Today we begin Vocation Awareness Week. This is an annual week-long celebration of the Catholic Church in the United States dedicated to promote vocations to the priesthood, diaconate and consecrated life through prayer and education, and to renew our prayers and support for those who are considering one of these particular vocations. So for those families, who still have children at home, I’d suggest that on the way home from Mass today or tonight at dinner; you might ask your children what they want to be when they grow up. This is always a fun topic for kids. After a few minutes of conversation, you might then ask, “What do you think God wants you to be when you grow up?”
Our children should be aware that God has a very specific plan in mind for them, and that following God’s plan is the surest way to happiness. Every life decision – which college to attend, whom to date, which job to pursue, whether to enter the seminary, whom to marry – should be undertaken only after praying for God’s guidance. In other words, encourage your children to navigate life using GPS – God’s Positioning System.
As I reflect on where God has positioned me in life, I feel so very blessed to have had faithful parents who brought the love of God into our everyday family life and who centered our family activities around the sacramental life of our parish church, St. Joseph Parish in Cheltenham, PA. I feel so very blessed to be a parish priest in this faith community. I feel so very fortunate that I love what I do and see it as responding to a call by God. The three things I enjoy the most about my ministry are:
Celebrating the liturgy with you - especially on the weekends. Helping people to pray and being rooted in prayer is a great blessing in my life.
The time I spend writing. Whether it is this column, or an article for the Jesus Caritas Fraternity of Priests (more on this next week), or a homily, I love reflecting on our relationship to God..
Meeting people one on one. I enjoy very much getting to know parishioners and doing what I can to help them in their personal issues and in becoming more connected with God and our faith community.
I do appreciate very much all of you who pray for me and for all priests. Only God knows how the faithful and persistent prayers of God's People impact the lives of priests and deacons and women and men religious. Thank You.
Our Faith Community is grateful to those men and women who are serving, or have served in the armed forces. They have sacrificed their time, talent and treasured moments with their families to secure our freedom, especially, the freedom to practice our faith. This freedom does not come without cost.
The annual celebration of Veterans Day on November 11th invites us to remember the men and women who have put themselves in harm’s way to defend our way of life and the values we hold dear. We owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to those killed in the line of duty, those still suffering from the effects of their generous response to the Nation’s call, and, of course, everyone who has retired from active duty.
Let us remember those who have sacrificed so much to serve our Country. Let us keep them all in our prayers, on Veterans Day and always.
O God, by whose mercy the faithful departed find rest, look kindly on your departed veterans who gave their lives in the service of their country. Grant that through the passion, death, and resurrection of your Son they may share in the joy of your heavenly kingdom and rejoice in you with your saints forever. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen!