Well, its been a while. It's come to my attention that people were actually reading my blog and perhaps it may have helped someone in some way. So, I will try to write more consistently.
From time to time someone asks me what I like about being a priest. Honestly, its a hard question to answer because the question sometimes relegates the priesthood to a mere job like being a lawyer, credit analyst, or factory worker. Yes, the priesthood is a job, my job is being a Parochial Vicar - a parish priest - but it is first and foremost a vocation, like being married, or single, or a religious sister or brother.
I've decided to sit down and write a brief list of some of my favorite ministerial experiences. These are not listed any any particular order.
Marriage Preparation
One of the things that I spend a considerable amount of time doing is preparing couples for marriage. With divorce rates roaming around 60% and aware of the harm that it causes this is a daunting task. It can be difficult for some couples to really take advantage of this time of preparation because they are stressed out preparing for their wedding day. At times I am tempted to become disheartened when I sit down with a couple for the first time who are asking to make a life-long vow to God and their fiancé and yet are living together, not going to Mass each Sunday, nor praying together. For some, meeting with a priest is just "going through the hoops" to get married. On the other hand, I have occasionally witnessed great transformations during this time of preparation.
It has happened that a couple returns for the second meeting and say "Father, we've decided we're not going to have sex until we get married". Often, one of them will move out until they get married. I have seem couples start to pray together for the first time and go to Mass together each Sunday. While its easy - and my responsibility - to tell engaged couples to do these things it's wonderful to see this change come from within them. As a "father" (priest) I want to offer them the tools for a life of marriage that mirrors the love of God for us. Seeing this transformation in marriage preparation is one of my favorite things.
Domestic Churches
My life as a priest leads me into stranger's homes. I am invited to bless homes or apartments and to anoint someone who is sick. During these visits I have seen some a most profound love and devotion that spouses have for one another, adult children for the sick parents, and parents for their children, particularly those who have disabilities. These homes are truly the domestic churches that Pope John Paul II invites all families to build out of faith and love.
I remember distinctly being called to anoint an elderly and terminally ill woman at her house. I had never met this women or her husband before because her health made impossible for her to leave the house. Her husband answered the door and led me to her. She was clearly in some pain as she lie in her bed. At her side must have been 25 different medicine bottles. She told me that the thing that bothered her most was not the pain but having to make her husband take care of her all the time . She needed help doing everything including going to the bathroom. Her husband, standing next to me was hard of hearing a didn't hear what she said. I asked her how long they had been married. 60 years. I turned to her husband him and in a loud voice asked how he felt about taking care of his wife like this for the last several years. He said in a loud but very gentle and peaceful voice that he loved it. It was so clear to me that he was more in love and devoted to her than they could have been on their wedding day. The type of love this man had for his wife is exactly what the Passion of Christ - the crucifix, looks like in married life. It was beautiful and quite clear that they were already, in some sense, sharing some of the glory of the resurrection. Seeing love and devotion like that is one of my favorite things.
A Family That Prays Together...
You may have heard the expression "a family that prayer together stays together". Admittedly, this sounds a bit utopian. Families that pray together will still have problems and make mistakes; however, prayer is the most powerful tool is fostering a holy, happy, and healthy family. My office window faces the church and so I see often see people as they walk into the church during the day. Nothing is more satisfying than seeing a family coming together in the middle of the week to pray. All fathers and mothers want the best for their kids and enjoy seeing signs from time to time that everything is OK. As a "father" myself, seeing a family coming together in prayer assures me that whether they entered the church in joy or sorrow they'll be leaving in better shape because they've given and committed themselves and each another to God. What more could a father or mother want for her children? Seeing a family praying together is one of my favorite things.
Are You With Me?
Every Mass is different. On a very busy weekend I may celebrate four Masses. (This is the norm for some priests). Even though the readings and songs may be the same, every Mass is different because the people are different. Mass is essential an exchange of gifts. We offer ourselves to God the Father, Jesus gives himself to us and offers himself and us to the Father. Because the "we" is different at every Mass each Mass is different. Sometimes, for whatever reason, I can feel like I'm the only one conscious during Mass. At other times, I can feel the Holy Spirit, we are all celebrating Mass together. People are praying and I can feel it, there is an "energy" in the church (not in the new age kind of way). The value of Mass is always infinite and can't be judged on how we feel, however, celebrating Mass when I can see, hear, and feel that we're all praying together...this is one of my favorite things.
Lost No More
"Forgive me Father its been 50 years since my last confession". It happens all the time, while the people and the number of years may differ people continue to return to Jesus in the Sacrament of Reconciliation and its awesome. Let me be clear to those who may be reading and are unfamiliar with the Catholic Church. These penitents are not returning to the sacrament after decades of being burdened with sin to fulfill some church requirement or ritual. Nor have they come simply to tell someone their sins. God has hounded them with love and mercy, waited patiently, been with them at every step and gently - and sometimes loudly, lead them to himself in the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation. As with Mas, every person is different and therefore every confession is different, however, every confession is a healing encounter with God - there is no substitute. As you walk into my confessional the first thing you will see is a large cloth image of Christ the Shepherd who has one sheep at his side. On the bottom it says "Lost no more". "There is more joy in heaven over one repentant sinner than 100 righteous." (Lk 15:7). When God allows me to welcome back the lost for him and experience the joy and peace of the penitent and heaven itself it is truly one of my favorite things.
I Will Go and Prepare a Place for You
Before Jesus was betrayed he told his disciples "I am going to prepare a place for you so that where I am you also may be...You know the way..I am the Way the Truth and and the Life." In the course of the last few years I have been one of the last faces and voices some have seen and heard before dying. No one likes death but it is been such a grace-filled experience walking with someone through the last months, days, and even seconds of their life. This is a ministry that many spouses and children share in as they care for their loved ones. The Sacraments of the Eucharist, Reconciliation and Anointing of the Sick are profound ways that Christ keeps his promise of preparing a place for us. The sacraments aren't magic they are encounters with Christ through which he gives us his grace, his life. Every moment of our life is a pilgrimage toward (or away from) God. Helping to preparing someone for the most important moment of their life - meeting God face to face- is one of my favorite things.
Being Taught by Kids
You know what I’m talking about.
This is Work?
Yes, priesthood is a lot of work and is often very intense and very public. This can take its toll. However, at times, as I am preparing for a homily for a wedding, funeral, Quinceanera, daily Mass, Sunday Mass, or preparing to give a talk, it strikes me how awesome it is that my work is praying, reading and studying the Scriptures and our faith. Most people work very hard at their jobs and some people even enjoy what they do but who could beat what I do? I'm never comfortable giving homilies or talks- they're don't come easy for me, however, preparing for them is one of my favorite things.
As you might imagine, I have many other favorite things. These are only a few things as they directly relate to being a priest. There are other personal ones like listening to music, the blues, traveling, Angel's baseball, a good ol' Guinness etc...
