These days, I get a lot of visitors from Epiphany.  They come for Mass, and I often give them a grand tour of the Church.  They keep saying that they miss me at Epiphany.   They miss my smile and my homilies.  Their love keeps them coming to visit and inviting me for breakfast or dinner.
Love for me is the unifying principle that binds everything I do. Priestly life is full of demands and expectations: daily prayers, study, preparation for liturgy, ministry, meetings to attend, and so on.  If a priest is not vigilant, he may experience an unbalanced life and find himself pulled in different directions.  In those moments, a priest looks for a value or a principle to provide harmony and unity in life. This force can be called love, which keeps the life of the priest in proper focus. 
When we speak about love, the love of God and neighbor comes to mind.   St. John, the beloved disciple of Christ,  affirms this in his Gospel:  "For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him might not perish but might have eternal life." (John 3:16)  Again, in John's Letter, he writes,  "This is the love I mean. Not our love for God, but God's love for us." (1 John 4:10)
St. Francis of Assisi realized the love of God for us in its totality. So he went around the streets of Assisi and preached "love is not loved!" St. Augustine experienced the love of God deep down in his heart.  So he wrote: "I have learned to love you late.  Beauty at once so ancient and so new... You called me, you broke my barrier of deafness: you shone upon me.  Your radiance enveloped me. You shed your fragrance upon me. I drew breath and now I gasp at your sweet odor: I tasted you, and now I hunger and thirst for you. You touched me and I inflamed your love with love of your peace." 

A priest is called to have an intense awareness of the Lord's love for him, to accept it with humble gratitude, and to return that love with such intensity that he mirrors the love of God to his people. The love the priest has for God and His Church is in his commitment to the ministry. Remember, in my first homily here at St. John's I said,  "I am now married to you."
Pope John Paul II exhorted priests in the following words: "The priest is called to be the living image of Jesus Christ, the head and the shepherd; the priest stands in this spousal relationship with regard to the community. In his spiritual life, therefore, he is called to live out Christ's spousal love toward the Church, the bride. Therefore, the priest's life ought to radiate this spousal character which demands that he be a witness to Christ's spousal love."

(Pastores Dabo Vobis  No. 22)

My vocation is to return and radiate the love of Christ.  I continue to  "fall in love" with Christ and His Church every day.  I fell in love with Christ and His Church at Epiphany, giving my time and talent.  I hope I helped them realize Christ's love.  They come back and visit with me now because they experienced Christ's love.   Now it is your turn to experience the love of Christ through me, for now I am married to you.  I have fallen in love with Christ and His Church at St. John's.  My purpose here is to help you know the love of Christ in your life.  Allow me to reflect and radiate Christ's love for His people as we grow together.

ADORATION SIGN-UP THIS WEEKEND AFTER MASS: After  hearing Fr. Michael Becker and Fr. James Livingston speak on the benefits and blessings of perpetual adoration, you are invited to sign-up to spend one hour a week with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. There are prayer partners and substitute adorers for the times when you cannot keep your hour. Adorers will be available in The Plaza after all Masses to answer any questions you may have.

MASS & POTLUCK ON THURSDAY, AUGUST 18: A special Mass will be celebrated by Fr. Joseph Johnson, Assistant Chancellor of the Archdiocese, on Eucharistic devotion at St. John's at 6:00 p.m. in honor of the Year of the Eucharist. A potluck dinner follows Mass; a sign-up sheet is on the bulletin board of the Adoration Chapel. Please indicate what you plan to bring. This is a great opportunity to bring the family to Mass and enjoy a meal afterwards!