Exiit qui seminat
Yard Sale
It's become "crunch time" for me in terms of packing. In the midst of this inevitable confrontation, I have come face to face with a realization that I've had for a long time (and that the parish staff can easily attest to) - I ... have a ton of stuff. Papers, books, DVD's, CD's, recording and podcasting equipment (that stuff really saved our bacon during COVID by the way), toys, clothes, sports memorabilia, pots and pans, plates and glasses, spices, rubs and food stuffs. It's more than just the ordinary things that one accrues while living in a place for 9 years. It is the culmination of over 20 years in ministry and 50 years of life. While I do not think that I have reached the level of hoarder (denial just ain't a river in Egypt), I am certainly more than a serious pack rat. Over the past few days I have thought of the words of our Lord in John 17:14-16 as He prayed for His disciples: "I gave them your word, and the world hated them, because they do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world but that you keep them from the evil one. They do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world." As a person, and especially as a priest, I struggle with being detached. It's not that I'm overly focused on material things, or at least I hope not, but rather I think I struggle with the over importance of my agency and my role in my own life and hesitate to let the Lord be the author of all. I have always struggled with placing my entire trust and my entire life in Him. St. Padre Pio writes: Our present life is given only to gain the eternal one and if we don’t think about it, we build our affections on what belongs to this world, where our life is transitory. When we have to leave it we are afraid and become agitated. Believe me, to live happily in this pilgrimage, we have to aim at the hope of arriving at our Homeland, where we will stay eternally. Meanwhile we have to believe firmly that God calls us to Himself and follows us along the path towards Him.
He will never permit anything to happen to us that is not for our greater good. He knows who we are and He will hold out His paternal hand to us during difficulties, so that nothing prevents us from running to Him swiftly. But to enjoy this grace we must have complete trust in Him. With that in mind, I'm giving away some stuff. Outside of the rectory this weekend there will be a sundry of things. Take a look! If you want something, TAKE IT! No questions asked! In the end, it will be one less thing to pack and hopefully one step closer to trusting in God and getting to heaven!
