ROCK THE MOUNT — Some 1,100 people gathered at the shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel for the annual Rock the Mount youth rally Aug. 21. (Yaworski photo)

God’s Word cannot be silenced: Bolen

By Kiply Lukan Yaworski

CARMEL, Sask. — The historic shrine at Mount Carmel was alive with music, worship and youthful spirit Aug. 21 as some 1,100 gathered for Rock The Mount, an all-day Catholic youth rally held annually since 2002.

People of all ages from the surrounding area, as well as from across western Canada, filled the hillside beneath the statue of Our Lady of Mount Carmel for a pilgrimage day that included Marian devotions, reconciliation, Christian bands, personal testimony, children’s activities, celebration of mass with Saskatoon Bishop Donald Bolen and talks by Rev. Simon Lobo, CC, of Ottawa (see related article).

“It’s a beautiful sight to look out at this hillside of people come to worship God in this place on this day,” said Bolen during his first visit to Rock the Mount.

In his homily, the bishop reflected on the mercy of God and the rally theme, Washed by Mercy, Saved by Grace.

God wills all people to be saved, said Bolen, citing the first reading from Isaiah. “We were created by God in love for salvation,” he stressed.

The theme of salvation continues in the Gospel, as someone comes to Jesus asking, “Lord, will only a few be saved?” But it seems as if that’s not the most important question to Jesus, said Bolen. Believing they have God’s favour, Jesus’ listeners are taking a righteous position, looking for confirmation of their good opinion of themselves as among the worthy few.

“And Jesus confronts them and says, ‘Don’t be so sure that you’re going to be saved; you could be left on the outside looking in,’” Bolen said.

“The issue isn’t how many are going to be saved. It’s that the day of salvation has come upon you.” Jesus is asking his listeners whether they are ready right now to follow him. “Are you ready now to open your hearts to God’s mercy. Are you willing to place your life in God’s hands, to trust in God, to be a disciple, here and now?”

Jesus is also telling his listeners — and us — that God’s mercy is great.
The “word” that saves us can be discovered in the opening lines of John’s Gospel, the bishop added. “We hear that dramatic sentence: ‘And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.’ Jesus is God’s Word coming into our midst. Jesus is the word that God speaks to bring us to life.”

In coming as God’s Word to the world, to bring healing and salvation, Jesus speaks of the kingdom of God, of God’s nearness and his desire to bring everyone to the fullness of life, said Bolen. In the end, Jesus’ word of life is confronted and rejected by many, and Jesus is put to death and laid in the tomb.

“I think it is helpful for us to imagine that Word which God speaks through all history, that Word of God which touches us with mercy, being nailed to the cross, being buried in the tomb. And when Jesus is raised from the dead, God proclaims once and for all that this Word cannot ultimately be silenced. That Word is the last word in human life: life is stronger than death, and the Word of life will prevail.”