At least in my head, I get a lot of mileage from the ending of the The Lord of the Rings trilogy, uttered by my favorite character, Samwise Gamgee: “Well, I’m back.” The movie depiction of this scene never fails to bring a lump to my throat, as well as inspiring a sense of anticipation of the real adventure to which we’re all called: living the life set before us.

Last week was the third reunion with my classmates – since our ordination in 2009 we have gathered every five years at the University of Saint Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary. In the first two reunions – to which I greatly looked forward and heartily enjoyed – I encountered a kind of melancholy that settled on my heart during and especially afterwards. This time I was given an unexpected blessing in the opportunity to spend a week before the reunion on-campus in a private retreat. I again felt the shadow of that familiar weight of sorrow, but newly had the opportunity to sit with it – and recognized a grief that I hadn’t entirely allowed myself to feel: saying goodbye to the fellowship & adventure of discernment in seminary.

Don’t get me wrong – I love actually being a priest. Though not without struggles, I wouldn’t trade it for anything: priesthood (especially parish priesthood) is where God has called me and the means by which He pours out many blessings in my life. And yet, there has been a part of me that has idolized what was during the journey to get here. Forged in the struggles of moving from home to seminary to the laying on of hands by the bishop, there is a shared experience and profound bond with those who walked along that path. I still keep in touch with many of my classmates, priests and laity alike, and we fondly recall the graces we enjoyed together during those years.

But though the world often says otherwise, the point really is the destination – not the journey! Certainly the path we take and those on it with us matter, and deeply so, but we’re oriented towards the eternal home to which God calls us. As I return to the Olympic Peninsula – and the work & adventure waiting here! – it strikes me that this lesson is not limited to my time at seminary. I am prompted to wonder what other idols might be present in our hearts – idols built from experiences and gifts we’ve received, but using our longing & fondness of the past to prevent us from exploring future newness God has in store.

Jesus indeed exhorts firmness of intention (“No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the kingdom of God”, Luke 9:62), but there is no talk of ignoring or excising past blessings – on the contrary, those gifts add to our present faithfulness and witness! Our souls proclaim the greatness of the Lord by recounting the great things He has done for us. In doing so, we marvel not only at what has been but eagerly consider what it all means – if God has done all of this while we’re still here on earth, what must He being preparing us for in heaven! I imagine the three months Mary & Elizabeth spent together comparing notes was filled with all sorts of joyful speculation and anticipation.

As we continue onward in our own journey may we acknowledge all that we treasure within the histories of our communities while also opening our hearts to the new adventures ahead. Strengthened by the bonds found in those histories, may we look forward with eagerness to discover God’s plan to further orient & carry us towards our heavenly homeland, together as a parish family.

October 28 – Happy feast of two apostles, saints Simon and Jude! They are said to have been martyred together as missionaries to Suanir, a city of Persia. Interestingly, both of them are cousins of Jesus – Jude’s father was Saint Joseph’s brother and his mother was a cousin of Mary! In his epistle, Saint Jude exhorted suffering Christians to hold fast to their faith and so is venerated as the patron saint of hopeless causes. Little is recorded about Saint Simon, though Scriptures testify to his being known as a Zealot. Read more about them at the Vatican News website.

(images: Saint Simon stands reading, Saint Jude holds a carpenter’s rule)

October 30 – Today is the memorial of Saint German of Capua. Though little known in our time, he was specially chosen by Pope Hormisdas to address the Acacian schism between Christians of the East and the West. The image (left, from Wikimedia Commons) depicts the legend of Saint German and a deacon, Paschasius, who died while supporting the schism. While visiting a hot springs (thus the unclothed people around the waters below) on the recommendation of his doctor, German had a vision of the spirit Paschasius – who informed him that he was in purgatory and begged Masses from Saint German. Upon doing so, the visions ceased, Paschasius’ purgatory ended. Read more about him at Dynamic Catholic.

October 31 – Today is All Hallow’s Eve, secularly known by the portmanteau Halloween. Though I am sympathetic to the caution – or even skepticism – with which many Christians approach this celebration. That Halloween often embraces not just the macabre (which can be a delightful tweaking of the fear of death – what could be more Christian!) but the gruesome often serves to affirm the worst fears followers of Christ might have about this day. And yet, it seems to me a lost opportunity if this day that is properly rooted in the solemnity it precedes is surrendered to secularism! A couple of years ago, Father Steve Grunow at Word On Fire wrote an article titled “It’s Time for Catholics to Embrace Halloween” – it’s well worth a read. But I was especially edified by another article on Word On Fire that proposed a deeper purpose to these three days – All Hallow’s Eve, All Saints, and All Souls – as preparation for Advent. As we wind up for this kind of end of the liturgical year triduum, check out Elizabeth Scalia’s article “Halloween, All Saints’, All Souls’: The ‘Autumn Triduum’ of Waiting“.

November 1 – Today is the solemnity of All Saints, a celebration of the work of God in the lives of those who have gone before as well as a witness of the life to which we are called here and in eternity. While the Church invites us to regularly look to the saints, this solemnity guarantees that we do it at least once a year! We have Masses at all of our churches here on the Olympic Peninsula – check out the full schedule in the bulletin or at the online calendar (beta). In preparation, check out Pope Francis’ 2023 reflection on this day.

November 2 – As Christians, we hold in tension eternity and mortality. Today’s commemoration of all the Faithful Departed or ‘All Souls’ is a special expression of the hope that we profess even in the face of death. Having praised God in His saints yesterday, we now storm heaven on behalf of all those whose eternal disposition we do not yet know. So seriously does the Church take this responsibility that this is one of only two days – the other being Christmas – where She gives all priests permission (and encouragement!) to offer not one but two extra Masses (a total of three). Moreover, all the faithful are offered the opportunity to receive a plenary indulgence – applicable exclusively to the souls in purgatory – is available from November 1st through 8th (an octave, if you will!) for those who visit a cemetery and pray (aloud or mentally) for the departed. Read about it at the Catholic Culture website.