Bearing Fruit
Last Saturday, my day began with two funerals and ended with a ride on a mechanical bull at a Gala party for 7th and 8th grade parents. I wonder if this is the modern expression of St. Paul’s utterance: “I have become all things to all,” (1 Cor. 9:22).
This Sunday is Priesthood Sunday in the United States. In my 17 months as a priest, one story from Scripture continues to come to mind. I’ll look ahead at a day’s commitments (a
funeral, a homily, a meeting, a talk, etc.) and wonder: “how am I going to get through this?” or “how will this go?” and fear and doubt creep in. Then the day passes, and everything
goes well, often with unforeseen blessings and fruit. And going before the Blessed Sacrament in the rectory chapel at the end of the day, I feel like the 72 disciples who return to Jesus
saying: “Lord, you won’t believe what we did in your name!” (my paraphrase of Luke 10:17). And Jesus looks at them (and me) and calmly replies: “I do believe it. Because I’ve seen it. I
made you. I called you. And I’m with you through it all.”
On the wall next to my alarm clock hangs a small, simple cross with five images: grapes, wheat, a fish, a loaf of bread, and a chalice. As I drag myself out of bed and turn off the alarm, I touch that cross and make a simple morning offering: “Lord, I offer all to you today.” This is an image of the priesthood. The priest offers very ordinary things—meetings, conversations, bread, wine—and God multiplies the loaves and fish, God transubstantiates the bread and wine into his very self.
The kneeler in the rectory chapel has a little shelf displaying Archbishop Grob’s holy card, which reminds Fr. Dennis and me every morning: “I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing,” (John 15:5). The priesthood is a beautiful life. I’m so grateful God has called me to be his priest, and I honestly can’t imagine doing anything else. I’m also very aware that this sublime calling hasn’t done away with my personal faults and foibles. I trust, however, that as long as I pray and remain in God each day, He will bear fruit through it all—be it funerals or mechanical bulls.