We began reading from the letter of St. Paul to the Colossians today. At the heart of this beautiful letter is St. Paul’s deep sense of gratitude for the people he was writing to. In today’s passage, he expresses his thanks for their generosity and reminds them that such generosity bears fruit not only for the present but also for eternity.
In that same spirit, we, too, express our gratitude today for the holy men and women whose lives and ministries continue to enrich the Church. Among these great witnesses is Pope St. Gregory the Great, whose faith and leadership remain a source of strength for us. As we invoke his intercession, we also recognize the living testimony of each of you, which enriches the ministry of the Church in a unique way.
We are reminded that the presence of God is alive among His people through the Church. And so, we must not imagine the Church as some far-off institution or entity to be found elsewhere. Instead, you and I are the Church. Our call is to let our lives and our ministries continue to bear fruit, for the good of one another and for the transformation of the world.