Pilgrim Priest

Ordinary Time, 21st Sunday (A) Shebna, the Master of the Palace, has been building a monument to himself. God will replace him with a better steward. God sees three qualities in Eliakim that make him a good steward: he is a servant, a father, and dependable. By not serving himself, Elaikim will be a blessing for his family and others.

God has given you the gift of your own life, and made you a steward of his creation. If you are a husband, a father, and the head of a household, you have been entrusted with a great stewardship. God is looking for the same things from you as he was from Eliakim.

Do you want to be a great steward? I suggest three things:

1. Make time for daily prayer. Prayer is a really important way for a man to admit that he needs help. In prayer God reveals himself to us, and also shows us who we are.
2. Pay attention to your inner life. Others need to feel safe in your presence, to feel seen and valued, to be able to flourish. To do that for others, we need to de-clutter our minds and hearts, to Confess and forgive.
3. Volunteer. It helps us move out of the downward spiral of "What's in it for me?" and into the spiral of blessed, grateful, and generous.

(27 Aug 2023)

Going Deeper: Does your stewardship more resemble Shebna or Eliakim? What is one way the concept of stewardship could change the way you see your own life?

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Ordinary Time, 19th Sunday (A) I recently paddled down a whitewater section of the Wolf River. Among other things, I learned three important lessons that also apply to the spiritual life.

1. Hug the rock. When you get stuck on a rock, you naturally try to push away from obstacle. Pushing away from the obstacle in a strong current will cause your boat to capsize -- and make things infinitely worse! Leaning towards the obstacle ("hugging the rock") keeps you safely above water until you can maneuver free.
   In a similar way, we often push away from life's obstacles, but trying push the problems away often makes things worse. Leaning into the problems helps us to resolve them and then move on.
2. Look for the eddies. An eddy is a calm spot behind a rock or obstacle. You can pull your boat into these calm spots and catch your breath.
   In a similar way, we often need to step out of the rush into a quiet moment of prayer and reflection. Choose silence and God will find you there, like he met Elijah.
   
3. Surf the waves. Right below the waterfalls, the current actually flows upstream. You can maneuver your boat into this spot and "surf" in the rushing current.
   There are crazy times in life when you just can't "eddy out" into silence. Jesus will come to meet you, and help you find calm in the midst of the storm.
   

(13 Aug 2023)

Going Deeper: Do you make time in your life to choose silence? What helps you keep your peace even in the midst of a storm?

Image © Fr. Joel Sember, Pilgrim Priest | Over 12

Feast of the Transfiguration (A) I recently visited my old seminary and checked out their brand-new chapel. The chapel encourages the men to be authentic. It encourages them to be in community. And it encourages them to find their true identity as beloved sons of God the Father.

At the Transfiguration, we see that Jesus is not standing alone. Jesus is "in Communion" with Moses, the great lawgiver, and Elijah the great prophet. We see his radiant glory as the Beloved Son. This is the One who made Moses glow when he gave him the law on Mt. Sinai. He wants to make your faces glow with love and joy. Listen to him, and you will share his glory now and forever.

(6 Aug 2023)

Going Deeper: Who are the people in your life that really glow with love and joy? What is their secret?

Image © Fr. Joel Sember, Pilgrim Priest | Over 12

Ordinary Time, 17th Sunday (A) Young Solomon has just become king. God offers to give him one gift. What would you ask for? Success in war, fabulous wealth, a peaceful kingdom, popularity? King Solomon, however, asks for a wise and understanding heart.

Nowadays, there is an abundance of information but a critical shortage of wisdom. Our elders seem less wise and the young don't make time to listen to them. If you want to become wise, where do you start?

The first step of wisdom is realizing I'm not very wise. Being honest about my need for wisdom is the place to start searching. What are the things we have pursued that turned out not to be true treasure? Where have we found true treasure? Take time to sort things in your life. Throw out the bad fish and keep the good ones. Wisdom, at its deepest level, is seeing things as God sees them and loving what God loves. Draw close to God and you will become truly wise.

(30 July 2023)

Going Deeper: Ask for the gift of a wise and understanding heart.

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Ordinary Time, 16th Sunday (A) Catholic teaching is true and good and beautiful. When I live my life according to the truth, I bear good fruit. Others, however, are living for themselves and bearing bad fruit. Why doesn't God do something about it?

God has been watching and waiting patiently. He is confident that his harvesters will be able to sort the good from the bad. You can only tell the wheat from the darnel when the fruit appears. God is waiting to see what kind of fruit will appear. Perhaps we are the ones who most benefit from God's patience.

(23 July 2023)

Going Deeper: Consider reading the POST-SYNODAL APOSTOLIC EXHORTATION CHRISTIFIDELES LAICI OF HIS HOLINESS JOHN PAUL II ON THE VOCATION AND THE MISSION OF THE LAY FAITHFUL IN THE CHURCH AND IN THE WORLD, and/or tuning in to Abiding Together with Heather Kym, Michelle Benzinger, and Sr. Miriam James.

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Ordinary Time, 14th Sunday (A) The king is coming, and he is coming in peace. He is humble, poor, and afflicted. Only the "little ones" would want such a king. Deep down, we are all humble, poor, and afflicted, though we do a good job making ourselves look mighty, noble, and powerful.

The prophet Zechariah is writing about Palm Sunday. He is also writing about God's Kingdom of peace that is coming. Between the coming of the King and the final fulfillment, there is a gap. I believe that priests are called to bridge the gap.

How is Jesus' yoke easy and burden light? I came to Jesus and I couldn't imagine a heavier load than priesthood. But I began to realize that most of the burden I was carrying was my own ego, weighed down by my expectations and fears. When I come to Jesus, I accept the reality that I am poor, afflicted, and weak. Jesus loves me and works along side of me. Jesus carries the heavy load.

Your ego is a terrible burden. Your fears are a terrible burden. Your expectations and those of the world are a terrible burden. Compared to these heavy burdens, God's yoke is easy, and his burden is light. Come to Him and experience it for yourself.

(9 Jul 2023)

Going Deeper: Do you have a sense of the fears that weigh you down, steal your peace, and cause you to have unrealistic expectations? When have you experienced the freedom of working along side of Jesus?

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Ordinary Time, 12th Sunday (A) Security leads to maturity. Maturity leads to purity, that is, to the ability to truly love people. Despite the appearances of security, many of us are affected by a deep feeling of insecurity. We might turn to money, success, or a spouse for a sense of security, but none can give us true security.

Jeremiah finds security in God's love for him. Through my 30 day retreat, God showed me that he had always been with me. Many of us think that God is mad at them or disappointed in them. The truth is that Jesus died, not for "everyone", but for each of us.

When you become rooted in God's love for you, no one can take it from you. Stay rooted in the security of God's love for you and you will bear much fruit.

(25 Jun 2023)

Going Deeper: Where to I look for for a sense of security? What experiences make me feel insecure?

Over 12

Ordinary Time, 11th Sunday (A) I just returned from my 12th pilgrimage to Champion Shrine. I feel most like a shepherd when I am on walking pilgrimage. I find myself counting my sheep and making sure they are all on the right track. A pilgrimage is a public witness to the importance of faith.

Jesus calls the Apostles by name and reveals the Father's love to them. Then he sends them out to their Jewish brothers. They must remind them who God is and who they are. We, too, must witness to brothers and sisters who have forgotten who they are and who God is.

When men fail to love as the Father loves, the people around them feel like sheep without a shepherd. Men must guide, provide for, and protect God's children. The most important step is to get down on our knees and admit to Got that we need his help. Love is our mission and God will help us to fulfill it.

(18 June 2023)

Going Deeper: How can you more intentionally love the ones around you with the heart of Jesus and Mary? How would your community look different if every Christian loved in this way?

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The Body and Blood of Christ (A) My First Communion was a bubbly, tingly experience. That was probably caused by the alcohol, and not so much the Holy Spirit. Other times with the Eucharist were more blessed. I think of attending holy hours with my father, being part of the procession in Orvieto, and seeing my life change through daily prayer in front of the tabernacle.

There are two key mistakes that modern Catholics make. Our Enlightenment worldview sees everything as matter, energy, and atoms. Catholics sometimes act as if the Eucharist were the only place that God is still present in the world. Instead, the Eucharist should open our eyes to see that we ourselves, the world around us, and fellow human beings are all sacramental.

We think of faith as a static, sitting-in-church kind of thing. Ancient Christians saw their faith as "the Way" and we were walking with Jesus on a journey to eternity.

My annual walking pilgrimage helps correct these errors. Time "on the road" changes your relationship with nature, yourself and others. It forces you to trust in Divine Providence. You get away from all the comforts that you consider essential, only to find that you are more happy without them.

The Eucharist reminds us that we were not meant for comfort, pleasure, or to feel at home here on earth. We are on a pilgrimage to eternity, and Jesus himself is the food for our journey.

(11 Jun 2023)

Going Deeper: Did your local Catholic parish celebrate a Corpus Christi procession? Have you ever experienced a pilgrimage for yourself? Consider planning or participating in a walking pilgrimage sometime soon.

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Most Holy Trinity (A) Communism sacrifices individuals to maximize the common good. Consumer capitalism maximizes individuality at the expense of the common good. Can we have both? Yes! The Holy Trinity is unique individual persons and at the same time a community of love. We are made in the image and likeness of God. That means that we were made to be unique individuals whose gifts contribute to the common good. We "fit" into a community.

Let's look at two communities that cherish individuality. The family is blessed with unique individual children who make up a community of love. Even at a young age children can begin contributing to the common good. A local parish church brings unique individuals into a common bond of love. In the family, and in the parish, the human community mingles with the divine community. Our uniqueness reaches its full potential in communion with God and others.

(4 June 2023)

Going Deeper: Spend some time celebrating the uniqueness of family members or fellow parishioners. How have their gifts blessed you?

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