Gift & Mystery

"Each of us is willed...loved...necessary."

2007-10-13T12:29:00.000-07:00

I was recently given a prayer card with a quote from Pope Benedict XVI and thought I would post it. The quote speaks for itself and does not need any further explanation:

"And only where God is seen does life truly begin. Only when we meet the living God in Christ do we know what life is. We are not some casual and meaningless product of evolution. Each of us is willed, each of us is loved, each of us is necessary. There is nothing more beautiful than to be surprised by the Gospel, by the encounter with Christ. There is nothing more beautiful than to know Him and to speak to others of our friendship with Him."

Faith and Trust

2007-10-01T07:58:00.000-07:00

How does a man make the final decision to enter the seminary? What are the indicators that he should look for? Is he to wait until he has absolute certainty that this is the path chosen for him by God? Should he anticipate a miraculous sign or hope to receive a type of revelation in his prayer?

Most priests and seminarians will tell you that they did not experience a miraculous sign or even that they had absolute certainty that they were supposed to be a priest when they entered the seminary. What they will tell you is that they had an interior sense they were being led by God, that they desired more out of life, that they wanted to serve and lead people closer to the Lord, and that the thought of the priesthood was frequently on their hearts. But when it comes down to making the actual decision to enter the seminary, it really comes down to faith and trust. To make the leap from discerning a vocation outside the seminary to entering the seminary takes faith and trust in the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

In the Gospel this Sunday, Jesus speaks to his disciples about the power of faith (“if you have faith the size of a mustard seed…”). When a man is discerning a vocation to the priesthood he is bound to go through times of trial and maybe even times of doubt that God is truly calling him; but this is so that his vocation will ultimately be strengthened. The priest is called to be a man of faith so that he can lead people in the journey of faith. Ordinarily, then, the Lord in his wisdom does not give a miraculous sign revealing a vocation to the priesthood; rather he allows the man who is discerning a call to the priesthood to go forward in faith and trust.

To illuminate the importance that faith and trust plays in discerning a religious vocation, we have only to look at the life of Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta. While studying and later teaching in India, she witnessed tremendous poverty. On September 10, 1946 she was on a train ride from Calcutta to Darjeeling for a spiritual retreat. During this train ride, the Lord spoke very clearly to her about the mission to the poorest of the poor he had prepared for her. This experience, mystical in character, was a defining moment in her life. Without questioning the Lord, she responded to his invitation. She left the community of the Sisters of Our Lady of Loreto and she began the Missionaries of Charity. Mother Teresa trusted the Lord unconditionally. Most likely, she didn’t see everything the Lord had in store for her future. In fact, we now know that much of Mother Teresa’s life was filled with spiritual darkness and desolation. But she always trusted that the Lord had called her and given her this particular mission.

Mother Teresa teaches us that we will not always have absolute certainty of the future. But, we are invited to put our faith and trust in the Lord. We can trust that, if we are open to his guidance, he will never lead us astray. This is a great consolation for the man who is discerning a call to the priesthood. If you are a man who is open to the call to the priesthood but you’re not sure if God is truly calling you, you may need to take a leap of faith. The bottom line is that, in time, the Lord will make it clear to you if this is the path you are to follow

The Infinite Mercy of God

2007-09-15T17:27:00.000-07:00

This Sunday’s gospel focuses on the infinite love and mercy of God. To communicate the radical nature of God’s mercy, Jesus uses three parables. To the hearer, there is an obvious disproportional nature to these stories: why in the world would the shepherd leave the ninety-nine to go after the one? Why would the woman throw a party after finding one lost coin, a party that would cost her more than one coin to host?! How could the father forgive and forget after such a slap in the face by his son? The point is clear: The Lord desires that every single person know the depths of his love and mercy. No sin is greater than God’s mercy, and no sinner is beyond the reach of his mercy. The Lord is always willing to forgive.

One of the most humbling aspects of the priesthood is hearing confessions and dispensing God’s mercy in this wonderful sacrament. It is simply amazing to know that I am acting as a minister of the Lord’s forgiveness, that I am an instrument of his divine mercy and healing. For priests, the gospel this weekend connects on the deepest level: we are called to bring his mercy to the one who is lost; we are called to proclaim his mercy and to invite people, especially those who feel unforgivable, into the loving and merciful embrace of God.

If you are a man discerning a call to the priesthood, it is important that you be attentive to the deep desires of your heart: do you desire to make people aware of the infinite love and mercy of the Lord? Do you desire to be an instrument of healing and reconciliation in peoples’ lives? Can you envision yourself hearing peoples’ confessions? Do you want to pass on to others the love and mercy that the Lord has shown to you?

Regardless of what our vocation is, we should all be grateful for the infinite mercy of the Lord. He loves us infinitely and unconditionally.

New Beginnings

2007-09-05T13:57:00.000-07:00

I think it’s ironic that for so many years my life was punctuated by the beginning and end of the academic year and now it continues to be so as a priest. My first assignment as a priest was St. Philip’s in Greenville, a wonderful and vibrant faith community with a large school. The summertime was always a bit different—not less busy, but different—because the students were gone and there were fewer events that were associated with the school. Once September came around, however, school and religious education activities inevitably picked up.

Now as Vocation Director I live at the seminary and I am also the priest on campus at Rhode Island College. So the cycle of the academic year flowing into the summertime—and vice versa—continues. September 4 was our first full day here at the seminary, and now with all the seminarians back, we are in full swing.

From my point of view, then, my “new year” always begins as the academic year does. For many of you, it’s the same way. Your life is punctuated by the beginning and end of the academic year. So a fitting question to ask is what can I do differently this year to help me in my spiritual life? Put another way, what are my goals, particularly with regard to my relationship with Jesus Christ, as this “new year” begins?

Because the summertime has a more leisurely feel to it, it’s sometimes easy for us to slack in our spiritual life. So a good starting point for the new academic year is to resolve to pray more. Here are some practical ways to get your spiritual life back on track if you’ve slackened:

• In my last post, I wrote about the daily examen prayer. This is the type of prayer you may want to incorporate into your daily life: taking time each day to reflect on God’s action in your life and thanking him for all of the daily graces he gives to you.
• Another idea is to incorporate the daily reading of scripture into your life. It’s as simple as starting with the Gospel of Mark—the shortest of the gospels—and reading a little each day.
• Presuming you are attending Mass every Sunday, you might think about getting to Mass during the week as well, even if just once.
• Receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation frequently is a wonderful practice. Think about going monthly.
• Praying the rosary and growing in your devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary will always lead you closer to Jesus Christ.
• Find a good spiritual book to read. It’s good to stay inspired. “He Leadeth Me” by Fr. Walter Ciszek is a book that I highly recommend.
• In the midst of the busyness of the academic year, resolve to spend some time in silence each day. Silence is something that many people try to avoid; however, it is in silence that our relationship with Christ deepens.

So, there you have it: some practical ways to grow in your relationship with the Lord. Remember, God has a plan for you. As your prayer life deepens, don’t be surprised if you experience a movement in your heart toward a particular vocation. It is in prayer that God will reveal the vocation to which you are called. Pay attention, then, to the stirrings of your heart, whether they are for marriage and family, priesthood, or religious life.

Saint Ignatius and God's Will

2007-08-20T13:16:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite saints is Ignatius of Loyola, the great founder of the Society of Jesus (also known as the Jesuits). Ignatius was born in Spain in 1491, and before experiencing a profound conversion to Christ at the age of 30, he was a soldier in the Spanish army.

During a battle against the French at Pamplona, Ignatius’s leg was struck and broken by a cannonball. As he recuperated in his bed at home, he began to read the Life of Christ and the Lives of the Saints. As he read, he noticed something happening in his heart: he felt himself drawn to Christ and he desired to imitate the saints that he was reading about. This time of recuperation was a defining moment in his life, and from that point on he devoted his life to Christ and to spreading the fire of God’s love to all people he encountered.

One of the great methods of prayer that Ignatius proposed for spiritual growth was the daily examen. In fact, still today, priests in the Society of Jesus are asked to set aside fifteen minutes twice a day in order to pray the examen. But what exactly is the daily examen and how does one pray it?

Many of us are probably familiar with what is traditionally called the examination of conscience. This examination consists of a prayerful review of the good and the bad that I have done during the day. The problem with this prayer is that so often it is too self-focused. For Ignatius, the daily examen was meant to be so much more than just what I’ve done well or not so well; the examen is all about God’s action in our daily lives. Ignatius believed that by being attentive to God’s action in our daily lives we can more easily discern the direction in which he is leading us.

How does one pray the daily examen? Ignatius proposed the following way* (see footnote:
• Transition: I become aware of the love with which God looks upon me as I begin this examen.
• Step One: Gratitude. I note the gifts that God’s love has given me this day, and I give thanks to God for them.
• Step Two: Petition. I ask God for an insight and a strength that will make this examen a work of grace, fruitful beyond my human capacity alone.
• Step Three: Review. With my God, I review the day. I look for the stirrings in my heart and the thoughts that God has given me this day. I also look for those that have not been of God. I review my choices in response to both, and throughout the day in general.
• Step Four: Forgiveness. I ask for the healing touch of the forgiving God who, with love and respect for me, removes my heart’s burdens.
• Step Five: Renewal. I look to the following day and, with God, plan concretely how to live it in accord with God’s loving desire for my life.
• Transition: Aware of God’s presence with me, I prayerfully conclude the examen.

The spiritual fruit that we reap from praying the daily examen is a deeper attentiveness to God’s action in our lives. We also grow in the spirit of gratitude because we take time to give thanks for the many blessings the Lord gives us everyday. We develop a sensitivity of heart to God’s graces and we desire to respond more completely to his will. The daily examen is a wonderful way to discern God’s will in our lives. Where is God leading you? What vocation is he calling you to? Of this Ignatius was certain: if you set time aside everyday to examine God’s action in your life, you will come to see more clearly what he is asking of you and where he is leading you. And it’s always a good idea to take the advice of a saint.

*I have borrowed this section verbatim from The Examen Prayer by Fr. Timothy Gallagher, OMV, (Crossroad: New York, 2006), p.25. I highly recommend this book.

Fatima and Eternal Life

2007-08-03T10:58:00.000-07:00

On Thursday, July 19, I returned from a very blessed trip to Portugal. The majority of time was spent on pilgrimage in Fatima; however, we also were able to tour some other parts of that beautiful country. If you ever have the opportunity to visit Fatima, I highly encourage you to go. It is one of the most peaceful and prayerful places I have ever been. For those who don’t know the story of Fatima, it was ninety years ago this year when the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to three shepherd children six times from May to October proclaiming a message of prayer and penance. Over the years, it has become one of the most visited Catholic shrines in the world.

Matthew Kelly, a young Catholic author and speaker whose books and talks I have come to enjoy, said that he travels to Fatima each year “to find answers.” His sentiment became a reality for me as I left for Fatima in the midst of a very painful experience. In June, I wrote about My Father’s Day Gift and how two students from Rhode Island College called me on that day to wish me a Happy Father’s Day. Two days before I left for Fatima, one of those students, Vicky Cadorette, died at the age of 20. Vicky was a spiritual daughter to me. Her death was sudden, and all of us who knew and loved her are still deeply grieving.

A priest possesses a real fatherly affection for the people that the Lord has entrusted to his care. Vicky was one of those people in my life. And the bottom line is that it has been one of the most painful experiences of my life. But, in a beautiful way, it has been a real experience of spiritual fatherhood: a father weeps and mourns when he loses one of his children.

As painful as this time has been, however, I would not trade spiritual fatherhood for anything in the world. The Lord is so good that he allowed me to be at Vicky’s bedside in the hospital to absolve her from her sins and to give her the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick before she died. I was able to spend time with her family, and I was able to spend time in silent prayer by her side. Even though she was unconscious, I know she received grace from the sacraments and prayer, and I know that she is now with the Lord.

Faith and prayer sustain us during difficult times, and over the last few weeks I have spent a lot of time in prayer pondering God’s sometimes mysterious ways. During this particular time, I have come to a deeper appreciation for the Communion of Saints. The truth is, we still have a relationship with those who have died. I know that Vicky is with the Lord; therefore our friendship continues. I know she is praying for us.

For some mysterious reason the Lord brought me to Fatima two days after Vicky’s death and it was there that I experienced the Lord’s peace in a profound way. During difficult times, we are often robbed of peace. But with faith in the Lord, we can experience peace even in the midst of tragedy. Only with faith is it possible to grieve and at the same time to have hope and joy.

Catholic priests are called to proclaim a message of hope and salvation. Those who die in the Lord are alive in him forever. Death is not the end, but the beginning. If I were not a priest I would not have known Vicky Cadorette; and all who knew her were blessed by her life. As a priest, as a spiritual father, the Lord used me to bring her the sacraments at the end of her earthly life to prepare her for Eternal Life. For this, I am forever grateful.

Eternal rest grant unto her O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon her. May she rest in peace, and may the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

A Step of Faith

2007-07-07T15:37:00.000-07:00

“Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase. Just take the first step.” I recently came across these words spoken by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. As one of the pioneers of the civil rights movement in the United States, Dr. King lived these words. He certainly didn’t see the whole staircase; in fact, he saw a lot of opposition. But he walked in faith and proclaimed the truth that all people are created equal, regardless of the color of their skin. His efforts, along with so many others, paved the way for equal rights for African Americans in our country.

The words spoken by Dr. King are applicable, I believe, to any man who is discerning a call to the priesthood. Oftentimes, when a man is discerning a vocation to the priesthood there is a certain amount of fear involved in the decision-making process. The “what if” and “how-do-I-know” questions inevitably arise. What if I’m not really called? What if I’m not happy? How do I know that God is really asking me to do this? How do I know when to take the next step? The questions can be many, and the anxieties and fears can be quite emotionally taxing. Believe me, as a man who went through the discernment process, I know!

Dr. King’s words remind me of a story of a priest I know. As a young man, he was discerning his call to the priesthood. He had thought about if for a few years, but was still unsure if the Lord was asking him to do this, even though it was always on his mind. For quite some time he had been speaking regularly to a priest about the possibility of entering the seminary, when finally the priest said to him: “Look, either go or get off the pot.” (The priest may have used another word for “go”, but so as not to be overly crude, I omitted it here).

The priest’s advice was exactly what that young man needed to hear to take the next step. The truth is, some people feel the need to discern their vocation forever. They go on for years wondering if they are called. They keep thinking about it. They keep praying about it. They keep talking about it. But they don’t do anything about it. All the while, the answer is right in front of them. The Lord is simply saying, “Try it!” Or, as he said to the first Apostles, “Come and see.”

Frequently, when a man speaks with me about the priesthood, I will say to him, “Look, if you enter the seminary it doesn’t mean that you will be ordained a priest the next day.” The reality is that he still has years of discernment ahead of him. And if during his time in the seminary he decides the Lord is not calling him to the priesthood, he is free to leave. However, if during his time in the seminary his call is confirmed, then he will have peace in his heart that he is on the right path. The bottom line is that the best place to discern a call to the priesthood is in the seminary, not outside of it.

So, for those of you who feel that you’re on the fence and you’re not sure whether the Lord is inviting you to follow him as a priest, you might take Dr. King’s advice and take a step of faith. Or, better yet, take the advice the priest gave to that young man: Go or get off the pot.

My Father's Day Gift

2007-06-23T13:48:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday as I was driving home to spend the day with my family, two of my children called me on my cell phone to wish me a happy Father’s Day. Yes…you read that correctly, I said two of my children. You see, besides being the Vocation Director for the Diocese, I am also part-time campus minister at Rhode Island College. So, on this special Sunday, two students that I know very well from their involvement in campus ministry called to let me know that they were thinking of me on Father’s Day.

Needless to say, it was a wonderful Father’s Day gift; I was truly touched by their thoughtfulness. And after the call ended I thought to myself: they get it. They understand the spiritual fatherhood of the priest. I call them my children because just as they acknowledged my spiritual fatherhood, I acknowledge that the Lord has entrusted them to my care in a special way. Like all priests, I am called to be a spiritual father, and it brings me a tremendous amount of joy knowing that these two students grasp that reality.

People will often ask a priest, “Father, don’t you wish you were married? Don’t you wish you had children of your own?” My response to this question is simple: I am married and I do have children. This is not wishful or delusional thinking; it is not something the priest conjures up so that he can “feel good” about himself since he does not have his own wife or biological children. Spiritual fatherhood is a profound truth that gives shape to the life of every priest. The priest gives himself to the Church as a husband gives himself to his wife, and the priest is called to be a spiritual father to the children that God has entrusted to him.

The great St. Paul wrote about his own spiritual fatherhood to his children in Corinth: “Even if you should have countless guides to Christ, yet you do not have many fathers, for I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel” (1 Corinthians 4:15). He understood that he was “fathering” his children as he preached the gospel. And as you read the Letters of St. Paul it is clear that he had true fatherly concerns: he experienced the anxiety of a father when he worried about his children; he experienced the sorrow and frustration of a father when his children strayed from the path of the Lord; and he experienced the joy and pride of a father when his children made progress in living the Christian life.

If a priest is to live his vocation to the fullest, then it is crucial that he grasp this concept of spiritual fatherhood; but it is also important for a man who is discerning a call to the priesthood. The truth is that a man who is discerning the priesthood ought to be able to see himself as being a good father and husband in the physical realm. If he can’t see himself as being a good father and husband, then he should not believe that he would make a good priest.

So, if any man believes he is sacrificing being a father and a husband when he becomes a priest, he is only partly correct. True, he will not have his own biological children nor will he share marital intimacy with a woman; but, he will most certainly exercise his spiritual fatherhood and will love the Bride of Christ, the Church.

Maybe a good advertisement for the priesthood would be: Wanted: Single Catholic Men who can see themselves as being dedicated, loving, and happy fathers and husbands.

Surrender

2007-06-12T06:57:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, June 2, four men were ordained priests for the Diocese of Providence. Priesthood ordinations are always a tremendous grace for the Church. For me, Ordination Day is always a time of personal grace and renewal. Whenever I concelebrate an ordination Mass, it brings me back to the day when I was ordained a priest of Jesus Christ. I always leave the ordination Mass with renewed commitment to the vocation which I have been called to live.

One of the most poignant moments of the ordination rite occurs when the men to be ordained prostrate themselves. During this moment, the Church invites them to ritualize what should already have taken place in their hearts: they are surrendering to the Lord, laying down their lives to serve Christ and the Church. The man to be ordained literally lies down on the floor of the cathedral as a symbol that he is giving his life to the Lord; he is willing to do what the Lord asks and go wherever the Lord wants him to go.

Surrender: this interior disposition is absolutely essential to a life of holiness and particularly important for the man who is called to the priesthood. A man who is called to be a priest must be willing to lay down his life for Christ and the Church. The prayer that must reverberate in the soul of the man who is called to the priesthood is: “Lord, wherever you want me to go, I will go; whatever you want me to do, I will do. I am yours.”

Why is this prayer and disposition of surrender so important? Because when God calls a man to be a priest, the Lord is asking that man to literally give his humanity as an instrument for the salvation of souls. Christ says to that man: “give me your very self so that I may live in you. As a priest, you are not called to live for yourself; I want to live in you. Surrender to me.”

Whatever vocation you are called to, surrendering to the Lord is a vital part of the spiritual life. We should not be afraid of this invitation to surrender to him. It is not the kind of surrender which leads to imprisonment; rather, it is precisely by surrendering to him that we live in true freedom.

Pray for these men who were recently ordained. Pray that their hearts will stay surrendered to Jesus and that they will be living images of Christ to the people they serve. Pray for yourself as well. Are you being attentive to the voice of the Lord in your heart calling you to surrender to him? Do not be afraid, for by surrendering to him, you will see more clearly the path he has chosen for you.

Here's a beautiful prayer of surrender written by Charles de Foucauld:

Prayer of Abandonment
Father,
I abandon myself into your hands;
do with me what you will.
Whatever you may do, I thank you:
I am ready for all, I accept all.
Let only your will be done in me,
and in all your creatures -
I wish no more than this, O Lord.
Into your hands I commend my soul:
I offer it to you with all the love of my heart,
for I love you, Lord, and so need to give myself,
to surrender myself into your hands without reserve,
and with boundless confidence,
for you are my Father.

Macey's Wisdom

2007-06-04T09:50:00.001-07:00

“I need to stop worrying about what I don't have and start being thankful for what I do have.” These words were spoken just the other day by Macey King, the seven year old daughter of my friends Scott and Kim. At a certain point in the day, Kim went to check on Macey and she found her in her bedroom praying the rosary. So when Macey was finished with her prayers, she approached her mom and uttered those words of wisdom. It was a thought that must have come to her in prayer.

By the way, Macey has cancer. For the last several months her little body has been ravaged by the effects of chemotherapy. I visited with the Kings at the end of March and personally witnessed Macey’s suffering and heroism, along with Scott and Kim’s strong faith, unshakable hope and unconditional love. At the time, Macey’s throat was filled with soars and she could barely swallow; she had lost her hair and her neck was a bit discolored; and she was obviously skinnier than most children her age. The good news is that the chemo, along with a lot of prayer, has eliminated the tumor. However, she still has more chemo treatments to endure.

The words Macey spoke to her mom teach us a fundamental lesson about life. We all need to take time to ponder the many blessings we have in our lives so that we can be filled with the spirit of gratitude. So often we get caught up in thinking about everything that’s going wrong in our lives. We get caught up in the worries and the problems. We let people get under our skin. We fret about the future and all the things that could go wrong. We get angry as we wait in traffic or lose our patience as we wait in line at the store. All the while our minds are filled with negative thoughts and our hearts are filled with frustration and these serve to suck the joy and energy of life right out of us.

When is the last time you actually spent time in quiet to ponder the many blessings you have in your life? When is the last time you consciously allowed your heart to be filled with the spirit of gratitude for the gifts that God has given you? When is the last time you stopped worrying about what you don’t have and started being grateful for what you do have? Are you a person whose life is permeated with the spirit gratitude?

If you’re the type of person who feels stuck in your problems and is filled with pessimism and frustration, take young Macey’s advice. Gratitude has a way of breaking the pattern of pessimism and frustration. When we are filled with gratitude, there is little room for negativity in our lives. We can even be grateful in the midst of problems by asking, what can I be grateful for in this problem? What lesson can I learn here? What’s good about this problem? How will this problem help me to grow?

So, right now I challenge you: find a quiet spot and spend time in silence to thank God for the gifts and blessings in your life. Really ponder the blessings in your life: your family, friends, gifts, and talents. Write them down. Take as long as you want and just write down all the blessings you can think of. You’ll be amazed at the list and it will help you to foster the spirit of gratitude. And while you’re making your list, don’t forget to add Macey to it.

Freedom in the Rain

2007-05-24T10:31:00.000-07:00

It may sound strange, but I love running in the rain. On Sunday, for example, I was out for a nice 4 mile run and at about 3 miles, the clouds opened. It came at the perfect time. I needed a little kick at that point, and the rain, far from deterring me, exhilarated me. First it started to sprinkle, then it became steady, and then it poured. The people driving by me probably thought I was crazy, as I actually spread my arms, opened my hands skyward and smiled. At that moment, I didn’t have a care in the world. I felt so happy, so joyful, so…free.

Are you free?

As I continued my run through the rain, I started to reflect on how free I felt, and then I began to reflect on what it means to be free…spiritually free. As it started to rain, I could have chosen to look for an overhang and run for cover. I could have let it ruin my pace, but in fact there was something about the rain that energized me. Then it struck me that the rain was like temptation. So often we can let temptation to sin ruin our spiritual pace. Temptation becomes the focus and we take our eyes off of Jesus. At times, when we’re tempted, we forget that the Lord allows it so that we can grow spiritually stronger. In the midst of temptation, however, the Lord invites us to pick up our spiritual pace and run to him with even more joy and exhilaration.

I experienced true freedom during my run because the rain did not stop me from pushing to the finish line; in fact, it empowered me to finish stronger; it made me joyful. I was free because I chose to run through the rain. Spiritual freedom does not mean that we are exempt from temptation, but it does mean that the temptations don’t stop us from going forward in our spiritual race. Remember: we are not alone. In fact, it’s only with God’s grace that we can overcome temptation. As St. Paul wrote, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).

Unfortunately, the modern day notion of freedom is completely detached from truth and responsibility. So many people believe that freedom is the ability to do whatever you want, whenever you want, wherever you want…as long as you’re not hurting anybody. But the tragic irony is that many of those who espouse this concept of freedom are actually enslaved by the very things they believe they’re freely choosing. How many people in our society are slaves to drugs, alcohol, money, sex, pornography…the list goes on and on. By using their freedom poorly, they have severely limited their freedom because they are no longer capable of choosing a different way.

True freedom is the ability to say “no” to temptation. True freedom is having mastery over our emotions and passions; we control them rather than them controlling us. With regard to our vocation, true freedom means that we answer with a resounding “yes” to whatever Jesus is asking of us. No fear of the future, only trust in the Lord.

Are you free? Most of us are not completely free, but as we grow in our friendship with Christ so too do we grow in authentic freedom. So, the next time you’re in the midst of temptation, remember that by saying no to yourself and yes to Christ, you are growing in true freedom. Heck, you might even use your freedom to go for a run…and hope it rains.

The True Way to Find Yourself

2007-05-10T06:07:00.000-07:00

Recently, I was speaking with a dear friend of mine who shared with me the troubling news that her sister’s husband had decided to leave the marriage. The reason, he told his wife, was that he needed “to find himself.” I told my friend, quite bluntly, that his excuse was baloney (I believe I may have used another word, but for the sake of you, my readers, I will stick with “baloney” so as not scandalize anyone!).

You’ve probably heard that excuse before: someone is having personal difficulties, and they believe the way to solve those difficulties is by walking away from their commitments, even if it means abandoning their spouse or children or ministry. They believe that by running away they will somehow magically discover who they really are. Often times, this choice to run away to find oneself is not about finding oneself at all; it’s about running away from responsibility or from the hard work that life sometimes entails.

The Church, on the contrary, proposes the true way to find oneself: “Man…cannot fully find himself except through a sincere gift of himself” (Gaudium et Spes, 24). These beautiful words from the Second Vatican Council shed the light of truth upon the problem of self-centered living. The only way that I can truly find myself is by giving myself away in love. We were not created to live a self-centered life; God created us so that we could give our lives away as a gift. Life is a gift that is meant to be given in love. Whatever our vocation—married love or celibate love—we are called to imitate Christ by living selflessly.

That troubled man, believing he would find himself by leaving his wife and children, is deceived. How, then, could he have found himself? By choosing to love his wife and children more, regardless of what he was feeling; by recommitting himself to being the best husband and the best father that he could possibly be. We don’t find ourselves by running away from our vocation; we find ourselves precisely by living our vocation heroically, especially when times are hard. The only way to love when we don’t feel like loving is to love! We choose it; we don’t wait for the feeling.

We live in a very selfish world. Many people are deceived, believing that if they live for themselves alone they will be happy. The truth is that selfishness breeds sorrow. Only by imitating Christ and living selflessly can we be truly happy.

In the same document from the Second Vatican Council, we read that “Christ…fully reveals man to himself and makes his supreme calling clear” (Gaudium et Spes, 22). Jesus Christ reveals who we as human beings are called to be. By contemplating the life of Christ and by imitating his virtues, then and only then will we find ourselves.

So, if you are struggling with sadness in your life, if you are finding it hard to love those closest to you or just to love in general, if you keep retreating within yourself only to find more isolation, then make a choice to live selflessly; make a choice to serve. Contemplate our Crucified Savior and make a decision to live for him, not for yourself. I assure you, in doing this you will find peace and happiness; and, most certainly, you will discover who God created you to be.

Priests In Love

2007-05-03T06:05:00.000-07:00

Sometime last year I was strolling through Borders, one of my favorite pastimes. As usual, I was wandering through the store and looking at all of the new releases. Eventually, I made my way over to the religion and spirituality section and I stumbled upon a book entitled Priests In Love. “Interesting,” I thought to myself; “I wonder what this is all about.”

So, I took the book off the shelf and began to peruse it, reading the back cover, looking at the contents, and skimming the pages. As soon as I read the back cover, however, I quickly realized that this was an anti-celibacy book. In the book, the author critiques celibacy while highlighting priests who have fallen away from their promise. After reading through some of the book, I came to the conclusion that the author came up with a wonderful title but with all the wrong content.

Priests In Love is a very fitting title for a book about the priesthood because priests are called to be men in love. But to use this title for a book about priests who have fallen out of love with Jesus and the Church and into love with a woman misses the point. You see, celibacy is not simply a way to live; it’s a way to love. The man who is called to be a priest should be in love with Jesus Christ; in fact, as St. Paul wrote, it is the love of Christ that should impel us to love others. Celibacy enables the priest to open his heart to the intimacy of Christ’s love. And as a priest comes to know the love that Christ has for him, he in turn is able to love the people who are entrusted to him in his ministry. One of the ways priests make the love of Christ present to others is through living chaste celibacy, just as Jesus himself lived.

Why else would a man decide to be a priest if not for love? When a man who is called to the priesthood comes to know the depths of Christ’s love for him, he finds within himself a desire to give his life completely to Jesus Christ. For any man who is discerning the priesthood, for any seminarian, and especially for any priest, it is vital to see celibacy as an invitation to love like Christ. This does not mean that a priest does not experience temptation, or that he is exempt from normal human emotions and attractions. However, if a priest does not see celibacy as a way to love, then it will be felt as a burden not a gift.

The priest, Pope John Paul II wrote, is the living and transparent image of Christ the Priest. Celibacy, then, is a way for a priest to be Christ’s living and transparent image to others. Celibacy is a gift, and when fully embraced and lived it leads to tremendous spiritual fruitfulness in the Church and also to incredible fulfillment in the life of the priest who is living it.

Virginia Tech and the Resurrection

2007-04-19T19:39:00.000-07:00

How does one make sense out of a senseless act?

This week, as we watched the tragic event at Virginia Tech unfold, most of us had no words; just raw emotion…and a question: Why? As the Virginia Tech community, and indeed the entire nation, grieves the tragic loss of so many lives, we are left with that nagging question: Why? In many ways, this question is unanswerable. Of course we can speculate: Could more have been done to prevent it? Should the authorities have acted more quickly? What about the warning signs present in the deranged individual who committed this heinous crime? Questions continue to abound; but none of them answer the ultimate question that is on the hearts of so many: Why does God allow these things to happen?

Let’s be honest though: even if we had a logical academic answer to this question we certainly would not be satisfied with it. The sad reality is that it happened, and the truth is that it doesn’t make sense; it shouldn’t have happened. So maybe the question to ask is not “Why?” Maybe the question that needs to be asked is “Who?” Who can bring comfort to those in sorrow? Who can bring peace to those in distress? Who can raise to eternal life those who have died? Who has the power to heal and to strengthen?

Anytime tragedy occurs there are always moments of light and hope. The candlelight vigil on Tuesday evening at Virginia Tech was a symbol of the light of faith and hope shining forth from so many in that community. Here’s an interesting question: Why do people gather to hold candlelight vigils in the midst of dark and sorrowful times? It’s because we believe that light can conquer the darkness. During this past week students, faculty, staff and family of the Virginia Tech community have gathered in prayer to seek strength and comfort in the Lord. We can learn a lesson from them: it is only the power of Christ’s Resurrection that can scatter the darkness of this moment. It is only the power of Christ’s Resurrection that can bring hope to what seems like a hopeless moment.

This massacre should not have happened. God did not will it to happen. Lives tragically ended, and now we grieve. But even in this dark moment the light of Christ’s Resurrection shines brightly in the faith of those who believe.

We pray for those who died and all who have been so deeply scarred by this tragedy. But we need to make a resolution: During this Easter season, we must be Christ’s light to a world that is so often in darkness. Christ’s light will shine, but only if we allow him to shine through us.

Called By Name

2007-04-12T08:06:00.000-07:00

“Jesus said to her, ‘Mary!’ She turned and said to him in Hebrew, ‘Rabbouni,’ which means Teacher” (John 20:16).

Just about every weekend I have the honor of traveling to a different parish in the diocese to preach about the vocation to the priesthood. It is a great joy for me to be able to do this, because I love inviting Catholics to reflect upon the blessing of the priesthood in their lives. Truthfully, preaching about the priesthood every weekend also helps me to have a deeper appreciation for this amazing vocation to which I have been called; it helps me to enter more deeply into the gift and mystery.

One way that I attempt to concretely promote vocations in these parish communities is by inviting people to take action. Near each door of the church I place a pile of blue index cards with the words “CALLED BY NAME” on the top of each card. During my homily I invite the people to think of a man that they believe would make a good priest, and then I ask them to take a card home, pray about it, and then send his name and address to me. When I receive one of those Called By Name cards in the mail I then send a letter to that man inviting him to consider the vocation to the priesthood. Some of you reading this may have received one of these letters from me in the past. The goal of the Called by Name card is twofold: first, to get the people to understand that they are responsible for promoting priestly vocations; second, to plant a seed in the heart of the man who receives the letter from me.

Called by name… Isn’t this what happened to Mary Magdalene at the empty tomb? Mary went in search of Christ; she longed to be with him. And when she arrived at the empty tomb, she wept because she thought his body had been taken. Jesus then appeared to her, but she did not recognize him…until he called her by name. Only When Jesus called her name, “Mary,” did she experience the power of the Resurrection. Christ revealed himself to her and then sent her on a mission to tell the apostles that he had risen from the dead.

With this “Called by Name” gospel scene in mind, here are a couple of questions to help you discern God’s will for your life: Are you, like Mary, seeking to be with Christ? Are you choosing to set aside quiet time for prayer every day so that you, like Mary, can hear Jesus call you by name? Have you experienced the power of the Resurrection? You see, what happens when set time aside to seek Christ and to listen to his voice is that we hear him call us by name; we come to know his love for us. And when we look into the face of Christ and see his eyes filled with love, we are drawn to know and love him more. As we grow to know and love him, we see why he created us; we see our vocation. Jesus called Mary by name, but he also calls you and me by name. We just need to have the courage to be still, open the ears of our hearts, and listen to him.

During this Easter season, Jesus wants us to experience the power of his Resurrection. Jesus wants us to know his love; he wants us to know his plan for us. But this will only happen if we take time to be still; it will only happen if we seek his face and listen to his voice. Will you seek him? Will you listen to his voice? Will you listen to him call you by name? Do not be afraid to seek him; do not be afraid to listen to him. Do not be afraid...

The Three Mysteries of Holy Thursday

2007-04-05T18:00:00.000-07:00

I love Holy Thursday because it is on this day that I, along with all of my brother priests throughout the world, give thanks to God for the gift and mystery of our vocation. On Holy Thursday we celebrate the reason for our existence: the priesthood, Christ’s gift to the Church which continues his presence among us in a unique and sacramental way. It is our Feast Day.

Three central mysteries are commemorated on Holy Thursday: the institution of the Sacred Priesthood, the gift of the Holy Eucharist, and divine charity. Each of these mysteries must be the driving force in every priest’s life. However, the man discerning a call to the priesthood can also meditate on these mysteries to help him see more clearly whether or not the Lord is calling him to be a priest.

First and foremost, every priest must love and surrender his life to The True High Priest, Jesus Christ; and in his love for Christ the Priest, he necessarily loves the vocation to the priesthood to which he has been called. We must remember that there is only one Priest, Jesus Christ. He is the Priest who offered the perfect sacrifice to the Father. And although each baptized Christian shares in the priesthood of Christ, the man who is ordained a priest shares in Christ’s priesthood in a unique way. As a ministerial priest he exists first and foremost for the sacraments, for it is through the sacraments that the saving grace of Christ is communicated to us. It is an awesome privilege to be a priest. It is a most humbling realization to know that a man is not called to be a priest because he is worthy, but simply because God has chosen him. It is a gift and mystery.

Jesus Christ must be the center of every priest’s life, and therefore the Eucharist, the abiding presence of Christ in the Church, must be at the center of his life. Because he exists for the Eucharist, the man who is a priest must love the Eucharist. He acts in the Person of Christ, and so each time the priest celebrates Mass he offers to the Father the same sacrifice that Christ offered for our redemption, albeit in an unbloody manner. This, once again, is an awesome and humbling privilege. How often do we as priests celebrate the Mass utterly aware of our unworthiness, and yet simultaneously aware of the sheer grace of the calling!

Lastly, the man who is a priest must model himself after Jesus Christ who came to serve, not to be served. The mystery of Christ’s life which illuminates the service that priests are called to is the washing of the feet. This is the third mystery of Holy Thursday: we see the humility of God in the charity that Christ extends to his apostles. Filled with love for Christ and centered in the Eucharist, the man who is a priest lives his life for others. He is not called to live for himself, but to serve as Christ served. His primary concern is to lead people to Jesus Christ by making the love of Christ present in their lives. The only way to do this is by living selflessly, loving as Christ loved.

The Priesthood, the Eucharist, and divine charity, three mysteries which give shape to our lives and to priests in particular.