By Archbishop Thomas Wenski - The Archdiocese of Miami
Archbishop Thomas Wenski preached this homily at the funeral Mass for Father Randall Musselman, which was celebrated Feb. 25, 2020 at All Saints Church in Sunrise.
Father’s obituary on the web page of the Archdiocese of Miami begins simply with these words: Father Musselman’s life as a priest ended where his life as a Catholic began, at All Saints Church. Of course, Father Musselman was not only a “father” – he was a grandfather. Our deepest sympathies to his grandchildren, Brandon, Brendan and Jaxson; and to his daughters, Karina and Kelly. Our thanks to you and to your families for having shared your father and grandfather with the Church, first as a deacon for 13 years at this parish, and then —after your mother died and he discerned an additional call to the ministerial priesthood — as an ordained priest for 11 years, the last two years of which he served as pastor of All Saints, his family’s parish, and where many years ago — to the joy of his wife, Terry — he was received into the Catholic Church by Father Tony Mulderry. Talk about how life takes us “full circle.”
Karina and Kelly, he was truly a father to you both — and a grandfather for your children. But he was also a spiritual father to the parishioners where he served, especially those here at All Saints.
And so, it is normal that we all grieve him, for grief is the pain of letting go. And, we must let go. But, even in our grief, we are consoled by the promise of future immortality won for us by Christ, crucified and risen from the dead.
The Paschal Candle stands beside the coffin at every Mass of Christian burial — just as it stands by the font at baptisms. Five grains of incense represent the five wounds of Christ. Those five grains in the form of a cross are framed by the Greek letters, Alpha and Omega, symbolizing Christ — our beginning and our end. When the candle is lit after the blessing of the new fire on Holy Saturday evening, the priest prays, as Father Musselman prayed when he celebrated the Easter Vigil: “May the light of Christ, rising in glory, dispel the darkness of our hearts and minds.” The words of St. Paul also comfort us: “If we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also rise with him.”
The priesthood can and does bring great joy when we authentically witness to Christ, who despite our unworthiness and our human weakness, has called us to the priesthood, the priesthood, which is both “a gift and a mystery.” Indeed, we could say that to the extent that we are authentic witnesses we will find joy in our priesthood even when we experience hardships and disappointments. And, as Pope Francis reminds us priests, “Authentic witnesses do not contradict by behavior or by lifestyle what we have preached and taught to others.”
In commending the soul of Randy Musselman to the Lord, we thank God for his witness – for the witness of his “yes” to the priesthood of Jesus Christ, but also for the witness of his “yes” given throughout his faith journey — first in the Baptist faith, then as a confirmed Catholic, as a married family man, as an ordained deacon and then lastly as a priest. His last “yes,” of course, was to the will of God as he received the Last Rites of the Church. As Jesus tells his apostles, on the eve of his passing from this life: Do not let your hearts be troubled; have faith in God and faith in me.
The presence of so many of Christ’s faithful here at this Mass of Christian burial — not only parishioners of All Saints but others who were touched by Randy’s ministry — is so edifying to the priests who join here in commending the soul of this priest to our merciful Lord. I am reminded of Pope St. John Paul II’s words; he wrote of people today and in every age: “...in the end they have but one expectation: they are thirsty for Christ. Everything else — their economic, social and political needs — can be met by any number of other people. From the priest they ask for Christ! And from him they have the right to receive Christ.”
Randy Musselman thirsted for Jesus Christ — he asked a priest for Christ and having received him, he offered Christ to others as a deacon and then as a priest of the Church.
As that obituary says so well: Father Musselman’s life as a priest ended where his life as a Catholic began at All Saints Church. Eternal Rest grant unto him, O Lord; may his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace. Amen.
