On April 4, priests and faithful from across the Diocese of Raleigh gathered at Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral in Raleigh to celebrate the chrism Mass with Bishop Luis Zarama. During this sacred annual celebration, diocesan priests renew their priestly vows, and holy oils and the sacred chrism are blessed.
In speaking directly with the priests of the diocese, prior to the renewal of their vows during the Mass, Bishop Luis told them that while it is beautiful to wear the chasuble as priests, first their hearts must wear “an apron of love.”
"What is the most beautiful way the Lord can act and use us? Through our own weaknesses," Bishop Luis said. "When we recognize that, we give him space to work through us. And that will teach us humility. Because it is not I who has the power. I am and we are simple instruments who are there to serve the Lord.
"It is us who are helping him to fulfill the promise of the Holy Spirit," he said. "That is awesome, that is amazing! And that is why we need in our daily lives to be transformed and surrender ourselves more and more to him, that we become more and more like him. And through us the people can see and discover the face of Jesus, the saving power of our Lord Jesus Christ. And the most important thing is that, through us, in our service, they can experience love and mercy. People need priests with an apron of love in their hearts."
Later, as Bishop Luis addressed the faithful, he explained that together, we are the Body of Christ, and each one of us has to fulfill our own mission: to let the Holy Spirit work and come to us.
"Sometimes we forget to fulfill the mission we received when we were baptized," Bishop Luis said. "We forget that we were anointed with the chrism of salvation as priests, prophets and kings — to fulfill a mission in life, to live our faith, not waiting for the priest to do the things that priests do, no....
"Let the Spirit work and come to us … to restore our sight, to be able to see the beauty of what we celebrate. In every sacrament, in every Eucharist, how in awe are we when we take part in the celebration? Because sometimes it becomes a routine, and we forget to see and to discover and to experience what we celebrate — that is the life of Jesus Christ through the sacrament. It is he giving himself to us in a beautiful and mysterious way. And all of us were invited to take part in this mystery."
The bishop said we must find joy in our celebrations.
"The Lord is talking to us — he is speaking to me, he is speaking to you, and he is bringing something new every time he speaks to us. Why did he give us the sacraments? Why did he give us the oils? Because he knows how weak are we and how much we need help from him to overcome our weaknesses and our lack of love, to be able to free us and to be able to see life as he sees life."
After the homily, representatives carried the oil of the sick, the oil of the catechumens and the sacred chrism to the altar for the bishop to bless. Each oil serves a different purpose and is blessed individually.
The oil of the sick is used for anointing the sick. It is the anointing with this oil that offers the sick a remedy for infirmity of body and soul, so that they can bravely endure and fight against evils and obtain pardon for sins.
The oil of the catechumens is used for those who are preparing to receive the Easter sacraments of baptism, confirmation, and Holy Eucharist. It strengthens the candidate with the power to renounce the devil and sin before they go to the font of life for rebirth.
The sacred chrism is used in the sacraments of baptism, confirmation and the ordination of priests. It is also used in the dedication of churches and altars.
In the early Church, the sacred chrism was blessed at the Easter Vigil, right before the bishop baptized the catechumens. While the bishop was consecrating the chrism, he blessed the other holy oils as well. Eventually, bishops began blessing the holy oils on Holy Thursday. This also allowed time to transport vessels of holy oils from the cathedral to all the churches in the diocese in time for the Easter Vigil.
For more than one thousand years, the custom was retained by the bishop blessing the holy oils at the cathedral at the Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday. In 1955, the Church added a separate Mass, the Mass of chrism, earlier in the day at the cathedral for the blessing of the holy oils. Today the chrism Mass may be celebrated on a day before Holy Thursday, usually in Holy Week, so that the priests of the diocese, as well as more of the faithful, may attend.
Since the bishop is the only one who may consecrate the sacred chrism, the chrism Mass also highlights his ministry and the relationship of the faithful in union with him. Although he will not baptize and confirm all of those being initiated nor anoint all of the sick, he will be symbolically present in the holy oils and the sacred chrism, which will be used throughout the diocese in the administration of the sacraments.
The chrism Mass also celebrates the ministry of priests. They are invited to renew their commitment of service and are given the prayers and support of the people of the diocese, represented in the faithful who have gathered for the Mass.
It is appropriate that the holy oils blessed at the chrism Mass be received by the parish community, usually at the Evening Mass of Thursday of the Lord’s Supper.
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