It is a great privilege to be invited by Father Steven to give the homily at his first Mass in this beautiful cathedral.
It is a day I am sure you will not forget, if for no other reason than the “air of firstness” about it: the first full day in the priesthood, the first time he is the principal celebrant at the altar in a day of many first blessings.
But the specialness of the day also relates to what it climaxes. It crowns the Christian journey Steven has so far taken from his Baptism at St Charles through first Holy Communion and Confirmation at your home Church in Spennymoor.
That Christian journey Steven made, we have also made, each of us in our own way, and according to a variety of traditions. It all began in baptism, which introduced us to the Christian story. It is precisely there – in what that baptism did, and in that story, that we all began a journey to Christ, and to one another, and that is why we are gathered in this church today.
We may have taken a variety of roads, even occasionally hesitating here and there and here and there, and indeed here and there, but along the way our meeting today is a great grace – for Church, for family especially to Steven’s mum and dad Alan and Marie and for his friends. From this day we can take a new empowerment, a new thrust, a refreshing step into the future.

At yesterday’s ordination I found it very emotional. The making of a priest.
We all share a beautiful possession: Christian life, which was imparted in baptism; and the Christian story, which we have stepped into.
What is different is that Steven’s ordination to the priesthood yesterday, and his ability now to celebrate the Eucharist, place him in an even more special relationship with each of us and with the Christian story, which is so important to the identity of all of us.
That story was first lived out over two thousand years ago, climaxing in the meal hosted by Jesus Christ, and in his death a day or two later. The meal was the Last Supper, when Jesus gathered his apostles around him and explained to them that the blood he was about to shed on Calvary, they would drink a cup of now, and his flesh which would be offered on that same hill, they would eat now. His blood was in the form of wine; His body was in the form of bread. Two events: the Last Supper and Calvary, became one in that magnificent gesture of Jesus Christ.
Knowing only too well the human tendency to forget, for memories to dim, and for the likelihood that he might fade from their minds with the passing of the years, Jesus looked at the twelve and said to them: “Come into my house and do with this bread and with this wine what I have done tonight. Do it again and again, for this is the way I want you to remember me!”
Ever since, the Church has done this through the ministry of ordained priests. She obeys the divine command, “Do this in memory of me”, making the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ.
Herein lies today’s specialness for Father Steven and for all of us. He is the one empowered to lead us in this wonderful act of remembering. In the name of Christ, he will take the bread and the chalice, and he will say: “This is my body. This is my blood.” That is precisely what they become!
Then, to build-up God’s people he will, in his wider ministry, preach the Christian story, baptise and forgive, bless and anoint, for all of these are part of Christ’s design, so that people can make the Christian story their own. Each of these acts is a sign of Christ’s great love for people, and the priest is a special instrument of that love. Always remember that you are a special instrument of God’s love.
Often this priestly work will be, humanly, very satisfying; occasionally the work, indeed the very life of a priest, can be hard going. Success will not always be in evidence; rebuffs can come his way; he can be tired. After all, he is simply an earthenware jar that holds this priestly treasure. Earthenware jars are fragile, they can be damaged, even broken. A priest needs to remind himself again and again that it is God’s work he is about, not his own. God will be with him in good times and not so good times.
But this is where you the parishioners can help him and support him. Look after him and every now and then check he is OK. I am convinced that people want the priest to be themselves, not to wear a façade, not to pretend to be someone else. It is our humanity that we share, our love that we share, ourselves that we share.
In Mark’s gospel, Jesus tells us that we need not worry that we may not have what it takes to complete God’s plan for our life. We simply need to trust that He is with us and that He will provide everything we need. The disciples, all simple ordinary men, grasped this truth and were able to share the good news of Jesus with power and effectiveness well beyond anything they could ever have imagined. God used each of them just like He has planned to use you Steven.
This can seem like a leap of faith, just as we hear in our first reading about Amos, the shepherd who felt a certain inadequacy when called on to do something he’d never done before; and just as the Apostles were required to go out and do what Christ had done, they took that leap. Take nothing with you they were told, which is another way of saying: practice what you teach, have faith in God and rely on Providence. What you have to offer is the truth and the power of the message you carry.
St Paul, of the second reading today was thoroughly convinced of God being at hand, so much so that it was impossible for Paul to lose heart. Instead, he radiated enthusiasm in working for Christ. The point is if we learn to love our work, it brings its own strength.
Father Steven, yes you need to get use to people calling you that, enjoy being a priest. God put each of us into this world for a purpose, and now, finally you have found yours. But it is always God’s time that we live and work in.
I look forward to working with you in this part of the vineyard the Lord has entrusted to our care here in the North-East of England.
You are now ordained and anointed to bring Good News to the poor and to give them the oil of gladness. What a vocation that is, and how lovely to share it together with our fellow priests for the sake of God’s people, our sisters and brothers entrusted by God to our pastoral care.
We all, priests and people, wish you so sincerely all the happiness and fulfilment which now lies open before you.

Monsignor Gerard Robinson VG