The Catholic Community Foundation and Catholic Charities, Diocese of Cleveland, hosted the annual Mass for Faithful Apostles in the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist on Sept. 15, with Auxiliary Bishop Michael Woost as celebrant.
Faithful Apostles are those who have supported the ministries of Catholic Charities for 12 or more years.
Bishop Woost recalled the Gospel, in which Jesus witnessed a funeral procession for a man who had died. He was the only son of a widowed mother who was grief stricken and desperate. “When the Lord saw her, he was moved with pity for her,” the bishop said, and he restored the man’s life.
The original Greek version of the story used a word that translated as “pity,” but he said a better translation would be compassion, which was the motive for Jesus’ miracle.
“Why did Jesus raise the only son of his mother from the dead? Not because anyone asked him to, and certainly not because anyone in the crowd –– not even the grieving, widowed mother –– exhibited any kind of faith in him. Jesus acted purely out of compassion for a woman in need,” Bishop Woost said.
He noted two other instances where a similar form of compassion was demonstrated in Luke’s Gospel: the story of the Good Samaritan and the story of the prodigal son. “What moves the Samaritan to assist the traveler left beaten and near death on the side of the road? Compassion. What moves the father to run to his disrespectful and sinful youngest son and unapologetically embrace him? Compassion …What moves Jesus to perform a miracle is meant to move us,” he said, emphasizing the word “compassion.”
Jesus shows his disciples, the crowds and us the motive for acting on behalf of those in need, the bishop said, once again using the word “compassion.” He said every year thousands of people in need are served by Catholic Charities out of compassion, the same thing illustrated in the day’s Gospel.
“As Jesus gives himself completely to us now in word and sacrament, as Jesus touches our lives in this liturgy –– not because we deserver or can earn his love and mercy, as Jesus moves with compassion for us, may we be moved as well. Moved to act. Moved to embrace. Moved to love for no other reason than to be Jesus compassion for those in need today,” Bishop Woost said.
After Mass, the Faithful Apostles were invited to take a group photo with the bishop. Their prayer requests were remembered at the Mass and will be recalled in prayer throughout the year, Bishop Woost said.