From the bulletin

I placed this in my assignment parish's bulletin last weekend . . . Just a thought.

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On the front porch of the seminary residence at Saint Vincent’s are four columns, each with a letter – I, O, G, D. These four letters are the abbreviation of the phrase In Omnibus Glorificatur Deus, “In all things, may God be glorified”. This phrase reminds not only the Benedictines of the Archabbey and the men in the seminary, but in fact all of us, that all our actions need to be ordered to the glory of God.

Jesus calls us to share in His glory. Yet, like James and John in this week’s Gospel, we often seek after the glory that is measured in human standards. The glory that Jesus urges us to seek is found by drinking from the cup that He has received from the Father and accepting the baptism with which He had been baptized. Namely, the glory of the Lord is ours when we live out the Paschal Mystery of Christ: His Passion, Death and Resurrection.

Our dying to self to give life to others gives glory to God because, through this, we are not simply acting on our behalf. Rather, our words and actions are focused on building up the Body of Christ and the Kingdom of God. Our entrance into the Paschal Mystery of Jesus allows us to fulfill the mission given to us at our baptism, which is to bring others to Christ. This is not often an easy task, and many of us shy away from “being Christ” to others. However, if we allow ourselves to focus our actions so that in omnibus glorificatur Deus, we see beyond ourselves and our human understanding, and the Holy Spirit opens us up to see, speak, and act in ways which bring glory to God and others to Christ.

James and John were ready to drink the cup and be baptized with Christ’s radical baptism without fully comprehending what that would entail: the ultimate sacrifice of one’s life for the Gospel message. For us who live in 2009, we know the Gospel message. But do we allow it to transform us so that we may live the Paschal Mystery faithfully so that in omnibus glorificatur Deus?

Through the power of the Holy Spirit, and the reception of the sacraments of Reconciliation and the Eucharist, we are given the means in which we can transform our actions so that they bring glory to God. It is through the Holy Spirit alone that we can fully enter into the Paschal Mystery so that others may come to know Christ and His Gospel. And so, we must really ask ourselves that, in and through our words and actions, who is really receiving the glory? Are we acting for only ourselves, or are we acting for the glory of God?

Flying time

Time has been flying . . . We're a few days to T-8 months until priesthood ordinations -- God willing.

A big portion of my time recently has been split between school / school work and parish / parish life. I can feel the pull of being (back) in the parish full-time: it's something I love, and has been a part of me for many years. I'm enjoying my time at the parish, overall. Yes, there have been some challenges and decisions made in which I didn't fully agree with. However, I'm there to learn (through active and passive participation), and I feel that I am learning.

Things here at the seminary are going well. I have let go of many of the responsibilities that I have held here over the past few years. I needed to let them go, and better I do it now while I am around to answer questions than leave the poor guys grasping for answers. I still play a small parts around here, but am glad for learning how to let go . . . even though part of me would still like to be doing more.

I've begun to see a change in myself. Most of the time I believe this to be a good thing, but sometimes not. I guess I'm noticing myself in a different light: Life as an ordained man changes you - not completely . . . but I guess I'm taking some things more seriously (as I should), and allowing the things that would completely bug me to simply go to the side. (Not everything that bugs me, however. I've been holding on to some frustrations that I know I need to cool down, but every time I encounter them, I just become frustrated again. Patience is a virtue!) But no matter how I view them, I know that I am changing. I'm not the man who I was when I entered the seminary, nor am I the man who I was just prior to ordination. And while, for the most part, I am who I always have been, I continue to change as I continue to configure my life to that of Christ's. It's not always an easy thing to do, but it's what I'm called to do.

Well, I need to finish a few things to prepare to go to the parish in the morning.



Enjoy the journey . . .