‘We are called to be bearers of hope’
HIGH POINT — A Vigil Mass celebrating the Jubilee Year of Hope July 19 at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church was packed as parishioners from across the Triad gathered to hear a hopeful message delivered by Bishop Michael Martin.
“All of us are called to be bearers of hope,” Bishop Martin said. “A whole year of hope has so much capacity in our world, in our country, in our diocese, in our parish and in your hearts.”
The Mass was put into motion months ago by Immaculate Heart of Mary’s pastoral council. As pastor, Father Patrick O’Connor felt his flock, which has recently experienced tremendous growth in both diversity and membership, could use a little hope.
“Within our Hispanic community, there has been so much anxiety, stress, worry, doubt and fear,” said Father O’Connor. “It is a good year to have a year of hope, to trust God is there in the midst of all this craziness and these difficulties. He is working. He is helping us through the Church, and He is with us in our suffering.”
Bishop Martin opened his homily with both good and bad news.
“The good news is that Jesus Christ has saved all of us. In this life and for the life to come,” he said. “Don’t ever forget it. Remind yourself of it regularly and proclaim it to the world that only knows the news they scroll through.”
“The bad news is, He doesn’t force it on any of us, leaving us the freedom of living life as we choose. We don’t freely accept this gracious gift of salvation enough, and too often we pursue other ways of being saved that never deliver.”
On a weekend highlighting Jesus’ friends, sisters Martha and Mary, in Luke’s Gospel, the bishop said the two set a great example of hope. He warned that instead of pitting their two methods of adoration - hospitality and awe - against one another, it is important to practice both.
“Our Gospel today gives us two paradigms and two ways to respond to the saving hope of Jesus Christ,” he said.
“Martha’s message of hospitality should not be only exhibited in our homes but within our church,” said Bishop Martin. “Are you pouring (that hospitality) into the people that are crowding around you? Sitting next to you? Especially within a parish that over the last 25 years has gotten so much more diverse.”
And while Marthas feed you, joked the bishop, sometimes we need to act a little more like Mary.
“We need to receive that message from Mary that calls us to sit with the Cross and ponder His suffering, and it’s when we do that, that is when we bring a message of hope to the world,” he said.
“We live in a world that does not understand the redemptive capacity of suffering,” he said. “Our crazy message of hope is to embrace the cross. You can only embrace it when you are part of it and contemplate it.”
Parishioner Fidencio Martinez, who has been practicing with the choir for months in preparation for the visit, believes the homily was perfectly timed.
“I needed, we needed, to hear this message he has sent us, at this exact moment,” said Martinez. “We have all this fear; the politics of what is going on right now are scary, but I think his message is pretty clear. Have hope. He gets it.”
The message resonated with the diverse parish. “We have a lot of Filipinos, Indians, Hispanics, Africans, and Vietnamese,” Father O’Connor said. “It’s really developed into quite a beautiful community representing so many cultures and nations throughout the world.”
After Mass, Father O’Connor was all smiles as he presented Bishop Martin with a gift from the parish, an image of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Bishop Martin spoke to a long line of parishioners, while members of the Hispanic community, taking inspiration from Martha, fed the crowd with a delicious buffet.
— Lisa M. Geraci, photos by Lisa M. Geraci and provided
More online
For more on the Jubilee Year of Hope and local events and activities, visit https://charlottediocese.org/jubilee-2025/
