day ("Your Eminence, Your Excellency, Right Reverend and Very Reverend Monsignori, Reverend Fathers, Dear Sisters, etc., etc., etc.") and chose instead simply to begin by saying "My brothers and sisters." An elderly sister sitting behind me said in a stage whisper, "I think that about wraps everybody up!" I hope now that I have "about wrapped everybody up."  

At a moment such as this one, it might be expected that I should announce an entire program of goals which I have in mind as I begin my pastoral ministry among you. Because I have so much to learn about the joys and hopes of the clergy and people of the Diocese of Scranton, I have no intention of acting without sufficient consultation and prayerful deliberation. In the weeks and months ahead, as I meet so many of you, I hope that you will tell me your needs and I promise you that I will in time respond with the appropriate pastoral initiatives. It is sufficient now to recall what Archbishop (later Cardinal) John O?Hara stated when he was installed as Archbishop of Philadelphia in 1952: "I have no program to announce, nothing to preach but the love of God. Recognizing my utter unworthiness...I only ask leave to second and encourage your efforts. If you will kindly tell me your needs, I shall do my best to meet them. I know no other way to serve. Working together, with the assistance of God's grace, we can help one another save our souls."  

Instead of announcing to you a program of action, I prefer today to enter into a period of prayerful reflection with you, and specifically on our Gospel passage, Luke 5: 1 - 11. I am inspired to do so by the example of our Holy Father, who presented such a moving reflection on Luke 5: 1 - 11 in his January 2001 Apostolic Letter "Novo Millennio Ineunte" (or, in English, "At the Beginning of the New Millennium").  In this letter, the Holy Father tells us that during the Jubilee year 2000 we engaged in many celebrations, but that it all boiled down to one thing: contemplating the face of Christ. The very same Jesus who spoke to his Apostles in the reading from the Gospel of Luke is present here today ­– really, authentically in Word and Sacrament. Let us contemplate His face as He speaks to US now, not solely to those who first heard His Words almost two thousand years ago. So, let us prayerfully contemplate His face.  

The setting of the Gospel passage is the Lake of Gennesaret . The first time I saw this Lake , sometimes known as the Sea of Tiberias , was in March of 2000, during the days when Pope John Paul II made his historic trip to the Holy Land . I was accompanying a group of young people who are members of the Neocatechumenal Way , one of the new ecclesial movements and communities like Marriage Encounter and the Focolare Movement with whom I have been graced to be associated. Our pilgrimage started in Jerusalem and proceeded through the southern part of Israel , a dry landscape which we usually associate with artistic depictions of the Holy Land . Eventually, however, we moved north toward the site near the Lake of Gennasaret , where Our Lord originally proclaimed the Beatitudes and where two thousand years later his Vicar on earth would celebrate the Eucharist and preach to thousands of young people. As our bus approached this Lake , I was struck by how green the landscape was becoming. It was almost as green and beautiful as the landscape of the Diocese of Scranton! The setting for the papal Mass only enhanced the challenging words which the Pope gave that day.  

To my mind, the beauty of the area around Lake Gennesaret is replicated in this Cathedral and in this congregation this afternoon. Our gathering here, though pointing in many ways to me, is above all a celebration of the death and Resurrection of Jesus, who is no mere guest at this event. He draws His people through His Body and Blood into a mystical bond with Him. He gives them hope, because in His death and Resurrection, lies the basis of any hope which we can have in this life. Let us contemplate the face of Christ, who is present here. Let us be like the crowd in today's Gospel who pressed in so that they could better hear Jesus, because they knew, and we know, that He is the Incarnate Word of Life. Let us see His gaze on us, noticing us, concentrating His love on us just as He directed His love on His apostles, Peter, Andrew, James, and John. After getting into Simon's boat, Jesus, by tradition an experienced carpenter, gives advice to Peter, an experienced fisherman, to fish in a way that Peter finds odd. However, Peter has already been drawn to Jesus and in his characteristic trusting way, Peter obeys. The result is a marvelous catch that Peter cannot handle by himself. He has to rely on his brothers. When in his near terror at what has occurred, Peter expresses his unworthiness, Jesus dismisses this thought and urges Peter on with the words: ?Do not be afraid!?. He assures Peter that what has just happened will pale in significance to the harvest of souls which Peter and the disciples will reap. In this environment of faith, Peter, Andrew, James, and John leave everything and follow Jesus. The essential elements of this passage are these: Jesus? love for us, the necessary response of faith, the reliance of the community of faith, and the resultant hope.  

How can this Gospel passage be applied today? Our Holy Father has challenged us to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ among the men and women of today. He has asked us to evangelize the culture. What does our Holy Father mean? A culture is the way in which a people relates to God, to one's neighbors, and to themselves as individuals. A culture takes root in a given time and given place. In other words, Pope John Paul II is asking us, HERE in the Diocese of Scranton, as we embark into a new Millennium, to help the people of THIS area to know and love Jesus Christ, to know and love one another in imitation of Him, and to love ourselves with the sacrificial love of Jesus Himself, all as given to us in this Eucharist.  

However, in order to fulfill this task faithfully, we must take heed of today's Gospel passage. We must recognize that this task comes not simply from our Holy Father, let alone from within ourselves as a mere impulse. Rather it is Jesus who chooses us. It is He who first chooses us. It is He who directs us, even along paths that in our human weakness may seem strange. And, when we trust and obey, when we leave everything aside for love of Him and have faith, when we participate in the Church, the community of faith, then and only then the catch will be miraculous. In other words: "Do not be afraid!". And the world will know hope.  

Such a depth of faith on our part will only bring vitality to our Catholic family, but this vitality should edify, not frighten, our neighbors who do not share our Catholic faith. A Catholic who strives to announce the gospel of Jesus Christ in today's culture, indeed proposes teachings and sacraments, but also a loving way of life. The authentic follower of Christ always proposes, never imposes. The true follower of Christ does what he or she is called to do, to proclaim in word and deed Jesus, who is the Way, the Truth, the Life, and above all divine Love. The Roman Empire was won over to Christianity not solely by the eloquent teachings and devout celebrations of the Early Church . It was won over by the heroic Christian love of Jesus' first followers. That is our task and example for today, here in Scranton , in 2003.  

As I finish my homily, I ask you to turn your attention to the beautiful painting above our altar. It is a replica of Raphael's "Transfiguration." As you know, the revelation of the full divine power and role of Jesus Christ befuddled and frightened the Peter, James, and John. Eventually, when the vision was over, we are told that the apostles saw "only Jesus alone." That is our obligation now: to see only Jesus. First of all in this Eucharist, which our Holy Father has recently reminded us is what really constitutes the Church. In addition, we should turn to one another and see Jesus in the person next to us. We should carry that same resolve away from this celebration as we find Jesus, not somewhere else, but in our neighbor, and in our midst as He promised. If we do so in faith, if we have no other possession but this faith, and if in obedience to Christ, we are not afraid, consider the revolution rooted in Christian hope which will occur. Consider how pleased Jesus will be with us. Through the intercession of that prime disciple, Mary, Mother of God and Mother of the Church, and through the intercession of Saint Therese of Lisieux, Patroness of Missions, may we know the loving gaze of Jesus and respond to Him with all or hearts and minds and souls. May God bless you!

Most Reverend Joseph F. Martino, D.D., Hist. E.D.  
Bishop of Scranton