Another Thing I Love About Priesthood: Sunday

Mass at Boston University

This morning at the Boston University Catholic Center, seventeen men gathered for Men's Group and listened to a presentation by one of the students.  The topic was on friendship and the talk was based upon friendship as it is found in the Lord of the Rings.  It is inspiring to see this many young men on a college campus up on a Sunday morning and discussing serious things.  Well, mostly serious things.

After the 12:30 Mass, a group of students went for lunch together.  They are living Christian friendship together.  They are helping each other (and me) to grow in holiness.  It's beautiful to be a part of it.

Later in the afternoon, a few of us had a Holy Hour of Adoration together.  My Holy Hour ended a little bit early because one of the interns here had to remind me that the Mass was at 6:00pm and not 6:30pm.  So, at 5:56, I made haste to the chapel up the road where we have Sunday Mass.

At that Mass, filled with students, we prayed especially for two young women who will be baptized here at the Easter Vigil.  We went through the First Scrutiny and prayed for them.  After Mass, the RCIA team, the catechumens, the candidates for reception into the Catholic Church, and I had a delicious dinner together.  

And now, I am sitting here getting ready to go and offer the 10:00pm Mass.

In the Gospel today, St. John the Evangelist recounts for us the encounter that Jesus had with the woman at the well.  In that Gospel, St. John tells us that the encounter took place around Noon and that after the encounter, the woman went to the town and told others about the man whom she had met; the One who had changed her life.

The things that I just listed above are not particularly exciting to anyone.  But, they are merely my testimony to an encounter.  I encountered Christ today in specific places and times.  At the 10:40am Men's Group, outside the 12:30pm Mass when a woman who is suffering came to see me, at 1:30pm in the dining hall while discussing all sorts of crazy things, at 5pm in the adoration chapel while praying with some friends, at 6:00pm Mass with the catechumens, and at dinner with all of the RCIA people.  And, I'm sure I will encounter him again at 10:00pm Mass.

Evangelization is to encounter Christ and to share the joy of that encounter.  So, that's all I'm trying to do here.