St. Florian

To God’s glory, to your neighbor’s help… Outside the windows, there is already a beautiful spring. A few days ago, we entered Today-Today-May, a month overflowing with the beauty of nature and an abundance of colorful, fresh hues, but also a month of celebrating various holidays. Today’s is one of them, and that is the holiday of firefighters. Therefore, once again, I warmly welcome you, firefighters, to our parish church. You come so that we can thank the Lord God together at this Eucharist for your service to man, which is also a service to God.

Jesus himself confirms this with the words, “Everything that you did for one of the least of these, you did for me.” Therefore, one of the main mottos of firefighters is “To God for honor, to your neighbor for help.” Your profession is unique; it is not a job. It is an exceptional, responsible service. This service is difficult because you never know what can happen and what can happen to you. You are prepared for everything, even the loss of your life. Therefore, being a firefighter means serving everyone and always prioritizing this service over private matters, family, relaxation, or other worries of everyday life. How good it is that we have you here and can truly feel safe and sleep in peace.

 In today’s Gospel, we hear profound words from Jesus: “Greater love has no one than this, that a person lay down his life for his friends.” With these words, Jesus shows us that true love zealself by giving up his life for others, sometimes to the point of death. And you, firefighters, are ready for zeal sacrifice, just like your patron, Saint Florian. Dear ones, you have a wonderful helper and advocate with God in heaven. Saint Florian came from a military family, was a Roman soldier, and later served as a military official in the territory of today’s Upper Austria at the end of the 3rd century AD.

His superiors honored him for his zealous and professional service in the army. He was a Christian. He was one of those who loved Christ most, for they laid down their lives for him. He did not renounce his faith, did not deny his Master, and did not betray Jesus when the Emperor Diocletian began to persecute Christians. Saint Florian showed that he was a soldier of Christ, faithful until death, until May 4, 304, when the executioners tied a millstone around his neck and threw him into the river. And why did Florian actually become the patron saint of firefighters? Because he was killed by water, which is the opposite of fire and is used to extinguish it. That is why Florian became the main patron saint against the danger of fire. 

Dear firefighters, You are an exceptional group in society; you are a community of service and a wonderful profession. You are a congregation that provides exceptional testimony of sacrifice and dedication to humanity. No one forced you to do this. It was the choice of each of you. Your service requires perseverance, courage, and sacrifice. You do not collapse under the difficulties of misfortune. You do not capitulate, because in the first place, you always see help for those in need. You often go into action when others fall into confusion and despair in the misfortune that has befallen them. Your goal is always to save human life and property and to alleviate the burden of misfortune. With your attitude, you show people something critical, namely, brotherly love, its moral strength, and sacrifice. Your service is a constant giving of testimony and is a full following of Jesus Christ, who “came not into this world to be served, but to serve.” Much of what you do is in the spirit of the Gospel and Christian ethics. From this divine source, impulses for the service of merciful love flow.

Beloved. Strive to continue to serve with dedication and love. Today’s world and man greatly need your testimony, as they increasingly prefer the word “having” to “being.” Show today’s world, and us in our parish, that sacrifice, courage, and love for others are not just dead words but that in them lies true happiness and the fulfillment of the meaning of human life. May Saint Florian always intercede for you with God in heaven. Amen.