Amen, I say to you,
whatever you did for one of these
least brothers of mine, you did for me. - Matthew 25:40
This is the first post in over a month. What has changed and what is new for me, I’m unsure how it will play out in this sphere of blogging. I have been home for just over a month and I have found myself to be in a great state of consolation in the Lord. I am at peace with where my life is at and how each day unfolds.
Despite a rigorous tour of the East coast from Pennsylvania to Florida, I am still quite full of energy but controlled and structured in my daily patterns. I enjoy waking up and look forward to the day. This past week, a very close friend and I have taken to offering a Holy Hour in adoration to start our day. We pray in the divine office during this hour and have even had our prayer affirmed during this time. May God have mercy on our souls. After the office, we then head to daily Mass. From thence, we begin our day. He has been working quite diligently as a laborer and I have been volunteering my time at the Church.
What has changed is my lack of desire to watch TV. I don’t avoid TV and watch it every once in a while. I don’t have cable or satellite, which is new for me. I also read more now than I have before.
But onto the scripture for the day. Today, I would like to use this scripture from the Gospel of Saint Matthew. Jesus is speaking of the judgment of the nations. Jesus also tells me, and us, what the Church has come to identify as the corporal works of mercy as the criteria for salvation.
I had a priest tell me recently in confession that he was nothing special. And yet, my priest is incredibly special to me. I struggled with his own confession that he was nothing special. So I took the dictionary to see if he had a context that I was unaware of. My dictionary tells me special has these definitions: a) better, greater, or otherwise different from what is usual; b) exceptionally good or precious; c) belonging specifically to a particular person or place; d) designed or organized for a particular person, purpose, or occasion; e) (of a subject) studied in particular depth; f) used to denote education for children with particular needs. When I consider the Church and humanity, I understand that he is not ‘better, greater, or otherwise different from what is usual.’ To believe anything other than that risks falling into the great temptation demonstrated first by the Apostles where they would argue about who was greater. But, I would argue that on the basis of ordination to the ministerial priesthood that all priests are precious (b) and belonging specifically to a particular person or place (c [belonging to Jesus and the Church]). The best part of this is his demonstrated humility through it all. I have concluded that this humility is knowing one is special (b & c above) but not assenting to it. Essentially it is what I have heard from many sources: Humility is not thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less.
I think the selfless and selfish traits of people are learned behaviors. I don’t have any formal education to affirm or deny this but I do have the experiences from my family and friends and my soldiers. In my observations, I have come to understand that the formation of virtues rests with the first catechists, the parents. Many of my friends have children. I have been told that children, and observed, that babies and little kids are very helpless and need just about everything given to them. It is my conclusion that if the parents don’t open the child’s world to selflessness that this self-centered trait will continue. I often consider that I am a good witness to the propagation of this theory. It has been through a great reformation, as it were.
One of my first examples of solid Catholic Christian formation was the Archbishop of Denver. I will tell of one story from 13 years ago. In this, the Archbishop exemplified the Gospel in his witness and example while at the same time fulfilling (to me, at least) the criteria of Matthew 25:35. Jesus said, “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me.” My best friend during senior year in High School applied for seminary. The seminary accepted him. Just before his first semester, the Archbishop invited him and the first year seminarians to his home for a barbecue cookout as a summer send off to the seminary. My friend does not get five minutes from his home before his car breaks down while he was on the way to this dinner. He calls me and I do not hesitate to pick him up. It’s been 13 years and the details of this day were hazy but I am now questioning why I accompanied him to the door of the Archbishop’s residence. 13 years later, I have concluded that it was because I wanted to know what time I needed to collect my friend after his dinner. The story has not really changed how I’ve told it over the years, but then again, I never really shared it from 2005-2012. I don’t think it has changed. *(Back to the story.)* The Archbishop, himself, answers the door. This was surprising to me. I ask my question of when I need to be back to pick him up and I am not sent away with a time but rather I am invited in. I am a stranger and welcomed into this man’s home. I am brought to the table and fed. I am offered a cup and given drink.
The Archbishop has always been a great example to me. 13 years later, I am only now realizing at age 31, I am realizing that I am called to be an example to others. This is what I understand as God’s call to me in ministry. What I understand as God’s call to imitate Jesus is living authentic relationships founded in Christ. I have given to God the current academic year in service to my Church on the LifeTeen Core Team at my parish. May God allow me to love the teens and fulfill his requirements Jesus needs me to fulfill. And through it all, may I always remember, “whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.”
