This morning I went with a group of co-workers and Fr. Borski to a Pastoral Luncheon at the Archdiocese. This is done every year and is a ‘thank you’ to those of us in ministry at all the parishes. Cardinal DiNardo was present to lead the opening prayer, some awards were given to Catechists who completed so many hours of school or training, then we heard a keynote presentation and finally lunch. One of the first ways God ‘showed up’ for me today was when I began to feel this great ‘push’ from deep within when Cardinal DiNardo was giving a short homily. He is a dynamic speaker and I am always inspired when he speaks to us but this time I kept feeling the need to ask him to pray for me. Specifically to pray for EXPOSED as it makes it’s debut in a few weeks.
Once the prayer service was over and they were singing a song before the awards were handed out I simply had to go to the bathroom. I excused myself, went to the restroom and said a little prayer, “OK, God, if I’m really supposed to ask Cardinal DiNardo to remember the book in prayer then YOU make that happen.” I knew the Cardinal would be leaving as soon as the ceremony was over and I didn’t want to make a made dash for him resulting in being one big buffoon! When I went back into the auditorium standing right by my table was Cardinal DiNardo! But I still wasn’t sure I would say anything because it felt awkward. However, as I got closer to him he looked right at me and reached out his hand to shake mine! So, I did as I felt ‘pushed’ to do…”Hi,” I said sounding like a nervous teenager. “Would you do me a favor and pray for me?” HA…really? I’m sure he was like, “OK just like I’m praying for the millions that are a part of my flock in Houston!” Instead he looked at my name tag and said, “OK, Shannon, what for?”
I then very quickly told him about the book coming out and that it was dealing with the touchy topic of abuse and that I felt like it needed to be covered in prayer. His eyes lit up, “OK, sure, sure. That sounds very good. Who is the publisher? When does it come out?” I gave him a book mark and he said, “Oh, very good. Yes, I will keep this in my intentions.”
Whew. Yeah. 🙂
So that was cool. Then as we listened to the keynote speaker he said a few things that really grabbed me. The first was in reference to how Jesus was always referred to as the Shepherd and he went on to give a visual of how the shepherds had to herd sheep in Israel…they had pens but no gates to the pens. The Shepherd had to herd them into the pen and then he would lay down across the only opening. The only way the sheep could get out was to get past him and the only way a wolf could get in was to get past him. Christ’s promise to us is that He will lay down his body between us and our enemies. This brings tears to my eyes even as I type it. He went on to say that in essence, as various lay ministers and pastors we are called to serve His people like shepherds…to not look at our needs to be to first see the needs of others. But what is key for us is that we do this most of the time…but not all the time. That we still are needing to be guided as well and need to be fed in ministry or we will lose the desire to serve.
That hit me. I hadn’t been to any kind of class, conference or retreat for myself in over a year. In youth ministry I had the LIFETEEN conferences which gave me the chance to be fed…and many other mini retreats and even days of reflection throughout the year. But since I moved into part time and into a ministry that is essentially new to the Diocese there isn’t anything out there designated for me. And I hadn’t thought to go and look for something to feed me either.
But I need to…and I will.
It was a good day. I was given a morsel and it tasted good. 🙂
Blessings
Shannon