Brothers and Sisters,
Easter season has come to a close. For us and for our salvation, He came down from heaven1. Now, He sends us out into the world. Renewed by his body, we become the body and hands of His church2. We must learn not only to do the work, but we must learn also to love working in His vineyard3. The Lord is good and He is generous4. Working in His vineyard is without toil. His burden is light and rest is plentiful5. On this Pentecost, let us go forth bathed in the fire of the Holy Spirit. Let it burn away that which does not last. Let in us remain only that which is of the Lord.
I encourage you, brothers and sisters, to remember that each of you are called to be Saints. Remember that it is our duty at all times and everywhere to give Him praise. This duty is particular to each of us. Whether as catechists, ministers, or in our daily actions, each of us represents the face of the Church to each person that we meet. As we move into this new season, take heart in knowing that Christ has called you to tremendous things. “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these…” 6. This is hard to believe, at times. Let doubt not palely cast o’er our enterprises of great pith and moment7. Let our action be not about our weakness but His strength. We work not for our glory, but to partake in the glorifying of His kingdom. We work not so that we might be known8 but so that others might know Him.
Ad majorem Dei gloriam.
1. Nicene Creed. Lines 14-15
2. St. Teresa of Avila, “Yours are the hands through which he blesses all the world. . . Christ has no body now on earth but yours.”
3. St. John Henry Newman, "As Christ has His work, we too have ours; as He rejoiced to do His work, we must rejoice in ours also."
4. Matthew 20:1-16. "Are you envious because I am generous?"
5. Matthew 11:28-20. "Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.”
6. John 14:12-14.
7. Hamlet Act 3, Scene 1, Lines 85-86
8. St. Barsanuphius, "Do not seek to be regarded as somebody, don't compare yourself to others in anything. Leave the world, mount the cross, discard all earthly things, shake the dust from off your feet."