Archbishop Pietro Sambi, apostolic nuncio to the United States and representative of Pope Benedict XVI – Archbishop Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to Mexico – Francis Cardinal George, Daniel Cardinal DiNardo, Archbishops Patrick Flores and José Gomez, my predecessors, – my brother archbishops and bishops – especially the neighboring suffragan bishops of West Texas – members of the Catholic Conference of Texas – ecumenical and interfaith leaders – civic officials – priests, religious, permanent deacons, faithful of the Archdiocese of San Antonio, mi querida familia y amigos, my friends from many other places – today marks a new beginning in the wonderful history of the Catholic faith in this local church of San Antonio. ¡Bienvenidos! We gather in memory of the early Franciscans who brought the gospel to this region, including the Venerable Fray Antonio Margil de Jesús, the “apostle of Texas,” who established the first missions here in San Antonio de Béjar in the early 18th century. We remember Father Miguel Calvo who founded San Fernando Church in 1731, the cathedral that has been called the “soul of the city”, “el alma de la ciudad” de San Antonio. We recall with special gratitude the ministry of the two recent shepherds, Arzobispo Patrick Flores and Arzobispo José Gomez, quienes se encuentran entre nosotros. We also recall the Catholic immigrants who came to this area in addition to those of Hispanic descent; for example, the Alsatians to Castroville in 1844. Castroville was the first place that members of my religious community, the Missionaries of the Holy Spirit, were appointed to serve, although they eventually served many years at El Campo, Texas! We thank all the groups…..who have come to San Antonio – and so many others of diverse backgrounds, but forming one Catholic Church, nos encontramos aqui como miembros vivos de la Iglesia. We are grateful for the various ministries led by religious orders of men and women from the beginning of our local church until the present. In short, we thank God that, for nearly 400 years, the Roman Catholic Church in Texas has continued faithfully to proclaim the Good News here. We also rejoice that a personal and deeply pious Catholic religiosity has matured here, including the beautiful devotion of Our Lady of Guadalupe, our Mother, la Morenita. It is very significant that today we celebrate the feast of Blessed Miguel Augistin Pro, sacerdote fiel, a Jesuit priest who was martyred on Nov. 23, 1927, during those dark times for the Mexican people and the Catholic Church in Mexico. He was only 36 years old when he died. The central message of his ministry was the kingship of Christ in the faithfuls’ hearts and lives. In fact, he died with the words Viva Cristo Rey! on his lips. Today, we also look to the future, and for this we have the guidance of the Word of God, especially the readings that we just heard proclaimed. They help shape our celebration this afternoon. In the first reading, God takes the initiative and calls Samuel. God always speaks first. That is the way it should be. Creation is to listen attentively and resp ond appropriately. And Samuel does precisely this. However, it is worth noting that, before he heard God’s voice, Samuel was sleeping in the sanctuary, en un lugar propicio, Samuel responde al Senor con la donacion de su ser. He was available for a communication from God. He was open to God’s call. And because of this, something new began in the history of salvation. When Cardinal George told me that the Holy Father wanted to appoint me the archbishop of San Antonio, my first response was to say, “Yes, here I am. Sí, aquí estoy.” I immediately felt real peace and joy tempered by a deep awareness of the great responsibility I had been asked to embrace. I felt, in faith, a deep affection for you, the people of the Archdiocese of San Antonio. And so, yes, we are beginning something new today. But we are certainly not starting from nothing. As I said in my opening words, we are building on a solid history of faith and ministry -- but with what I pray will be a new hope, a new strength, a new vision. Perhaps when I say a “new vision,” that makes you nervous! Let me first clarify that I am referring to a “renewed vision”, not something entirely new. What do I mean? La segunda lectura describe el primer día de Pentecostés. The disciples and the mother of Jesus are in the Upper Room. The previous seven weeks were a whirlwind of events – Jesus’ passion, death, resurrection, and ascension to the Father. Now they are gathered, waiting and in prayer – much as we are gathered here this afternoon, reunidos en oracion y en comunion – in preparation for the next phase of the Church’s mission and ministry. Yes this describes the first Pentecost. The new day begins with a roar of the sounds from heaven, a mighty wind – like the wind on the first morning of creation that swept across the dark waters of chaos and brought order into the world. And then tongues of fire are seen – the gift of speech in different languages from the Holy Spirit, the gift of proclamation of the Word of God! Something very wonderful is happening, and the walls of the Upper Room cannot contain it. The disciples must share these gifts with others – with the whole world! So, the scene immediately shifts to the street outside where a crowd is already gathering. La gente afuera esta esperando el mensaje, la presencia siempre viva de Dios. People of every tongue and nation are eager – hungry – to hear the word that the disciples speak. No one is excluded from their proclamation that Jesus is Lord, that God loves all people, that all of us are sisters and brothers, beloved children of the one God, for God alone is able to feed the deepest hungers of the human heart. However, it is also true that some of the bystanders think the disciples are simply intoxicated with “new wine.” This reminds us that the Christian message is countercultural, la Buena Nueva nos confronta y nos habre horizontes de esperanza y nos lleva a donde no queremos ir; it can be profoundly unsettling and even threatening to some in the crowd. Ignorance, fear, and insecurity feed racism and hatred toward the stranger. The worldly pursuit of possessions, pleasure, and power militate against the evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity, and obedience. We live in a deeply divided nation and region where the notion of brotherly love may seem quaint and naïve. At times the problems of the world – and in our very homes and families – may seem so enormous that we are tempted simply to withdraw into ourselves and seek only our own personal good, neglecting the common good. Or we may defiantly stake out our own position without seeking common ground with others. So, yes, there are times when we may be timid or afraid to speak “the truth in love” (Eph 4:15). But then we must reflect again on the gift of the Holy Spirit. In Genesis (2:7) the Spirit of God breathed life into dust and created a human being. At Pentecost the Spirit breathed life into a once cowardly disciple and created a new man who now had the gift of bold speech. A few weeks earlier Peter had been unable or unwilling to speak about Jesus, even to a serving woman at midnight! On Pentecost morning he is willing to proclaim the risen Lord to the entire world! La conversion de Pedro es fruto del Espiritu Santo,lo transforma en proclamador y servidor de la palabra, lo hace fiel discipulo de Jesucristo! My friends, it is the Holy Spirit that enables the community of faith to proclaim the gospel, to attract a crowd, to have something to say worth hearing. The wind blows where it will. God has the power to accomplish in our midst what he wants – in spite of all obstacles. But what must we do to enable this to happen? ¿Qué nos toca hacer? We must be open to God’s word as Samuel was. We must be willing to be empowered by the Holy Spirit like Peter and the other disciples. And most of all we must be in a loving, mutual relationship with Jesus, the risen Lord. Such a relationship is not restricted to our time here in church or to one hour a week or even one hour a day. It is to be an abiding, loving relationship. It is to grow ever deeper and stronger, leading us always to say “Yes” and “Amen” to the Father, to carry out his will, to observe his commandments. We are to love God fully, holding nothing back. And to love one another as Jesus has loved us – continuously, without limits, throughout our life. My brothers and sisters, I do love you, and I am willing to lay down my life for you! Mis hermanos su arzobispo los ama y esta dispuesto a dar su vida por ustedes a ejemplo del Buen Pastor. Such love is not grudging. It is truly a joy. And again, it is not something that we have come to ourselves. Not only does God take the initiative and speak first. God also loves us first. The Lord Jesus has chosen all of us to be his beloved disciples. El Señor nos ha escogido y nos llama. We are all called to share God’s love with the world – with everyone we meet, wherever we go, wherever God leads us. Remain in me! The Lord is the vine; we are the branches. We are called to bear much good fruit, ser fruto que perdura porque es el La Vid. As we continue the mission and ministry of Jesus in this local church, he will give us all that we need, all that we ask. My friends, this Missionary of the Holy Spirit, your new qrchbishop, invites you – that is, the Lord himself calls you – to be Spirit-filled and Spirit-led missionaries of the gospel in the world. Let us pray with confidence because our future is truly in God’s good hands. Let us also re-commit ourselves to working together because our future, empowered by God’s Spirit, is also in our hands. We gather today with Mary, our Mother, Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, just as the first disciples prayed with her in the Upper Room. We also entrust our mission and ministry to her loving intercession. May the quality of our love for one another bring out to everyone that we are truly the Lord’s disciples and missionaries! Viva Cristo Rey!