Homily by His Grace Archbishop Patrick C. Pinder, STD, CMG, KC*HS on the occasion of the RED MASS

Homily by His Grace Archbishop Patrick C. Pinder, STD, CMG, KC*HS
on the occasion of the RED MASS
St. Francis Xavier Cathedral
Nassau, The Bahamas
Feast of the Epiphany of the Lord
Sunday, January 7, 2024

Readings
Isaiah 60:1-6
Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6
Matthew 2:1-12

Honourable Chief Justice Sir Ian Winder and fellow Justices of the Supreme Court, President the Honourable Sir Michael Barnett, kt., and Justices of the Court of Appeal, other Members of the Judiciary, Attorney General, Director of Legal Affairs, Director of Public Prosecutions, President of the Bar Association and Bar Council, Members of the Bar and Legal Profession, Beloved in Christ: May I take this opportunity to wish each of you and your families every grace and blessing for the New Year.
It is my pleasure, once again, to welcome you to St. Francis Xavier Cathedral for the celebration of the Red Mass on the Feast of the Epiphany.  It is important to emphasize the signal importance of both.
On this feast day, the Epiphany of the Lord, permit me to observe an ancient practice of the Church – the Announcement of Easter and the moveable feasts of the current year according to this formula:
“Know, Dear Brothers and Sisters, as we have rejoiced at the Nativity of the Lord Jesus Christ, so by leave of God’s mercy, we announce to you also the joy of his Resurrection, who is our Saviour.

On the 14th day of February will fall Ash Wednesday, and the beginning of the fast of the most sacred Lenten season.
On the 31st day of March you will celebrate with joy Easter Day, the Paschal feast of our Lord Jesus Christ.
On the 12th day of May will be the Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ.
On the 19th day of May, the feast of Pentecost.
On the 2nd day of June, the feast of the Most Holy Body and blood of Christ, Corpus Christi.
On the 1st day of December, the First Sunday of the Advent of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom is honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.”

Now the Red Mass is the occasion when the church invokes the guidance of the Holy Spirit upon members of the Judiciary and the legal profession. It is a time for asking the Holy spirit to shower you with wisdom to discern truth.  This is the steel, blocks and mortar that build and sustain the integrity which is essential in the conduct of the administration of justice.  In turn, true justice is the root of light, life and freedom. Know that justice is precious to the Lord, which makes law and justice professionals precious in his sight.  Your calling is of the highest order, but all humanity is called to do justice seasoned with the salt of mercy.
Note this!
“And the word of the Lord came to Zechariah: ̒This is what the Lord Almighty said: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor.  Do not plot evil against each other’”. (Zechariah 7:9-10)
“These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth to each other, and render true and sound judgment in your courts …” (Zechariah 8:16)
At last year’s Red Mass, I called 2022 an extraordinary year, not for its goodness but for its troubles.  The upheavals were both political and natural, with human wrongheadedness, greed and lust for power clearly at the root of the world’s ills.
Without doubt, 2023 increased the stakes.  The world experienced an explosion of geopolitical conflict – nation rising against nation.  There were concerning developments in countries across the globe.  News reports were filled with the increasing brutality of the Russia-Ukraine War occasioning much disruption and loss of life. In March, the International Criminal Court which tries individuals for genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and aggression issued arrest warrants for Mr. Putin, President of the Russian Federation along with the Commissioner for Children’s Rights in Russia.
The first week of October brought the shocking outbreak of the Hamas/Israeli War which is writing new, bloody pages in the annals of hatred and man’s inhumanity to man.  The combatants of both wars have respected neither age, infirmity nor gender.
In December just past, we were made aware of the disruption in vital shipping from the Indian Ocean to the Red Sea heading through the Suez Canal to the Mediterranean.  We have been made painfully aware that commodity prices will increase as a result.

Last year, the media also deeply focused on the rising internal disruptions in the United States.  This is the country we have long relied upon to be the world’s policeman and certainly the mainstay of the Bahamian economy.  The saga of the criminal and civil trials against Donald Trump continued with disturbing contradictions.
Of growing concerns in our region are the increasing migrations of Haitians in flight from the continuing economic and political instability in their homeland.  Countless lives are being lost in perilous ocean journeys across the Caribbean with hardly a whimper of protest from the wider world.  In his 2023 Christmas message, Pope Francis speaks of such departures as “odysseys undertaken in desperation and in hope”.
Deeply disturbing has been Venezuela’s conduct of military drills relating to a dispute with Guyana over a region which has long been a part of Guyana’s territory.
Here at home, 2023 broke records in a murder rate which appears to be out of control.  Worse still, it is consuming the lives of our young men as victims and perpetrators, sapping the vitality of the nation.  The Christmas weekend was one of mayhem and murder.  The first murder for 2024 was reported just hours into the New Year! Given the content of news reports, we are witnessing the rise of killings of persons on bail for murder or other serious offences. Could such incidents be paybacks or paid assassinations?  Worse still, many harmful disputes begin in the nation’s schools.

More and more crimes involve illegal firearms and fatal shootings. This country does not manufacture these weapons.  Yet, we don’t hear much about where they come from, who the importers and distributors are or, indeed, what is being done to shut off the supply lines. As the Holy Father opines: “How can we even speak of peace, when arms production, sales and trade are on the rise?” (Urbi et Orbi)

December 19th marked the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) to which our country is a signatory.  Yet, in 2023, Bahamians were still contesting gender equality in bitter public exchanges. And while we celebrate the rise in tourist numbers, we must ensure that the economic benefits derived therefrom are reaching the neediest segments of our population.

As concerning, we continue to suffer the unilateral financial sanctions of the Global powers, especially those competing in the international financial services marketplace.  More and more, the global governance system is becoming less and less equitable.  The aspirations of developing countries for better food supplies, medicines, health and healthcare as well as sustainable development continue depressed.

The Earth’s climate is increasingly chaotic and dangerous to life. Sections of Australia swelter in terrible heat, areas of China, including its capital Beijing, are now in the thralls of disastrous cold this winter.  While the storms batter coasts around the globe, unusual rainfall is flooding many regions and elsewhere desert conditions are spreading.  Growing seasons for the global food supply are more and more skewed.  Sadly, we are witnessing the creation of a new world order. Or should we say, disorder?

The source of the turmoil is clear. As the Book of Malachi tells us, humanity has broken our covenant with the divine through centuries of injustice.  Yet, we dare to ask, “Where is the God of justice?” (Malachi 2:17)

Is the situation hopeless? We, as followers of Christ, should affirm that it is not.  We should root our hopes in the deep, rich soil of the Lord’s promises.  Today’s reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah underscores the deep, global problems we are facing:

“See darkness covers the earth
and thick darkness is over the peoples …” (Isaiah 60:2)

Nowadays, artificial intelligence is either vilified or promoted as the saviour of humankind and of our planet.  In his World Day of Peace message for this year, Pope Francis offers an important view of artificial intelligence (AI). In the context of world betterment, he notes:

We cannot presume a priori that AI will make a beneficial contribution to the future of humanity and to peace among peoples.  That positive outcome will only be achieved if we show ourselves capable of acting responsibly and respect such fundamental human values as “inclusion, transparence, security, equity, privacy and reliability.

Francis states further:

The inherent dignity of each human being and the fraternity that binds us together as members of the one human family must undergird the development of new technologies and serve as indisputable criteria for evaluating them before they are employed, so that digital progress can occur with due respect for justice and contribute to the cause of peace.

The Lord himself is the ultimate reason for hope in the darkest times.  He is light and the ultimate solution for Earth’s ills.  The Prophet Isaiah continues:

“Arise, shine, for your light has come,
and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.”

“Nations will come to your light,
and kings to the brightness of your dawn.” (Isaiah 60:1, 3)

This is the divine promise that the battle for peace is not ours alone. Pope Francis noted at Christmas:

… amid the deep shadows covering the land, an undying flame has been lighted. Today the world’s darkness has been overcome by the light of God, which “enlightens every man and woman” (John 1:9).  Brothers and sisters, let us exult in this gift of grace! Rejoice, you who have lost confidence in your certitudes, for you are not alone: Christ is born for you!

So, despite all the distractions, calamities and disappointments, both global and local, as you begin this New Legal Year, keep fixed in your hearts the words of the Prophet Amos:

“Let justice flow like a river and righteousness like an overflowing stream.” (Amos 5:24)

Or again recall the ancient legal maxim:

“Let justice prevail, though the heavens fall.”

While we await Christ’s return to make all new and perfect, we all have a role to play.  By listening to the Holy Spirit within us, we can regain certitude. By the power of the Holy Spirit, we can do much towards alleviating human suffering and slowing the destruction of our home planet. The road to clarity and justice starts in seeking the wisdom, love and guidance of Christ, and continues with a foundation of prayer.  Again, I encourage you to be courageous, yet humble, in your area of contribution.  I encourage you to lead the invigoration of law and justice.  The Lord empowers you through the Holy Spirit.

This is my prayer for you today:  That in fulfillment of your duties as those who serve our community in the administration of justice, you be guided by the Light of the Holy Spirit in all your efforts and deliberations, for the good of our Nation and the glory of God.

Amen.