Ever since I was a little boy, I have never stayed at one
particular parish very long. My parents had restless heart and I guess
they passed that on to me. From the age of 15 when I started doing
missionary work, I wouldn’t stay very long in one place (the exceptions being
my home parish and my first parish I was assigned to as a priest). Of
course, this wasn’t my doing. There was always an archbishop on the other
end of the line, inspired by the Spirit, telling me where I was needed next, and
I embraced each change as God’s will for me. After all, I did lay down my
life at ordination for the good of the Church and looked my archbishop firmly
in the eyes (twice!) and told him that I would be obedient to him and to his
successors. Just a little over 18 months ago, I received a call that I
would receive my first pastorate here in this holy place where I received my
First Communion. Since that time, I have grown to love this community
that has embraced me as its pastor. I have found a faith-filled people
hungering to be fed the Living Word of God. So it did come as a bit of a
surprise that two and half weeks ago I found myself yet again on the other end
of the line with the Archbishop who was asking me to be the pastor of a
different community in another part of our Archdiocese later this summer.
Obedience: is it any wonder that priests make that promise twice! While I
embrace the next great challenge the Lord has in store for me, I couldn’t help
but think of all of you while I was talking with the Archbishop. As news
started to spread through the parish that I would be transferred, people asked
why I stayed for such short a time. I would respond that our ways are not
the Lord’s ways. When people started telling me that they would follow me
to my next parish, I would gently remind them that we follow but one man:
Christ Jesus the Lord.
In a way, today’s readings proved to be providential to go
along with this news that I have to share with you today. One of the
first homilies I delivered from this pulpit as your pastor was to remind you
that the Church does not consist merely of who is up here preaching but that
you are the Church. In the second reading, St. Peter calls us living
stones who are called to be built into a spiritual house. My brothers and
sisters, you are the living Church. You are what makes this parish
community so vibrant and beautiful. I am merely a humble, unworthy
servant that was placed at the service of the royal priesthood you received
from the Lord at baptism. But as I reminded my staff when I shared this
news with them, the work of the Church continues. There is still so much
to do and so much that all of you could do that does not depend on who your
pastor is. You are all called to “announce the praises of him who called
you out of darkness into his wonderful light (1 Peter 2:9).” We are
indeed called to be living stones that make this Church come alive.
Several years ago I wrote in a homily, “As living stones, we are called to be
filled with the Spirit to help edify this spiritual house. Unfortunately,
so many of us are stones, quite literally stones, not living stones, that just
sit here and do not contribute to the mission of the Church. We forget
that we are called from baptism to share in Christ's ministry. It is not
sufficient to sit here like stones once a week for one hour. Our Lord
needs you more. The Church needs you more. “ For me as a pastor, it
has never been about the bottom line or about triumphs or defeats, but rather sharing
with you the joyful news of the Gospel in order to inspire you to go forth and
share that same Good News with others.
I must confess that it will hurt when I leave at the end of
next month. A friend was telling me this week that I should be used to
this, but I replied that I wouldn’t be much of a priest if it did not hurt to
let go of people I love. I have done this goodbye thing all too often
over the last 12 years, dried many tears, and heard the question “why?” more
than I would like. But as I said earlier, our ways are not God’s
ways. He has a plan for each of us which makes the first line that Jesus
utters in today’s gospel so comforting: “Do not let your hearts be
troubled.” We have faith in God. We must have faith in his divine
will. You follow not a man who wears black. You follow Christ the
Lord. My task was to bring that Christ to you who is “the Way, the Truth,
and the Life.” As living stones, each and every one of you is precious in
the Lord’s eyes. I just thank the Lord that, even if it was for a short
while, I was able to see with my eyes how precious each of you truly is.
