The Silent Partner Speaks

 

Hearing and obeying the voice of the Lord

01/12/2026

Mark 1:14-20 After John had been arrested, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the Gospel of God: “This is the time of fulfillment. The Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the Gospel.” As he passed by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea; they were fishermen. Jesus said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Then they left their nets and followed him. He walked along a little farther and saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They too were in a boat mending their nets. Then he called them. So they left their father Zebedee in the boat along with the hired men and followed him.

The Diocese of Little Rock is awash with priestly vocations and we are the envy of many much larger dioceses and archdioceses. And perhaps the most intriguing and inexplicable feature of that phenomenon of many vocations is delayed or older vocations. That is, men who have already had a career and promising futures but abandoned that for a life of solitude, service, and spirituality. Why would a man who basically has the world as his oyster exchange that for a life that looks like so little?

Well, the person we should ask to explain the inexplicable is Fr. Daniel Velasco. Do you remember him? He was the associate priest here at I.C. two associates ago: before Fr. Savio and before Fr. Bala. Fr. Daniel arrived in the height of the COVID pandemic in August of 2020 and stayed for three years, until 2023.

As soon as Fr. Daniel arrived, I could tell how capable and seasoned he was, and advised him: “Don’t unpack your suitcase, you won’t be here very long!” But since his tenure was so long, I can only surmise the bishop sent him here to teach me something not the other way around. And he taught me a lot.

Let me sketch a brief bio of this delayed vocation. Fr. Daniel grew up in Puebla, Mexico and was a very gifted athlete, and he still is. He was an exceptional tennis player in high school and earned a scholarship from Harding University to play tennis for the Church of Christ school.

Fr. Daniel earned a bachelor’s degree in finance and stayed at Harding to complete his Masters in Business Administration. He landed a job with a mid-sized company with branches in Mexico. Besides being business savvy, Fr. Daniel is bilingual which made him a very valuable asset.

But wait, that’s not all. Fr. Daniel is also a highly talented musician who sings and plays the guitar, piano, and organ. He was involved at St. James Church in Searcy, often subbing for the organist when he was out of town. And Fr. Daniel had a German Shepherd named Lola, his faithful friend and companion.

Now, by all earthly standards of success and happiness, Fr. Daniel was living the life of Riley, and he still honed his tennis talents as a 5.0 player, the highest level before turning pro. The man could have made a ton of money in a hundred different ways. And yet he heard a still, small voice in his heart that said: “Come after me, and I will make you a fisher of men.”

And obeying that irresistible Voice, like Simon and Andrew, James and John in the gospel, Fr. Daniel abandoned his nets – his lucrative living in business – and his dog Lola to follow Jesus instead. And Fr. Daniel’s life-ship embarked on a very different sea of solitude, service, and spirituality.

What a great mystery, and indeed what a great miracle every priestly vocation is! Why would a man who has virtually everything give it all up for what looks like practically nothing? Well, I can think of at least two reasons. First, because a divine Voice calls you. That is, God breaks his characteristic silence and invades our peace.

We suddenly sense deeply that I am not alone, even when I am by myself. And that other Person is no longer my silent Partner but he is now asking me something. In fact, He is asking me something very specific and very sacrificial. God invaded Fr. Daniel’s utopian life with Lola, and he could not ignore the call.

The second reason a man might make such a foolish exchange of everything for nothing is that ultimately the human spirit hungers for more than what is listed on this world’s menu. That is why no matter how many pleasure and prizes we pile up in this world, we are never truly satisfied. Something more – or rather Someone more – is always missing. Hence, St. Augustine famously said so long ago: “You have made us for yourself, O Lord. And our hearts are restless until they rest in Thee.”

My friends, what we see writ large in the priestly vocation of Fr. Daniel Velasco is what transpires on a smaller, but no less significant, scale in every Christian life. If I were a betting man, I would wager all my money – which is not much, by the way – on the hypothesis that you are here at 7 a.m. Mass for the same two reasons.

One, you have heard that Voice and you know you are never really alone. And this morning he has called you to something specific and sacrificial. And two, what Mass offers you is far greater than another hour of sleep or settling for a donut and coffee on your way to work. Here in the Eucharist is the only thing, nay the only One, who truly satisfies.

Praised be Jesus Christ!