Introduction: Dear beloved brothers and sisters, we are gathered together around the Lord's table on this day when we celebrate the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ, before suffering his passion, made a very strong gesture: by giving his body and blood as a food; his body delivered and scourged for us; his blood shed for our life. And he will add, "Do this in memory of me." So, every time you give your life or you give your blood for the life of the other, you do it in memory of the one who "loved you and gave himself up for you."
Today we pay tribute to a son of Combre who gave himself entirely to his own life out of love for Christ and the people of Africa, specifically the people of Ghana. Venerable Father Auguste Moreau, SMA.
Ask the Lord for the grace to be like Father Moreau and like his friend from Combre, Abbé Jules Farge, the servant of all.
Homily: Dear brothers and sisters, I am honored to be here among you to celebrate a great man, a missionary of stature, a saint. Venerable Father Auguste Moreau, SMA, the first Pro-Prefect of the Prefecture of the Côte d'Or.
On May 18, 1880, two young men, one 33 years old and the other 31 years old, sent by their superior and in response to the voice that called them and the desire to extend the kingdom of God, leaving St. Helena, the island of Cape Central in South Africa, aboard a British warship "the Dwarf" arrived in Elmina, on the Côte d'Or. They were Father Moreau and his colleague Eugène Murat. The two men were greeted by two French traders who lived and knew well the West African coast, Joseph Bonnat and Brun.
Hardly settled in their new mission, the tragedy began: Murat died on August 5 just three months after their arrival at the age of 31 swept away by yellow fever. Moreau will not be discouraged by this dramatical situation. He will devote himself more to the work of evangelization and the progress of the natives.
Father Moreau was a true pioneer. He worked in difficult and precarious circumstances without the current facilities of housing,transport and communication. He had very little money and financial support, no means of transportation and no Catholic community to support him. And forthe sake of it, he was never discouraged because he had plans and dreams for the mission and for the people.
Unfortunately, on 21 March 1886 he died at sea between Axim and Grand Bassam on his return journey at the age of only 39. His body was deposited at sea!
Today, we can lament by saying: "what a mess"! » !
Father Moreau's life corresponds well to the feast we celebrate today: the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ. Christ who gave himself everything down to his body and his shed blood, to provide us with life and true life in abundance!
As john's Gospel says, "If the grain of wheat that has fallen into the ground does not die, it remains alone, if it dies, it bears much fruit" (Jn 12:24). Today, the grain of wheat that is Father Moreau, tombé in the land of Ghana has borne many fruits:
Today there are 4 archdioceses and 11 dioceses; more than 1350 priests, many religious, seminarians and many lay Catholics; in 2010 constituted 13% of the population; and 3 cardinals, the last one will be created next August! Many schools, health centres and many others.
The first President of the Republic of Ghana was trained by the SMA and had a lot of administration for missionaries.
Ghana owes much of its development today to the work of missionaries.
I would like to share with you three points that I consider important from today's Gospel.
- The laity play a crucial role in evangelization. At Jesus' request "give them something yourself to eat" it was grace of the little boy that the apostles found two fish and five loaves. Without the presence and gift of this little boy, who did not belong to the group of apostles or the disciples, the miracle of the multiplication of bread would not have taken place. Without the interventions of several lay people such as James Marshall, Joseph Bonnat and Brun, the arrival of Fathers Moreau and Murat would not have taken place and the evangelization of Ghana would be delayed. Equality needs its lay daughters and sons. The Lord counts very much on the active participationof all of you, his faithful for the coming of his Kingdom.
- The Church needs generous people.: "give them something yourself". Generosity begins in the heart, feeling concerned by a situation; it begins when we overcome indifference, and when we have finished thinking that it is the other's business, thinking that it does not concern me! Today I speak to you directly - it concerns you! give him something you yourself! peace in the world concerns you! The fight against hunger is about you! thefight against the disease concerns you! the evangelization of the world concerns you. The joy and fulfillment of your family concerns you! Pope Francis says that the sin of today's world is indifference! Let us not be afraid to let ourselves be dragged into the chaos of other people's lives. Perhaps we consider our contribution insignificant and unimportant and we answer like the apostles "where to find bread to feed all this world? Even the loaves of bread that one would have for two hundred deniers would not be enough for everyone to receive a little. (John 6:7)." All that God expects of us is what the little boy who dared to offer his breakfast did! Yes, give what we have, what we can offer no matter how small. He oversees feeding the crowd, of leading to the good port the initiative started.
- The Church needs persevering people. Perseverance: "The journey of a thousand kilometers begins with a step," it is said. The hunger of the five thousand men began with five loaves and two fish. The evangelization of Ghana was initiated by two young priests. "Nothing is impossible for God." Believe in the Providence! Do not be discouraged by the greatness or immensity of a task, a cause, or by the challenges. Be confident in the Lord! The Lord Himself said, "The kingdom of God is like a grain of mustard which, when sown in the earth, is the smallest of all the seeds that are on the earth, but when it has been sown, it rises, becomes the greatest of all trees, and great branches grow. so that the birds of the sky can dwell under his shadow (Mark 4:31-31)." This is the example of Christ, whose solemnity of the body delivered, and the blood shed reminds us today; it is the example of Father Moreau whose work we commemorate 140 years later; it is the example of the Founder of the SMA Venerable Mgr. Melchior de Marion Brésillac who died hardly six weeks after his arrival in Africa.
Before his death, Bishop de Marion Brésillac left a little advice to Father Augustin Planque, his successor: "My work will live if there is a will to continue it. And you will be that will." Today God's work will continue if there is a will; we are that will, I am that will, you are that will.
His grace touches our will to do His work today and always. Amen!
Paul Ennin SMA
