MAZEROLLES Joseph (Father) - France

When I heard of Fr Mazerolles’ death, memories came flooding back. Joseph was jovial and friendly. Whenever we met he always loved to greet me in Basque. I never lived in community with him. During the last few years he experienced what we could call life’s mysteries. Consequently, the Gospel text means something to me when I contemplate Joseph’s life especially where St John says “Unless the wheat grain falls on the ground and dies, it remains only a single grain, but if it dies it yields a rich harvest”. (Jn 12,24)

Is this not the meaning of our baptismal life and even more so of our religious and priestly life? We must give ourselves over to God’s love; give ourselves over body and soul for the good of mankind, to the mission of the Church which is the announcing of the Good News as St Paul reminds us in the first text: “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures and was laid in the tomb; on the third day he rose from the dead according to the Scriptures”. (1 Cor. 15, 3-4)

Joseph’s ministry was essentially pastoral: listening, accompanying, announcing the Good News. The shepherd lives in the middle of his sheep with care, discretion and sometimes courage. It is work which is not always visible for he is encouraging and helping the weak and the sick. The pastor’s ministry is like the wheat grain in the ground. No one sees it germinating and yet the power of life gives fruit. It is a fruit belonging to God. In the present assembly there are perhaps some of you who benefitted from the ministry and presence of Joseph in the different parishes where he exercised his priestly ministry.

During these last few years Joseph certainly accepted life’s mysteries and let himself be guided by the Master of the Interior who doesn’t abandon the orphan, the patient, the little one, the suffering. Joseph lived out the mystery of the grain of wheat fallen into the earth, and in the silence of the earth produced fruit thanks to the presence of his brothers in religion and thanks to the kindness of the staff at the Retirement Home at Betharram. What is this fruit going to be? It belongs to God. Perhaps it would be good for us to remember that all lives are priceless in God’s eyes, that they have meaning in God’s eyes even if we don’t understand everything.

So with trust and hope, in the course of this Mass let us thank God for Joseph’s life. Let us thank God for the fruits which Joseph brought to fruition. Thank God for the love of the Church which Joseph tried to transmit as faithful servant of the Gospel. Let us thank God for all comes from Him, belongs to Him and is for Him.

Let us pray that hence forth Joseph will contemplate Him Whom he sought and Whom he announced, that he will contemplate the One he served saying, day by day, in the footsteps of St Michael Garicoits: “Here I am, for love’s sake”.

Jean-Dominique DELGUE, scj
Homily for the funeral of Fr Joseph Mazerolles, 
Bétharram, 19 July 2014