Word to the Wise
Sunday, July 3, 2016 - 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time - C
[Isa 66:10-14c; Gal 6:14-18; Luke 10:1-12, 17-20]"Nevertheless, do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice because your names are written in heaven." [Luke]
June is a traditional month for weddings. It is also a traditional month for ordinations to ministry, especially the priesthood. I recently attended the priestly ordination of two young men for service in the Diocese of Lubbock, TX, where I live. It was an exciting time for this mission diocese to have two men from this area accept the call to priestly ministry in their home diocese. They will experience the excitement of celebrating the eucharist and the sacrament of reconciliation for the first time, and this excitement can last a long time. They are given tremendous spiritual/pastoral power. But Jesus warns in today's gospel that power is not the point. The "kingdom of God" is. Furthermore, not every community is going to be as receptive as these two men experienced on their ordination day!
Newly graduated attorneys and medical doctors learn that finishing school is only just the beginning. They quickly discover what was not taught to them in formal study: how to PRACTICE the profession. The two newly ordained priests for Lubbock have been assigned to large parishes with veteran pastors who can mentor them. In a mission diocese, they are fortunate to have this "breaking in" assignment, which can prevent them from becoming overwhelmed by the needs in the parish. Even their "pastoral year" and "diaconate internship" times cushion them to some extent.
I invite the Beloved Congregation to pray for all of those who are being ordained to priestly ministry (and yes, to Permanent Diaconate as well) this year and every year. Like a marriage, this ministry requires a daily effort to sustain the long term challenge. At priests' retreats, I offer the participants the four-fold elements that we Dominican Friars use: prayer, study, community and ministry. Anything parishioners can do to support those elements in the life of their pastor will result in "the kingdom of God" among them. AMEN