April 8, 2015 – Excerpted from Put Out Into the Deep, Bishop DiMarzio’s column in The Tablet:

This is the complete text of Bishop DiMarzio’s homily at the Chrism Mass, March 31, at St. Joseph’s Co-Cathedral, Prospect Heights:

My dear brothers and sisters in the Lord,

Tonight, in this Mass of Chrism, we bless the oils used for the administration of the sacraments and recommit ourselves to priestly and diaconal service, which means the service of the Word and the sacraments for the benefit of all of God’s people.

The Gospel tonight of Jesus’s first sermon in the synagogue of Nazareth, ends with the words, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing” as at every Eucharist when the word leads us to the sacrament of the living Word, Jesus Christ, who is anointed with the Spirit.

Tonight, I wish to speak to you priests, deacons and religious and lay faithful as preachers and hearers about the sermon or homily.

Read the full text of the Bishop’s column on The Tablet website.