Run Along Now

Farewell and greetings to priests on the move

08/30/2020

MT 16:21-27 Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly from the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised. Then Peter took Jesus aside and began to rebuke him, “God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you.” He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do." Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? Or what can one give in exchange for his life? For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father’s glory, and then he will repay all according to his conduct.”

This is an extraordinary weekend in the Diocese of Little Rock, because 18 priests will be receiving new assignments! And the best part is I am not one of them! That reminds me of how Archbishop Fulton Sheen described his first assignment as a priest. It was NOT what he expected. He wrote in his autobiography, called Treasure in Clay: “On my return from Europe…I was appointed to a parish where the streets were unpaved, and in that part of the city which was called the ‘lower end’ and from which the well-to-do had left for other parts of the city.”

Incidentally, Sheen had just finished earning a doctorate at the prestigious Belgian university of Louvain, and had several offers to teach at various universities. But Sheen continued: “As far as I could tell, this was to be my life. I never complained. I had to forget my desire to follow a more intellectual vocation, and was resigned to be a curate” (a parish priest). “After about a year, the Bishop phoned [and said]: ‘Three years ago I promised you to Bishop Shahan of the Catholic University as a member of the faculty.’ Sheen asked, ‘Why did you not let me go there when I returned from Europe?’ The bishop replied: ‘Because of the success you had on the other side, I wanted to see if you would be obedient. So run along now.” Sheen concluded: “And I’ve been running along ever since.” And now, 18 priests in our diocese have received their “run along now” letters from the bishop, and they’ll be “running along” this weekend.

I would like to say a word about two of those 18 priests, namely, Fr. Martin Amaro (our former associate) and Fr. Daniel Velasco (our future associate). Fr. Martin has been at I.C. a little less than one year, he arrived Sept. 4, 2019. Now, why is he being transferred so soon? Well, he’s been out of the country for the nine years of his seminary studies before ordination – studying philosophy in Mexico and theology in Rome. So, it’s good he gets another parish experience before becoming a pastor. But I told Fr. Martin that a priest never forgets his first parish – like you never forget your first girlfriend – it always holds a special place in a priest’s heart. So, Fr. Martin will never forget I.C. as the first parish he loved as a priest.

One of Fr. Martin’s many talents is his preaching style. Delivering such smooth sermons is amazing for a newly ordained priest. His homilies are easy on the ears because his preaching presence is so casual, comfortable, and conversational. It feels like you’re just talking to a friend at a local coffee shop. But it’s always insightful and even entertaining. We will miss Fr. Martin for many reasons, but perhaps primarily for his preaching. But it’s time for Fr. Martin to “run along now.”

I hope you read the bio in the bulletin that Fr. Daniel provided a couple weeks ago. Fr. Daniel actually came to the United States on a tennis scholarship, earned an MBA degree at Harding University, and worked for eleven years before entering seminary. Now, normally, the more experienced pastor is supposed to mentor the newly ordained priest, but in this case, I think Fr. Daniel will be mentoring me! Here is an endearing trait that Fr. Daniel did not mention in his brief bio.

Several weeks ago, we had an hour long phone call to get to know each other. Fr. Daniel asked me questions about the church and school. But he always paused before asking the next question. Suddenly it hit me why, so I asked, “Hey, are you taking notes while I’m talking?” He replied, somewhat surprised and embarrassed, “Yes.” I said: “That’s amazing! No one takes notes while I talk; they usually sleep while I talk!” I knew from that moment on Fr. Daniel and I will get along great! Hopefully, the bishop will not send Fr. Daniel another “run along now” letter anytime soon!

Today’s gospel is apropos to all the clergy changes occurring this weekend. Why? It highlights how Jesus, too, received his “run along now” letter from his heavenly Father. We read in Matthew 16:21, “Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly from the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed an on the third day be raised.” Like Fulton Sheen, whose obedience was tested by his bishop by sending him to a parish with unpaved roads, so Jesus was sent to Jerusalem, where he would suffer and die.

Heb. 5:8-9 explains eloquently: “Son though he was, Jesus learned obedience through what he suffered, and when he was made perfect, he became the source of salvation for all who obey him, declared by God high priest.” In other words, at the heart of all priesthood, beginning with Jesus’ high priesthood, is obedience. And that’s why all priests – Fr. Martin, Fr. Daniel, and maybe even me one day – receive our “run along now” letters: so we can be more like Jesus, the High Priest, who learned obedience by suffering.

Folks, I ask your prayers for the 18 priests and their respective parishes that will undergo changes of clergy this weekend. May these changes be a blessing to everyone involved! Of course, in the end, it is not only priests who receive these “run along now” letters. One day each of us will receive one from our Heavenly Father, telling us, “run along now” back home to heaven.

Praised be Jesus Christ!