When we come to the end of the road, where do we turn? When we find that nothing is going right and there is no hope in sight, to whom do we go? When we are faced with sickness, sadness, suffering and even death, what do we do?
I have been a priest now for about five weeks. In many ways it has been the most amazing thing that has happened to me in my life. It is the culmination of seven years of formation, the help of many people, serious, tough discernment, and probably nothing less than a leap of faith. It feels amazing to finally have reached this point. But I have to say, the path of faith and the priesthood was not always the one I walked.
Over a decade ago, before going through a serious conversion, Jesus Christ and his Church were not likely places for me to turn when I faced times of trial. Oftentimes, I turned to less healthy places. Sometimes I thought I could rely solely on myself. Ultimately, I did not want to accept the reality that without God and his Church, I was bankrupt, nothing, going down the wrong path. Only when I had come to a point where I had exhausted all other means, and they were not working for me, did my eyes wake up to the fact that it was to Jesus alone and in his Church that I could turn when I had reached the end of my strength.
And so I ask the question: where do you all turn when you are truly in need?
Today’s Gospel reading from Mark begs us to ask this question. For Jairus, a synagogue official, when he had reached the scariest, most hopeless and painful situation in his life, he knew where to turn. When his daughter was at the point of death due to sickness, he fell on his knees at the feet of Jesus. He knew that only in him was there hope and healing.
Where do we turn when we are truly in need?
For many of us, when we are in need, we turn to the caring hands of the Church. The grace of the Sacraments. The power of forgiveness in confession. The strengthening of the Eucharist. The love experienced in Christ and his community. And how blessed we are that these gifts are available to us. And yet sometimes they are so easily available that we take their presence for granted. But the presence of these gifts is not always a reality for all people.
I belong to a religious community called the Glenmary home missioners. And for almost 75 years now, Glenmary has brought the very gifts of the Catholic Church to areas in the United States where they have never existed. They have brought food to the hungry. They have brought clothing to those who were naked. They have brought the Sacraments of the Church, and especially the Mass, to places they had never been celebrated before. Glenmary has established hundreds of parishes and ministries throughout the south and southeastern areas of the United States where without their work, the precious gifts of the Church would not be available. Without Glenmary’s work, when the people of these areas are truly in need, they likely have to turn to unhealthy means for a temporary, or even disastrous results. Or, they would simply have no place to turn to at all.
And yet, because of Glenmary’s humble efforts, the lives of so many people have been changed.
I think of Kristine, who as her life was coming to an end, had no one to visit her and pray with her. Yet it was a Glenmary priest who prayed with her and sat by her as she breathed her last breathes.
I think of Jane, who was able to avoid the perils of Meth and narcotics because she was able to find strength and comfort in her local Catholic youth group.
I think of Jose and Linda, who suffering the tragic loss of their two-year-old child, were able to find strength and comfort from the ministry of a Glenmary brother.
I think of the thousands of people from so many of Glenmary’s missions, who without our presence would have no place to turn after tornados, flooding, and fire.
Finally, I think of Betty, who after discovering the Eucharist in a terrible time of need, became Catholic despite the rejection of her local community and the disappointment of her family.
These stories could go on. And they are nothing less modern-day miracles. When Jairus’ daughter was on the brink of death, and finally died, it was a miracle that Jesus was able to bring her back to life. That miracle was real. These miracles are real. And because of the humble efforts of Glenmary and the generous support of so many people throughout the United States, and even people here in Wheatfield, these miracles continue to happen in Glenmary’s missions.
Now, it might seem that I am simply standing here and bragging up the work that Glenmary does. But I am certain that in just the 8 short years I have been with Glenmary, the miracles that took place could not have happened without the prayers, financial support and vocational support of so many people. And they could not have happened without the grace of our loving God.
At the beginning of September I am going to begin my first assignment as associate pastor in Glenmary’s newest missions in Eastern Tennessee. I am super excited for this opportunity. Imagine, in just a few short months since being opened up, this mission has attracted hundreds of Catholics who gather for Mass every week in an abandoned store front. In this storefront one will find a make shift altar, a random assortment of chairs donated from three different parishes, a confessional constructed out of sheets and carpet, and even an office that serves as an area for daily mass, and for keeping the books. And yet each Catholic, whether from birth or as a convert, would simply not have access to the miracles of the Church, if it were not for that store front, if it were not for that office-chapel, if it were not for the donated chairs from three different parishes. If it were not for the work of Glenmary and the support of our donors.
So I close in asking that you would all consider supporting Glenmary and the ministry that we do on behalf of the Catholic Church. We all need somewhere to turn when we are in need. I humbly turn to you all in our need as a Glenmary community, and ask that you would help us meet the need of faith, hope and love in the mission areas where we work. Help us to bring resurrection and new life to these areas, just as Jesus did to Jairus’ daughter.
Thank you, and peace.
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