Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Chris' Candidacy - A faithful YES

I'll admit it I was a little worn out after the Masses this last Sunday. Three things that seem to really tire me out: 1) Shopping, 2) Visiting art Galleries or Museums, and 3) Preaching. I love preaching though and a couple of times people have said, "why don't you just preach you know, kind of normal like." I really don't think I can. I could preach about Wall Street or different types of fungus in a "normal way", but if I am preaching about our faith in Jesus Christ I just don't think it is possible to not get excited. Combine that with the nervousness that comes from preaching about things like our New Evangelization Center, a mysterious sickness that had me dry heaving before the 7:30 am Mass, and three baptisms in the afternoon and the fact that I survived is somewhat miraculous. Thank you St. Padre Pio!
Today was Chris' Candidacy celebration at the Basilica. It was a wonderful celebration and as the Archbishop said a rarely seen celebration. One thing that struck me is that the new rite for Candidacy has the men respond when their name is called, "I have come to serve!" That was awesome! Today's first reading from Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians says, "As God is faithful, our word to you is not 'yes' and 'no.'" Basically the point of Candidacy is that Chris is saying Yes to seriously discerning God's call to the priesthood in theological studies. This "yes" is not based on feelings or passing emotions but rather is grounded in faithfulness. A faithfulness first given to us by our loving God. It is my hope that our parish may see the faithful YES of this wonderful young man and realize that we are all called to respond to God's love by saying YES. It is only by our faithful yes that we can hear God calling each and everyone of us by our names to which we should shout, "I have come to serve!"

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