Fr. Don's Daily Reflection
In the words of a pre-Metallica song: "There will never be another you." The implication is that the genome of each of us is unique. To say, however, that any one of us is irreplaceable would be a stickier matter. Unique seems unquestionable. However, irreplaceable is more accurately used about what we do and how we function than about who we are. Nobody else will ever be this Ang Kim, this Mary Smith, or this Isidore Melankowski. But others will be that middle school English teacher, that Wall Street trader, that worker in concrete, that engineer, that pope or that coach.
Whatever else it might be, the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI or, where the writer lives, that of a very successful 85-year-old football coach of 50 years, can be seen as recognition that “I am not irreplaceable.” Someone else will become Bishop of Rome and someone else will coach football. (The coach by the way does not take credit for giving the pope an example.) At the same college another in his mid-80s (let’s call him Ben) is still employed in alumni work. Ben tells his immediate boss that he, Ben, hopes he will have the grace and perception to resign when he becomes unable to fulfill his position with any energy or imagination. Possibly this is something many of us need to think about even at a much younger age in regard to our position. Am I a burden or an obstacle? Do I need a change? Do the people I work with and for, do they need a change?
An element in all of this must be a more interior matter--our estimation of self, our view of “irreplaceability,” and our humility. A phrase going back to Pope Gregory the Great says the Pope should regard himself as "servant of the servants of the Lord." Being at the service of others finds a lot of support in the teaching (“I am among you as one who serves.” Lk 22:27) and even more in the life of Jesus Christ.