THIRTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
30 JUNE 2024
We meet a
woman who comes to encounter Jesus. She
has been suffering for twelve years from a flow of blood that makes her
ritually impure. Not only does she
experience physical pain. But, she is
also isolated from the community. In
desperation, she approaches Jesus and touches his cloak. When the woman’s flow of blood dries up,
Jesus perceives that power had flowed out of him. He asks who had touched him, which causes her
to tremble with fear. He praises her for
her great faith, heals her physical pain, and restores her as a healthy
daughter to the community. The 20th
century French philosopher Simone Weil said, “It is grace that forms a void
inside of us, and it is also grace that fills that void.” Jesus becomes aware of the grace that forms a
void inside of him. The grace of his
love fills the void in the woman.
Twenty-three
years ago, I encountered the Lord in this parish, the Body of Christ. Other than any mental deficiencies, there was
no physical pain. There was no
desperation that brought me here.
Instead, it was the assignment given to me by Bishop D’Arcy. I was carrying the void of leaving Saint Jude
Parish in Fort Wayne, where I had been a pastor for thirteen years. I approached the risen Christ present in the
members of this parish with trembling and fear.
The Congregation of Holy Cross had founded Saint Pius X. Holy Cross priests had served it from the
beginning. I came as a diocesan priest
to try to fill big shoes. The Bishop’s
instructions caused even more fear and trembling. He described this parish as a rapidly growing
congregation that had already outgrown its physical structures. He gave me the task of being open to the
grace that created the void of leaving one parish to be open to the grace to
fill the void of the task ahead.
As time
went on, that grace filled the void.
That grace eventually gave a strong staff that guided and worked with me
in this new role. That grace provided
many gifted parishioners who were willing to provide advice and guidance. That grace opened me to extremely generous
people who began to take steps in embracing stewardship as a way of life. Over the last twenty-three years, that grace
has allowed me to be part of a vital and growing community of people, who are
the Body of Christ. I have been involved
in people’s lives in their joys, triumphs, and tragedies. It is impossible to count the many times we
have worked together in baptisms, funerals, weddings, and the celebration of
the Lord’s presence in the Eucharist.
The void has been filled with overflowing love and involvement in the
lives of so many people.
Now it is
time for me to trust the grace of a new void both for you and for me. It is time for new leadership at Saint Pius,
and you are graced with the gift of a competent new pastor. You are stuck with same Parochial Vicar. You are graced with the gift of an incredibly
talented staff. When pastors leave, the
new pastor clearly sees all the faults, weaknesses, and sins of his
predecessor. Michael Heintz knows all of
these realities already. He will simply
move on.
For me, a
new void is being created in retirement.
But I am confident that the Lord will fill this new void with his
grace. Jesus leaves the woman whom he
has restored to health to continue his journey to the home of Jairus. He ignores the message that his daughter has
died. He enters the house with Peter,
James, and John and brings her back to life.
He says to her, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.” He brings her back from the dead to
foreshadow his own death and resurrection.
He will arise from his tomb to assure all of his disciples that they
will rise with him if they share in his dying.
It is the Paschal Mystery. I
trust that Mystery as I leave the void of my pastorate here and trust the Lord
to fill the void with his grace.
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