Editor’s note: this the homily Bishop prepared to deliver at the ordination Mass of Rev. Mr. Benjamin Schrantz and Rev. Mr. Pawel Zmija on June 1.
Dear Sisters and Brothers in the Lord … Dear Ben and Pawel,
It has been 20 years since one of our own, Msgr. Stephen J. Rosetti, published his work, “The Joy of the Priesthood”. In its final chapter, dedicated to the theme of “A Priesthood of Joy,” our brother Steve calls to mind these words of Pope St. John Paul II: “The Church needs joyful priests, capable of bringing true joy to God’s people, which is the good news in all its truth and transforming power.”
He then goes on to recall the story of a seminarian during World War II. This seminarian was thrown into a Nazi concentration camp during the war and fortunately survived. He came to the Americas after the war, was ordained a priest and sent to a new, remote mission. There he built a church near a village with his own hands and fished for his food. He said Mass every day and did all that he could to invite the indigenous peoples into his church, but no one ever came. This went on for years! They never set foot in his church, despite all his efforts.
Finally, after years of apparently fruitless labors, he journeyed back to the city and asked to see the bishop. He asked the bishop to be transferred and said, “This last Christmas in the parish was more depressing than my Christmas in the concentration camp.” The bishop approved his request but said that it would be necessary for them to journey back to the parish and inform the people that it would be closed.
They made the long trek back to the village. Then the bishop and priest stood up in front of the assembled community and the bishop announced that the parish would be closed. To their great surprise, the people strenuously objected. When the bishop asked why they were against it, they again voiced their strenuous objection. The bishop said, “Why? No one ever goes into the church or attends any of its functions. Why are you against closing the church?”
Finally, one of the elders of the community rose to speak. He said to the bishop, “You cannot take away the priest. If you take away the priest, you take away our only light.” Surprised and stunned, the priest remained. Eventually, the people began to enter the church and the priest only left the parish when he was well advanced in age and suffering from deteriorating health.
As Msgr. Rosetti writes in the paragraph following this story: “My brothers, you are a sign of hope. In a world of darkness, your presence, which is the presence of Jesus, is light for the world. Despite your frail humanity, or perhaps because of it, the light of Christ shines more brightly.”
My brothers and sisters, we have gathered in the mother church of our diocese to kindle once again the light of Christ in our world through the conferral of a Sacrament – the Holy Order of Priests. At its heart is the Heart of Christ – a heart gentle and meek, yet totally on fire for us – who doesn’t seek to lord it over others, but to help his followers/his disciples to mature in their calling to be the very Body and Light of Christ in the world today.
This morning, Benjamin Joseph Schrantz and Pawel Lukasz Zmija, are to be ordained to the Priesthood in the Order of the Presbyterate and consecrate their lives as an outward sign – in service of Christ and His Church – in order to preach the Gospel, shepherd God’s people, and celebrate divine worship, especially in the Lord’s Sacrifice – the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
As our mother Mary inquired when God’s messenger solicited her to be the mother of the Savior, “How can this be?” – I am sure Ben and Pawel, along with their families and friends might be pondering this same question, “How can this be?” Yet, we recall the angel Gabriel’s response to Mary: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you; and the power of the Most High will overshadow…” (Lk 1:35). In other words, it is God’s doing; just like the Pentecost event celebrated two Sundays ago calling to mind the birth of the Church and her mission in the world.
Ben and Pawel, not only in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit does one receive the gifts of that same Spirit: Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude/Courage, Knowledge, Piety, and Fear of the Lord, but also the fruits the Spirit bears: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Pope Francis speaks of such fruits in his Apostolic Exhortation, “Gaudete et Exsultate: On the Call to Holiness in Today’s World”. He writes: “Far from being timid, morose, acerbic or melancholy, or putting on a dreary face, the saints are joyful and full of good humor. Though completely realistic, they radiate a positive and hopeful spirit. The Christian life is ‘joy in the Holy Spirit’ (Rom 14:17), for ‘the necessary result of the love of charity is joy; since every lover rejoices at being united to the beloved … the effect of charity is joy’… If we allow the Lord to draw us out of our shell and change our lives, then we can do as St. Paul tells us: ‘Rejoice in the Lord always; I say it again, rejoice!’” (Phil 4:4)
In this same message, our Holy Father points out that, “Mary, recognizing the newness that Jesus brought, sang: ‘My spirit rejoices’ (Lk 1:47), and Jesus himself ‘rejoiced in the Holy Spirit’” (Lk 10:21). My brothers, find our Lord in three particular ministries of your priesthood: His Word, His Sacrifice, His People. St. Peter Julian Emyard, the great Saint of the Eucharist, wrote: “If you love the Eucharist passionately, you will habitually have our sacramental Lord in mind, you will find your happiness at his feet; and you will be constantly seeking his good pleasure. Come, let us all be taken up with our Lord … Let us forget ourselves and give ourselves to this good Savior. Let us sacrifice ourselves a bit.”
Ben and Pawel, you are about to be raised to the Order of the Priesthood and to be configured to Christ, the Eternal High Priest. For your part, you will exercise in Christ the Teacher the sacred office of teaching. Impart to everyone the Word of God that you yourselves have received with joy. You will also exercise in Christ the office of sanctifying. Understand, therefore, what you do, and imitate what you celebrate! As celebrants of the mystery of the Lord’s death and resurrection, may you strive with the aid of the Holy Spirit, to put to death whatever is sinful within you and to walk in the newness of life that Christ offers. Always remember that you have been taken from among the people and appointed on their behalf in those things that pertain to God.
Fulfill, therefore, the ministry of Christ the Priest with abiding joy and genuine love. As Good Shepherds yourselves, strive to gather the faithful together in one family, so that you may lead them to God the Father, through Christ, and in the Holy Spirit. Keep always before your eyes the example of the Good Shepherd, who did not come to be served, but to serve; and who in joy sacrificed himself for others.
My brothers, each time we celebrate the Eucharist, we are invited to change into Christ more, just as the bread and wine are changed into the body and blood of Christ. Every Eucharist is a constant reminder of our daily transformation in the Lord. We are continually formed by the Eucharist we celebrate. The Eucharist not only nourishes our faith and the faith of those we serve, but it shapes us, hopefully becoming more like Christ. As Church, that is our prayer for you, Ben and Pawel! Calling to mind words from the liturgy of the early Church – “These are God’s holy gifts for God’s holy people – receive them with thanksgiving! See what you are and become what you see!” And the people said, “Amen.”
