FAREWELL HOMILY, ST. PATRICK CHURCH, CEDAR FALLS, IOWA
ORDINARY SUNDAY XV “B”
JULY 11/12, 2009
As I reflected on today’s scriptures in preparation for my final weekend homily as pastor here at St. Patrick, I was struck by a few phrases that seemed to “jump off the page” at me. The prophet Amos is told in no uncertain terms: “Off with you, visionary…never again prophesy in Bethel.” Hmmm. And in the gospel selection Jesus gives some advice in regard to moving to a new assignment: “Take nothing for the journey except a walking stick. (Does the car count?) No food, no sack, no money. …You may wear sandals, but not a second tunic.” Well, if this is the case, I’ve failed miserably after at least three trips to Ames with vehicles weighted down with books, pictures, furniture, clothes and assorted other “holy junk.”
As I leave you this week I first of all want to express deep gratitude to God for having allowed me to spend the last twelve years with you, together journeying on our mutual pilgrim’s way to the Kingdom. These last twelve years have been ones of growth and challenge for me personally and ministerially. I pray that my time with you has been an occasion of growing in deeper love of God and growing, too, in the realization of how deeply God loves you. At the same time I also realize that living in any relationship, be that of family or parish community, brings with it times of struggle and tension and that in such times things are said or not said, done or not done that bring hurt emotions or even alienation among people. For any of that which has happened between anyone or group and me, I ask your forgiveness. Despite my best efforts, I too am subject to the weakness brought on by limited abilities, tiredness, frustration or the sense of being a little, or more than a little, overwhelmed by circumstances. Know that I do not carry any ill-will toward any of you with me as I leave. I learned long ago that harboring such feelings and attitudes destroys the gift of God’s Holy Spirit within a person and transforms them from being an instrument of Gospel hope and joy into a bitter, crusty and lonely person, hardly the model of Jesus the Good Shepherd and Pastor of the Church.
Finally, I would like to share with you this brief quotation from a letter to the priests of the Church on the occasion of Holy Thursday, 1979 by Pope John Paul II which I came across during my recent retreat as well as a little prayer also composed by the Holy Father. For me, they are summaries of what being a priest means to me as I have tried to live my vocation the past thirty-four years and what I attempted to be for you in my time here.
“In practical terms, the only priest who will always prove necessary to people is the priest who is conscious of the full meaning of his priesthood: the priest who believes profoundly, who professes his faith with courage, who prays fervently, who teaches with deep conviction, who serves, who puts into practice in his own life the program of the Beatitudes, who knows how to love disinterestedly, who is close to everyone, and especially to those who are most in need.”
(John Paul II, Letter to Priests, Holy Thursday, 1979)
“I leave you now with this prayer,
that the Lord Jesus will reveal himself to each one of you,
he will show you that he alone can fill your hearts.
God bless you,
and may the joy of Jesus be always with you!
I LOVE YOU!