TALK TO THE VIETNAMESE PRIESTS
(in Orange, California, October 5, 2004)
My father migrated to the United States from Norway in 1927. He was the 12th of 14 children and left his native land to look for work and new opportunity. He eventually became an apple farmer, and with my mother raised six children, all of whom were sent to college and who graduated. My mother came to Washington State from Minnesota with her parents when she was just 9. They failed at wheat farming. My grandfather died back in Minnesota trying to find ways to support his family, leaving my grandmother with four children to raise. My father and mother met when she was a nanny, and he worked in a sawmill.
I have often reflected on their mysterious journey that at one time seemed to be filled full of sadness, difficulty and challenge. Through all of this I was born, and I was called to priesthood. You, too, have been on your own journeys, mysterious and challenging as they may have been. I am sure at times you have wondered as I have what has brought you here to this moment, but all of us are here. We thank God.
We know that the Holy Spirit and God’s providence have profoundly touched our lives. You have come from Southeast Asia, and Jesus also came from Asia. The presence of the Church in Asia is an ancient tradition not only in the far west of that continent where Jesus was born but in the tradition of St. Thomas who supposedly was martyred in southern India. In a later century St. Francis Xavier was a missionary proclaiming the Gospel in the part of the world from which you came.
Your own heritage speaks of a Church very much alive and deeply rooted in Vietnam. You have now for many different reasons come to the United States, and your ministry in this country blends into our larger Church of a wonderful diversity of cultures and ethnic backgrounds. As we share and reflect upon this moment in our priestly lives, I would like to share with you these following points:
The journey of faith is so much a part of our lives, especially as all of us progress to the fullness of the Kingdom to which Jesus calls us. Reflection on the concept of journey provides a rich source of appreciation and gratitude. In the Old Testament the example of a faith journey par excellence is that of Abraham and Sarah, our parents in faith. The call of God to leave their homeland must have been a tremendously uprooting experience. Yet always faithful to God, they said yes. Their graciousness and hospitality were qualities of heart that welcomed the three visitors in their midst. As it turned out, these were messengers from God with the great news: Sarah will have a child within a year.
Joseph, the son of Isaac, was sold by his brothers to members of the caravan traveling towards Egypt. He becomes prominent in the Pharaoh’s kingdom, and eventually moves his family to Egypt, a land of plenty. But enslavement of the people ensues, and God liberates his people through the plagues as they begin their long journey of some 40 years back to the Promised Land. With all of the hurt, devastation, and brokenness of people, God’s promise was fulfilled. The Feast of Passover celebrates God’s act of saving his people. What a powerful symbol that Feast became as Jesus celebrated the Passover in the upper room before his own crucifixion and death.
The journeys were not only those of distance on the road but also in the heart. David, the great king, would have his own struggle of heart as he dealt with God’s call. As a youth David was a humble servant tending the flock. He was also called by God to confront courageously the Philistine whom he dispatched quickly with a sling and a stone. He encountered much difficulty in dealing with a mentally ill King Saul. Then when David himself became king, his lustful approach to Bethsheeba facilitated the murder of her husband, Uriah. Namaan, the prophet, confronted David about his evil actions, and David repented of his sin. He went on to become the great king.
The Babylonian exile was a time of captivity and subjugation for the chosen people. Their temple was destroyed and they were devastated. The prophets speak forcefully in those gloomy times of God’s faithfulness to them, of the need for repentance, and of the hope that eventually God’s promise will be fulfilled as they journeyed back to their homeland.
In the New Testament, Joseph and Mary for a time were refugees. Jesus in his public ministry constantly traveled throughout his homeland, preaching the Gospel. In the recent months in the selections from the Gospel of Luke on Sundays, Luke has Jesus traveling up to Jerusalem. Eventually, the greatest journey of all for Jesus was the carrying of the cross to Golgotha where he was crucified and died.
The Acts of the Apostles share with us the three missionary journeys of St. Paul. Paul’s various writings to the communities which he evangelized speak of a person not only moving physically but also of a journey in his own heart. He spoke of continued conversion and a deepening appreciation of God’s goodness to him. Remarkably, Paul even in prison as an old man could speak joyfully and prophetically to the early Church. This was a man whose journey had left a deep imprint upon him, and that experience provided a foundation for his powerful ministry of proclaiming the Gospel and salvation by the Lord Jesus for all of humanity. In a remarkable way, Paul was in touch with the presence of God in each person. His theology of the Body of Christ in which he cleverly uses the parts of the body unified together to form the whole became a powerful image of how interconnected the human family was and is in the Lord Jesus.
II. Symbol of the Journey
Certainly one of the greatest religious events of the twentieth century was the Second Vatican Council from 1962-65. Pope John XXIII began the Council with the recognition that the windows of the Church had to be opened to let fresh air in. We as a Church were entering into a new world situation that demanded relationship with every human being on the planet. Even though the Church for 400 years previously had remained relatively unchanged, the realization came to the Holy Father and the Fathers of the Council that we are a Church on a journey. There was an honest acknowledgment that we are a pilgrim Church, a Church on the move, a Church living in dramatically changing and evolutionary times.
The concept of the Church as a pilgrim people and the fact that the Church had to take a hard look at herself by way of conversion and renewal came none too soon. Once again, the intervention of God into human history was so clear and apparent as the Holy Spirit touched the Church at the moment of the Second Vatican Council so that she might better see herself in relationship not only to herself internally but to the world community externally. The mobility of peoples and instantaneous communication occurred in a dramatic fashion. In the new millennium we see continued explosion of technological development, the reality of globalization, and the increased connectedness of the human family. 9-11 was immediately observed on tv screens all over the world. The deaths a few weeks ago of 300 people in Beslan, Russia, leave a world community deeply saddened and shocked.
Several years ago, Cardinal Hume in Toronto at the National Catholic Education Association Convention called for a revolution of relationships in our world. His call then becomes even more important now as we Catholic priests and the Catholic Church have universal presence in our world. In the document Lumen Gentium of the Second Vatican Council, the Church fathers tell us that the Church is increasingly called to be “sign and instrument both of a very closely knit union with God and of the unity of the whole human race.” In addition, the Holy Father in his 1995 World Migration Day message affirmed that “in the Church no one is a stranger, and the Church is not foreign to anyone, anywhere. As a sacrament of unity and thus a sign and a binding force for the whole human race, the Church is the place where illegal immigrants are also recognized and accepted as brothers and sisters. It is the task of the various dioceses actively to ensure that these people, who are obliged to live outside the safety net of civil society, may find a sense of brotherhood in a Christian community. Solidarity means taking responsibility for those in trouble.”
Those forceful remarks challenge all of us as priests in the Church to be mindful of the great opportunity we have to be instruments of unity and peace. As the Catholic Church, we welcome all regardless of race, culture, language, and nation. In a very special way, we are to be sensitive to the marginalized, the excluded, and those impoverished for whatever reason.
We as priests in the Church through our culture, our presence, our solidarity with the Church universal throughout the world have a special opportunity to call everyone to a deep sense of reverence and respect for the human person, of every nation and ethnic background, of every belief and color of skin. Your presence as Vietnamese priests in the United States is one more sign of the diversity of this land which must be appreciated and affirmed. God sometimes uses us as challenges to those who have closed hearts, who deal with their own prejudices, and who even unfortunately might reject those of another ethnic background or creed.
With the Second Vatican Council the Church has come into the world community as the only international entity with such a common bond, common spirituality, common heritage, so beautifully expressed in many different ways and forms. Almost a year ago I was present in St. Peter’s Square for the beatification of Mother Teresa. Over 300,000 people, Catholics from all over the world, came to that celebration on a beautiful Sunday morning. What a powerful sign and expression of our common bond of brothers and sisters in the Lord Jesus in his Church! For us as priests who preside at liturgical celebrations with our people and who have the privilege to share the Word of God, we have the unique opportunity of letting people know how precious and valuable they are as part of our Church and the human family.
Like all journeys at the present moment for us in priesthood, the journey at times may be difficult and challenging. As one looks at the images from Sacred Scripture and as we are mindful of some of the great Church leaders of today, their journeys were not particularly easy either. Specifically, I remember reading recently the book of Five Loaves and Two Fish by your brother countrymen, Cardinal Francis Xavier Van Thuan. His journey in prison for many years in your homeland, and his deeply felt connection with all of God’s people stand as a tremendous monument to a holy man, a wonderful servant of the Church. I had the privilege of meeting him briefly shortly before he died in Rome. You yourselves know what a man of inspiration he is. He fostered a sense of unity, spiritual connectedness, and appreciation of a journey and a struggle, as difficult and as challenging as it might have been. The cross of Jesus was exemplified in his own life, and he accepted it with graciousness and humility. Truly, a man of God deeply in touch with his Savior.
We need that inspiration today as we live in unusual times of pain and hurt in the Church. The sexual abuse scandal has left us shocked and dismayed. How could the image of the Church be so damaged in such a short period of time? And yet it has. Trust in the Church has been greatly weakened. We have been humbled. This was not the journey we had expected. Somehow I strongly believe that God will use this tragic moment for renewal, for grace, for new opportunity, and perhaps even a positive sign for our society which must also deal with the same issue. But even more importantly, we must be sensitive to those who have been wounded, who have been deeply hurt. One can only imagine their trauma and their struggle. How can we help them? How can we be instruments of healing and reconciliation on their journey? Especially now we have the opportunity for heartfelt compassion and patience for brothers and sisters who have been affected by brokenness and sin.
Finally, as we think about the symbol of journey, we are mindful that one of the longest journeys in our lives is not one necessarily of distance, although almost all of you have experienced that. It’s the journey from the head to the heart. Perhaps that is the most difficult and challenging of all. Our ministry as priests is to support one another in our mutual internal journey, but also to help every person appreciate that journey and the need to connect the two.
III. The Importance of Culture as Our World Becomes More and More the Global Village
Our world community is rich in its cultural diversity. The Church also embracing every land and culture has within herself various cultural expressions of faith. Culture addresses the ethnicity of people and their customs. Culture can also be an expression of a particular part of the country. For example, I suspect that our culture in the northwestern part of the United States is different from here in California. Our culture here on the West Coast is different than that of the East Coast of the United States. You as Vietnamese priests come from a land of rich culture and tradition. You have brought that culture here to the United States in your communities of faith, and I personally experience that richness of culture every year as I celebrate with the Vietnamese community in Spokane on the Feast of the Holy Family. Your food, your deep sense of devotion, your music, and dancing are all part of your cultural background.
As we well know, culture is never static. It is never cast in concrete. It is always dynamic, always changing, especially so today impacted by so many influences. You have the wonderful opportunity as priests in the Church of helping others to bridge cultures. Your coming here has demanded a coming to know the culture in the United States. In addition, your presence here has assisted people in coming to know of the richness of your own tradition.
Fortunately, we have come to a far deeper realization here in the United States of the value of culture. Decades ago we took some pride in the fact we were a melting pot of peoples in the world community. Gradually we as Church came to appreciate that if peoples were to come together as a kind of melting pot, then their individuality and diversity would be lost in that mix. Indeed, we have come from some very painful experiences in which we, for example, have forced the culture of Anlgos on our Native peoples. We derided their costumes, their language, and their native ways of doing things.
Now we have come much more to the realization where the mixture of people coming together is like a stew or like a salad on a table. Each vegetable keeps its own identity but flavors the whole. Would not that be wonderful reality if we could live it in the Church in a vibrant way!
As we begin this new third millennium, a teachable moment gives us the opportunity of increasing our welcoming spirit to which we are called as Church. In a recent pastoral statement Welcoming The Stranger Among Us: Unity and Diversity, the Catholic bishops of the United States called us to “offer a genuine and suitable welcome, to share together as brothers and sisters at the same table, and to work side by side to improve the quality of life of society’s marginalized members.” One of the strong images used more recently in the Church is a place at the table. We are a Church of hospitality, a warm heart, and a lived-out expression of affection for and esteem of every person and culture.
Frankly, people in general have not always been accepting of diversity of culture, especially in language, even in our own Church. Language accents of brothers can be criticized or rejected. The attitude that “you become one of us when you are like us” expresses a blindness of heart and lack of appreciation of the diversity within our Church and, indeed, in the human family. Attitudes of rejection, criticism, and de-humanizing attitudes are not easy to experience, but neither is the carrying of the cross of Christ easy. We never know how the Lord Jesus uses us as instruments of growth, deepening appreciation, or challenge to closed hearts.
The tradition of our Church is clear, and the call of Jesus is unambiguous. Cultural expression adds richness to how faith is lived and expressed in our modern world. I have often heard the sentiment from Anglos here in the United States of how deeply touched and inspired they are by the Hispanic community who celebrates with great fervor and joy the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. People are amazed at the fervor and the deep commitment to truly make this a day of celebration and remembrance. You also in your own culture from Vietnam have your own special days of celebration and remembrance.
In the pastoral statement, Asian and Pacific Presence-Harmony in Faith, the U.S. Catholic bishops quote Pope John Paul II: “The test of true inculturation is whether people become more committed to their Christian faith because they perceive it more clearly with the eyes of their own culture…. [Furthermore,] through inculturation the Church, for her part, becomes a more intelligible sign of what she is, and a more effective instrument of mission.”
IV. Spirituality is the Foundation Stone of Our Ministry
We live in a world of many images and cultural pressures. The advertising media very often appeals to misplaced values in the human heart. The perfect figure, the perfect complexion of skin, the color of hair, or a remedy to immediately reduce pain are all values oftentimes strongly promoted in ways we know so well. In our very complex world and certainly in a very complex ministry in which we are engaged in serving God’s people as priests, we must stay grounded in relationship to the Lord Jesus. Oftentimes our ministry takes place with very busy schedules and tremendous demands of our time and presence. Yet, we must take time to be present to our God in a spirit of prayer.
Several years ago I heard a retreat master say that if we try to wrap our prayer around the day, we will not be very successful. We need to wrap the day around our prayer. Such an effort demands commitment and discipline. For me personally that has meant my setting aside time for prayer at the beginning of my day. I strive to spend at least an hour of prayer each day before the Blessed Sacrament. I also well recognize that ideal is not always possible, so perhaps it’s an hour in prayer in the car as I turn off the radio or as I sit in an airplane closing my eyes and focusing on the presence of the Lord. Even the beauty of the earth below from a plane window can spark a powerful meditation on the beauty of God’s creation.
One of the aspects with regard to prayer is that a prayerful person becomes very obvious to another. Not so long ago I came across an article written by a lay person who made the comment: “Allow me to listen to the homily of a priest for ten minutes, and I will tell you whether or not he prays.” Consistent prayer and a reflective spirit unmistakably leave their mark on us.
Our spirituality also calls us to a sense of humility in relationship to other people. We priests have places of honor as presiders of Eucharist, as leaders of our parish community. Perhaps that is even truer for us bishops. The real danger is to assume this self-importance as part of our identity and our manner of relationship with others. We are servants of the Lord. We are called to be the modern-day John the Baptists. You know John’s spirit very well as he spoke about Jesus: “He must increase. I must decrease.” Arrogance and inordinate pride become quickly observed personal characteristics that leave their negative impact upon others. For us as priests, we must appreciate the power of service and truly and remarkably the power of humility in our lives. We can and should be icons of humility.
Simplicity of life along with humility gives vibrant witness of being “poor in spirit.” We live in a land of tremendous plenty. Walk into any supermarket or Circuit City store and you know the many products available. Too often people’s identity is wrapped up in what they have. I remember some years ago Archbishop Thomas Murphy, the former Archbishop of Seattle, who made the comment in a talk he gave when he was chair of the Stewardship Committee for United States Conference of Catholic Bishops: “What do I own, and what owns me?” What owns me? That’s a very good question. Am I into the latest gadgets, the nicest of things, the best restaurants, the most expensive clothing? In the example of Jesus, we are to be simple of heart and generous with what we have and what we receive. Our treasure in life is relationship with the Lord and the people whom we serve. We remember always the words of Jesus: “Where your treasure is, that is where you heart is also.” People see very quickly where our heart is. Narcissism is so contrary to the Gospel and to a credible witness of priesthood.
As I have mentioned earlier, these are unusual days in the Church. Jesus invites us to carry our cross each day. We find crosses difficult to carry, but they are life-giving, humbling, and yes, they can be joy-filled. For years now, I have returned again and again to the beginning of the Letter of James: “Consider it complete joy when you become involved in all sorts of trials.” The cross of Jesus is always before us as we live our ministry faithful to Him. In mysterious and powerful ways, the cross lived in our lives points to the Lord Jesus. May you and I embrace our crosses of life with gratitude.
Internet allows wonderful opportunities of learning and of growth. The increasing availability of web sites can be of assistance to our preaching, to our increased knowledge about Church, and a way of keeping in contact with friends, family, and loved ones. However, having said this, I urge you to be extremely cautious of the potential of becoming addicted to pornography on the internet. In our houses of treatment for addictions of priests and religious, one of the most difficult addictions to treat is that of addiction to pornography on the internet. Given the tragedy of sexual abuse in our nation and some of the stories that continue to unfold in this area, we know how easy it is to give in to the temptation of this destructive enticement.
Finally, as we talk about our spirituality, we look to the stewardship of ourselves from a physical standpoint. Rest and exercise are very important for a balanced ministry. You remember the expression, “Grace builds on nature.” Rest and exercise help to give us energy and vibrancy to our ministry. In terms of who you are, I would encourage you to have broad interests in life. There are so many areas about which to learn which have great potential for invigorating our minds and hearts, which help us to discover anew ourselves and the creation of the world about us. For example, I find astronomy to be a wonderful world of constant new discovery and admiration of the mystery of the universe about us. I look at a web site on the internet in which each day a picture of new galaxy taken by a telescope is presented. I am also an amateur radio operator and a beekeeper. I find bees fascinating and mysterious. Amateur radio helps me to contact people the world over, almost all of whom I would never meet face to face but yet have the relationship however brief it may be. Hobbies can be rejuvenating and refreshing.
V. Relationships and Ministry
Jesus in his ministry demonstrated how to live out relationships with others. He was in a relationship with saint and sinner, with the angry and the devastated, with his critics and those who killed him. Jesus’ mission expressed in and through us gives us the opportunity to love everyone. That is one of the great roles for us in priesthood - to love neighbor, to love one another, to love those who don’t like us, or even to love those who hate us. Priests have a tremendous opportunity to express this love for all people. I am amazed how again and again people who see me in a collar almost automatically expect a relationship. They have a right to that expectation. That relationship includes the poorest of the poor, the street folks, people who struggle with their own brokenness and sinfulness. We love everyone.
Also we must ask ourselves, how do we love one another as priests? Am I jealous of my brother who has a better position in pastoral ministry than I do? Do I love him? Envy and jealousy dehumanize our human spirit, and they are contradictory to our witness of the life of Jesus. We must be about supporting one another and helping each brother to be the best person he can be no matter his position in ministry or how gifted or lack of gifts he may have. How can I love my brother into fuller life and into the greater gift that God has given to him? That approach takes a special skill and a deep spirituality.
In the last few years, relationships between bishops and priests have suffered. We bishops must work hard at building up a sense of fraternity with the presbyterates we serve. We are brothers together in our priestly ministry. I would encourage you to also take initiative in relationship with your bishop. We are all human, and every bishop struggles with his challenge to be holy as does every priest and every person we serve. You no doubt have heard the old story of a priest who joyfully kept repeating the phrase, “The bishop has died!” That’s a strained relationship! May we together take one another’s interests to heart and truly recognize and appreciate one another as brothers.
Our relationships with other people call us to be very mindful of the necessary boundaries that provide protection and a way of assisting others to grow in their own goodness and spirituality. We must be very careful of physical boundaries with people so that we don’t violate God’s commands of respect for the human person and our respective sexualities. How tragically we have learned from bitter experience in the Church these past few years of boundaries that have been violated, of the significant damage inflicted upon victims of sexual abuse, and of the dehumanization of those who abuse.
Just as importantly we must be very frank and honest about the emotional boundaries we must have with others as well. Oftentimes people who come to us are vulnerable and needy. If we personally are not well integrated with regard to our personhood and sexuality, then we minister with risk to other people. We must be extremely honest about our motivation and be extremely cautious that we do not allow ourselves to be manipulated or to be gripped by our own self-deception. Every person to whom we minister represents the presence of Jesus. We must live our boundaries with responsibility and profound respect for the other.
In this area of respect for one another, we also must mention our respect for women. I am not quite so aware in your own Vietnamese culture of your attitude towards women and acceptance of their gifts. We must be careful about using other people as objects either for our own control or enjoyment. We can abuse people both in body and in our own hearts. Jesus is very clear about this in the Gospel when he tells us: “Anyone who looks lustfully at a woman has already committed adultery with her in his thoughts.” Matthew 5:28.
Today especially with women who have been abused by the power of men, we priests have a special opportunity of relating to them in a way that does not dehumanize but builds up their own sense of worth and dignity. We must treat them with respect or we greatly weaken the effectiveness of our ministry. They are valuable collaborators in witnessing to the Gospel, vibrant witnesses of faith. Do we not recognize women as the primary carriers of faith in our society? My own mother has affirmed that gift in me.
Finally in our relationships, one of the great changes that has occurred in the United States and much of the world is the education of our laity in general. Long gone is the day when only the priests are the educated people of the community. So many of our laity are well educated and oftentimes just as well educated if not better than we ourselves. We have the unusual opportunity of using those gifts in service to building up the Church and the Body of Christ.
Frankly, in my own ministry as bishop, I could not begin to do my work as well without the laity. Their wisdom and their eagerness to generously serve the Church have been for me a great source of inspiration and gratitude. Sometimes we find our temptation to control others or to do it alone. To control others is wrong and dehumanizes the other. Although using the gifts of all of our people may be more demanding and take greater skill, we as priests will bring about using the gifts of our lay people a more vibrant, enthusiastic, and rich community of faith. A controlling spirit serves far more my own perceived needs than that of community. I challenge you as I challenge myself to be a collaborative priest in service to God’s people. Please allow the gifts of others to surface in the community of faith you serve.
Sometimes the laity calls for greater “democratization.” We listen with respect, strive to widen their vision, involve them in finding solutions and directions for the future, affirm their concern and good intentions, and be patient as we continue to improve the consultative process within the Church and assist them in appreciating authoritative roles.
VI. The Demands of Priestly Ministry
Priestly ministry today has become increasingly complex. Expectations of people in the community of faith are high. They rightfully demand of us accountability of our position as a presider of a community of faith, and they expect of us to be a holy men and lovers of all. So much of our ministry is taken up with the ministry of presence. A ministry of presence is demanding and takes much energy. It is also a ministry that is powerful. Visits to hospitals, to those experiencing terminal illness or death in the family, or to those who experience tragedy or calamity in their own lives are all opportunities for us to be present to others. In addition, parish functions, and there are so many of them, demand our presence. We should be the first one to come and the last one to leave.
I remember some years ago a person who called me late in the evening as I was about to go to bed. I had a long and tiring day, but the person who called was in desperate need. After a long conversation, I hung up and went to bed wishing that he had called at another time. A few days later I received a note expressing gratitude and an acknowledgment that he knew I was tired at the time. I was embarrassed by my pickiness. That was one episode in my own life, but we have all experienced them again and again. I recall the scene of Jesus after a long day when parents brought their children to him. The disciples were upset with the presence of the parents bringing their children, but Jesus’ response was: “Let the little children come to me.” May that attitude be also a sign of our own ministry.
The task of priestly ministry today has been greatly complicated by fewer priests with increasing demands for priestly ministry. Given this reality, we are challenged to keep our priorities in order, to make sure that increased work loads do not lead to burn out or to lack of enthusiasm and vigor in our ministry. Fr. Ronald Rolheiser, OMI, one of the great spiritual writers of our day, speaks of the necessity to combine wisdom and fire in our lives. Sometimes a person may have a lot of fire but not a lot of wisdom. Or a person may have a lot of wisdom but not a lot of fire. He reflects that seldom is the person who can combine both in a balanced manner. Even with busy schedules we can be priests very much alive if we keep our lives in balance with prayer, ministry, rest, and relaxation.
We are servants of the Lord. Jesus tells us: “I have come not to be served, but to serve.” The Second Vatican Council has emphasized this reality for us and, indeed, a spirit of loving service has its own powerful witness and example. We are here to serve others, not to be primarily focused on ourselves. In this time of alienation and polarity in our society, we priests have an unusual opportunity of being ministers of unity and reconciliation. In the United States, we have been touched by an increasing anger. There are broken relationships and alienation among so many people. We as priests must continue to call for forgiveness, love of neighbor, and reconciliation. We are peace-makers and peace-builders. Pope John Paul II in his visit to Coventry, England, many years ago expressed the sentiment that peace is built like a fine cathedral. I like that image. We must be about the building patiently, carefully, and hopefully.
Finally with regard to our ministry as priests, we can never forget the tremendous opportunity we have in presiding carefully and well in the celebration of the sacraments, especially Eucharist. Eucharist is a moment when we interact most with our people each weekend. Good preaching and good presiding are very important. They are also very effective in affirming people and helping them to come into contact with their God and with the community of faith as they process their lives. We must constantly look to continuing growth and development as good presiders of sacraments and of good preaching. The treasure of our sacramental tradition is too valuable and precious to allow the celebrations to be weakened by sloppiness, unpreparedness, or indifference.
VII. Priests of Joy and Hope
We priests live in a world of alienation and brokenness. We live in times of darkness and violence. The cross of Jesus as experienced in people’s lives is very apparent and real. Yet, we heard Jesus shortly before he died tell his disciplines: “All this I tell you that my joy may be yours and your joy may be complete.” John 15:11. Joy is integral to our lives as priests. Cardinal Martini, the former Archbishop of Milan, once said, “Joy is the mother of communication.” A joyful priest helps others to be joyful and is a sign of keeping even the harshness and trials of life in perspective as we all journey to the fullness of the Kingdom of God. Such a priest is truly a light to the world and salt of the earth.
We priests certainly know that God has entrusted us to his care. We are called to be priests of hope as we look to the future. We deal with challenges of culture in the secular world in which we live. We don’t have all of the answers and probably don’t even ask all of the right questions. But we are called to be people of hope who trust deeply in God’s providence. As we look to the future, we don’t know the way for sure except the way of Jesus. We trust in the guidance of the Spirit who constantly teaches us and touches us. As St. Paul reminds us: if the object of hope is seen, how can we be a hope-filled people? (Rom 8:24)
We are priests of the Lord. We have been blessed, and yet we have great challenges and opportunities before us. The Lord is with us. The Holy Spirit guides us. We are hope-filled and we are joyful. Most assuredly God’s Holy Spirit will continue to work amongst the people whom we serve. God’s promise will be fulfilled. We rejoice and thank God.
(in Orange, California, October 5, 2004)
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| Bishop William Skylstàd |
I have often reflected on their mysterious journey that at one time seemed to be filled full of sadness, difficulty and challenge. Through all of this I was born, and I was called to priesthood. You, too, have been on your own journeys, mysterious and challenging as they may have been. I am sure at times you have wondered as I have what has brought you here to this moment, but all of us are here. We thank God.
We know that the Holy Spirit and God’s providence have profoundly touched our lives. You have come from Southeast Asia, and Jesus also came from Asia. The presence of the Church in Asia is an ancient tradition not only in the far west of that continent where Jesus was born but in the tradition of St. Thomas who supposedly was martyred in southern India. In a later century St. Francis Xavier was a missionary proclaiming the Gospel in the part of the world from which you came.
Your own heritage speaks of a Church very much alive and deeply rooted in Vietnam. You have now for many different reasons come to the United States, and your ministry in this country blends into our larger Church of a wonderful diversity of cultures and ethnic backgrounds. As we share and reflect upon this moment in our priestly lives, I would like to share with you these following points:
- 1. Examples of journey in Sacred Scripture
- 2. Symbol of the journey in our modern world in which we minister
- 3. The importance of culture as our world becomes more and more the global village
- 4. Spirituality as the foundation stone of our ministry
- 5. Relationships in ministry
- 6. Demands of ministry
- 7. Priests of joy and hope.
The journey of faith is so much a part of our lives, especially as all of us progress to the fullness of the Kingdom to which Jesus calls us. Reflection on the concept of journey provides a rich source of appreciation and gratitude. In the Old Testament the example of a faith journey par excellence is that of Abraham and Sarah, our parents in faith. The call of God to leave their homeland must have been a tremendously uprooting experience. Yet always faithful to God, they said yes. Their graciousness and hospitality were qualities of heart that welcomed the three visitors in their midst. As it turned out, these were messengers from God with the great news: Sarah will have a child within a year. Joseph, the son of Isaac, was sold by his brothers to members of the caravan traveling towards Egypt. He becomes prominent in the Pharaoh’s kingdom, and eventually moves his family to Egypt, a land of plenty. But enslavement of the people ensues, and God liberates his people through the plagues as they begin their long journey of some 40 years back to the Promised Land. With all of the hurt, devastation, and brokenness of people, God’s promise was fulfilled. The Feast of Passover celebrates God’s act of saving his people. What a powerful symbol that Feast became as Jesus celebrated the Passover in the upper room before his own crucifixion and death.
The journeys were not only those of distance on the road but also in the heart. David, the great king, would have his own struggle of heart as he dealt with God’s call. As a youth David was a humble servant tending the flock. He was also called by God to confront courageously the Philistine whom he dispatched quickly with a sling and a stone. He encountered much difficulty in dealing with a mentally ill King Saul. Then when David himself became king, his lustful approach to Bethsheeba facilitated the murder of her husband, Uriah. Namaan, the prophet, confronted David about his evil actions, and David repented of his sin. He went on to become the great king.
The Babylonian exile was a time of captivity and subjugation for the chosen people. Their temple was destroyed and they were devastated. The prophets speak forcefully in those gloomy times of God’s faithfulness to them, of the need for repentance, and of the hope that eventually God’s promise will be fulfilled as they journeyed back to their homeland.
In the New Testament, Joseph and Mary for a time were refugees. Jesus in his public ministry constantly traveled throughout his homeland, preaching the Gospel. In the recent months in the selections from the Gospel of Luke on Sundays, Luke has Jesus traveling up to Jerusalem. Eventually, the greatest journey of all for Jesus was the carrying of the cross to Golgotha where he was crucified and died.
The Acts of the Apostles share with us the three missionary journeys of St. Paul. Paul’s various writings to the communities which he evangelized speak of a person not only moving physically but also of a journey in his own heart. He spoke of continued conversion and a deepening appreciation of God’s goodness to him. Remarkably, Paul even in prison as an old man could speak joyfully and prophetically to the early Church. This was a man whose journey had left a deep imprint upon him, and that experience provided a foundation for his powerful ministry of proclaiming the Gospel and salvation by the Lord Jesus for all of humanity. In a remarkable way, Paul was in touch with the presence of God in each person. His theology of the Body of Christ in which he cleverly uses the parts of the body unified together to form the whole became a powerful image of how interconnected the human family was and is in the Lord Jesus.
II. Symbol of the Journey
Certainly one of the greatest religious events of the twentieth century was the Second Vatican Council from 1962-65. Pope John XXIII began the Council with the recognition that the windows of the Church had to be opened to let fresh air in. We as a Church were entering into a new world situation that demanded relationship with every human being on the planet. Even though the Church for 400 years previously had remained relatively unchanged, the realization came to the Holy Father and the Fathers of the Council that we are a Church on a journey. There was an honest acknowledgment that we are a pilgrim Church, a Church on the move, a Church living in dramatically changing and evolutionary times.
The concept of the Church as a pilgrim people and the fact that the Church had to take a hard look at herself by way of conversion and renewal came none too soon. Once again, the intervention of God into human history was so clear and apparent as the Holy Spirit touched the Church at the moment of the Second Vatican Council so that she might better see herself in relationship not only to herself internally but to the world community externally. The mobility of peoples and instantaneous communication occurred in a dramatic fashion. In the new millennium we see continued explosion of technological development, the reality of globalization, and the increased connectedness of the human family. 9-11 was immediately observed on tv screens all over the world. The deaths a few weeks ago of 300 people in Beslan, Russia, leave a world community deeply saddened and shocked.
Several years ago, Cardinal Hume in Toronto at the National Catholic Education Association Convention called for a revolution of relationships in our world. His call then becomes even more important now as we Catholic priests and the Catholic Church have universal presence in our world. In the document Lumen Gentium of the Second Vatican Council, the Church fathers tell us that the Church is increasingly called to be “sign and instrument both of a very closely knit union with God and of the unity of the whole human race.” In addition, the Holy Father in his 1995 World Migration Day message affirmed that “in the Church no one is a stranger, and the Church is not foreign to anyone, anywhere. As a sacrament of unity and thus a sign and a binding force for the whole human race, the Church is the place where illegal immigrants are also recognized and accepted as brothers and sisters. It is the task of the various dioceses actively to ensure that these people, who are obliged to live outside the safety net of civil society, may find a sense of brotherhood in a Christian community. Solidarity means taking responsibility for those in trouble.”
Those forceful remarks challenge all of us as priests in the Church to be mindful of the great opportunity we have to be instruments of unity and peace. As the Catholic Church, we welcome all regardless of race, culture, language, and nation. In a very special way, we are to be sensitive to the marginalized, the excluded, and those impoverished for whatever reason.
We as priests in the Church through our culture, our presence, our solidarity with the Church universal throughout the world have a special opportunity to call everyone to a deep sense of reverence and respect for the human person, of every nation and ethnic background, of every belief and color of skin. Your presence as Vietnamese priests in the United States is one more sign of the diversity of this land which must be appreciated and affirmed. God sometimes uses us as challenges to those who have closed hearts, who deal with their own prejudices, and who even unfortunately might reject those of another ethnic background or creed.
With the Second Vatican Council the Church has come into the world community as the only international entity with such a common bond, common spirituality, common heritage, so beautifully expressed in many different ways and forms. Almost a year ago I was present in St. Peter’s Square for the beatification of Mother Teresa. Over 300,000 people, Catholics from all over the world, came to that celebration on a beautiful Sunday morning. What a powerful sign and expression of our common bond of brothers and sisters in the Lord Jesus in his Church! For us as priests who preside at liturgical celebrations with our people and who have the privilege to share the Word of God, we have the unique opportunity of letting people know how precious and valuable they are as part of our Church and the human family.
Like all journeys at the present moment for us in priesthood, the journey at times may be difficult and challenging. As one looks at the images from Sacred Scripture and as we are mindful of some of the great Church leaders of today, their journeys were not particularly easy either. Specifically, I remember reading recently the book of Five Loaves and Two Fish by your brother countrymen, Cardinal Francis Xavier Van Thuan. His journey in prison for many years in your homeland, and his deeply felt connection with all of God’s people stand as a tremendous monument to a holy man, a wonderful servant of the Church. I had the privilege of meeting him briefly shortly before he died in Rome. You yourselves know what a man of inspiration he is. He fostered a sense of unity, spiritual connectedness, and appreciation of a journey and a struggle, as difficult and as challenging as it might have been. The cross of Jesus was exemplified in his own life, and he accepted it with graciousness and humility. Truly, a man of God deeply in touch with his Savior.
We need that inspiration today as we live in unusual times of pain and hurt in the Church. The sexual abuse scandal has left us shocked and dismayed. How could the image of the Church be so damaged in such a short period of time? And yet it has. Trust in the Church has been greatly weakened. We have been humbled. This was not the journey we had expected. Somehow I strongly believe that God will use this tragic moment for renewal, for grace, for new opportunity, and perhaps even a positive sign for our society which must also deal with the same issue. But even more importantly, we must be sensitive to those who have been wounded, who have been deeply hurt. One can only imagine their trauma and their struggle. How can we help them? How can we be instruments of healing and reconciliation on their journey? Especially now we have the opportunity for heartfelt compassion and patience for brothers and sisters who have been affected by brokenness and sin.
Finally, as we think about the symbol of journey, we are mindful that one of the longest journeys in our lives is not one necessarily of distance, although almost all of you have experienced that. It’s the journey from the head to the heart. Perhaps that is the most difficult and challenging of all. Our ministry as priests is to support one another in our mutual internal journey, but also to help every person appreciate that journey and the need to connect the two.
III. The Importance of Culture as Our World Becomes More and More the Global Village
Our world community is rich in its cultural diversity. The Church also embracing every land and culture has within herself various cultural expressions of faith. Culture addresses the ethnicity of people and their customs. Culture can also be an expression of a particular part of the country. For example, I suspect that our culture in the northwestern part of the United States is different from here in California. Our culture here on the West Coast is different than that of the East Coast of the United States. You as Vietnamese priests come from a land of rich culture and tradition. You have brought that culture here to the United States in your communities of faith, and I personally experience that richness of culture every year as I celebrate with the Vietnamese community in Spokane on the Feast of the Holy Family. Your food, your deep sense of devotion, your music, and dancing are all part of your cultural background.
As we well know, culture is never static. It is never cast in concrete. It is always dynamic, always changing, especially so today impacted by so many influences. You have the wonderful opportunity as priests in the Church of helping others to bridge cultures. Your coming here has demanded a coming to know the culture in the United States. In addition, your presence here has assisted people in coming to know of the richness of your own tradition.
Fortunately, we have come to a far deeper realization here in the United States of the value of culture. Decades ago we took some pride in the fact we were a melting pot of peoples in the world community. Gradually we as Church came to appreciate that if peoples were to come together as a kind of melting pot, then their individuality and diversity would be lost in that mix. Indeed, we have come from some very painful experiences in which we, for example, have forced the culture of Anlgos on our Native peoples. We derided their costumes, their language, and their native ways of doing things.
Now we have come much more to the realization where the mixture of people coming together is like a stew or like a salad on a table. Each vegetable keeps its own identity but flavors the whole. Would not that be wonderful reality if we could live it in the Church in a vibrant way!
As we begin this new third millennium, a teachable moment gives us the opportunity of increasing our welcoming spirit to which we are called as Church. In a recent pastoral statement Welcoming The Stranger Among Us: Unity and Diversity, the Catholic bishops of the United States called us to “offer a genuine and suitable welcome, to share together as brothers and sisters at the same table, and to work side by side to improve the quality of life of society’s marginalized members.” One of the strong images used more recently in the Church is a place at the table. We are a Church of hospitality, a warm heart, and a lived-out expression of affection for and esteem of every person and culture.
Frankly, people in general have not always been accepting of diversity of culture, especially in language, even in our own Church. Language accents of brothers can be criticized or rejected. The attitude that “you become one of us when you are like us” expresses a blindness of heart and lack of appreciation of the diversity within our Church and, indeed, in the human family. Attitudes of rejection, criticism, and de-humanizing attitudes are not easy to experience, but neither is the carrying of the cross of Christ easy. We never know how the Lord Jesus uses us as instruments of growth, deepening appreciation, or challenge to closed hearts.
The tradition of our Church is clear, and the call of Jesus is unambiguous. Cultural expression adds richness to how faith is lived and expressed in our modern world. I have often heard the sentiment from Anglos here in the United States of how deeply touched and inspired they are by the Hispanic community who celebrates with great fervor and joy the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. People are amazed at the fervor and the deep commitment to truly make this a day of celebration and remembrance. You also in your own culture from Vietnam have your own special days of celebration and remembrance.
In the pastoral statement, Asian and Pacific Presence-Harmony in Faith, the U.S. Catholic bishops quote Pope John Paul II: “The test of true inculturation is whether people become more committed to their Christian faith because they perceive it more clearly with the eyes of their own culture…. [Furthermore,] through inculturation the Church, for her part, becomes a more intelligible sign of what she is, and a more effective instrument of mission.”
IV. Spirituality is the Foundation Stone of Our Ministry
We live in a world of many images and cultural pressures. The advertising media very often appeals to misplaced values in the human heart. The perfect figure, the perfect complexion of skin, the color of hair, or a remedy to immediately reduce pain are all values oftentimes strongly promoted in ways we know so well. In our very complex world and certainly in a very complex ministry in which we are engaged in serving God’s people as priests, we must stay grounded in relationship to the Lord Jesus. Oftentimes our ministry takes place with very busy schedules and tremendous demands of our time and presence. Yet, we must take time to be present to our God in a spirit of prayer.
Several years ago I heard a retreat master say that if we try to wrap our prayer around the day, we will not be very successful. We need to wrap the day around our prayer. Such an effort demands commitment and discipline. For me personally that has meant my setting aside time for prayer at the beginning of my day. I strive to spend at least an hour of prayer each day before the Blessed Sacrament. I also well recognize that ideal is not always possible, so perhaps it’s an hour in prayer in the car as I turn off the radio or as I sit in an airplane closing my eyes and focusing on the presence of the Lord. Even the beauty of the earth below from a plane window can spark a powerful meditation on the beauty of God’s creation.
One of the aspects with regard to prayer is that a prayerful person becomes very obvious to another. Not so long ago I came across an article written by a lay person who made the comment: “Allow me to listen to the homily of a priest for ten minutes, and I will tell you whether or not he prays.” Consistent prayer and a reflective spirit unmistakably leave their mark on us.
Our spirituality also calls us to a sense of humility in relationship to other people. We priests have places of honor as presiders of Eucharist, as leaders of our parish community. Perhaps that is even truer for us bishops. The real danger is to assume this self-importance as part of our identity and our manner of relationship with others. We are servants of the Lord. We are called to be the modern-day John the Baptists. You know John’s spirit very well as he spoke about Jesus: “He must increase. I must decrease.” Arrogance and inordinate pride become quickly observed personal characteristics that leave their negative impact upon others. For us as priests, we must appreciate the power of service and truly and remarkably the power of humility in our lives. We can and should be icons of humility.
Simplicity of life along with humility gives vibrant witness of being “poor in spirit.” We live in a land of tremendous plenty. Walk into any supermarket or Circuit City store and you know the many products available. Too often people’s identity is wrapped up in what they have. I remember some years ago Archbishop Thomas Murphy, the former Archbishop of Seattle, who made the comment in a talk he gave when he was chair of the Stewardship Committee for United States Conference of Catholic Bishops: “What do I own, and what owns me?” What owns me? That’s a very good question. Am I into the latest gadgets, the nicest of things, the best restaurants, the most expensive clothing? In the example of Jesus, we are to be simple of heart and generous with what we have and what we receive. Our treasure in life is relationship with the Lord and the people whom we serve. We remember always the words of Jesus: “Where your treasure is, that is where you heart is also.” People see very quickly where our heart is. Narcissism is so contrary to the Gospel and to a credible witness of priesthood.
As I have mentioned earlier, these are unusual days in the Church. Jesus invites us to carry our cross each day. We find crosses difficult to carry, but they are life-giving, humbling, and yes, they can be joy-filled. For years now, I have returned again and again to the beginning of the Letter of James: “Consider it complete joy when you become involved in all sorts of trials.” The cross of Jesus is always before us as we live our ministry faithful to Him. In mysterious and powerful ways, the cross lived in our lives points to the Lord Jesus. May you and I embrace our crosses of life with gratitude.
Internet allows wonderful opportunities of learning and of growth. The increasing availability of web sites can be of assistance to our preaching, to our increased knowledge about Church, and a way of keeping in contact with friends, family, and loved ones. However, having said this, I urge you to be extremely cautious of the potential of becoming addicted to pornography on the internet. In our houses of treatment for addictions of priests and religious, one of the most difficult addictions to treat is that of addiction to pornography on the internet. Given the tragedy of sexual abuse in our nation and some of the stories that continue to unfold in this area, we know how easy it is to give in to the temptation of this destructive enticement.
Finally, as we talk about our spirituality, we look to the stewardship of ourselves from a physical standpoint. Rest and exercise are very important for a balanced ministry. You remember the expression, “Grace builds on nature.” Rest and exercise help to give us energy and vibrancy to our ministry. In terms of who you are, I would encourage you to have broad interests in life. There are so many areas about which to learn which have great potential for invigorating our minds and hearts, which help us to discover anew ourselves and the creation of the world about us. For example, I find astronomy to be a wonderful world of constant new discovery and admiration of the mystery of the universe about us. I look at a web site on the internet in which each day a picture of new galaxy taken by a telescope is presented. I am also an amateur radio operator and a beekeeper. I find bees fascinating and mysterious. Amateur radio helps me to contact people the world over, almost all of whom I would never meet face to face but yet have the relationship however brief it may be. Hobbies can be rejuvenating and refreshing.
V. Relationships and Ministry
Jesus in his ministry demonstrated how to live out relationships with others. He was in a relationship with saint and sinner, with the angry and the devastated, with his critics and those who killed him. Jesus’ mission expressed in and through us gives us the opportunity to love everyone. That is one of the great roles for us in priesthood - to love neighbor, to love one another, to love those who don’t like us, or even to love those who hate us. Priests have a tremendous opportunity to express this love for all people. I am amazed how again and again people who see me in a collar almost automatically expect a relationship. They have a right to that expectation. That relationship includes the poorest of the poor, the street folks, people who struggle with their own brokenness and sinfulness. We love everyone.
Also we must ask ourselves, how do we love one another as priests? Am I jealous of my brother who has a better position in pastoral ministry than I do? Do I love him? Envy and jealousy dehumanize our human spirit, and they are contradictory to our witness of the life of Jesus. We must be about supporting one another and helping each brother to be the best person he can be no matter his position in ministry or how gifted or lack of gifts he may have. How can I love my brother into fuller life and into the greater gift that God has given to him? That approach takes a special skill and a deep spirituality.
In the last few years, relationships between bishops and priests have suffered. We bishops must work hard at building up a sense of fraternity with the presbyterates we serve. We are brothers together in our priestly ministry. I would encourage you to also take initiative in relationship with your bishop. We are all human, and every bishop struggles with his challenge to be holy as does every priest and every person we serve. You no doubt have heard the old story of a priest who joyfully kept repeating the phrase, “The bishop has died!” That’s a strained relationship! May we together take one another’s interests to heart and truly recognize and appreciate one another as brothers.
Our relationships with other people call us to be very mindful of the necessary boundaries that provide protection and a way of assisting others to grow in their own goodness and spirituality. We must be very careful of physical boundaries with people so that we don’t violate God’s commands of respect for the human person and our respective sexualities. How tragically we have learned from bitter experience in the Church these past few years of boundaries that have been violated, of the significant damage inflicted upon victims of sexual abuse, and of the dehumanization of those who abuse.
Just as importantly we must be very frank and honest about the emotional boundaries we must have with others as well. Oftentimes people who come to us are vulnerable and needy. If we personally are not well integrated with regard to our personhood and sexuality, then we minister with risk to other people. We must be extremely honest about our motivation and be extremely cautious that we do not allow ourselves to be manipulated or to be gripped by our own self-deception. Every person to whom we minister represents the presence of Jesus. We must live our boundaries with responsibility and profound respect for the other.
In this area of respect for one another, we also must mention our respect for women. I am not quite so aware in your own Vietnamese culture of your attitude towards women and acceptance of their gifts. We must be careful about using other people as objects either for our own control or enjoyment. We can abuse people both in body and in our own hearts. Jesus is very clear about this in the Gospel when he tells us: “Anyone who looks lustfully at a woman has already committed adultery with her in his thoughts.” Matthew 5:28.
Today especially with women who have been abused by the power of men, we priests have a special opportunity of relating to them in a way that does not dehumanize but builds up their own sense of worth and dignity. We must treat them with respect or we greatly weaken the effectiveness of our ministry. They are valuable collaborators in witnessing to the Gospel, vibrant witnesses of faith. Do we not recognize women as the primary carriers of faith in our society? My own mother has affirmed that gift in me.
Finally in our relationships, one of the great changes that has occurred in the United States and much of the world is the education of our laity in general. Long gone is the day when only the priests are the educated people of the community. So many of our laity are well educated and oftentimes just as well educated if not better than we ourselves. We have the unusual opportunity of using those gifts in service to building up the Church and the Body of Christ.
Frankly, in my own ministry as bishop, I could not begin to do my work as well without the laity. Their wisdom and their eagerness to generously serve the Church have been for me a great source of inspiration and gratitude. Sometimes we find our temptation to control others or to do it alone. To control others is wrong and dehumanizes the other. Although using the gifts of all of our people may be more demanding and take greater skill, we as priests will bring about using the gifts of our lay people a more vibrant, enthusiastic, and rich community of faith. A controlling spirit serves far more my own perceived needs than that of community. I challenge you as I challenge myself to be a collaborative priest in service to God’s people. Please allow the gifts of others to surface in the community of faith you serve.
Sometimes the laity calls for greater “democratization.” We listen with respect, strive to widen their vision, involve them in finding solutions and directions for the future, affirm their concern and good intentions, and be patient as we continue to improve the consultative process within the Church and assist them in appreciating authoritative roles.
VI. The Demands of Priestly Ministry
Priestly ministry today has become increasingly complex. Expectations of people in the community of faith are high. They rightfully demand of us accountability of our position as a presider of a community of faith, and they expect of us to be a holy men and lovers of all. So much of our ministry is taken up with the ministry of presence. A ministry of presence is demanding and takes much energy. It is also a ministry that is powerful. Visits to hospitals, to those experiencing terminal illness or death in the family, or to those who experience tragedy or calamity in their own lives are all opportunities for us to be present to others. In addition, parish functions, and there are so many of them, demand our presence. We should be the first one to come and the last one to leave.
I remember some years ago a person who called me late in the evening as I was about to go to bed. I had a long and tiring day, but the person who called was in desperate need. After a long conversation, I hung up and went to bed wishing that he had called at another time. A few days later I received a note expressing gratitude and an acknowledgment that he knew I was tired at the time. I was embarrassed by my pickiness. That was one episode in my own life, but we have all experienced them again and again. I recall the scene of Jesus after a long day when parents brought their children to him. The disciples were upset with the presence of the parents bringing their children, but Jesus’ response was: “Let the little children come to me.” May that attitude be also a sign of our own ministry.
The task of priestly ministry today has been greatly complicated by fewer priests with increasing demands for priestly ministry. Given this reality, we are challenged to keep our priorities in order, to make sure that increased work loads do not lead to burn out or to lack of enthusiasm and vigor in our ministry. Fr. Ronald Rolheiser, OMI, one of the great spiritual writers of our day, speaks of the necessity to combine wisdom and fire in our lives. Sometimes a person may have a lot of fire but not a lot of wisdom. Or a person may have a lot of wisdom but not a lot of fire. He reflects that seldom is the person who can combine both in a balanced manner. Even with busy schedules we can be priests very much alive if we keep our lives in balance with prayer, ministry, rest, and relaxation.
We are servants of the Lord. Jesus tells us: “I have come not to be served, but to serve.” The Second Vatican Council has emphasized this reality for us and, indeed, a spirit of loving service has its own powerful witness and example. We are here to serve others, not to be primarily focused on ourselves. In this time of alienation and polarity in our society, we priests have an unusual opportunity of being ministers of unity and reconciliation. In the United States, we have been touched by an increasing anger. There are broken relationships and alienation among so many people. We as priests must continue to call for forgiveness, love of neighbor, and reconciliation. We are peace-makers and peace-builders. Pope John Paul II in his visit to Coventry, England, many years ago expressed the sentiment that peace is built like a fine cathedral. I like that image. We must be about the building patiently, carefully, and hopefully.
Finally with regard to our ministry as priests, we can never forget the tremendous opportunity we have in presiding carefully and well in the celebration of the sacraments, especially Eucharist. Eucharist is a moment when we interact most with our people each weekend. Good preaching and good presiding are very important. They are also very effective in affirming people and helping them to come into contact with their God and with the community of faith as they process their lives. We must constantly look to continuing growth and development as good presiders of sacraments and of good preaching. The treasure of our sacramental tradition is too valuable and precious to allow the celebrations to be weakened by sloppiness, unpreparedness, or indifference.
VII. Priests of Joy and Hope
We priests live in a world of alienation and brokenness. We live in times of darkness and violence. The cross of Jesus as experienced in people’s lives is very apparent and real. Yet, we heard Jesus shortly before he died tell his disciplines: “All this I tell you that my joy may be yours and your joy may be complete.” John 15:11. Joy is integral to our lives as priests. Cardinal Martini, the former Archbishop of Milan, once said, “Joy is the mother of communication.” A joyful priest helps others to be joyful and is a sign of keeping even the harshness and trials of life in perspective as we all journey to the fullness of the Kingdom of God. Such a priest is truly a light to the world and salt of the earth.
We priests certainly know that God has entrusted us to his care. We are called to be priests of hope as we look to the future. We deal with challenges of culture in the secular world in which we live. We don’t have all of the answers and probably don’t even ask all of the right questions. But we are called to be people of hope who trust deeply in God’s providence. As we look to the future, we don’t know the way for sure except the way of Jesus. We trust in the guidance of the Spirit who constantly teaches us and touches us. As St. Paul reminds us: if the object of hope is seen, how can we be a hope-filled people? (Rom 8:24)
We are priests of the Lord. We have been blessed, and yet we have great challenges and opportunities before us. The Lord is with us. The Holy Spirit guides us. We are hope-filled and we are joyful. Most assuredly God’s Holy Spirit will continue to work amongst the people whom we serve. God’s promise will be fulfilled. We rejoice and thank God.