These reflections are a result of more than 40 years of ministry as a Roman Catholic priest. Most of these years I spent in the Diocese of Charlotte which covers Western North Carolina. Now I am retired, and live in Medellín, Colombia where I continue to serve as a priest in the Archdiocese of Medellín.
If two of you agree on earth about anything for which they are to pray, it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father. (Mt 18:19)
Do you remember the old arcade machine with the stuffed animals and the Claw? How many kids lost their quarters in that stupid machine without ever managing to get a little stuffed animal? But some folks think that “agreeing in prayer” is kinda like a celestial grab bag—that we can get anything we want as long as we “agree in prayer.” When folks take verses from the Bible to use for their own purposes, It’s always good to check out the context of the verse. In fact, “agreeing in prayer” is set by the gospel writer in the context of forgiveness of sins, specifically about forgiving your brother or your sister. And unfortunately, we don’t agree very much when it comes to forgiving of others.
To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are poorly clad and roughly treated, we wander about homeless and we toil, working with our own hands. When ridiculed, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we respond gently. We have become like the world’s rubbish, the scum of all, to this very moment. (1 Cor 4:11-13)
One day in spiritual direction I was told that Saint Teresa of Ávila once said to the Lord, “Well, if this is the way you treat your friends, no wonder you have so few!” Saint Paul must have had the same feeling, but he, like Saint Teresa of Ávila, wouldn’t have wanted to change places with anyone.
Brothers and sisters: Thus should one regard us: as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. (1 Cor 4:1)
Today is the birthday of my friend, Father Larry Richardt. Father Larry is a retired priest of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis. He was my professor of ministry at Saint Meinrad Seminary as well as my spiritual director. He held other positions at Saint Meinrad, Vice-Rector, Spiritual Director, Director of Supervised Ministry, among others. Father Larry and I have been friends for more than 40 years. Happy birthday, Father Larry, faithful servant of Christ and steward of the mysteries of God!
Brothers and sisters: Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you considers himself wise in this age, let him become a fool, so as to become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in the eyes of God . . . . (1 Cor 3:18-19)
The honorific “great” is seldom given to popes. What may seem “great” in one particular moment of time, may not appear that “great” in another. As Saint Paul admonishes the Community at Corinth: “the wisdom of this world is foolishness in the eyes of God.” Only with the passing of CENTURIES does the church get a truer picture of what greatness means (and therefore, no "santo subido" nor "magno subido.") In the VI century, the parents of Gregory died and left him the family home in Rome. He turned it into a monastery for himself. Every day he would go out on the streets of Rome and bring in twelve poor people, sit them at his table, and feed them. So when the pope died, the people of Rome acclaimed Gregory. They asked him what he wanted to do as pope, and Gregory said that he wanted to be the “servant of the servants of God” (servus servorum Dei). To this day, it is the most treasured title of the Bishop of Rome. And now, after the passing of many centuries, Saint Gregory is truly “great.”
R. Alleluia, alleluia. The Lord sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor and to proclaim liberty to captives. R. Alleluia, alleluia.
“Good news to the poor, liberty to captives” — If the Lord were mounting a presidential campaign today, Jesus would have a hard time getting elected. Folks would scream: “Soft on crime!”
