MADISON — “Be consoled in those moments of exhaustion,” Bishop Donald J. Hying of Madison told the first responders attending the fourth annual Blue Mass in Madison on September 17. “Those moments of perhaps desperation, those moments where you may want to give up and think this isn’t worth it or no one appreciates this. In those moments, think of how profoundly that you are like Christ.”
He spoke these words in his homily at the evening Mass celebrated at St. Bernard Parish in Madison for all first responders in the Madison and the Dane County area.
The Mass began at 5 p.m. and had representatives from the Dane County Sheriff’s Department and the Madison Police Department read the readings. New Dane County Sheriff Kalvin Barrett read the first reading, while the new Chief of Police of the City of Madison Shon F. Barnes read the second reading.
This was both their first time attending the Blue Mass as they had both taken up their positions in the last year. Sheriff Barrett took up his position in May, while Chief Barnes took his post in February.
After the homily, two dignitaries representing police officers, firefighters, and other first responders lit red, white, and blue memorial candles in honor of those who had died in service to the community.
A rescue mission
In connecting the work of first responders to that of the work of God, Bishop Hying spoke of the mystery of the life, death, and resurrection of Christ as “a rescue mission.”
“Christianity embraces something absolutely astonishing,” he said. “And it is this fundamental truth — that God cannot bear to watch us be lost in sin and death, and so he sent his Son to our rescue.”
He spoke of the merciful compassion God has for us and the compassion of those who put their lives on the line every day to protect, oftentimes, strangers.
“We see in the whole Christ event, the compassion and the mercy of God,” he said. “That God comes to our rescue and trades his life for ours. I think we can clearly see the analogy of what the Lord has done for us, and what all of our civil servants do for us. It is the same thing.”
Compassion, he said, is not mere sympathy but rather comes from the Latin which means “to suffer with.”
While still affirming the goodness of sympathy, he stated that “compassion is far deeper. Compassion is the person that enters into the suffering of the other and is even willing to put their life on the line for the sake of the other.”
In encouraging first responders to be consoled, the bishop told first responders to think of “how much the Lord loves you, and how he sustains you in his grace and the fire of the Holy Spirit. . . . So, we pray and ask the Lord to give you what you so generously give us, and that is a compassionate heart, a willing spirit of service, one who is willing to lay down his life for the sake of the other.”
After Mass
At the end of Mass, the police chiefs and sheriff were invited to say a few words.
Chief Barnes said, “Please know that the men and women of the Madison police department will always stand on the side of righteousness. We will always stand brave. We are here for your public safety needs. We appreciate your thoughts and your prayers.”
Sheriff Barrett stated that “compassion is exactly what we serve with. It is what we carry ourselves with every day as we serve and protect our community here, not only in the community but also in our facilities. The brave men and women of the Dane County Sheriff’s office are honored to serve on a daily basis with dignity, respect, compassion, accountability, respect, and excellence. Your thoughts and prayers are greatly appreciated.”
Chief Kristen Roman of the UW Police Department spoke at length about the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks and the numerous first responders who lost their lives that day while trying to save the lives of others.
“There’s no doubt that the police officers, firefighters, and other emergency responders who ran toward and into danger that day were courageous,” she said. “We owe it to these heroes and all those who endeavor to carry forth their commitment to service, to open our hearts and minds that we might see that collectively their ultimate sacrifice was so much more than an act of bravery. Inherently, their sacrifices were an act of love.”
Connecting her point to the virtues, she said, “We must understand that sacrifice and the corresponding virtues of humility and love aren’t built on acts of magnitude alone, rather in the forging of consistent, thoughtful actions of an everyday nature. In this way, each of us has not only the opportunity but a responsibility to carry their legacy of love forward.”
After the Mass, a dinner was served at a reception for those in attendance.