Giving Our All to God - Weekday Homily Video

Can you remember when your parents started going to their family and friends' 25^th wedding anniversaries? Well, time has a way of flying by, and this past Sunday, my friends and I concelebrated our friend, Fr. Sean Connor’s 25^th anniversary of ordination at Sacred Heart in Weymouth, MA.

Before becoming a priest, Fr. Sean was a policeman, an imposing figure, who sometimes worked undercover. But in a letter to his family, friends, and parishioners, Fr. Sean shared a revealing and moving message. 

Bearing it All

Fr. Sean spoke of his recurrent health issues, including surgeries that had altered his schedule in serving as a pastor, before recently being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, which was causing him to step down as pastor of his beloved parish. Fr. Sean wrote, " The priesthood is a call to serve, but it is a call that no man can answer or sustain alone. It is also a call that takes a lifetime to understand and live." He continued, “I have never felt alone in this calling and vocation and know that it requires a deepening relationship with the Lord and his people.”

I thought of Fr. Sean when I read our first reading from St. Paul, where Paul proclaims that the Word of God is not chained. Though Paul, like Fr. Sean, is physically limited, in contrast, the Word of God is untethered by imprisonment or illness.

Paul goes on to say, “I bear everything for the sake of those who are chosen, so that they too may obtain salvation…in Christ Jesus.” Both Paul and Fr. Sean remind us that at times we are called to endure and persevere through physical, emotional, and spiritual challenges for the good of our family members, friends, and, as priests, our flock.

Teach Me Your Ways

But as Fr. Sean rightly said, it takes a lifetime to understand and follow our Lord. This is certainly echoed in Psalm 25 with the words, “Teach me your ways, O Lord.” So often we find ourselves overwhelmed in life and look to be rescued by someone, including God. But built into God’s care for us is the opportunity to grow in our relationship and trust in Him and those he brings into our lives.

When the scribe asked Jesus which is the first of all the commandments, Jesus reminds us that we are to love the Lord…with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. In other words, we are to go all in, holding nothing back in our love for God.

Holy Endurance

In order for us to give all to God, whether married, single, religious, or a priest, it takes faith and holy endurance. And it also takes the love of others. This ties into Jesus' second instruction: that we are to love our neighbor as ourselves… we can certainly understand this to include our family members, too.

Fr. Sean spoke of this as he wrote: “My heart overflows with gratitude for the gift of your presence in my life. God always responds to our needs, is always here, and always provides. Part of God’s response is putting you in my life, so that I may learn to love and trust in Him through you.”

Just like St. Paul and Fr. Sean, we don’t know all the details of how our lives and our families will unfold, but what we do know is that we are to give all we have to God in love and, strengthened by God’s love for us, share that great gift with our families, friends, and neighbors.

And, when we face challenges of any sort, continue to persevere with holy endurance, remembering that the Word of God is untethered and God’s grace flows freely, many times through the love of family and friends.

May God bless you all as we look to God to lead us and to love one another as He loves us.

• Today’s Readings
  
  
• Father David’s inspirational homily was recorded live during Mass at the Father Peyton Center today. You can watch the entire Mass on the Family Rosary Video streams channel on YouTube.
  
  
• Join the Rosary (11:30 am ET) and Mass (Noon ET) livestreams on the Family Rosary YouTube or Facebook page, Monday – Friday. Invite your friends and family to pray with you as well.