Weekend Wisdom, June 10-11

Hello friends, happy solemnity!

I wanted to get this message out just in case I don’t see some of you again before July—again a hearty "thank you" for your kind and generous reception of me, it was a pleasure to join you for part of our collective journey to God. I like to see the Church as one big caravan of travelers, all walking to the same destination. And as priests, we have the fun privilege of staying with a group for a while, then weaving through the caravan to spend time with another group, all while the journey continues—kind of like Jesus and the Holy Family in Luke’s Gospel, as part of the caravan to Jerusalem. And even though we may not see each other as much, we stay united as travelers.

There’s one more image that a couple of you suggested I mention as we approach another time of transition, and it’s one of my favorites from seminary— seeing priesthood as a light prism. We know that Jesus is our one true High priest, and that all of our priests are called to be part of the one Priesthood of Jesus. Picture a light prism, with a singular beam of pure light entering, and the entire color spectrum of light exiting it. That singular beam of pure light is the perfect Priesthood of Christ, and the prism splits it into its different wavelengths, into the priesthood we see today. Each wavelength is a different color, a different member of the spectrum of light. And while blue light might look very different from orange light, both of those wavelengths are part of the source, pure light. But one of them alone only gives you a small sample of that light.

It is my supreme privilege to be one sample, one wavelength of that light of Priesthood. But remember that I, and all your priests, are also just one sample! Fr. Mike is another, different sample of light. Fr. Matt too. And all of your past and future priests! Your soul might prefer a particular wavelength, but the person in the pew next to you might resonate with a different one.

This is why bishops today are leaning more into regular rotations—so that all the souls in our parishes might be nourished at some point, as priests come and go.

Once again, know of my immense gratitude, and please pray for your incoming priest. It is a huge deal to leave your home country behind and perfect a second language, all to serve the Lord where the help is most needed! That’s something I wouldn’t be strong enough to do, and we often forget the immense sacrifice that our missionary priests make. Support them!

Perhaps I’ll see you again along the road!

Your brother in Christ, Fr. Ben

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Weekend Wisdom, June 17-18

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Weekend Wisdom, May 7th, 2023