GEORGIA
Southern Cross
Following is the homily Bishop Gregory J. Hartmayer, OFM. Conv., gave March 29 at the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist in Savannah during the diocese’s first Lenten prayer service for survivors of abuse.
The suffering of the innocent has mystified and bewildered people of Faith long before Isaiah the Prophet wrote the moving description of God’s suffering Servant that we just heard in our first reading.
The suffering of the innocent goes back to Cain killing his brother Abel out of jealously; out of a complete lack of respect for the sanctity and the preciousness of human life.
Christians have always envisioned Jesus as the unique Innocent One whose suffering is a unique source of healing and life for all of us. Yet we also know that Christ is not the only innocent person ever to have suffered.
Recently we have had to admit that far too many innocent ones have lived with the pain of abuse at the hands of those who should have protected them, nurtured them, and sanctified them.
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