Rocking Chair Priests

Being inspired by the young clergy of Little Rock

06/10/2023

Mk 12:38-44 In the course of his teaching Jesus said, "Beware of the scribes, who like to go around in long robes and accept greetings in the marketplaces, seats of honor in synagogues, and places of honor at banquets. They devour the houses of widows and, as a pretext, recite lengthy prayers. They will receive a very severe condemnation." He sat down opposite the treasury and observed how the crowd put money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. A poor widow also came and put in two small coins worth a few cents. Calling his disciples to himself, he said to them, "Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the other contributors to the treasury. For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had, her whole livelihood."

This past week the priests of our diocese were on retreat at Subiaco Monastery. We had a really wise, kind, and loving retreat director, Msgr. Jerry McCarthy, from Tucson, AZ. He shared stories of his 51 years as a priest with us, and we learned a lot. But I was equally inspired by the priests and one deacon who celebrated the daily Masses.

There is no tougher congregation than a chapel full of priests to preach too, they are tougher than teeangers. And what was even more impressive was these priest celebrants were newly ordained. So you can imagine how nervous they felt. I like the analogy: they were more nervous than a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs. And some of our older priests spend a lot of time in rocking chairs.

Another surprising thing is that each day, we had rather lengthy readings from the Old Testament book of Tobit (like this morning). And each priest or deacon focused their homily topic on Tobit. Let me share a little of the wisdom that these neophyte priests shared with us rocking chair priests. On Tuesday, Fr. John Paul Hartnedy talked about how the Pharisees tried to trap Jesus in speech so they could condemn and kill him.

But even though they could not see Jesus’ goodness because they are spiritually blind, our Lord is able to see some goodness in them. Tobit, too, though blind, could see the spiritually good in others. Fr. John Paul’s point was that we, too, need to see the good in others, and try not to be blind to their gifts and talents. And Fr. John Paul preached all that without any notes.

On Wednesday, newly ordained Fr. Nathan Ashburn gave a beautiful reflection on accepting abuse and persecution for the faith. He explained how just as Tobit and Sarah were ridiculed and suffered because of the harsh and unfair judgments of others, so, we might, too, as priests suffer for our faith. But we should persevere and be faithful to our vocations. By the way, I was astonished at the wisdom I was hearing from priests who had been ordained less than a month.

On Thursday, it was our newly ordained deacon, Cody Eveld’s turn to step up to the plate and take a crack at preaching to us rocking chair priests. And Dc. Cody hit it out of the park. Again, zeroing in on the book of Tobit, Dc. Cody explained how young Tobiah accepted Sarah as his wife, even though he knew she had imperfections and weaknesses.

Heck, her seven previous husbands had died on their honeymoon night before they touched her. In the same way, we priests choose to marry the Church, knowing that she, too, has weaknesses and faults. But, he added at the end, that the bigger miracle is not that we priests choose the Church, but that the Church also chooses to marry us priests who are weak.

I could have sworn I heard the mic drop and hit the floor as Dc. Cody walked away from the pulpit. By the way, all us priests congratulated Fr. Jon Miskin, who celebrated the Mass, for a great homily, like people at our parishes mistakenly thank priests for a great homily after Mass, even though it was the deacon who had preached.

Finally, on Friday, another newly ordained priest, but with a few years under his collar, Fr. Alex Smith, preached the Good Word. His message was simple but heartfelt. He said we had enjoyed deep priestly fraternity during the retreat, and we should continue to pray for each other and support each other even after we leave.

He said it can be tough and lonely being a priest in a diocese that is spread out over the whole state, so reach out to each other and support each other, and especially pray for each other. Just like Tobit experienced great joy in his reunion with his son Tobiah, may we priests always look forward to our reunions and retreats.

Can you see why I was so impressed with the young clergy in our diocese? These young, joyful, handsome, intelligent, strong, loving men of God love Jesus and they love you, the people of God. They are ready to preach the Good News as St. Paul urged his protégé, St. Timothy: “Preach the Word: be prepared in season and out of season: correct, rebuke, and encourage – with great patience and careful instruction” (2 Tm 4:2).

And to see their joyful spirit and unflagging enthusiasm was as much a part of the retreat as anything else I experienced last week. The Diocese of Little Rock is in good priestly hands, says the rocking chair priest.

Praised be Jesus Christ!