Word to the Wise
Wednesday, May 22, 2013 - Wednesday in the 7th Week in Ordinary Time
[Sirach 4:11-19 and Mark 9:38-40]John said to Jesus, "Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name, and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow us." Jesus replied, "Do not prevent him. There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me. For whoever is not against us is for us."
At present I am in St. Louis, attending the annual assembly of the friars of our Southern Province. The assembly is taking place at our new "studium [seminary] residence, and, of course, our student brothers [seminarians] are with us. Their enthusiasm is wonderful for all of us who are getting older (and older....)! The contrast between that enthusiasm and the accumulated wisdom of those of us who have been in the ministry seems to capture the spirit of what the Book of Sirach and Jesus are both saying today! The apostle, John, on more than one occasion asks for strong action on the part of Jesus either to destroy a village that had rejected him or, in today's gospel, to prevent someone outside the group from driving out demons in Jesus' name! Jesus' wise reply tempers the enthusiasm that might be an obstacle to the gospel being preached in ways that the "in group" could not imagine!
Today, May 22nd, is my 42nd anniversary of ordination to the priesthood. I know there were instances in my "earlier" years of religious life and ministry when I might have been more like John than like Jesus, and looking back I can only say that the Holy Spirit must have lost more than a few feathers in keeping me from making a complete mess of my life! My hope is that I am now more like Jesus and Ben Sirach! In June, I will attend the priestly ordination of one of my former student parishioners at Tulane who joined our Order. His enthusiasm and talent are a tonic for my aging spirits. My prayer for him will be that the Holy Spirit of wisdom will guide him (with the help of his "older" Dominican brothers) to paths of great preaching and pastoral service. I hope you will pray for him and for me for that same purpose! AMEN