News From The P.I.T. (Pastor in Training)
A few weeks ago, the priests of the Diocese of Joliet came together for our bi-annual convocation. It was a wonderful time, as a priest’s schedule doesn’t make it easy for us to come together and support each other. At the convocation, the Bishop of the Diocese of Joliet, Most Rev. Ronald Hicks, shared with his priests his first pastoral letter to the Diocese. On September 30th, this pastoral letter, titled "Make" was officially published. The theme of his pastoral letter is based on the Church's foundation and reason for existence, but strikes a profound place in my own faith formation and touches upon the reason for my priestly vocation!
Have you realized the difference between material and spiritual goods? When one gives some of their material goods away, they lose that material good. If I had $20 and I gave $5 away, I would have $5 less. However, when it comes to spiritual goods, like our faith or love, we don't lose our faith and/or love when we give it away, but it grows within us!
This is important to understand when it comes to our faith and our Bishop's pastoral letter, "Make." At the end of Matthew's Gospel, Jesus Christ gives the Great Commission to his apostles and the Church: "Go and make disciples of all nations…" This instruction of course is what led the apostles to go out to the whole world and bring the faith to so many. It's the reason that there are over 2.6 billion Christians in the world. This same commission is still given to the Church and our Diocese today!
When I talk to those familiar with the Great Commission, many fail to notice the passage right before it: "when they saw him [Jesus], they worshiped him; but some doubted (Matt 28:17)." Jesus, who knew the hearts of his apostles, knew of their doubts, and yet still continued to send his apostles out into the world. Why? Jesus knew that as they were sent out, and shared their faith, their doubts would go away. They would see the Lord's work not only in the lives they encountered, but in their own.
St. Paul confirms this in his letter to the Corinthians when he stated, "Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel (1 Cor 9:16)." St. Paul, who had encountered the risen Lord, knew his faith would weaken if he did not preach. As I stated earlier, my own priestly vocation came about through sharing my faith in Jesus Christ and the gift of the Church with others. Not only did I see other people's lives transformed by this action, but my own life was transformed as well.
Our Bishop understands the need to once again commit the Church and our Diocese to this foundation, so in his letter he gives 5 simple simples steps to help us in making disciples: conversion, confession, communion, commission, and prayer. If I can ask, please take time to read his letter this week. And let us ask the Lord to bless our Diocese and our parish to once again be committed to making disciples as the Lord commissioned the apostles. May our own faith be strengthened in the sharing of our faith and spiritual gifts with others.
Father Michael