Be(e) One - Homily for the Mass for the Election of a Pope, March 12, 2013

          You may not have known that I am a beekeeper by hobby, but one look at my swollen, red nose this evening will convince you that I am not a very good one.  I was not drinking before Mass tonight.  Bees are fascinating creatures.  Each bee serves a particular function that contributes to the greater good of the hive.  Individually, they act as one.  The unity of a colony of bees is a wonderful image for the Church.  And that unity is what our readings are talking about.

          This evening, we come together to celebrate the Mass for the Election of a Pope, and the readings chosen for this Mass paint a beautiful picture of what Church is all about.  In our first reading, we hear of the work of the Messiah that we all share though our baptism:  to heal the brokenhearted; to proclaim liberty to the captives; to comfort all who mourn.  In our second reading, St. Paul speaks of how we should grow as the body of Christ, each performing our proper part.  And in our Gospel, Christ prays for us, his Church, that we may be one, just as he and the Father are one.

          When we speak of “Church,” many images come to mind:  the building we’re sitting in; the hierarchy; a community of people; and the mystical Body of Christ, to name a few.  The Church is all of these things and more.  And because of that fact, the Church is at the same time “holy and sinful, spotless and tainted.”[1]  The Church’s perfection comes from Christ; it’s weaknesses from us.  This is the Church Christ inaugurated, flaws and all.  “Our Church is and must be alive and real, and that means that it is filled with fragile, weak, sinful humans.  Jesus welcomes us to his Church just as we are and invites us to dine with him at the Eucharistic table.”[2]  Jesus invites us to participate in the good works of the Church, flaws and all.  We’re invited to contribute our individual talents to the good of the whole.  We’re invited to be one.

          And it’s particularly important that we accept this invitation to unity as we come together to pray for the election of a new pope.  There’s been much speculation in the news about the various papabili, their strengths and their weaknesses.  I don’t know about you, but I’m a little “pope’d out.”  Of course, we’re anxious to find the right man for our times.  But as Cardinal Dolan said after hearing the qualifications that the new pope would need, “It seems like we have to elect Christ, not a Vicar of Christ.”[3]  The man elected pope will not be perfect.  He will be as flawed as the rest of us.  Some of us may be thrilled by the choice, others may be disappointed.  But in either case, it’s our obligation to help him.  We can’t grouse about not winning the pool . . . I mean if our favorite candidate wasn't elected.  We have to work with our new pope, flaws and all, to build the Body of Christ.  We have to contribute our talents to the good works of the Church in communion with the new Holy Father.  We have to be one.  Unity from diversity isn't easy, but thank God we always have this assurance:  Jesus always helps us with his grace; and he never fails to show us mercy when we fail.[4]

          Did you know that a bee is a Christian symbol?  If you look around carefully, you'll find them in Church architecture, occasionally on vestments, and you'll hear all about "mother bees" in the Exsultet at the Easter Vigil.  As the efficient producers of wax and honey, bees represent the bearers of the light of Christ and the sweetness of God's favor and the Promised Land.  But bees also represent a well-governed Church where all do their part.  What a beautiful symbol, and perhaps an inspiration to us as we pray together for a new pope; as we pray for the strength and courage to do our part in the good works of the Church; and as we pray to be one.

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[1] Henri Nouwen, Bread for the Journey: A Daybook of Wisdom and Faith, (San Francisco, HarperCollins Publishing, Inc., 1997), at Oct. 17.

[2] Steve Givens, “A Hospital for Sinners, not a Museum for Saints,” Living Faith (Oct.-December) at Nov. 8, 2009.

[3] Timothy Cardinal Dolan, “Electing a New Bishop of Rome,” The Gospel in the Digital Age, http://blog.archny.org/index.php/electing-a-new-bishop-of-rome/, March 12, 2013.

[4] Id.