Monday, July 23, 2007

True humility

The world needs more priests like Fr. Martin Fox. The more I read his homilies, the more the words "pointy hat" come to mind. Not yet, no, but he clearly is one of those who "gets it". This past weekend's homily was yet another example of what thorough humility merged with honest determination can create. A snip:

But let me ask you: what do you want your pastor to do?
Do you really want a pastor who says,
“well, the pope has his opinion, and I have mine!”
Do you really want a pastor who says,
“I’d like to follow the Council, but I won’t,
because it will make some people unhappy.”

I really don’t believe that is what you want.

To those who disagree, I ask:
I’m not certain I’m right, I freely admit.
How certain can you be that the pope is wrong?
And so goes the rest. He is taking the bold step of letting his parishioners know he is willing to do what is required to provide what they need, sometimes providing what they need without them even knowing they need it. Sounds like a true shepherd. It's in reading homilies like this that I cower at the thought of ever having contemplated wearing the collar - I simply am not, and never have been, that good. Another reminder the Lord, in the end, really does know what He's doing.