Homily for Chrism Mass (Isaiah 61:1-3a, 6a, 8b-9; Psalm 89:21-22, 25, 27; Revelation 1:5-8; Luke 4:16-21)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

Today we gather for the beautiful and sacred celebration of the Chrism Mass. In this liturgy, we witness the blessing of the holy oils that will be used throughout the year for baptism, confirmation, ordination, and the anointing of the sick. These oils represent the power of Christ's anointing presence continuing in our midst through the sacramental life of the Church.

Our readings today speak powerfully about anointing, mission, and the priesthood of all believers. They reveal how God's anointing empowers us to continue Christ's redemptive work in our world.

In the Gospel, we hear Jesus in the synagogue at Nazareth, reading from the scroll of Isaiah: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor." After reading this prophecy, Jesus makes the astounding claim: "Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing." In that moment, Jesus declares himself as the Anointed One—the Messiah—sent to inaugurate God's kingdom of healing, freedom, and jubilee.

This scene marks the beginning of Jesus' public ministry. The anointing by the Spirit that Jesus proclaims is not merely symbolic but transformative and mission-oriented. As Pope Benedict XVI reflected, "The anointing of Jesus is not an external designation to an office, but an inner transformation of his very being." This anointing empowers Jesus to fulfill his messianic mission of liberation and redemption.

In our first reading, Isaiah prophesies about this same anointing: "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me." The prophet speaks of bringing good news to the oppressed, binding up the brokenhearted, proclaiming liberty to captives, and releasing prisoners. This mission culminates in "the year of the LORD's favor"—an allusion to the Jubilee Year, when debts were forgiven, slaves freed, and land returned to original owners. It was God's way of restoring justice and dignity to all people.

Isaiah goes on to speak of a priestly people: "You shall be called priests of the LORD, ministers of our God." This reminds us that through baptism, we all share in Christ's priestly ministry. As the Catechism teaches, the whole community of believers is, as such, priestly. The faithful exercise their baptismal priesthood through their participation in Christ's mission as priest, prophet, and king.

In the second reading from Revelation, we hear that Jesus "loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood, and made us to be a kingdom, priests serving his God and Father." Here again is the affirmation that Christ's redemptive work establishes us as a priestly people. St. John reminds us that Jesus is "the Alpha and the Omega," the beginning and end of all things, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty."

The Psalm response echoes this theme of anointing: "I have found David, my servant; with my holy oil I have anointed him." While this refers historically to King David, it prophetically points to Christ, the Son of David, the ultimate anointed king and priest.

What do these readings mean for us today, especially as we celebrate the Chrism Mass?

First, they remind us that Christ's anointing flows to us through the sacraments. The oils blessed today—the Oil of Catechumens, the Oil of the Sick, and the Sacred Chrism—are physical signs of Christ's continued presence and action in our lives. When someone is baptized, confirmed, ordained, or anointed in sickness, Christ himself is present, touching and transforming lives through these sacred oils.

St. Cyril of Jerusalem beautifully described this reality: "Having been baptized into Christ, and put on Christ, you have been made conformable to the Son of God... Having been made partakers of Christ, you are properly called Christs (anointed ones)." Through our baptism and confirmation, we truly become "other Christs" in the world.

Second, these readings remind us that anointing is always for mission. Jesus was anointed not for his own glory, but to serve others—to bring good news, healing, and liberation. Similarly, our anointing in baptism and confirmation is not merely for our personal sanctification but for service to others.

Pope Francis has consistently called us to be a "Church that goes forth," bringing Christ's healing and mercy to the margins of society. He reminds us that "the thing the Church needs most today is the ability to heal wounds and to warm the hearts of the faithful." This is precisely what Jesus announced in his inaugural sermon at Nazareth—a ministry of healing, liberation, and restoration.

The oils blessed today will anoint the sick, strengthening them in their suffering. They will welcome new members into the Church through baptism. They will seal the gifts of the Holy Spirit in confirmation. They will consecrate priests to serve God's people. In each case, the anointing is for service and mission.

Third, these readings remind us of our shared priesthood. While we honor the ministerial priesthood in a special way at the Chrism Mass—as priests renew their commitment to service—we also celebrate the priesthood of all believers. As St. Peter writes, we are "a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people," called to "proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light."

This common priesthood is exercised when parents bless their children, when we offer prayers for others, when we sacrifice for the good of another, when we bring Christ's compassion to someone in need. We participate in Christ's priesthood whenever we offer our lives as a living sacrifice of praise.

As we witness the blessing of the holy oils today, let us remember our own anointing. Let us recommit ourselves to the mission that flows from that anointing—to bring good news to the poor, healing to the brokenhearted, freedom to captives, and sight to the blind. Let us embrace our identity as a priestly people, offering our lives in service to God and neighbor.

The words Jesus proclaimed in Nazareth are fulfilled not only in him but also in us, his Body, as we continue his mission in the world: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor."

May we be faithful to this sacred calling, empowered by the same Spirit that anointed Jesus, as we go forth to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.

Amen.