Red Mass Homily
St. Mary’s Seminary, Baltimore, MD
November 4, 2026
Take Up Your Cross
For centuries, judges, attorneys, and public officials have gathered for the Red Mass to invoke the guidance of the Holy Spirit. This tradition reaches back to Paris, London, and Rome, and its distinctive red vestments recall the fire and gifts of the Holy Spirit. We are here this evening because the work of justice is too important to be undertaken without prayer. The decisions made in courtrooms and law offices affect the lives of real people, their families, and their communities. The law requires knowledge and professional skill, but its faithful administration also requires wisdom, integrity, courage, and compassion.
Tonight we listened as Jesus told the crowds something that may have surprised them: “Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.” Jesus goes on to speak of the importance of counting the cost before undertaking a great task. Here he is reminding us that a life of commitment requires more than good intentions. It requires courage, perseverance, humility, and the willingness to put something greater than ourselves first. That message speaks directly to all of us, but especially to those of you who have dedicated your lives to the practice of law and the administration of justice.
For judges, the cross may be the responsibility of rendering a difficult decision with fairness and impartiality. For attorneys, it may mean defending a client zealously while remaining faithful to truth and professional ethics. For all who serve the law, it may mean resisting the pressure to choose what is expedient over what is right. Our Lord warns us that such choices will not be easy, but costly. Our work, after all, is not merely a career, but a calling to serve our neighbors while contributing to the common good.
Working Out Our Salvation
In the first reading, St. Paul tells the Philippians to “work out [their] salvation with fear and trembling.” Yet he immediately reminds the Philippians that God is at work within them, enabling them both to desire and to accomplish what is good. This same is true for us: We have responsibilities, but we do not carry them alone. We are called to exercise our judgment faithfully while remaining humble enough to recognize our need for God’s wisdom and grace.
This is especially important in the administration of justice. The law depends upon sound reasoning and established principles, but also calls us to recognize the dignity of every person who comes before us. No person is merely a case number to be handled, an argument to be won, or an obstacle to be overcome. Each is created in the image & likeness of God.
In my pastoral letter, In Charity & Truth: Towards a Renewed Political Culture, I reflected on the importance of virtue in public life. Prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance: these are not simply private qualities for personal holiness. They are essential to a society in which people can live together in peace, resolve disagreements, and pursue the common good. These virtues are especially important for those entrusted with the law. Prudence helps us judge wisely. Justice calls us to respect the dignity and rights of others. Fortitude gives us the courage to do what is right when it is difficult. Temperance helps us resist anger, ambition, and the temptation to allow our passions to govern our decisions.
St. Paul also calls us to shine “like lights in the world.” Imagine the difference it makes when those who serve in our courts and legal institutions are known for their integrity, fairness, and respect for every human person. Such a witness may not always attract attention, but it strengthens the foundations upon which a just society depends. Institutions and laws are essential, but they cannot accomplish their purpose without people of character who are willing to serve faithfully. Reform begins not with changing structures but with the conversion of hearts. That is a lesson for the Church, the legal profession, and our entire civic life.
St. Thomas More and the American Promise
Tonight we remember St. Thomas More: lawyer, judge, statesman, and martyr. More knew firsthand the tension that arises when professional responsibilities, political pressures, and conscience come into conflict. His words, “I die the King’s good servant, but God’s first,” remind us that service to our country is important, but it must never displace our ultimate allegiance to God.
While imprisoned in the Tower of London, More wrote A Dialogue of Comfort Against Tribulation. He reflects on how a Christian can endure suffering and uncertainty without surrendering hope. He reminds us that doing what is right does not always spare us from hardship. Authentic service often requires courage in the face of pressure. He also reminds us that fidelity to a well-formed conscience sustains us when the cost is great. He invites us to consider whether we are prepared to uphold truth & conscience even when doing so comes at a high personal and professional cost.
Staying True to Our Nation’s Highest Aspirations
As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of our nation’s founding, we have an opportunity to reflect on what it means to love our country faithfully. This anniversary invites gratitude for the freedoms and ideals that have shaped our national life. It also invites honest reflection on the distance between our founding promises and the experience of those who have been denied the dignity and rights those promises proclaim.
Patriotism does not require us to ignore our nation’s shortcomings. Rather, love of country calls us to help our nation live more fully according to its highest ideals. In my letter, In Charity and Truth, I encourage a renewed political culture grounded in truth, virtue, and civic friendship. Such a culture requires us to see others not simply as political opponents, but as fellow citizens whose dignity does not depend upon agreement. That is not always easy. It requires patience, humility, & a willingness to listen. Indeed, a commitment to the common good always demands that we seek more than victory over those with whom we disagree.
Those of you who administer justice play an important role in sustaining this commitment. By upholding the law, respecting human dignity, and exercising your responsibilities with integrity, you help preserve the conditions in which people of differing convictions can live together in peace.
Led by the Holy Spirit
Discipleship is costly. Love of country is costly. Upholding justice is costly. Building a just society requires sacrifice, perseverance, and a willingness to place human dignity and the common good above personal advantage. This is why we celebrate the Red Mass: to ask the Holy Spirit to guide us because we know that professional expertise alone is not enough. We seek wisdom to discern what is right, courage to act upon it, and humility to recognize that our work is a part of something greater than ourselves. May the Holy Spirit inspire and strengthen all who serve the cause of justice. For the truest measure of our service to the Church, to the law, or to our nation is whether our lives help the light of Christ shine more brightly in the world.