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I must begin by saying what an honor it is to be standing here this morning.

I’m humbled by Cardinal Tobin’s confidence in me – and, I hope, in time, I will validate his decision to appoint me as pastor/administrator of Saint Pius.

I not only want to thank the Cardinal, but also Father Marek for his near six-years of ministry here, and Father Joe, who’s served you since May. 

But today we turn the page. Our future together is yet to be written.

I know it takes time to build trust and strong relationships — and I will work hard to do that.

As leader of this flock, I encourage everyone to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, the one who shepherds us all.

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A few years ago, I was in the Holy Land on pilgrimage. 

I remember feeling overwhelmed by the sights, sounds, and smells; that part of the world is a strange combination of ancient and modern forcibly weaved into one.

I remember, in particular, visiting the town of Bethlehem, where Jesus was born. 

As I wandered along near the edge of town, I noticed a young boy shepherding his flock of sheep across a busy street.

Leading the charge were the young ones, moving so energetically it seemed they were dancing.

But in the very back was an old ewe with dusty brown fleece. 

She walked with a terrible limp, perhaps the result of arthritis or a broken leg. With every step, she jerked her neck back and forth, throwing her body forward, visibly terrified of being left behind.

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Sheep are not very smart animals, but they have a natural herding mentality. 

If one becomes separated from the flock, it literally stands in place and shakes in fear, waiting either for its shepherd …. or for death.

Sheep cannot survive on their own.

Thankfully, that young boy noticed what was happening, so he moved to the back of the flock and gently helped her across the street. 

Routine, perhaps.

But if the young sheep in front weren’t paying attention to where they were being led, they would’ve become the ones who were lost.

The truth is a sheep’s strength lies not in its youth or in its energy, but in its closeness to the shepherd.

He is their sole guide and source of strength. Without him, they can do nothing. In that sense, every sheep is equal – and equally dependent upon their shepherd.

***

I’ve found the same to be true for me as a disciple and as a priest. My strength – and I dare say my “success” – lies not in my youth or in my talents, whether it’s one, five, or ten as we hear in today’s Gospel.

My “success” lies in my closeness to Jesus, the shepherd. 

He is our guide.

As it is written in the Psalms, “The LORD is my shepherd. There is nothing I shall want… To safe waters you lead me; you restore my strength. You guide me along the right path.” 

Isn’t that’s true for all of us? 

When we we’re in need, when we face important decisions, when fear or temptation overwhelms us, we must turn to Jesus. He is our shepherd who guides us, “along the right path.”

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But that’s only part of our shared story. While we must be concerned with our own relationship with Jesus – our own salvation – we must also be concerned with the salvation of others.

Remember the attentiveness of that young boy from Bethlehem. He knew his flock. He knew who was safe, and who needed his attention. He saw that struggling ewe and went straight to her aid.

In the same way, I want to learn your stories, to find those in need of a shepherd’s care.

And I ask you to join me in that mission. Together, the Lord invites us to love, to heal, and to serve our neighbors in need.

In light of this pandemic, we must find creative ways to do so.

But the Lord is our shepherd. So long as we keep our eyes fixed on him, he will lead us along the right path, a path that leads to fresh waters and green pastures.

A path that leads to eternal life.

***

And so with confidence, we turn the page and move forward together, giving thanks to God, “who has loved us and given himself for us” (Ephesians 5:2).

***

I’m sure we’ve all heard the phrase: “Keep calm and carry on.”

It dates back to 1939, when Europe was on the brink of war. The British posted these words around Central London, encouraging their citizens to keep calm when threatened by Nazi airstrikes.

But somewhere around the year 2000, those words were re-discovered, and they went viral. 

Now they’re printed on everything from t-shirts to coffee mugs and posters, reminding people to keep calm and carry on when an unexpected event happens.

***

One of the most unexpected events in our century has been the outbreak of COVID. 

Entire towns have shut down, while people are encouraged to wear face masks, to stay socially distant and to dine outdoors in the cold. Many are even afraid to come to church.

Do you remember when COVID first reached the shores of America? 

We were totally unprepared. There was a flurry of panic buying, even a rush on toilet paper! The memes on that were hilarious. 

Although our circumstances were different from Central London in 1939, like the British, many Americans struggled to keep calm and carry on; we were too afraid of the unknown. 

***

On a more personal level, our parish is experiencing another unlikely event – one that’s bittersweet in my heart – my recent appointment as pastor of Saint Pius in Old Tappan, along the New York / New Jersey border. 

Ever since I found out, that phrase, “Keep calm and carry on,” has been coming back to me. 

I know over these last 5 years of priesthood, and certainly these last two years at Saint Catherine’s, the Lord has been preparing me for leadership. 

Whether it’s been through the ALPHA program, offering the Catholicism series, teaching in the school, or celebrating the Sacraments, I’ve learned so much from all of you.

So many of you have strengthened my faith, shaped my heart, and affirmed the hard work I’ve put into my priestly ministry. I cannot thank you enough.

I’m also deeply humbled by Cardinal Tobin’s confidence in me, as I’ll become one of the youngest pastors in the Archdiocese.

But, as we’re reminded by world events and even today’s Gospel, we must always be prepared for the unknown. Expect the unexpected. 

***

In today’s Gospel, Jesus gives us a parable describing his second coming – what we’d call the end of the world. 

He, the Bridegroom, comes at night, but only five of the ten virgins awaiting him are prepared. Five of them refilled their lamps with oil while five ran out.

Why didn’t the foolish five have any extra oil? Were they forgetful? Were they lazy? 

No. I think they took the others for granted. Perhaps they presumed they could scrounge some oil off of the others if they needed it.

But when the Bridegroom comes, the foolish ones are left outside in the dark; outside in the cold. They couldn’t borrow someone else’s oil because that oil represented their faith.

Faith cannot be borrowed. It must grow within each of us; we all responsible for our own relationship with God.

But I can say that so many of you have fortified my faith – as I hope I’ve done the same for you through preaching, listening, ministering, and breaking bread together.

If anything, my appointment to Saint Pius has reminded me never to take God – or his people – for granted. I leave you here today with a grateful heart, ready to love and serve the people of Saint Pius as much as I have loved you.

***

That’s a lesson we’ve all learned during Covid – not to take anything for granted – our freedom; our friends; our faith; our time here on earth; or my time here at Saint Catherine’s, which now comes to an end.

***

As we move into a future yet to be written, mine in Old Tappan and yours here at Saint Catherine’s, I hope we all, “keep calm and carry on.”

Our ability to find that peace in any circumstance rests in one thing – our faith in Jesus. As he says at the end of the Gospels, “Behold, I am with you always.”

Whether we’re living in Central London or Cedar Grove, in times of celebration or times of quarantine, Jesus is with us. 

And you will be with me, as I carry you in my heart. 

Thank you and God bless you.

***

One of the most beautiful places I’ve ever visited is the Grand Canyon. 

It is an endless pit of color. 

The cliffs, the peaks, the ridges rise from every angle, never seeming to end. 

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I entered the park by the Northern Rim Trail, which spans part of the canyon’s edge. From there you can descend into the canyon itself.

When I first saw the Grand Canyon, I nearly lost my breath; I was overwhelmed by the canyon’s beauty.

But after absorbing the view, I reached out for my college buddies, whom I was travelling with.

Although the canyon never changed, somehow seeing it with my friends made it even more beautiful. 

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(This picture is just an example.)

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I believe the same thing happens in heaven.

The Saints stand before God, much like my friends stood beside me. You might say they gaze upon the Lord from the Northern Rim Trail.

But they yearn to share the experience with us. Although God never changes, somehow seeing Him together makes the Lord seem all the more beautiful. 

So, the Saints pray for us, that we may someday be blessed to join them.

Imagine that – an endless line of men, women, and children gazing upon God, longing to share that vision with us.

***

So, who are these Saints enjoying life in the presence God?

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They’re the merciful, the clean of heart, the peacemakers. The ones Jesus calls “blessed” in today’s Gospel.

Concretely, we might think of those who’ve changed the world:

Peter, the first pope. Paul, the greatest missionary in history. Francis of Assisi, who renewed the Church. Catherine of Siena, who experienced mystical visions. Or Teresa of Calcutta, a modern-day Saint who showed the world how to love the poor.

But most of the Saints were ordinary men and women like us.

For example, Saint Conrad was a doorman. He spent 40 years greeting pilgrims at a Marian shrine in Germany. 

Saint Zita was a cook. 

Other Saints were barbers, farmers, maids, soldiers, even soccer players. 

There’s nothing extraordinary about what they did: welcoming strangers, cutting hair, or preparing meals. But they did these things with extraordinary love.

***

One of my favorite Saints is Joseph, the foster father of Jesus. Like many others, he was a “blue collar” Saint; he did nothing great in the world’s eyes.

Joseph never went to college. He never wrote a book. He never owned shares in the stock market. 

He never held public office. He never made the news. He never lived in a major city or even journeyed far from his home.

The only time Joseph left his homeland was when he fled to Egypt as a refugee because King Herod was trying to kill the infant Jesus, and the baby wasn’t even his. 

***

Joseph was uneducated; a peasant; a refugee; a foster father.

A nobody.

But 2,000 years have come and gone, and we still celebrate his life, because he made his way to heaven by doing the tasks that God gave him to do.

Namely, to be a good husband, a nurturing father, and an undeterred believer. 

That’s all God asks of us, to be faithful to the tasks we’ve been given.

***

So, what has the Lord invited me to do in this life? Has he called me to married life? To religious life? To a life of service?

***

Being a faithful spouse, a nurturing parent, an honest friend, a zealous priest can make us Saints.

Our reward for doing so is eternal peace, and a place along the Northern Rim Trail, as it were.

And as the old saying goes, “The more the merrier.”

So, the Saints who are already there pray for us, that one day we may join them, because seeing the Lord together somehow makes heaven all the more beautiful.

Saint Joseph, Saint Zita, Saint Conrad, all the Saints in heaven, pray for us.

***