Homily by Metropolitan-Archbishop Stefan Soroka (03/11/01)

Homily by Metropolitan-Archbishop Stefan Soroka

Below are excerpts of the homily delivered by Metropolitan-Archbishop Stefan Soroka during the ceremony of his enthronement at the Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.

In the reading of the papal bull by His Grace Archbishop [Gabriel] Montalvo at the beginning of the installation, the holy father cites the exhortation of the Vatican II Ecumenical Council, wherein it describes a bishop as a good shepherd who knows the sheep and whose sheep know him. A bishop should stand in the midst of his people as one who serves - the very motto chosen for my episcopal ordination almost five years ago.

This is expressed in the verse preceding today's Gospel reading from St. John, where the shepherd is described as one who enters through the gate first, and then calls each of his own by name, and the sheep hear his voice and follow him, because they recognize his voice. The Gospel reading we heard cites the good shepherd as one who knows his sheep and they know him. The good shepherd is prepared to lay down his life for his sheep. And, the good shepherd must also lead and call other sheep which do not belong to this fold and they, too, will recognize his voice, and there will be one flock, one shepherd.

Jesus reveals to us the heart and motivation of the shepherd. Jesus gives you and me deep insights as to who we are to be with one another - what our relationship should be like - and how we are to exercise our leadership over one another.

The shepherd calls his sheep by name, and they know his voice and they follow. There is a developed relationship of deep love and trust between the shepherd and his flock. ...

Those of us called to leadership in our Church are called to lead by example. We cannot expect our people to do anything which we would be unwilling to do with them. As your shepherd, I am called to be among the priests, religious and people enough that you will recognize my voice and trust my heart. I must have enough courage to go first, compassion enough to choose a safe path for the weakest among you, and confidence enough to know that you will follow if I lead. As the chief shepherd among you, I am called to develop our relationship of love and trust, so that when I call you by name, you will have confidence and love to respond - because you have come to know me and my heart, and I have come to know you and your heart, and then we can proceed together in our journey with our Lord, Jesus Christ. ...

These insights into the qualities of a good shepherd are ones that should be characteristic of all the faithful in the Church. The priests and deacons, and the religious sisters, all are, in varying ways, shepherds to the faithful, and are called to shepherd in ways that reveal the heart and love of Jesus, our Lord. You are also shepherds to me, your chief shepherd, as you exercise your responsibilities in sharing in the nurturing of our faithful, and also of me as your brother in Christ.

And all the faithful - all of you, regardless of age - you also are called to direct your lives in our Church and to take on roles that shepherd others to greater fullness of life in Jesus, to support and nurture the chief shepherds of your parish (your priests, deacons, sisters) and in the care and nurture of me, your chief shepherd in the archeparchy.

As your new archbishop and metropolitan, I commit myself to serve you according to the ideals of the One High Shepherd, Jesus Christ, Our Lord. I want us to come to know one another with much familiarity, with much mutual love and respect. I beg your patience and understanding of my limitations, and your kind assistance so that I may become who our Lord Jesus calls me to be for you. I pledge you my passionate love for God, for our Church, and for all of you. ...

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