Smarter than Einstein

Seeing how priests give themselves to people

07/25/2021

Jn 6:1-15 Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee. A large crowd followed him, because they saw the signs he was performing on the sick. When Jesus raised his eyes and saw that a large crowd was coming to him, he said to Philip, “Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?” He said this to test him, because he himself knew what he was going to do. Philip answered him, “Two hundred days’ wages worth of food would not be enough for each of them to have a little.”  One of his disciples, Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, said to him, “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what good are these for so many?” Jesus said, “Have the people recline.” Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to those who were reclining, and also as much of the fish as they wanted. When they had had their fill, he said to his disciples, “Gather the fragments left over, so that nothing will be wasted.” So they collected them, and filled twelve wicker baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves that had been more than they could eat.

We priests want to give the people the best we have. And I like to think the best I have is a well-prepared homily. But I recently I heard this curious compliment about a pastor’s preaching that made me think twice. At the conclusion of Sunday service, worshippers filed out of the sanctuary and greeted the minister. A young visitor shook the preacher’s hand, thanked him for the sermon and said, “You know, I think you must be smarter than Einstein.” Pleasantly surprised the minister responded, “Why, thank you!”

As the week went by, the minister began to wonder why anyone would deem him “smarter than Einstein.” So, he decided that if the visitor returned, he would ask him to explain. The following Sunday the minister was glad to see the man back in church. After the service, he asked, “Exactly what did you mean when you said that I must be smarter than Einstein?” The visitor replied, “Well, they say Einstein was so smart that only ten people in the entire world could understand him. But I’m not sure anyone can understand you!” Fr. Daniel says that my homilies are “high theology,” which is his way of saying I am smarter than Einstein.

In the gospel today Jesus also invites his apostles to give the people the best they have in feeding the multitudes. Seeing the size of the crowd, Philip exclaims in exasperation: “Two hundred days’ wages worth of food could not be enough for each of them to have a little.” But then a little boy brings forward five barley loaves and two fish, which is all Jesus needs.

Philip was thinking he had to find the finest food to feed the people, like some priests and preachers think they have to come across “smarter than Einstein.” But Jesus just wants us priests to give the people ourselves. How so? Well, I will never forget how Archbishop Fulton Sheen explained the twofold meaning of the words of consecration at Mass that change the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ.

When the priest says “This is my Body,” the primary meaning is that he is speaking in the Person of Christ, and therefore that bread becomes the body of Christ. But the secondary meaning is that the priest speaks in his own person, and therefore that bread symbolically becomes his own body. In other words, we are not here to give people primarily stellar sermons, but sacrificial service, that is, our lives lived in love for you.

This is the last week that Dc. Daniel Wendel will be with us and I want to thank him and give him a public pat on the back. In one year when Dc. Daniel is ordained as a priest, Jesus will say to him what he said to his apostles: “You give them something to eat.” Behind his words is the double-meaning of the words of consecration when the priest says: “This is my Body.” That is, each priest – and soon Dc. Daniel – must become the food that feeds the people, just like the Eucharist does.

Here are three items on the menus of the meal that future Fr. Daniel will serve to his parishioners. The first item is “irrepressible joy.” He explained in an Arkansas Catholic article how joy led him to the priesthood, saying: “The joy of priests was infectious to me. I had a joyful disposition about me and just seeing priests with that same joy was very attractive to me.”

You cannot be in the same room with Dc. Daniel and not immediately notice his beaming smile and ready wit. It’s like hanging out with Jerry Seinfeld who notices the humor in any situation, no matter how mundane or morbid. And I am convinced Dc. Daniel’s joy will bring healing to many hurting hearts. Why? Because laughter is the best medicine. Joy is food that fills you with healing and wholeness.

A second item on Fr. Wendel’s personal menu will be a spirit of friendship and fraternity. He explained why friendship is so crucial for his faith: “The fraternity and community that has been formed is incredibly helpful. I saw seminarians as real, not as guys sitting in their room praying and reading the Bible all day. You get to see the other great parts. We get together to watch the Hogs. It makes it so you have this fraternity around you that is real and authentic. You can see I don’t have to give up my whole world and everything I enjoy to do this.”

How many Catholics are longing for their parish community to be filled with the energy, enthusiasm and excitement that future-Fr. Wendel will bring to his people? At morning Mass Fr. Wendel will “call on the Lord,” and at evening at home Fr. Wendel will “call the Hogs.” Fr. Wendel will show the world a real and authentic Christianity, and nourish people with the friendship that feeds his own faith.

A third item on his menu will be his love for sports. This summer Dc. Wendel has taught me a lot about hockey, and his love for the St. Louis Blues. He religiously wore his Blues jersey as we watched the Stanley Cup. He played Lacrosse in high school and goes to Mercy Fitness to lift weights. I joke that he secretly sneaks off to Andy’s for frozen custard and he rarely makes it to the gym.

Dc. Daniel also spoke about why sports is so important: “Sports has a lot to teach young kids. We are never working alone. Hard work pays off.” By the way, he went bowling with the youth group and was bowled over, saying, “They have like 99 bowling lanes! That’s insane!” He may not remember much about his summer in Fort Smith, but Dc. Daniel will never forget Bowling World! Sports can teach us about spirituality.

My friends, Jesus has ordained all of us (in a general sense) to feed each other and the world; after all, it was a little boy (not one of the apostles) who brought the loaves and fish. In other words, there is a third level of meaning of the words of consecration that applies to each Christian, that is, each of you can also say, “This is my body, which is given up for you.” Dc. Daniel will feed us with joy, friendship and love of sports. I will feed you with sermons that are smarter than Einstein. What will you feed others with?

Praised be Jesus Christ!