KNIGHTS CONVENTION
Cardinal calls on Knights to proclaim God’s word
By Andrew Junker | Aug. 5, 2009 | The Catholic Sun
Cardinal William J. Levada — prefect for the Holy See’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith — called upon the Knights of Columbus to bear witness to the necessity of God in an increasingly secular America during a homily at the Knights’ Supreme Convention Aug. 5.
“Our nation has been blessed with many gifts and resources, and at times that abundance can blind people to our utter dependence on God, and the need to seek to do His will,” Cardinal Levada said.
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And while he encouraged the 2,000 strong congregation to work with all people of good will “to improve the lots of others,” the cardinal exhorted them never to lose their Christian character.
“We must also bear witness to our conviction that the American ‘city set on a hill,’ no matter how remarkable its scientific accomplishments or technological advances, will always be a barren patch of earth without the life-giving refreshment of the word of God,” he said.
Cardinal Theodore McCarrick — Archbishop Emeritus of Washington D.C. — served as the principal celebrant at the morning Mass, which was concelebrated by scores of bishops of priests.
During his homily, Cardinal Levada recognized that this particular Mass fell on the feast day of the Dedication of the Papoal Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome.
The cardinal told the congregation that in years past, this feast day was known as Dedication of the Church of Our Lady of Snows due to a medieval legend that during a Roman summer, snow fell and outlined the land where Mary wished her basilica to be built.
In juxtaposition to this historical fable, the cardinal said, the real circumstances behind the existing basilica’s founding still have great bearing on Catholics today.
The present church was built immediately after the Council of Ephesus in 431. That council “marked a significant milestone in the development of our understanding of who Jesus Christ is,” the cardinal said.
In Ephesus, the Church approved the title, “Mother of God,” for Mary, and in doing so made a statement about her Son, Jesus.
“The title ‘Mother of God’ may seem paradoxical, but it is orthodox: paradoxical, because Mary as a creature could not be the Mother of God as God,” he said.
“Orthodox, because to say that Jesus was truly born of Mary and is the eternal Son of God effectively proclaims that He is fully human and fully divine,” the cardinal said.
He then linked Mary’s own cooperation with God to the Knights’ calling throughout the world.
“All Christians are called to give over their lives to Christ, to allow Him to live through them,” Cardinal Levada said.
