“Then Jesus made the disciples
get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side of the lake, while he sent
the people away. After sending the people away, he went up a hill by himself to
pray.” (Mt 14:9)
Jesus seems to be very busy
today. Preaching, healing, feeding the five thousand people… and at last, a
busy schedule is now going to be over. And he is engaged right now in sending
back the people to their own villages and his disciples to the other side of
the lake. Everyone has gone and Jesus is now alone. He is very happy that he
finished his duties entrusted to him today in this world and glorified his
father. Many a time in my pastoral life too Jesus has anointed me with this
same feeling. Thank you God the father, he might have just prayed. But that
isn’t enough for him. Just like any other day he went up to the hill where he
prayed to the father the whole night. How blessed the life of Jesus is! This is
just the life of a priest too. Today we celebrate the feast of St. John Maria
Vianney, the patron saint of all priests. John Maria Vianney was not a
successful priest in the eyes of the world. He was a simple priest who served
his whole life faithfully in a single parish called Ars in France. He had of
course known the heart of Jesus and his love. Therefore, Vianney throughout his
life was engaged in pouring out this love of Jesus to his people. He believed
that priesthood is the love of the sacred heart of Jesus. I love a lot the life
of this simple holy priest. And God gave me this simple priest as my patron
saint. Some thirty years ago for the first time in my life I read the life of
this man and thank God even today in my humble footsteps of priesthood he
continues to guide me and inspire me.
Lord Jesus, we thank you and
praise you for the gift of priesthood. Today we pray for all our priests that
they may be faithful to you and your people. As you have prayed in your
priestly we also pray today that they are in the world but they may never be of
this world. Mary, mother and queen of priests, pray for our priests. Amen.
Take courage God is with you!
Have a nice and blissful day….
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