Help Me Help You

Appreciating our administrative assistants

John 6:35-40

           Jesus said to the crowds, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst. But I told you that although you have seen me, you do not believe. Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and I will not reject anyone who comes to me, because I came down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of the one who sent me. And this is the will of the one who sent me, that I should not lose anything of what he gave me, but that I should raise it on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life, and I shall raise him on the last day.”

            Do you know who has taught me the most about being a good and holy priest?  It’s not all the theology books I read in seminary.  It’s not seeing the example of other holy and humble priests.  It’s not leadership seminars and gurus.  Instead, it’s all the wonderful, hard-working and under-paid secretaries I’ve been blessed to work with over 19 years.  These ladies have taught me tons about being a good priest, and I’m glad we take a day today – Administrative Professionals Day – to thank them.

            When I was first ordained, I thought, “Hey, I’m the priest and I make the decisions.  You’re the secretary, and you follow orders.”  Uh, I learned quickly that’s not how this works.  I realized that secretaries often have great ideas about how to solve problems because they’ve seen what works and what doesn’t work.  So, I often ask them, “What do you think we should do in this case?”  You know, we often lament the fact that priests don’t receive classes in leadership and personnel management.  But do you know who’d be the best to teach such a class?  It’s the lovely ladies working in church offices!  These ladies say, in effect, like Tom Cruise did in the movie, “Jerry Maguire,”  “Help me, help you!”  These lovely ladies have helped me to be a better priest.

            In the gospel of John, We see what’s in the heart of all good administrative assistants, namely, doing God’s will.  Jesus says, “I have come down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of the one who sent me.”  All good secretaries know the pastor is in charge; they don’t need us to remind them.  They carry out someone else’s will.  Indeed, in the pastor’s will they hope and pray they are doing God’s will.  But these ladies also teach us priest to do the same: not seek our own will but the will of the one who sent us, like the bishop’s will, and ultimately, God’s will.  Church secretaries say, “Help me to help you!”

             I recently read an article in the U.S. News and World Report advocating abolishing Secretaries Day because it’s demeaning and condescending.  The article actually made a valid point, but I disagree.  I’ve seen in every church secretary an icon of Jesus; who came to do the will of someone else.  By their humble example and wise counsel, they’ve taught me to do the same, and become a better priest.

            You know, in every church, the secretaries always joke that they will write a tell-all book about their experiences because no one would believe what they go through!  I’m not sure if that’s really a veiled threat.  Anyway, I’m sure it would become a best-seller.  Why?  Because I would buy tons of copies and give them to all my brother priests.  Maybe the title of the book should be, “Help me, help you.”

            Praised be Jesus Christ!