You know, I always thought that my next parish after this one would be “the dynamic” parish of my priesthood. For if I start over, I wouldn’t make the same mistakes that I made when I first came to this area. I realize that, even though I changed much of my style from being pastor at the Newman Center (which is very progressive), I didn’t change enough . . . and I realize that I caused many people to feel uncomfortable and anxious. I hurt lots of people. Some of them left the parish. If there are any here that I hurt, that are still with us . . . I apologize for my mistakes.
So, I’ve always thought . . . that when I start at a new parish, I won’t make those same mistakes and then that parish could really become a powerful Catholic presence. But you know, as I pray and reflect on it . . . it is not THAT parish which is destined to be a dynamic and vibrant parish . . . it is THIS one. And being dynamic or vibrant doesn’t happen because there are no mistakes, but it happens BECAUSE there are mistakes and goof ups.
I don’t want to be a pastor of a perfect parish or a parish for saints only. I want to be the pastor of a parish that is filled with sinners, that is, filled with people who make mistakes and sometimes hurt and get hurt. A place where people can admit that they are sinners, need grace and want to grow. I have always known that the part of our lives which gives us the pain and discomfort can also be the place that will give us joy and goodness.
Jesus alludes to that at the beginning of today’s gospel, when he mentions Moses lifting up the serpent (snake) in the desert. For after Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt and they were wandering in the desert for 40 years, at one point deadly snakes came and bit the people. So God has Moses create a bronze serpent which the “bitten people” can look up and be healed. He wasn’t creating a bronze idol, but rather inviting the people to lift up their eyes and hopes in God. For the thing, that you think is going to kill you, is actually going to save you.
Fr. Thomas Merton says, “Church is a community in which truth is shared, not a monopoly that disperses truth form the top down.” So it’s good to be in the company of so many people who, like me, thankfully make mistakes and sin. I’ve heard that each of us should strive for one good humiliation each day . . . to get out of our “egos.” Luckily, I have been able to model that you for you frequently.
[True story] For example, a couple of months ago, I heard that one of parishioners died. So, being the good pastor, I immediately called his wife. “Hey I am so sorry to hear of your loss.” “What loss?” “I heard that your husband died.” Then I heard her yell to someone while holding the phone, “George, the priest thinks you’re dead.” “Nope, I’m not dead yet.” I had the wrong George!
So anyway, I plan to be your pastor for a long time. Especially after hearing the comments at our four Listening Sessions about the possibilities of selling our buildings. I heard people say that they are thankful for this parish . . . and its work with reaching out the needy,
for coming together as community,
for offering living-giving liturgies.
I even had one man say to me after one session. “I don’t really care for you, because you are too liberal, but I am able to stay awake during your homilies.”
German theologian, Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote, “The sooner we give up the illusion that a church must be perfect in order to love it, the sooner we quit pretending and start admitting we’re all imperfect and need grace. This is the beginning of real community.”
This is the place where light and darkness come together. That is, not “saints and sinners” but rather “sinners and bigger sinners” come together. Jesus said in the gospel (which you just heard), “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.”
I believe that we have the makings to become a dynamic parish. But it is not because of the pastor, or the staff. It is not because of the building. For if a tornado came tonight and wiped out both buildings, we would still be church. Or if I die tonight, you’d still be church. Church is not the building, church is not the leadership. Church is the people. Church is the presence of Christ in the Eucharist, in the scriptures and in each of us.
And we are all part of this . . . no matter how imperfect we are. We are going to agree on everything. We are not a Church that says, “If you don’t agree with me, GET OUT!” We come together at the same table to break bread together.
The results of the Listening Sessions were very interesting. I wrote about them in the bulletin cover. The vast majority of those attending the Listening Sessions want to build a new church somewhere in between Zimmerman and Princeton. It is now up to the Pastoral Council to look at the data and make a recommendation to Bishop Kettler and a group of his advisors call the “College of Consulters. “
But I must tell you, if the Pastoral Council decides NOT to build a new church, then we are going to do a Capital Campaign to pay for the upkeeps and maintenance repairs that both buildings need. And if the Pastoral Council decides to build a new church, then we are going to do a Capital Campaign even if we get lots of money for one or both churches. Because it is important that each of us feel committed to invest in our community, to invest in our future.
This is not my parish. Actually this in NOT even your parish . . . this is Christ’ parish. And when we can fall in love with the crucified, rejected, suffering Christ (for it is all about woundedness) . . . then, as the gospel says, we will have life.