Below is an outline of my homily, to hear the full thing, listen to the 10:30 Mass here.
Good shepherd Sunday:
Jesus is the Good Shepherd not only when he was here on earth but after when he established his church.
This particular Sunday is a chance for us to pray for vocations to the priesthood in particular, that God will help young men hear his invitation to serve as shepherds for his church.
In Stl, we are encouraged to share our vocation story with you for a couple of reasons:
- Priests don’t come from some mystical, magical land. They come from homes and families just like yours! Knowing how your priests came to their decision may help those who are wondering if they are called!
- There are young men here in this parish who are being called to the priesthood. But it is not something many people think about, so talking about it helps that conversation happen.
- While every vocation story is different, most of them are founded on lots of little moments and invitations, rather than one big event. Knowing how our priests were called can help us in our own listening to the Lord and his plan for us!
So…my story…grew up in hazelwood, small house, big family. Great childhood, lots of outside time and adventures. Probably from the time I was 7 or 8, I thought about the priesthood and felt like it was a pretty good thing. Even had my own church in our backyard shed, lots of neighbor parishioners. Very strict, had to create miracles to keep the flock in line until the great scandal…
From time to time, people would ask me if I had thought I should be a priest and some people even said they thought I would be a good one! Lots of serving at the parish…
Then discovered tools and girls (in that order) and felt like I wanted to have my own family and be some sort of builder/tradesman.
Mom’s NDE and Theresa…The the retreat… death and caring for others…At that retreat:”Feed my sheep”
I knew at that moment without a doubt and started seminary a few months later…hs, college, theology.
Now been a priest just about 18 years, in 4 different parishes and sometimes feel like I’ve lived multiple lives with all the people I’ve worked with and gotten to know.
It is a wonderful life! Difficult at times and sacrificial but I have yet to hear of a vocation or life that has meaning that doesn’t involve those things…
I suppose in closing I would want to mention just a few things I hear that keep some men from considering the priesthood:
- The majority of men who enter the seminary, do so with less than supportive families. There is a fear among many parents that their son will not be happy as a priest. That giving up family, wealth, or possessions will lead a life of misery. But priests tend to be pretty happy people and if that is what your son was called by God to do, then his gifts, personality, and so much else will come alive in that calling! And you will be blessed too. God never takes more than he gives and my parents have been blessed by letting me go and be the priest God calls me to be!
- People think that being a priest is dull, boring, unfulfilling. Nothing could be further from the truth. I did not become a priest for the excitement and experiences but wow, I’ve already had so many funny, amazing, exciting, rewarding, and profound moments in my life. (Bulldozer) Every day is different and so much of each day is incredibly meaningful. I often tell people that I have one of the best jobs in the world because so much of priestly ministry makes a meaningful and direct impact in people’s lives. And that feels amazing to have a part in that and for God to trust me enough to ask me to help him in helping his people. If you or someone in your family is thinking about the priesthood, encourage them to at least check it out…they won’t regret it.
- Pray for your priests and teach your kids to do the same. Growing up, my parents didn’t always see eye to eye with our priests but they were always respectful and never shared those disputes with us as kids. So we had a respect for the office of priesthood and we prayed for them as a family often, as if they were a close friend or family member. Just like anyone else…if you like your priests, pray for them; if you don’t like your priests, pray for them even more. If that is the formula Jesus gives us for our enemies, how much more is it true for our shepherds?!
- Invite men to think about the priesthood. 9 out of 10 priests say they they discovered their vocation because someone they trusted encouraged them to consider it. If you know someone who seems to have the budding qualities of a priest, encourage them to consider the call and promise to pray for their discernment. And God doesn’t wait until men are out of college to invite. I started thinking about it in early grade school and I am so grateful my parents didn’t dismiss the idea or tell me to ignore it. We wouldn’t do that with a child that wanted to be a doctor, teacher, or scientist at a young age so we shouldn’t do it with sacred callings either.
I am encouraged by the fact that Incarnate Word has had 6 sons ordained to the priesthood in the last 20 years: Fr. Chris Martin, Fr. Jim Theby, Fr. Aaron Nord, Fr. Alex Nord, Fr. John Nickolai, and Fr. David Hogan. Other men have spent time in the seminary to see what God might be saying to their hearts. Nick Reinagel and Andrew Rain are two men currently in the seminary.
Let’s continue to pray for Good Shepherds to bring God’s truth, teaching, and sacraments to our parishes. Let’s foster homes where God’s call can be heard, supported and nurtured! It is through the priesthood that Jesus’ mission is accomplished in a special way; that all may have life and have it abundantly!
