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Homily for the Mass for Second Session
of the Third Diocesan Synod

January 16, 2006

Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament
by Bishop William K. Weigand

Dear Friends:

 

“Thus says the Lord God: I myself will look after and tend my sheep.” The Synod experience of October 11 - 13, 2004, was exhilarating, comforting. We had no doubt that the Lord was present and shepherding us. Today was perhaps less inspiring for some. And the time in between may have been a bit disappointing for some. “Journeying Together in Christ”? Did we get off course on our journey? No. This is the journey! It’s work. It’s not all fun. It’s a “work in progress,” as we have said from the beginning! Which means, it’s not finished. We’re not finished. God’s not finished with us. But the Divine Shepherd assures us: “I myself will pasture my sheep.”

 

What we are about now is the “nitty gritty” of real, everyday life on the journey as God’s people; the laborious endeavor of building up the Church. On October 11 - 13, 2004, while working very hard, we ended up on the mountain with the Lord, gathered as his holy people. And we got a view, a vision, of God’s marvelous plan. Like Peter, James, and John, we would have liked to stay there, to pitch tents there. But, it was not to be — yet. They came down the mountain with Christ to continue the journey to Jerusalem and to the cross. The cross is what achieving the vision would cost. It requires the same of us.

 

But along the way, we have to keep the vision ever in mind. “You are fellow citizens of the saints and members of the household of God. You form a building, which rises on the foundation of the prophets with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone. Through him the whole structure is fitted together and takes shape as a holy temple in the Lord; in him you are being built into this temple, to become a dwelling place for God in the Spirit.” (Eph. 2:19-22) You are being built into this temple — a work in progress. In the meantime, we do belong to the Lord. We have a share in the Divine life. “I am the vine, you are the branches.”

 

Look at this awesome cathedral — lofty, beautiful, holy. It uplifts the heart, stirs the soul, invites us to go forward. It images us, the spiritual edifice that God is building, in spite of our flaws, and sins. The cathedral helps us recapture the vision of what we are about. But even this is only a hazy foreshadowing. For “eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man what God has in store for those who love him.” (1 Cor. 2:9) Yet, “God has revealed it to us through the Spirit.” In faith we go forward.

 

One year ago, I promulgated the pastoral conclusions of the Third Diocesan Synod. During this intervening year, we have taken first steps in implementing those Synod initiatives and priorities. We have gathered again in Second Session today to evaluate what has been achieved, to take note of how much yet needs to be accomplished, and to resolve to keep up the effort.

 

At the diocesan level and in the parishes and deaneries, some important things have been accomplished or initiated. It is fair to say, I believe, that the results are uneven. Some parishes got off to a faster or better start than others. Perhaps a few have yet to begin in earnest.

 

Frankly, I am encouraged by the signs of progress. I am not discouraged even by the slow start in some places. Things are not always what they seem. In all matters human, some take longer than others. What is very clear to me — and I hope encouraging to all of us — is that we have, in fact, moved in the direction of implementing the vision of the Synod, even though there is much to be done.

Our very assembly and dynamics of today’s Second Session give witness to our resolve not to allow the Synod to go without implementation. We will continue to work at it and move forward. We will continue to hold one another accountable. We will have to do that with patience and love, with creativity and astuteness. But, we shall do it. The Good Shepherd is doing it with us — for us.

 

We shall learn from one another — between and among parishes — what works and what doesn’t. We will have both the humility and the resolve to try again, and when necessary, to try something different. With the Lord’s help and grace, we will gradually and lovingly pull along with us the slow starters, the complacent, those who need extra help. Ours must be the Lord’s attitude: “The lost I will seek out, the strayed I will bring back, the injured I will bind up, the sick I will heal....”

 

We will resist every tendency to be judgmental, to assume bad-will or to assign blame. We will make every effort to “be our brother’s keeper.” We will refuse to give up, ever grateful that the Lord has not and will not, give up on us. We will be the people of hope that we are called to be, trusting fully that, in fact, the holy temple will be, and is being built up — because it is not simply our project, it is the Lord’s. So, we take our lead from the Lord and strive to deepen our union with him — “Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit because without me you can do nothing.”

 

Today, however, we, the branches of the vine, must resolve to do our part. Go back to your parishes and do whatever you can with your parish councils and parish leadership, and with the people in general, to reactivate the Synod vision and to assist developing or expanding a parish pastoral plan that will involve at least one small action in each of the eight pastoral initiatives of the Synod — doing so in conscious union with the Lord: “Remain in me, as I remain in you.”

 

On the diocesan level, Sr. Susan will continue to coordinate and resource the implementation efforts. The diocesan vicars and departments will continue to review how their programs and staff are assisting in implementing all eight Synod initiatives. The Diocesan Pastoral Council, assisted by an implementation committee, will monitor overall implementation efforts.

 

Meeting on January 23 with me, Bishop Garcia and Sister Susan, the Deans will be asked to call together leaders from the parishes of the deanery three times this year (roughly mid-February, mid-May, and late September) to facilitate Synod implementation at the deanery level. Synod members should attend those deanery meetings. The leaders will share successes and disappointments, best practices; they will help one another, learn from on another, encourage one another, gently hold one another accountable. These three deanery meetings this year will help us acquire a simple practice — a regional dynamic or mechanism — that will need to become the ongoing practice. The Diocese will prepare and staff the deanery meetings.

 

In addition, Bishop Garcia and I will be frequently encouraging the diocesan vicars, deans, and pastors regarding Synod implementation — trying to help them and gently holding them accountable, calling them to the Synod vision and its implementation.

 

In nine months we will meet once again for the third and final session of the Synod — on Columbus Day, October 9, 2006. It will be a final reality check to ensure that our efforts at all levels of the Diocese will be ongoing for implementing the conclusions of the Third Diocesan Synod — to check that the mechanisms and processes are all in place and functioning. As members of the Synod, you are hereby formally cited to attend the concluding Synod assembly on October 9.

 

In the meantime, we will be continuing to work on the draft diocesan statutes, the legislative part of the Synod, and gathering together all of our policies, sets of guidelines and diverse directives. Thank you for your input and advice on a few of the issues today. In reality, there is little new in the statutes and directives although some aspects may be new information for you. For the most part, the statutes reflect the law and norms of the universal Church with some specifications for our Diocese. Even those specifications have been issued before in a variety of individual instructions or clarifications over the years or in various sets of guidelines and norms. But these individual rulings easily get lost or forgotten. They have long needed to be gathered together, codified, made readily accessible. That is what we are doing.

 

You might look on this effort as clarifying and standardizing the rules for the journey. We are a big family, some 600,000 Catholics. Being large, we cannot be going at counter purposes. We have to pull together, walk together in this multiethnic, diverse Diocese. Ignorance or ambiguity about the rules do not help us. Chaos could destroy us. Therefore, rules for the road! Any human grouping needs them. The Church needs them. The Diocese of Sacramento does, too.

 

But the rules have to be seen in the light of the vision of who we are and where we are going. We don’t have rules for rules’ sake. Statutes and directives are helps, rules of order so as to achieve the goal. “Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments you will remain in my love.” Please be patient with this process of formulating statutes. I dare say, nobody — including myself — likes this part of the Synod. But bear with it. This, too, is important for growing together into that holy temple of God.

 

Again, look around this cathedral! It helps to remind us of important realities: “Are you not aware that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you...the temple of God is holy and you are that temple.” (Cor 3:16-17) The Cathedral speaks eloquently of our heritage and call. It shows us who and what we are through God’s saving grace. It beckons us toward the vision, toward our goal. From baptismal font to the cross and tabernacle. “Like living stones let yourselves be built into a spiritual temple.” (1 Peter 2:5)

 

May our hearts yearn for the full and final completion of God’s project with us and may we put all our energies at his service. May we experience God’s presence and loving action as we continue our journey together in Christ, patiently, steadily doing all we can to implement the pastoral initiatives of the Third Diocesan Synod. Dios les bendiga. God bless you.

 

 

Note on scripture readings:
Ezekial 34: 11-16
John 15: 1-8

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