What we are to "keep"

      I recorded the English voice over on WAOB for Pope Francis' homily for the Ascension on Wednesday of this week.  The Holy Father tells us that Jesus, in his prayer to the Father in the Gospel of John, uses the word "keep".  Pope Francis then points out that there are three things that we must "keep" to live with Christ.

     We must keep FAITH.  We do so to avoid yielding to grief or plunge into the despair of those who no longer see a way out of our difficulties.  Pope Francis says: "To keep faith is to keep our gaze fixed up to heaven ... To keep the faith is to refuse to yield to the logic of hatred and vengeance, but to keep our gaze fixed on the God of love, who calls us to be brothers and sisters to one another."

     We must keep UNITY.  "Jesus asks the Father to preserve the unity of his disciples, so that they may be 'completely one' (Jn 17:21), one family in which love and fraternity reign."  Pope Francis goes on to say that we are to be "completely one, to be a family, to find the courage to live in friendship, in love and fraternity."

    We are called to keep the TRUTH.  The prayer of Jesus is that we may be consecrated in truth as we are sent throughout the world to carry on his mission.  The Holy Father points out that "Truth, for the apostle John, is Christ himself, the revelation of the Father's love."  "To keep the truth means to be a prophet in every situation in life, in other words to be consecrated to the Gospel and bear witness to it even when that means going against the current."  He wants us to be consecrated to the beauty and truth of the Gospel so that we can testify to the joys of God's kingdom even in the dark night of grief, even when evil seems to have the upper hand.

     The Holy Father was addressing at that Mass the Myanmar Community in Rome, a people suffering tremendous violence, conflict, repression and evil.  His message encourages them, and us, to be faithful to what we are being called to be faithful to ... what we are being called to keep.  I thought that they were important words, words that touched my heart.  Maybe they will touch your heart.

THE EYES OF OUR HEARTS

     This past Sunday, and in our area the previous Thursday, was the celebration of the Feast of the Ascension of Our Lord into Heaven.  The second reading for that feast is taken from chapter 1 of the Letter to the Ephesians.  Here is my reflection for that reading that I shared on WAOB.

     In verse 17 of the 1st chapter of Ephesians Paul says: "May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation resulting in knowledge of him.  May the eyes of your hearts be enlightened."

     The Spirit that Paul speaks of is the Holy Spirit, which, before he ascended to the Father, Jesus promised to his followers.   That Spirit came upon the Church at Pentecost and remains the gift without equal that we still possess.

     In our baptism we have been given that Spirit, entrusted with the source of wisdom and revelation in order to know and understand Jesus Christ.

     For our part, there needs to be a willingness to allow the "eyes of our hearts" to be enlightened so that we may walk in his way.

     Paul tells us that our willingness to have our hearts enlightened is so that "we may know what is the hope that belongs to his call" [the call to unity with him and holiness of life creates within us a vision of what can be, what must be, in order to live in hope of something far beyond our capabilities] ... "what are the riches of glory in his inheritance among the holy ones" [what a tremendous treasure has been placed within our grasp, a treasure that will never lessen in time or circumstances] ... "and what is the surpassing greatness of his power for us who believe ... which he worked in Christ."

     Our lives are not about power and earthly glory, but our life in Christ is entrusted with spiritual power and blessed with eternal glory.   When he returned to the Father, Jesus sent the Spirit, and we stepped out into a world that required our proclamation of faith.

     All of this is possible because Jesus brings the Father's love to us and shares with us a life beyond imagining.  Ephesians tells us that the mighty work accomplished in Christ our Lord is this: "raising him [Jesus] from the dead and seating him at his right hand in the heavens, far above every principality, authority, power, and dominion ... he put all things beneath his feet and gave him as head over all things to the Church, which is his body, the fulness of the one who fills all things in every way."

     The Father gave us his Son ... a gift to the Church, which is his body.   We are that Church.   In us, the fulness of the gift of the Father is seen and experienced; for we, the Church, are the gift of hope given to a world that, although created by God in goodness has fallen upon hard times and lost its way.   We are to show that way to all who seek the path of life.

     When they left that upper room on Pentecost, the disciples went forth to proclaim that good news - a message that we are entrusted with to share. 

ANNIVERSARIES

     Yesterday the fourteen residence of our house celebrated the anniversaries of our priesthood ordinations.  Nearly all of us were ordained in the month of May, so we chose May 5th to celebrate.  I had no objection to the date, for on that date 48 years ago [May 5, 1973] I was ordained along with Father Peter Peretti (who also resides here) and Monsignors Paul Fitzmaurice and Roger Statnick.

     We gathered for Mass in our chapel at 4:30 followed by a social time and then a delicious festive dinner prepared by our kitchen staff.  Father Al Pleban was our celebrant for Mass, being our senior member having been ordained 64 years ago.

     The fourteen of us, most retired, a few in special circumstances and one new brother from the Philippines who is familiarizing himself to our Diocese (he is our youngster, ordained only 22 years), rack up some impressive statistics.

     We represent 675 years of priestly service ... conservatively we are looking at about 250,000 Masses offered ... countless baptisms, weddings, funerals, confessions, and lives touched by God's grace.  And yet each of us realizes our limitations and inadequacies as well as the blessings we have been given by this call of the Lord and extended through the love and support of the great People of God.

    Pray for your priests ... and pray for vocations. 

THE VINE AND THE BRANCHES

     This is my reflection on WAOB for the gospel of this past Sunday, the 5th Sunday of Easter.

     Our image of Christ in this 15th chapter of Saint John's gospel is found in this saying of Jesus: "I am the vine, you are the branches.  He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing."

     This Spring a tree outside our residence was filled with blossoms and was truly magnificent.  One of our men cut a few branches to place in his room.  They were beautiful and their fragrance filled the room.  But he told me that it wasn't long before the smell faded and the pedals began to fall off.  He eventually found that the branches had died and had to be discarded.

     I have over the years had an indoor plant called a philodendron.  I have taken cuttings and placed them in water, where they usually began to develop roots.  When enough roots were present, though, the plant required planting in soil in order to grow.  Before that, it was not strong and unlikely to survive.

    "Apart from me", Jesus says, "you can do nothing."  We weaken, we wither, we die.

     Jesus tells us in John 15 that "I am the vine and my Father is the vine dresser.  Every branch of mine that does not bear fruit he prunes, that it bear more fruit."

     Years ago I visited the vineyards of Napa Valley in California, noted for the excellent wines that come from those vineyards.  Here there are vines that are very old, going back generations, that produce grapes in their various flavors.  These vines are not large, in fact it is surprising how small and compact they are.

     This is because the vine growers do as Jesus says the Father does.  They cut away the dead or dying branches, even those that seem strong but bear no fruit.  And they cut back even the productive branches in order to bring forth a greater, fresher yield.  This takes work, but the results are worth it.

     Even though united to Christ, the vine that gives us life, there is the need for pruning in order to bear more fruit.  Pruning can be good.

     We hear in John 15: "You are already made clean [the old cut away and the new pruned] by the word which I have spoken to you.  Abide in me, and I in you.  As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me."

     We pride ourselves in our freedom and individuality.  We are taught to be self-sufficient and stand on our own.  We long to be first among others and consider being like everyone else as being less than desirous.

     Yet we need each other .. and most especially we need our union with Christ and his Church ... in order to find our real potential and to truly bear fruit.

     We cannot be "independent agents" who stand alone.  We glorify the Father by our unity with his Son and his body and bearing much fruit in love and joy.  Be a great branch!  Bear tremendous fruit!

THE "STYLE" OF THE PRIESTHOOD

      Yesterday we had an evening of reflection here at our retired priests' residence which was led by Benedictine Father Tom Acklin from Saint Vincent Archabbey.  He spoke to us of the challenge of a priesthood that, in retirement or other special circumstances, is unlike the priesthood that most of us were used to.  His was a good and comforting message to hear.

     Tuesday I recorded for WAOB the homily of Pope Francis of the previous Sunday at Saint Peter's were he ordained nine young men to the priesthood for the Diocese of Rome.  In his homily the Holy Father told these new priests that priesthood is not a "career" but a sharing in the service of God to his people.  He pointed out that there are certain "marks" that could be described as a style of priesthhood.  There is the style of closeness, compassion, and tenderness.

     He points out that there are four kinds of closeness: first is closeness to God in prayer, in the sacraments, and in the Mass, just as the Lord has remained close to us in our lives.  He says that "A priest who does not pray slowly extinguishes the fire of the Spirit within."  Next there is closeness to the Bishop because he is to be the source of unity between his collaborators, the priests of his diocese.  Then he tells them to be close to each other, never resorting to disunity or gossip.  And fourth he says: "For me, after God, the most important closeness is to the holy faithful people of God."  He points out that priests are chosen from among the people of God to serve them, and they are to be "priests of the people."

     In addition to this style and the mark of closeness there must be compassion and tenderness.  When confronting your problems or those others share with you, share compassion, which leads to forgiveness and to mercy.  Never tire of forgiving, even if you are tired of asking for forgiveness.  Closeness and tenderness and compassion.

     He told these nine young new priests to be "Shepherds close to God, to the Bishop, to each other, and to the people of God.  Shepherds: servants as shepherds."

     Great advice for those embarking on their life of service in ministry and great advice for those of us retired from that same active ministry.

THE GOOD SHEPHERD

     I want to share my reflection of the 10th chapter of the Gospel of John for this Good Shepherd Sunday, the Fourth Sunday of Easter, which I gave on my radio program yesterday "Drawing Life Giving Water From Jacob's Well" on WAOB fm.

     In the 10th chapter of the gospel of John we hear that Jesus is the Good Shepherd.  He says many things about sheep and sheepfolds and gates and shepherds.

     Then he says: "I am the good shepherd.  The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep."

     The story of Israel is filled with accounts of shepherds finding a role of prominence in a vocation that was far from glamorous or noteworthy.  We have many who tended their flocks and took them on their journeys, like Abraham ... we have Moses taking the role of humble and isolated shepherd for his father-in-law Jethro, after being a leader in Egypt and before becoming a messianic figure leading his people from slavery to freedom ... we have David who would become one of the greatest kings beginning as a shepherd ... oh, there are so many examples.  Now Jesus tells us that he too is a shepherd ... a good shepherd ... "the" good shepherd.

     What makes him a "good" shepherd?  He says: "The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.  He who is a hireling and not a shepherd, whose sheep are not his, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them.  He flees because he is a hireling and cares nothing for the sheep."

     A true shepherd sees his sheep as his family, a part of himself, and he will do anything and everything to care for them.  He will defend and protect them with his life, for he and the sheep are one.  This sounds strange ... but it establishes what the relationship is.  Pope Francis very famously told priests that they need to not only minister to the sheep of their fold but be so one with them that they take on the smell of the sheep.

     Jesus takes on our human nature, embraces our frailty, knows our need, and shepherds us.

     In verse 14 Jesus says: "I know my own and my own know me, as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for my sheep ... For this reason the Father loves me."

     Listen closely to what Jesus just said.  He knows us ... not just the number of sheep in the flock, not just the peculiar ones that stand out among the others, not with a "generic" knowledge.   He knows us uniquely, calls us by name, knows our strengths and weaknesses, loves us despite what we make of ourselves, and cares for us with all he has.

     He says that he knows us in the same way that he and the Father know each other.  What greater knowledge can there be?

     It is with that understanding of the place of Jesus in our lives and of our importance to him in God's plan that we stand sure and confident in the victory over sin and death that he has won for us, and acknowledge him as our Lord and Savior ... but most especially as our friend and brother.  The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.

SAINT JOSEPH - A VOCATION MODEL

     With Sunday, April 25th being the World Day of Prayer for Vocations, Pope Francis issued a message on the Feast of Saint Joseph, March 19th, that is entitled "Saint Joseph: The Dream of Vocation".

     He says: "God looks upon the heart (cf. 1 Samuel 16:7), and in Saint Joseph he recognized the heart of a father, able to give and generate life in the midst of daily routines.  Vocations have the same goal: to beget and renew lives every day."

     He then suggests three words that are found in the life of Joseph that speak of each individual vocation.  The first is dream.  Everyone dreams of finding fulfillment in life.  "We rightly nurture great hopes, lofty aspirations that ephemeral goals - like success, money and entertainment - cannot satisfy."  Joseph received four dreams recorded in the gospels.  They were calls from God that required Joseph to change his plans and take a risk. He did so with complete trust, because of his deep faith.

    Pope Francis mentions a second word marking Joseph's vocation: service.  He lived entirely for others and never for himself.  Not only Mary and Jesus, his family, but the whole Church which is the family of his family.   His service and sacrifices were possible because "they were sustained by a greater love".  They became for him "a rule for daily life".

    And thirdly Joseph was and is a "protector" - of Jesus and of his Church, and a protector of vocations.  His willingness to serve leads to his desire to protect.  Speaking of priestly vocations, Pope Francis says: "What a beautiful example of Christian life we give when we refuse to pursue our ambitions or indulge in our illusions, but instead care for what the Lord has entrusted to us through the Church!  God then pours out his Spirit and creativity upon us; he works wonders in us, as did in  Joseph."

     These three words and their development in the words of Pope Francis speak to my heart.  May Saint Joseph, protector of vocations, accompany us with his fatherly heart.  Pray for vocations ... and pray to Saint Joseph.