I know it sounds crazy, but hear this out...
Like any vocation or path in life, we all feel CALLED, right?
Asking God for direction, guidance, clear vision, and discernment is a prayer that's been
rolling off my tongue for as long as I can remember. Don't want to miss "the call."
In the same way that some of us are CALLED to be husbands, wives,
missionaries, sisters, brothers, doctors, lawyers, etc...
some are called to be priests.
Unmarried to a woman, but married to the Church, the bride of Christ.
Biologically childless, yes, but a spiritual father to hundreds - most likely thousands.
Celibate for life, following in the steps of Christ for love of the Church and the mission.
I went to Kindergarten with a kid named Matt.
This same Matt grew up one street over from the man I would one day marry.
He's like a brother to both Nathan and me...
and he is now well on his way to the CATHOLIC PRIESTHOOD.
I'm so proud and honored to call him friend. I'm thankful that he is answering this call
because I know he will find the greatest joy in doing whatever it is that GOD has called him to do!!!
Won't we all?
He's currently in FRANCE - working with The Missionaries of the Most Holy Eucharist
as he continues his formation and embraces the path before him! Ok I'll let him talk...
When did you first feel called to the priesthood?
I remember being a little boy (5 or 6) and thinking that I wanted to become a Priest
when I grew up. After I had my conversion experience in high school (I'd been leading a terrible life
for the past couple of years at that point), I began to think "Well, maybe I really AM called to be a Priest."
I was sitting in Church, several years ago when I first clearly heard His invitation to enter the seminary.
I heard in my own soul Jesus say, "I want your heart"… and that He wanted me to go to seminary.
Joy erupted inside of me!
Was it easy for you to say "yes" to God?
Every new moment we are asked to give our "yes" to God; sometimes it is easy and other
times it is hard. It's been the same for me. I would say, though, that generally speaking, my desire
to say "yes" to God's will for my life was really the only choice for me - because to do anything else
would have meant turning away from Him and denying what I knew to be true in my heart.
We can't lie to God, but we can try to lie to ourselves. I wasn't willing to do that.
What is your greatest joy right now?
My greatest joy is having so much time free for prayer with our Lord.
It is such a blessing to be with Him and not worry about anything else.
Jesus once said to His friend Martha, who had complained about her sister,
Mary Magdalene, sitting at Jesus' feet while she worked in the kitchen,
"Martha, Martha you are anxious and worried about many things.
Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her."
My life feels a lot like that now. The better part is just that. It brings a lot of joy!
What in the world are you doing in France?
This is where the community is based right now! The Missionaries of the Most Holy Eucharist
run the Parish-Basilica of St. Mary Magdalene (aka St. Maximin) in St. Maximin, France.
St. Mary Magdalene's relics are kept here. In the next few years the community wants to also have a
"home-base" in America, but for now I get to learn French and hang out with St. Mary Magdalene.
I'm not complaining.
How can we, at home, best help you in your mission?
I need spiritual help and practical help. The spiritual help involves prayer and spreading the news
about this community. The Missionaries do everything they can to bring people to the feet of Jesus.
This is so important for the world today for so many reasons.
I'll focus on one: the world needs for silence – for it is in silence,
in prayer, that we can hear the Lord speak to our hearts.
Remain with Him in silence!
Stay near Jesus' Sacred Heart!
We will come to know how we were created to give ourselves away in love by coming to know
Love Incarnate - Jesus, truly present in the Eucharist.
Please pray for me and for our community's mission!!!
I live vicariously through his posts - wishing I could spend such intimate time with Jesus
and eat authentic, French croissants every day! He's a fantastic and funny author. Go check it out.
Want to sponsor a future priest for Christmas?!
He's also accepting donations HERE.
So there you have it... that's how some little boys grow up to be priests.
Brittany! Thank you so much for posting this. You're pretty swell, too. It is kind of crazy that we went to Kindgarten together and I grew up a block away from Nathan. Thanks for coming into Applebees that one day and talking to me even though I had really long hair!
ReplyDeleteNo prob, Bob... Matt. HA! It's a very small world. And it gets smaller the older I get! Everyone referred to you as "Jesus" at Applebees... a nice foreshadowing of your future vocation as "alter Christus" :-) God bless, my friend <3
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