Spring 2008
Kansas Monks
From The Desert I want to be a Saint This is one of those stories about myself that I hate to admit. During my seminary years, I think it might have been around my second year, one of our instructors asked us what we aspired to be. One of my classmates said, “I want to be a Saint!” He said it with much conviction and fiery determination. I remember, sadly, rolling my eyes, thinking “Duh! Yeah, we all want to get to heaven!” A few others just shook their heads, as if to say, “There he goes again.” My best friend in the seminary, who always sat right behind me in every class, kicked my chair. It was his way of saying, “Oh, give me a break!” I am embarrassed about how I responded to my classmate’s quite honest desire to become a saint. To this day
I am not sure if he meant he wanted to eventually be officially recognized and canonized by the Church; or just make it to heaven, where all who reside are saints by definition. I think some of us were just embarrassed by his zeal for Jesus Christ. Perhaps we thought he was nutty. Maybe, he was just ahead of the curve of the rest of us in the class. I too, now have that zeal. Yes, of course all of us in the seminary wanted to be saints. Why else would we want to become priests? We wanted to be priests and help others live good holy lives—in effect, helping them to become saints. All those who place their faith in Jesus Christ, and cooperate with His Grace to live a Holy life here on earth should make it to heaven. All of those are saints. I want to be a Saint. No, I don’t have any aspirations
to be recognized and later canonized as “Saint Gabriel Landis!” Yet, I desire—in the interior of my heart—to be closer united to the Heart of Jesus, to be closer united to His Wounds. I think I have caught up with the zeal of my former classmate. (What was I thinking all those years ago; “There he goes again?” God forgive me.) Since my first assignment as an associate pastor at Ascension Parish, I have slowly become aware of a growing desire for a greater interior life with Jesus. I think all my discussions and emails with my Spiritual Director probably are bearing fruit. To para-
phrase his teachings; “Gabriel, the Lord loves you just as you are and where you are, but He is always calling on you to be more and more like Him. He calls you higher and closer into His own Life.” So what is the way to become a Saint? I refer to Father Jacques Philippe. I am reading his book, In the School of the Holy Spirit. And I draw from the wisdom of my own Spiritual Director, Father Tom Acklin, O.S.B., and his book; The Passion of the Lamb. I will explain more in depth in future columns, but for now the short answer is to truly pay attention to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. We all receive these, perhaps we might need some work on better listening skills, but He does speak to us. Jesus sends us the Holy Spirit to move in accordance with His Will. In the end, this will provide greater interior Peace as well as prepare you and me on our road to sainthood. Praised Be Our Savior Jesus Christ! Now and Always! Amen!
...To dust you shall return
Photos by Megan Bickford
Benedictine College students filled the Abbey Church to capacity for an Ash Wednessay All-School Mass. At left, students sing a hymn after receiving ashes; center, Father Bruce Swift in the foreground along with Father Denis Meade, Father Meinrad Miller, and Father Matthew Habiger distribute ashes; at right, Father Meinrad Miller was the homilist.
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