These words were spoken by St. Martha to Jesus shortly after her brother, Lazarus, died. The story is told in the eleventh chapter of John’s gospel. It is a story that I can relate to personally. It is the story we hear in the gospel today on the Memorial of St. Martha.
At first, these words sound like an accusation. In fact, the gospel says that when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him. She did not wait for him to arrive, but instead went out to greet him and perhaps to ask something of him. Martha reminds Jesus that whatever he asks the Father for the Father will give him. Undoubtedly Martha was asking that her brother be brought back to life on earth. The gospel account ends with Martha’s witness that Jesus is, in fact, “the Christ, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world.” Martha, in the midst of great sadness is able to declare her faith and hope in the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. If only, we were all so faithful.
I have heard this gospel passage many times this summer. At Our Lady of Guadalupe, the families who come to the parish to have a funeral Mass for their loved one who has died rarely pick out their own readings. At OLG, we often use this gospel during the funeral Mass. I have heard the pastor preach his homily on this gospel numerous times (we average about a funeral per week here). Each time I get hung up on the phrase that Martha went out to meet Jesus.
Anyone who has lost someone that is close to them knows how difficult a time it can be. It is a time that will test anyone’s faith, no matter how rooted in their faith he/she is. It is a time when many people feel that God has abandoned them. It is hard to understand why a loving God would let bad things happen to good people. Sure, when we are not in the moment and can think rationally, it is easy to respond, “God allows the bad things to happen so as to bring about a greater good.” We know that in our heads, but in our hearts the words mean very little.
This morning started like most other mornings. I was sitting in the office in the rectory checking emails and preparing to begin my Spanish studies with the Rosetta Stone software. The pastor then walked in the door with a tired look on his face. Normally the pastor would be walking out the door to head to the parish office and not returning at this hour. I noticed a cup of coffee in his hand and his habit draped over his arm. Seeing the habit, I understood that he was returning from a hospital visit.
The pastor told me that he was called to the hospital for a young man (mid-twenties) who is a member of the inter-parroquial Spanish youth group that sometimes meets at our parish. While working construction five days ago, the young man fell off a roof and hit his head. The family called for a priest this morning as they were preparing to remove him from life support. The pastor told me that he anointed the young man and prayed with the family. I could tell that the early hour wake up call was not the only thing tiring out this priest.
We went about our day and I reminded myself to pray for the young man and his family during the Mass at noon. As I was sitting in the chapel, I watched many new faces showing up to Mass. Normally we only have 8-10 people at the mid-day masses but now the chapel was almost full (20-25). I guessed that from the looks of the people who arrived they were friends of the young man from the hospital. Then, during the prayers of intercession, I heard a lady pray for the eternal repose of the young man’s soul.
I must tell you that I was struck deeply by their display of faith. The pastor told me that the people who arrived at the Mass were, in fact, members of the family. Only hours after losing their family member, they were going out to greet Jesus. In their time of sadness and despair, they were going to Jesus and asking him to be with them now.
After Mass, the pastor and I returned to the rectory and were discussing the sad news of the young man’s death. The pastor told me that he had invited the family to the Mass and said that he would offer it for the young man. I kept thinking about the words to the gospel for today. I thought about the amazing faith these people had displayed. I know the next few days will be difficult for them, their friends, and the parish community. However difficult the times may be, we should all follow the example of this family (and St. Martha) and go out to greet Jesus in our time of need.
I realize that this story is perhaps one of the more personal ones (not for me, but for others) I have written about. I hope no one minds me telling the story. I have left names out for a reason. I just wanted to share with you the impact this display of faith had on me. It helps me to realize that when things get tough (no matter how big or small they may seem), we should go out to greet Jesus and not wait for him to come to us. We should turn to him and boldly proclaim, “I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world.”
Please pray for the repose of the soul of the young man and his family.
Pax Tecum,
Tom
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
“Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died…”
Monday, July 27, 2009
Coming to an end...
This week I am finishing up at Our Lady of Guadalupe in Austin. I am putting the final touches on the Altar Server Manual that I have been working on and hope to have a final product for them on Friday. I also created a power point with pictures of all of the different items used in Mass and their correct names so that Altar Servers, Sacristans, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, etc. can build up their vocabulary.
The highlight of last week was the closing on the sale of my house. Everything went relatively smoothly and I appreciate all of you who offered your prayers. I am happy to be free of that distraction and look forward to a year of discernment without trying to pay a mortgage, electricity, etc every month for a house I don't live in.
On the way home from the closing, the air conditioner in my car went out. I think the compressor seized up because now the car makes a horrible noise when I drive it. The car also is in desperate need of a tune-up and probably a new set of brake pads. I am going to try and get the AC fixed here in Austin (mainly due to the noise to make sure it is not something more serious) and then try to get the rest of the work done when I get to College Station. I have to wait until Wednesday to get it fixed because I am waiting on a parishioner who owns a car shop to get back into town so that I can be sure to get an honest and frugal estimate. The car belongs to the Diocese and I am trying to only fix what is necessary. Suffice to say, I miss my old car but I am still happy to have wheels, even if they are stationary at this point.
I look forward to being in College Station next week. It will be a busy time with a lot of people to try and see. I will be serving all of the masses at St. Thomas Aquinas on the weekend of the 8th and 9th so if you are in town, please stop by and say hello (to Jesus first and then me if you have time).
I hope all is well with you. It is hard to believe how fast this summer has gone by. Before you know it I will be back to waking up at 5:30am at seminary.
Pax Tecum,
Tom
The highlight of last week was the closing on the sale of my house. Everything went relatively smoothly and I appreciate all of you who offered your prayers. I am happy to be free of that distraction and look forward to a year of discernment without trying to pay a mortgage, electricity, etc every month for a house I don't live in.
On the way home from the closing, the air conditioner in my car went out. I think the compressor seized up because now the car makes a horrible noise when I drive it. The car also is in desperate need of a tune-up and probably a new set of brake pads. I am going to try and get the AC fixed here in Austin (mainly due to the noise to make sure it is not something more serious) and then try to get the rest of the work done when I get to College Station. I have to wait until Wednesday to get it fixed because I am waiting on a parishioner who owns a car shop to get back into town so that I can be sure to get an honest and frugal estimate. The car belongs to the Diocese and I am trying to only fix what is necessary. Suffice to say, I miss my old car but I am still happy to have wheels, even if they are stationary at this point.
I look forward to being in College Station next week. It will be a busy time with a lot of people to try and see. I will be serving all of the masses at St. Thomas Aquinas on the weekend of the 8th and 9th so if you are in town, please stop by and say hello (to Jesus first and then me if you have time).
I hope all is well with you. It is hard to believe how fast this summer has gone by. Before you know it I will be back to waking up at 5:30am at seminary.
Pax Tecum,
Tom
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Cook'em low and cook'em slow...
This is a common saying that is often heard when referring to the preferred method of cooking ribs. To get the best tasting and most tender ribs, you should cook them at low heat at a very slow rate. For me personally, I bake them (if I don’t have a smoker) for three hours at 200 or 250 degrees and then brown them up on the grill.
I was reminded of this saying as I was reading Archbishop Timothy Dolan’s book Priests for the Third Millennium. I have read this book each summer for the past three years. I first read it while I was discerning applying for seminary. Then I read it as I was preparing for my first year in seminary and now I read it again as I prepare to begin my second year.
The fourth chapter of the book talks about the virtue of humility and how it is an essential virtue for a priest to have. Archbishop Dolan, in speaking about priestly formation in particular and growth in holiness in general, mentions that we need to have more of a “crock pot” approach rather than a “microwave” approach. That is, we must realize that we are not in control of our own salvation. We do not grow in holiness by the things that we do. To think that we can merit our own salvation by the things we do and therefore do not need a savior would make us Pelagians. Another trap in our growth in humility is pragmatism. Pragmatism basically involves us priding ourselves on our practicality and getting things done. It is a focus on doing rather than believing.
I must admit that in various situations in my life I have struggled to be humble. Outwardly at times I may display what people see as humility but in my heart I still have a somewhat pragmatic approach. I tend to try and put everything in order. I love checklists and seeing my progress by looking at what I have done. In seminary, my grades (wrongfully so) became the indicator to me that I was doing the right thing. I was so focused on “doing”, that I lost track of “being.”
Perhaps the greatest test of my patience and my willingness to submit to the will of God has involved my house. God willing, I will close on the sale of my house in two days. Anyone who knows me well knows what an enormous amount of stress this has been for me. I never doubted that in the end God’s will would be done. The part that I struggled with is that it wasn’t happening on my time table. At one point I received an offer on my house and I was tempted to take it. I struggled for a couple of days before finally discerning that it was not the right time. My house was on the market for fifteen months (almost ten months with lots of showings but no offer) and only sold when I resolved myself to accept God’s will and pray for his assistance. It is somewhat ridiculous that it took me that long to realize it.
There are other parts of my life where I tend to want things done on my timetable. I want to see conversion in people sooner. I want to know that my words to them and the love I show them have an effect. I want to see the effects of my actions. I even came up with a name for this type of behavior “Boomerang ministry.” Most of us can remember playing with a boomerang at some point in our life. We throw it out knowing that it is designed to come back to us. I don’t know about you but I was never successful in having it come back to me. I was quite happy to conclude that there was something wrong with the boomerang. I was unwilling to admit that it took practice, technique, and letting go of unrealistic expectations before I would ever have the boomerang come back.
I bring all of this up because I think the same thing applies to our spiritual lives and our paths to holiness. I get quite frustrated at times when I find myself battling the same sins, the same temptations, or simply having a bad attitude. I want to be holy and I and want it now! I get frustrated when I feel like I don’t have the prayer life that I think I should have or the one that I want. I get frustrated when I feel like I have not made the progress in my path to holiness that I should.
Obviously, I need a good dose of humility. I need to submit myself to the “crock pot” style that is seminary formation. And I need to remember the words of this past Sunday’s gospel and learn to go away to quiet places to pray and rest. Next Sunday’s gospel also has a good message (i.e. multiplication of the loaves). If I bring all that I have, and nothing less) to God and give myself over to him, he will have me recline and then will provide for me in abundance.
No one likes to admit their faults or encounter the areas where we need to grow, but I would like to encourage all of you to join me in this quest to adopt a “cook’em low and cook’em slow attitude.” Let’s not put God on our timetable. I am sure that what he has prepared for us will be worth the wait.
Pax Tecum,
Tom
I was reminded of this saying as I was reading Archbishop Timothy Dolan’s book Priests for the Third Millennium. I have read this book each summer for the past three years. I first read it while I was discerning applying for seminary. Then I read it as I was preparing for my first year in seminary and now I read it again as I prepare to begin my second year.
The fourth chapter of the book talks about the virtue of humility and how it is an essential virtue for a priest to have. Archbishop Dolan, in speaking about priestly formation in particular and growth in holiness in general, mentions that we need to have more of a “crock pot” approach rather than a “microwave” approach. That is, we must realize that we are not in control of our own salvation. We do not grow in holiness by the things that we do. To think that we can merit our own salvation by the things we do and therefore do not need a savior would make us Pelagians. Another trap in our growth in humility is pragmatism. Pragmatism basically involves us priding ourselves on our practicality and getting things done. It is a focus on doing rather than believing.
I must admit that in various situations in my life I have struggled to be humble. Outwardly at times I may display what people see as humility but in my heart I still have a somewhat pragmatic approach. I tend to try and put everything in order. I love checklists and seeing my progress by looking at what I have done. In seminary, my grades (wrongfully so) became the indicator to me that I was doing the right thing. I was so focused on “doing”, that I lost track of “being.”
Perhaps the greatest test of my patience and my willingness to submit to the will of God has involved my house. God willing, I will close on the sale of my house in two days. Anyone who knows me well knows what an enormous amount of stress this has been for me. I never doubted that in the end God’s will would be done. The part that I struggled with is that it wasn’t happening on my time table. At one point I received an offer on my house and I was tempted to take it. I struggled for a couple of days before finally discerning that it was not the right time. My house was on the market for fifteen months (almost ten months with lots of showings but no offer) and only sold when I resolved myself to accept God’s will and pray for his assistance. It is somewhat ridiculous that it took me that long to realize it.
There are other parts of my life where I tend to want things done on my timetable. I want to see conversion in people sooner. I want to know that my words to them and the love I show them have an effect. I want to see the effects of my actions. I even came up with a name for this type of behavior “Boomerang ministry.” Most of us can remember playing with a boomerang at some point in our life. We throw it out knowing that it is designed to come back to us. I don’t know about you but I was never successful in having it come back to me. I was quite happy to conclude that there was something wrong with the boomerang. I was unwilling to admit that it took practice, technique, and letting go of unrealistic expectations before I would ever have the boomerang come back.
I bring all of this up because I think the same thing applies to our spiritual lives and our paths to holiness. I get quite frustrated at times when I find myself battling the same sins, the same temptations, or simply having a bad attitude. I want to be holy and I and want it now! I get frustrated when I feel like I don’t have the prayer life that I think I should have or the one that I want. I get frustrated when I feel like I have not made the progress in my path to holiness that I should.
Obviously, I need a good dose of humility. I need to submit myself to the “crock pot” style that is seminary formation. And I need to remember the words of this past Sunday’s gospel and learn to go away to quiet places to pray and rest. Next Sunday’s gospel also has a good message (i.e. multiplication of the loaves). If I bring all that I have, and nothing less) to God and give myself over to him, he will have me recline and then will provide for me in abundance.
No one likes to admit their faults or encounter the areas where we need to grow, but I would like to encourage all of you to join me in this quest to adopt a “cook’em low and cook’em slow attitude.” Let’s not put God on our timetable. I am sure that what he has prepared for us will be worth the wait.
Pax Tecum,
Tom
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Life at OLG
As I finish up my assignment at Our Lady of Guadalupe in Austin, I want to share some pictures with you to show you where I have spent my summer. This is the first time that I have used my camera this summer. I am not sure why I don't spend more time going out and taking photographs. I really enjoy it. Perhaps I will take some with all the free time that I have at seminary (hah!). Anyway, I hope you enjoy the pics. I only have seventeen (calendar days) here at OLG and am trying to get a few things wrapped up before I go.
This is the stained glass window is in the choir loft. Every weekend during the summer, as the Eucharistic prayer is being said at around 6:45pm, the sun shines through this window and bathes the altar in beautiful reds, violets, and pinks. It is my favorite time of the weekend.
If you don't know what the above picture is showing, run to your nearest Catholic Church and ask the priest like your life depends on it (sorry...had to).
The parish is 102 years old. I am not sure how long the church building itself has been around but it is fairly old.
I hope you enjoy the pics. Keep praying as my house closing is set for 10am on July 23rd.
Pax Tecum,
Tom
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