CELEBRATE WHAT?

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I was ordained a priest on March 22, 1969. After some sophisticated mathematical computation I

concluded that next Friday, March 22, 2019, will be the 50th anniversary of my ordination. We're going to mark the event on the following day, Saturday (one week from today) with a mass and a buffet luncheon in the school dining hall for about 200 relatives and friends.

Now I'm trying to figure out exactly what it is that we'll be celebrating. The obvious answer is that Fr. Albert's been a priest for fifty years. Okay, but why does this fact call for a celebration? I'll start with a list of reasons, some or all of which may be good ones:

Because Albert has made it to his 50th without dying.
Because God has given him the gift of serving as a priest for fifty years.
Because God has been faithful to him.
Because God has given him the grace to be faithful to God in return.

All the good reasons I can think of begin with the word "God." So, this is really a celebration of God's unbounded, mysterious goodness to a certain monk-priest in a small monastery in downtown Newark, New Jersey.

When I hear a person say "I'm not celebrating my anniversary, I don't like making a fuss about myself" I get upset and I think to myself, "It's not about you, darn it! It's a chance for the community to come together and celebrate how good God is, to celebrate the Lord's faithfulness! Are you saying that God doesn't deserve a special celebration now and then for being so kind and loving to us?"

People who know me well know that I have a big fat ego that would enjoy having a big celebration in my honor. But sorry, ego, the party next Saturday can't possibly be about you! After all, what have I had to do with the fact that I've been a priest for fifty years? Any answer you give I can restate it in terms of a gift from God (look at the list I started with above): The Lord has given me the grace to be faithful to my vocation. The Lord has given me health of body and mind so that I can continue to serve as a priest for so many years.


So, I don't see this jubilee celebration as an award ceremony for Outstanding Priestly Achievement. No, it's more like a party thrown by someone who wants to celebrate with his friends that he has won the Mega-Million Dollar Lottery. How lucky can a person be! Let's celebrate!"

"I am grateful to him who has strengthened me, Christ Jesus our Lord, because  he considered me trustworthy  in appointing me to the ministry."  (1 Timothy 1:12)