CHRISM MASS HOMILY, ARCHDIOCESE OF WINDHOEK 15 April2025

Archbishop Liborius Ndumbukuti Nashenda, OMI
Readings: 1.Isaiah 61:1-3abcd.6a.8b-9; 2.Revelation 1:5-8; 3.Luke 4:16-21.
Dear Brothers in the priesthood,

Dear People of God:
Chrism Mass is a special Liturgy in the tradition of our Church. This
solemn and significant celebration of the year which takes place during
the Holy week reminds us of the mystery of our salvation. Such mystery
of our salvation is realized through Jesus Christ, the Eternal High Priest
and the Anointed, whose passion and death we are commemorating
these days ushering us into the joyful feast of his resurrection. Thus, we
have a good reason to partake in this celebration with a deep sense of
gratitude to the Lord for his love for us, as we too offer ourselves totally
to him in acknowledgement for this sacrifice.
The liturgy of the Word today reminds us of Jesus’ salvific mission as
the Messiah. In the first reading, Isaiah prophetically speaks of the
Messiah who is empowered by the Spirit of the Lord God (Isaiah 61:1).
This prophecy is finally fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ, the
Anointed One, as we see it in the Gospel of Luke today.
Resonating the words of the Prophet, Jesus himself says “The spirit of
the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to
the poor” (Lk. 4:18). This caring proclamation by Christ makes us recall
the beginning of his ministry in Galilea. Filled with the Holy Spirit, he
was determined to begin his ministry with zeal and compassion. By that,
Jesus actually launched his manifesto. We all know what the manifesto
is: a public declaration of policy and aims to be achieved as in the case
of political parties or candidate. For Jesus, it was not a political
manifesto, but a declaration of how he would carry out his salvific
ministry.
Certainly, Jesus had and still continues to have a great concern for the
poor, the captives, the blind, and the oppressed and thus, proclaims a

year of favour from Yahweh. With regard to the poor, Jesus cared and
prayed for them, “Blessed are you who are poor, the Kingdom of God is
yours” (Lk. 6:20); He gave us a lesson on how the poor man Lazarus
was cared for and saved (Lk. 16:1-31); Jesus demonstrated his
compassion in tangible ways; making the blind see, the mute speak,
touching the lepers, healing the sick, releasing the captives and the
oppressed by the good news of love and salvation. Jesus has compassion
for all in need and wants them to be free and be saved because it is his
will that all people may be saved and come to the knowledge of truth (1
Tim. 2:4). He did not only talk and preach, but he put into practice what
he preached to the extent of sacrificing his life for his people, you and
me and that is what we are commemorating during this holy season of
Lent and now in particular.
Dear Brethren, this year we are celebrating the Jubilee Year of Hope.
During this Jubilee Year, the Holy Father Pope Francis invites us,
Pilgrims of Hope, to read the signs of the times and try to discover hope
in these signs and interpret them in the light of the Gospel (SNC no.7).
One of the main signs of hope should be the desire for peace in a world
marked by increasing war and conflicts (SNC no. 8). Because of the war
situation, many people continue to experience poverty, affliction,
captivity, and to be overwhelmed by grief as some even lost their lives.
It is such as these people that requires good tidings, release and liberty.
The Pontiff specifically calls on us to be tangible signs of hope
especially for those (our brothers and sisters) who experience hardships
of any kind (SNC. no. 10). When we look around our vicinities and in
our streets today, there are also poor people. There might be some who
are captives, prisoners, oppressed and the blind, be it physically or
spiritually. There are probably people affected by different sufferings
and challenges. Have we noticed them? What are we doing about them?
We need to respond actively in order to address these situations to
ensure a new hope and transformation. The Second reading from the
book of Revelation is urging us not to be passive Christians, but active
witnesses of Christ who made us a Kingdom and priests to his God and
Father, thus exercising our prophetic mission by virtue of our Baptism.

To my dear Priests, you too from your priestly Ordination, are anointed
like Jesus Christ and have been sent. Therefore, remember to carry on
the task of Christ’s manifesto. Do not grow weary of executing it, for the
Spirit of God is upon you. Ask him to strengthen you for he is the only
protagonist and principal agent of mission. Without the Holy Spirit,
there can be no life and hence, there can be no progress or success in our
pastoral efforts. Take care of the poor in your parishes and at your
vicinities, visit the prisoners, console and comfort the oppressed. Guide
both the spiritually and physically blind. During this Jubilee year of
Hope, be instruments and signs of hope to the troubled people in order to
restore their lives. Remember, you yourselves should be in the first
place, beacons of hope. You should be light bearers in order to be able to
give this light of hope to others. Let the Spirit of God keep you aglow.
Once more, as the Holy Father encourages us, let us be instruments of
the Lord’s compassion and mercy and especially through the sacrament
of Penance on this year of hope which is also aimed at extending God’s
mercy and forgiveness.
And to you my dear laity/lay faithful, receive this good news of
salvation. Let it set you free from whatever type of poverty, get rid of
anything that holds you captive. We might not be physically blind but
how about spiritually? Spiritual blindness can blind us even to our own
sins. Let us therefore be humble enough to approach the throne of God’s
mercy through the sacrament of Confession, for now is the acceptable
time (2 Chor. 6:2), it is the year of favor from the Lord.
Mindful of the Lord’s sacrificial love for our salvation which he effects
also through the sacraments, at the centre of this Mass are the Holy Oils.
Jesus Christ, the anointed one, says today that he came also to give the
oil of gladness (First Reading).
Hence today we will witness the blessing of these oils: The oil of
Catechumens (Oleum Catechumenorum), which will be used for
baptism and during the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) to
strengthen, purify, protect and prepare the baptized person for the
spiritual battle; the oil of the Sick (Oleum Infirmorum), will be used for

the Anointing of the sick to bring both physical and spiritual healing and
strength; and the Chrism oil (Sanctum Chrisma) which will actually be
consecrated, is used also at baptism, as well as for confirmation, priestly
ordination and episcopal consecration symbolizing the presence of the
Holy Spirit. It is also used for the consecration of Churches and altars
making them special places set apart. These oils will be used for the
administration of the sacraments during the whole year. Since these oils
are blessed at this particular Mass, this liturgy is connected to the entire
sacramental life of the Church.
On this special day, the bishop celebrates Mass together with the priests
of his diocese as a sign of unity of the clergy and their Bishop.
Therefore, the Priests will publicly renew their priestly promises in
which they express their commitment to the priestly service. I call upon
you, dear people of God to pray for me and your priests to be your good
and caring servants.
Finally, my dear priests, I would like to thank you for your dedication
and commitment in your pastoral ministry. I am aware of the challenges
that you are encountering in your Parishes, Pastoral regions and
Deaneries but despite them, you remained steadfast and committed. In
view of this, I echo the same sentiment with the Holy Father who in his
international meeting address to Priests of May 2, 2024 said, “The
Church could not go on without your dedication and your pastoral
service”. Your role in the Church’s pastoral ministry is indispensable.
May God bless you and reward your every effort for the good of the
Church and for the salvation of his people. And also you, my dear
Deacons, your general service to the Church, especially by assisting me
and the priests cannot go unnoticed. May God bless you, too.
My dear brothers and Sisters as we celebrate this Chrism Mass, aware of
our prophetic, kingly and priestly mission by virtue of our Baptism, let
us allow the Spirit of God to transform us into new persons as we draw
near to the end of this holy season, so that we may be ready for the
Easter celebrations. May God bless you all. Amen.