Today's passage from St. Luke takes place eight days after Peter's confession that Jesus is the Messiah and the subsequent prediction by Jesus of His impending Passion and Death. The number eight carries a sense of eschatological fulfillment or completion. No doubt, the disciples were forced to ponder the meaning of the suffering, rejection and torture of which Jesus spoke and no doubt Jesus also pondered the inevitability of this truth that He had now placed out in the open.

And so with such concern on his mind, Jesus ascends the mountain just as Moses had broached Sinai to receive the Ten Commandments, or Elijah to experience God's presence in the whispering breeze.

Jesus ascends this mountain devoid of any personal ambition or gain, conscious of the journey that looms before Him and fully aware of His disciples' limitations. He ascends the mountain to pray -- to empty His inner being of His own glory in an act of total abandonment to the will of His Father. As He does so, the heavenly Father looks into the heart of His Beloved Son and sees how pure, how self-less, how resolute the desire of that Son was to please Him. And in that instant, the Father spontaneously floods the inner Jesus with His own glory, transforming His face and in fact His total appearance.

In the transfiguration, Jesus was able to experience a destiny beyond the powerlessness of the moment and even beyond his own predicted suffering and death to the next moment of transformation for him, that of His Resurrection from the dead. Precisely because Jesus was able to let go of everything that impeded His doing the Father's will, He was able to experience the Father's glory -- "the glory of the Father's only Son filled with enduring light." (John 1:14).

My brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus, you and I have journeyed to this metaphorical mountain on the Prairie here in Sleepy Eye, Minnesota as present-day disciples of Jesus who likewise seek to do the Father's will. My predecessor, Bishop Lucker said so often in his monthly column which appeared in the Prairie Catholic, our mission as followers of Christ is contained in the three-fold task of: 1) proclaiming and teaching the Word; 2) celebrating the Sacred Mysteries and building up the bond of unity which is fellowship in the life of the Spirit, and 3) reaching out in loving service to those in need, especially the poor, the infirm, and the stranger.

Herein lies the mission of the local Church of New Ulm at the beginning of this third Millennium of God's grace and favor. And herein lies the mission of its new bishop who before you today pledges all the energy and devotion of his heart to this awesome task of building up the Kingdom of God for as long as God grants me strength and life.

I join my voice with that of our Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, in proclaiming that: "Jesus alone is the solution to all your problems. He alone is the way, the truth and the light. He alone is the real salvation of the world. He alone is the hope of salvation."

So as we stand here pondering the mystery of God's Providence, as we look to the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead, as we discern our individual roles and God's plan for that salvation, we look to Jesus and the glory of the Father radiating from His most Sacred Heart.

When I first entered this magnificent church on June 28th in the company of Father Brian Oestreich, I was overwhelmed with the evident faith of the people whose loving devotion built such a magnificent edifice to the intercession of Our Lady, Help of Christians. Then I spied the towering statue of the Sacred Heart on the side chapel, with St. Therese close by his side, and I knew I was home. Please God with the powerful assistance of these three (Jesus, Mary and Therese), there is no reason for any of us to fear whatever may come, there is only the hope of future glory.

And so, that's my agenda -- that's my game plan -- that's what lies in the head and the heart of your new bishop as he assumes the office of Shepherd -- to teach, to pray and to serve with such zeal that the glory of God within each of us will shine forth before the world.

Earlier last month I commemorated my fifth anniversary of Episcopal Ordination at the hands of Cardinal Maida, Cardinal Hickey and Cardinal Szoka, whose presence here again today gives me a great sense of joy. In the opening prayer of the liturgy for such an anniversary, the Church prays that the bishop will be a faithful teacher, a wise administrator, and a holy priest. That's not a bad job description, even though it is a personally challenging one. I implore all of you here present to pray everyday that I can and will measure up, that together we can and will measure up to this noble call.

On the day of the announcement, June 12th, I quoted the advice that the late John Cardinal Dearden gave me when I became a pastor for the first time. Essentially it was to wait a year before changing anything. I believe that is very wise counsel in that it gives the priests, pastoral administrators, religious and people of the Diocese time to get used to me. And it gives me time to observe, listen and contemplate their lives of faith.

In the meantime, however, all other activity does not stand still. You still have to eat, to sleep, to brush your teeth and wash behind your ears. And so, the pastoral plan "Hope for Years to Come" must continue to go forward, our commitment to our mission in Guatemala must not waiver, our support for Catholic schools and religious education must be reaffirmed and our efforts to end the culture of death by overcoming the scourge of abortion on our society must never let up.

But among all these responsibilities that make up our perennial duties is the work of inviting young men to the priesthood and young women and men to the religious life. St. Matthew quotes Jesus in the ninth chapter of his Gospel as saying: "The harvest is good but laborers are scarce. Beg the harvest master to send out laborers to gather his harvest."

Now we know this is the age of the lay apostolate and our Holy Father reminded us in Mexico City that the New Evangelization will require the dedicated involvement of lay ministries, but that vocation cannot be gained at the expense of ordained ministers.

The hierarchy is a constituative element of the Church established by Jesus Christ and that means without it we do not measure up to what Jesus intended. I am convinced that Jesus is calling young men, and older men as well, to act in His priestly person. My brothers and sisters, we must believe this if we are to be faithful to Christ.

I also want to assure you that this is not simply a numbers game, a mere program of recruitment. No, it is a call to liberate the hearts of those individuals who have been chosen by Christ for His service, in order that they may realize the potential that God has given them. I have known that sense of fulfillment in my life as a priest these past 27 years. With all my heart, I want others to know the joy and satisfaction of that commitment in their lives as well.

The work of fostering priestly and religious vocations is a number one priority for the third bishop of New Ulm and with the help of all of you I want us to begin a full-court press to see that it takes place.

But let us remember that vocations come from God, not from us. Jesus gives the grace, only He sustains the call. Therefore, I ask that for the next year every meeting on a parish or diocesan level begin with prayers for priestly, religious, diaconal and missionary vocations. I ask every family for the next year to pray for vocations whenever they sit down to bless their food or kneel down to give thanks for their abundance. I ask that for the next year every Prayer of the Faithful whether at a Eucharistic celebration or a Scripture service likewise include such a petition for vocations.

Secondly, our fervent prayer must be accompanied with fasting. Therefore, I ask that for the next year abstinence from meat on Fridays be undertaken specifically for vocations. At first, this may strike you as a simplistic request, but I can assure you that I have experienced in my own life how acceptable such fasting is to God when it is offered with a devoted heart.

So that's my heartfelt request of every Catholic in this Diocese -- prayer and fasting for priestly, religious, diaconal and missionary vocations.

A second source of concern for me is the present crisis facing family farmers in this rural area. As a Church we must work with State and Federal government agencies to ensure that the dignity of the farmer is protected and the common good promoted. One thing is very clear: the economy exists for the people, not the other way around. I support the 1999 statement of the Bishops of Minnesota on this issue and I pledge to do whatever I can to help us respond positively to present day challenges and to find solutions that are just, supportive and long-lasting for our farm communities.

Allow me to thank my good friend, Rabbi Dannel Schwartz for his presence here today. I also wish to thank the distinguished representatives from other Christian Churches, the deacons, religious, pastoral administrators, priests, Bishops, Archbishops, Cardinals, former colleagues, my parents, family members and dear, dear friends who have journeyed far to be with us on this special day. I dare not begin to list all of you, lest this homily be extended even further. You each know how much I love you and how grateful I am for your own unfailing and generous support. I thank you for coming here, to meet my new family in faith.

I do want to say a special word of thanks to His Excellency, Archbishop Gabriel Montalvo, who has been so encouraging and so supportive of me these past several weeks. In his person, he reflects the pastoral concern and fraternal care that so evidently reminds us of the office of Peter and the solicitude of our Holy Father, Pope John Paul II whom he represents so well. Your Excellency, please convey to His Holiness the love and affection of the clergy, religious and faithful of this Diocese. Please assure him of our affective and effective communio, of our fidelity to the Church and of our daily prayer for continued energy and strength - of heart and mind - for him as he provides such outstanding leadership for the Church, indeed for the world, in this New Millenium of God's grace and favor.

I also desire to thank my new Metropolitan, Archbishop Harry Flynn, for installing me today. I promise him my earnest cooperation and support in the coming years.

In a particular way, I want to acknowledge Cardinal Hickey who ordained me a deacon and Bishop Joe Imesch who ordained me a priest. Again, I thank Cardinal Maida, Cardinal Szoka and Cardinal Hickey for the formative role each of them has had on my life. I wish to recognize the special affection I have for Cardinal Keeler who invited me several years ago to participate in the national dialogue between Catholics and Jews. In my mind, Cardinal Keeler is truly one of the great bishops of our time. I cannot fail but thank Archbishop Rigali for his mentoring and his friendship these many years. I thank Archbishop Broglio, a dear friend, for coming here today all the way from the Dominican Republic. I am indebted to the friendship of Bishop Melczek, Bishop Morlino, my support group of bishops, my fellow auxiliaries from Detroit and all the priests and bishops here present. Without any intended slight to my close and dear lay and religious friends, today is a day to celebrate the priesthood and I wish to do just that.

On behalf of the whole diocese, I wish to acknowledge the positive leadership exercised by Father Jerry Berger and the Board of Consultors during the past nine months. (Yes, it does take nine months for a baby bishop to be born.) I am delighted to know that I will continue to have their wise counsel during the weeks and months ahead.

And last, but certainly not least, I wish to raise up for our recognition and gratitude the tireless ministry of my predecessor, Bishop Raymond Lucker, over these past 25 years in this Diocese. I was able to visit with Bishop Lucker during my second visit here some weeks ago and to receive his personal blessing. In that meeting I also experienced first-hand the deep love that this man has for the priests, religious leaders and people of the Diocese of New Ulm and for our mission in Guatemala. I spoke with him again yesterday morning and he reassured me of his support as well as his love for all of us. With you I pray that these days of suffering and pain for him be accompanied and sustained with our love and appreciation for all that he has done on our behalf to build up the Kingdom of God in the Diocese of New Ulm.

Ahora permitánme saludar a mis hermanos y hermanas de la comunidad hispaña. Como yo, Ustedes han dehado a sus familiares y hogares en otras partes para empezar una nueva vida en este lugar tan bello y fértil. Como yo, Uds traen la experiencia de fe y espiritualidad para contribuir a la Iglesia en New Ulm.

Conozco el ministerio maravilloso de Padre Antonio Stubeda y a todos que asisten en este ministerio. Yo me junto con ellos para asegurarles que esta diosesis necesita su participacionpara extender la fe católica; para adorar como una comunidad católicay para servir las necesidades de los pobres y marhinados, enfermos y extranjeros. Oremos para Dios nos haga una Iglesia verdaderamente unida en fe, esperanza y caridad. Yo soy el obispo de todos los católicos y quiero servir a todos Uds. en el nombre de Jesús y bajo la protessión de su madre santa, Nuestra Señora de Guadelupe, patrona de America.

My dear friends, old and new, we have all been so blessed in the rich gift of faith that flows from the heart of our crucified Lord. We dare now to continue this Eucharist in His name, asking to be fed with His Body and Blood that we, too, might experience the Father's glory and be transformed more and more into the self-giving image of His Beloved Son.