Fr. Don's Daily Reflection - March 5, 2021
Psalm 62: “In you alone is my soul at rest. My help comes from you.”
Jon’s story, Part two
Praying to God “What do you want me to do with the rest of my life?” led to Carol asking Jon if he was thinking of the ministry. His response was “No” the first dozen times. Jon was planning to retire from the public school system after enough financial security to put their son through college and “buy that cabin up north and a fishing boat”. It was a good plan, he felt; “but not God’s plan”. Finally, however, after some time and counseling he felt that “the Holy Spirit was blowing on the dormant embers of my call to the priesthood”. Five years of seminary (evening and weekends) at Bethel University led to ordination in 2008.
A reflection of mine mentioned my early struggles with preaching. Jon saw these echoed in his own terrors: mumbling, excessive speed, hyperventilating, “The two classes that I took on preaching were some of the worst experiences of my life.” Eventually manuscript preaching (every word printed out) helped him in several venues. Later, Scriptural messages about God’s mercy and forgiveness struck him: “The Spirit overwhelmed me. I did not open my manuscript. I told my story about God's grace and mercy in my life.” So often made flesh in another ‘angel’ along the way.
His self-confidence was reinforced by the impact of this preaching on the congregation so that his theme became: "You are such a sinner, you have been saved by God's grace and mercy through Jesus, therefore you have to preach the good news." In 2016 he retired from active ministry. -- “Maybe a cautionary tale, but also a testament to God's grace and mercy.”
Psalm 27: “I believe I shall see the Lord’s goodness / in the land of the living.
Wait for the Lord; be strong; / be stouthearted, and wait for the Lord!”
