Monday, February 11, 2013

What Cardinal do you Want to be? Prince or Pauper?


Praised be Jesus Christ!  The mission Ad Gentes continues!  Just arrived in Miami and Chris and Andrew picked me up at the airport.  This evening I was able to meet Father Roberto.  He is the Rector of the minor seminary in Miami.  What a great conversation...again!  Even the last two days were filled with amazing conversations with people!  Three to be exact!  Over the weekend, after speaking at SJV Minor seminary, I concelebrated a Mass in Hudson, WI with Father Patrick.  Not having a ride to the airport afterward, I was leaving it up to Divine Providence.  After Sunday Mass, I was sitting there eating my hot dog and Chuck comes up to me and says, "Let's go to the airport!"  Seeing that it was near blizzard conditions, I was alarmed that someone actually was going to bring me.  Chuck was up for it because he just got snow tires!  I was like, "This guy rocks!"  We blazed a trail down I-94 and got talking.  Turns out he is a 3rd order Franciscan, had a conversion at Mejagorie, and is one fired-up Catholic.  Inspiring to say the least.

Then on the plane ride home, I sit next to Jenny.  She's an on-fire scripture readin' Christian from Alaska!  She was all into the WORD and I mean into it!  She busted out her bible and began reading scripture and then began talking about how our words convey deep meaning like we can't take what comes out of our mouths lightly.  We prayed together and shared in the love of Christ all the way back to Appleton.  What a complete joy.

Then this evening, I meet Father Roberto.  So appropriately he shares a story about how he meet B16 twice while studying in Rome.  Father studied Missiology out of all things and is fired up too!  What an inspiration! Then he asks me to talk to his class tomorrow at the seminary!  That's two talks in one week at seminaries!  Wow!  Needless to say, all these encounters leave me very humbled.  These Christians are what makes our Church so powerful.  The Church is something to be reckoned with!  A powerful force for love in the world!

So why the painting?  It is a satire painting.  One of 18 here at the seminary.  Look at that cardinal, stuffing his face with food.  Got all his fancy stuff on.  A prince of the Church far from the poverty of simplicity...or is he entitled to that big 'ol piece of peasant or chicken he's gnawing on?  I'll let you decide, but today we saw another cardinal who at the age of 85, gave himself tirelessly for the Gospel.  I want to be more like him and less like that fat 'ol cardinal in the painting.  I want to spend myself for the Gospel.  I don't want to take any shortcuts, but take the fast track to holiness...a heart of gratitude and a yearning for Divine Will.  I want to get tired and sick and worn-out for Christ.  I don't want to reserve anything.  I want to give more.  There is this silent deadly killer in the priesthood called complacency and comfort.  It lures me into a dead space of mediocrity.  Please Lord, allow these people who are inspiring be a witness to be of the importance of untiringly spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  AD GENTES!

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