Prayitno / Wikimedia Commons
CV NEWS FEED // The archbishop of Los Angeles led more than 6,000 Catholics in a seven-mile pilgrimage this weekend, processing with more than a dozen holy relics to the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels for Holy Mass, according to Angelus News.
The pilgrimage began at 7 a.m. at All Souls Church and concluded at 3 p.m. April 5, according to the website of the Caruso Catholic Center at the University of Southern California.
In the homily for the Mass after the pilgrimage, Archbishop José Gomez urged the faithful to be missionaries of hope.
“In this Jubilee Year,” Archbishop Gomez said, “it’s important for us to reflect on how Jesus is calling us to be His instruments, to be heroes of hope!”
He encouraged the pilgrims to draw inspiration from the saints, emphasizing the universal call to holiness.
“I think it’s important to remember that we are called to the same holiness, the same heroic virtue, the same mission,” he said. “Our vocation and destiny is to join [the saints]. We are created to become saints ourselves, and to live forever with God in the love that never ends.”
One’s true identity is found only in the Lord, the archbishop said. The hope of Catholics is in the eternal love of the Father.
“The beautiful truth that He reveals is that God knows our name; He has loved us from before all ages, and He will love us to the end,” Archbishop Gomez said. “That’s why Jesus gave His life for us on the cross. Because He loves us more than we could ever imagine.”
He encouraged the faithful to embrace Jesus’ call for them to put hope into action, especially through the corporal and spiritual works of mercy.
“We need to lift up our neighbors in need, feed the hungry, and welcome the stranger,” he said. “We need to work for peace and build up our families and communities. In all things, we need to love others so they will know that they are loved by God.”
Archbishop Gomez asked for the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, praying that she would help guide Catholics to follow the Lord and help them become “heroes of hope.”
“And let us commit ourselves again today,” he said, “to becoming the saints that we are created to be.”
