On the 60th anniversary of the death of Blessed Cardinal Schuster
Homily of His Excellency Mons. Mario Delpini Vicar General
Sixtieth celebration of death of B. Alfredo Ildefonso Schuster
Venegono – 4 October 2014.
The high priest and the worship beloved to God.
1. He made him wear a robe of glory (Sir 45.7).
The splendor of the priestly garments covers those who are called to the ancient priesthood, like Aaron. But today the liturgy proposes this description to apply this theme of the “glory” to the Blessed Card. Schuster and to all the holy priests and to all those who exercise the baptismal priesthood.
Here the sons and daughters of God receive a garment of glory: it is the imaginative expression of their priestly and royal dignity.
Whoever lets himself dressed in the robe of glory transfigures his life. The banality of things to do is no longer trivial, if it is covered with that splendor that transfigures them into works of love and ways to worship God. The depressing boredom that sometimes dwells in the homes of those who are alone is no longer boring. if it is covered with that splendor that transfigures the empty moments on occasions to think, to pray, to imagine the good to be done and the way to give glory to God.
The daunting impression of not being worthless, of not being interesting for anyone, of not being considered, of being abandoned and misunderstood is no longer discouraging, if it is covered with that splendor that nourishes awareness, pride, the inner freedom of one who knows that the judgment that matters is that of God, that one’s own dignity is not in social recognition, but in being a child of God.
Card Schuster’s way of celebrating left a deep impression on those who participated in the celebrations because his slim, fragile, austere figure was clad in a robe of glory.
Those who witnessed his death here in the seminary have reported the impression that even his death was a celebration, solemn, intense, painful and glorious.
Those who look with admiration to Card Schuster to ask for his intercession and to imitate his virtues must let the Lord get them to wear a garment of glory.
2. Because he offered the Lord incense and perfume as a memorial (45.16)
Incense and perfume spread of the air and rise towards the sky: they are poor manifestations with which poor creatures honor the creator God and lord who has done the things of heaven and earth. Incense and perfume create an atmosphere, radiate among those present, give a characteristic to an environment that remains even when the celebration has ended.
Incense and perfume spread without effort, without involving complex organizational problems, without requiring a commitment of the will. They radiate like light.
The image of worship in the temple where incense and perfume are used applies in this context to “holiness”, to devotion.
Incense and perfume can therefore be an image of the ways that runs through the grace of God who wants to bring joy and hope in the hearts of all.
Sometimes we suffer from continual agitation, we torment a question “what should we do”, we are tired and disappointed after having faced so many efforts and taken many initiatives that did not produce the desired results, despite all the good intentions, sometimes we make ourselves a bit ‘ridiculous for a protagonism that is tiring to draw attention to itself, which continues to seek approval and approval, to wait for applause and that someone who counts say: “how good you are!”.
Perhaps the image of incense and perfume reassure us: they tell us that the Gospel spreads by irradiation and not by programming, a sort of contagion of joy rather than an nsistence on things to do, to think, to learn, a perfume. that makes it pleasant to be in a place, in a community, rather than so many resources committed to seduce and persuade to stay.
The Card Schuster has had an extraordinary activity that has exhausted his strength and has led him to say that doing the Archbishop of Milan is a mestieraccio from porters, but what he left, what he convinced, what he gave birth a desire for imitation was his holiness, which spread throughout the diocese like a good scent, like an incense that releases its aroma just because it lets itself burn.
Here, perhaps this is the indication for the mission that involves us, that awaits us, that is entrusted to us: simply let ourselves be burned because the good smell of Christian life spreads.
3. To bless the people in his name (Sir 45,15)
The cult is accomplished in the blessing, in the ancient liturgy and in the liturgy of the new testament. Each of our celebration ends with the blessing. Even some daily gestures are performed with a blessing: when one is dining, when one takes leave for the night. Bless the people in his name.
It is a way of saying how God looks at his people, is a way to recognize and wish that the celebration gives the assembly the face and the joy of a blessed people.
But the ritual gesture that dismisses the assembly is a sign of which gaze must be addressed to the people, to the world, to history.
What should we say about these people? Many voices are prone to appraisals of contempt, of generalized criticism, for which it is said that today’s people have all the faults, are incapable of any good, etc., etc. Instead it must be said: these people are blessed by God!
What should we say about this world? Many voices tend to describe everything as a reason for complaint, because everything goes wrong.
Instead it must be said: this world is blessed by God!
What should we say about this day? What should you say about me?
It is blessed by God!
Card Schuster has passed into our lands bringing God’s blessing.
Whoever admires him and wants to imitate him spends time bringing into the world and to all those who meet this certainty: you are blessed by God!