One of the more widely read Catholic writers today is the Oblate priest, Fr. Ron Rolheiser. He writes a weekly column that is syndicated in many Catholic newspapers and is the author of a number of books on spirituality. I have quoted from him in some of my homilies and columns; but today I want to lift a quote that came from his father. Fr. Rolheiser’s dad grew up  on a farm in Manitoba, Canada, and possessed what Ron called “a prairie wisdom.” One of the things he told his son was: ”Whenever you see someone who’s always angry, take a look at that person. Because it’s always someone who’s very bright, with lots of talent. It’s just that he or she hasn’t found a way of offering that in a way that people can receive it.”

It’s an interesting thought and perhaps applies to someone you know or someone you knew (or even yourself!). It could apply to people who because of economic necessity never had the chance to develop their gifts, and it could also apply to those who chose to pursue a career that promised money or prestige, but offered little in the way of real fulfillment or sense of accomplishment. There are also people who are always looking back at an opportunity lost or a supervisor who failed to notice their contribution or showed no interest in their ideas. But it can also apply to involvement at church.

One of St. Paul’s most persistent themes is that a church community should function like the human body (Well, we are the Body of Christ), with each of us performing a vital but different function. What so often happens at church is that there is a call for volunteers. Certain very generous people almost always step forward. A truism often repeated is that 10% of the people at church do 90% of the ministry. Aside from the questions of equity, there can be two other problems with this. Just because I am willing to serve, does not mean that I have the gifts and talents best suited to this ministry or volunteer program. I may find it to be a real chore, with very little sense that I am contributing to the life of the parish. To use St. Paul’s analogy of the body, I may be an eye trying to do the work of an ear or an arm trying to do the work of a leg We can end up performing our work, but do it in such a way that it is not very life-giving to my fellow volunteers or the people I am serving. I become angry and resentful. On the other hand, there may be someone else in the congregation whose gifts, talents, and availability are better suited for this ministry. My own generosity may actually impede the calling forth of someone else’s gifts—someone who never volunteers for anything.

The task of renewal requites that, after 2000 years, we finally take St. Paul’s words seriously. We have to move way beyond the old adage for the Catholic laity, “Pay, Pray, and Obey.” We have to move beyond the tradition that 10% of the parishioners volunteer for everything. We have to move beyond asking for volunteers and start asking people to respond to their call to ministry. Although it has most often been applied to priesthood and religious life, the Church has long insisted that we all have a vocation. An ear is called to listen. An eye is called to see. What am I being called to do? Do I have a vocation to proclaim the Word at Sunday Mass? Do I have a gift for speaking in public? Is the Word of God already important in my life? Am I answering my call or am I answering a call for volunteers? If I have a love of the Scriptures and have the necessary physical tools to proclaim the Word and want other people to be inspired by God’s word, then I have a call to step forward, even if there is no announcement in the bulletin that we need more lectors. This is not just a personal question. It is about the proper functioning of the Body of Christ. If we have ever had an arm or a leg in a cast, we certainly know how impaired we feel without out full complement of functioning limbs. So, it is with the church. Our liturgies do not function as well as they should and our charitable efforts do not fully reflect the love and compassion of God. To take this a step deeper, we might ask, “Why am I part of the community of Assumption?” Quite often when people register, they will respond to the question, “Why did you choose Assumption?” with “Church nearby.” Hopefully, after you have been here for a while, you will find a deeper reason for being here.

The fact that so many of us do not take the vocation question seriously is surely one of the reasons why church attendance has been in decline for decades. If I am not personally invested in the church community, it is much easier to walk away. I will spend the time instead with activities with which I am personally invested. There is a new edition of the brochure “Opportunities to Serve” in the back of church and downstairs at Hospitality Sunday. I encourage you to take one home and prayerfully reflect on it. Is there a ministry there directed at you?

                          Fr. Joe