Bishop Earl Fernandes asked members of the legal profession to listen to what God is calling them to do and to rely on the Holy Spirit to carry out their duties in his homily at the Red Mass on Wednesday, Sept. 28 at St. Joseph Cathedral.
The annual Red Mass is offered especially for individuals who work in the legal field, which includes judges, attorneys, law school professors, students and government officials, in honor of St. Thomas More, an English lawyer and judge in the 15th and 16th centuries who was executed during the reign of King Henry VIII after refusing to take an oath of supremacy to the ruler.
“God calls us to something great: to be defenders of the orphan, the widow, the least in our society; to be defenders of the dignity of the human person; to be defenders of the rights of all,” Bishop Fernandes said. “So we have a great responsibility and, therefore, we present our offering of this votive Mass to the Holy Spirit.
“Because if we are to proclaim the kingdom of God, if we are to stand up to injustice, if we are to judge rightly, we know ourselves all too well that we can’t do it on our own. We must recognize our own fragility and weakness and, precisely, there is a moment for us of conversion.
“We need the help of the Holy Spirit who leads us into all truth, who helps us to be courageous within the virtue of fortitude, who helps us to be prudent in choosing among the best things in order to accomplish an end.
“This Holy Spirit is what the saints call ‘the soul of our souls,’ who is always with us. But we have to make a difficult decision to discern the right way to go.”
Bishop Fernandes promised to pray in particular for judges, who must make difficult decisions on a daily basis that involve livelihoods and families.
The bishop has a personal connection that provides him with insight into the duties of a judge. One of his five brothers, Trevor, has served as a Lucas County Probate Court magistrate for 24 years and is also a deacon of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in the Diocese of Toledo.
“For my part, I am grateful for what you do,” Bishop Fernandes said at the Mass. “But for my part, too, I promise you my prayers that the Holy Spirit of God will descend upon you to give you the strength you need to live your vocations.
“St. John Paul II said, ‘A vocation is a gift whose purpose is to build up the Church and increase the kingdom of God in the world.’
“We can make all kinds of excuses because it is easier, more comfortable, more convenient, not to witness to justice. But Jesus calls us not to mediocrity, not to keeping the mere letter of the law, but to greatness.
“It is one thing to strive for justice, but a still greater virtue than justice is charity: to give of ourselves, to seek the good of another; not to call down fire but to show mercy and compassion and, above all, love.
“This is the greatness of your call. This is the greatness of our call. It might take different forms, but it is on the basis of our love that we will be judged.
“May God grant us his grace that we might be found worthy.”
