Below is one of my favorite verses from the Bible. St. Paul, confronting doubt and dissension within the Church reminds us this very beautiful mission we are called to be as members of Christ’s body:
“For I am the least of the apostles, not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me has not been ineffective. Indeed, I have toiled harder than all of them; not I, however, but the grace of God [that is] with me. Therefore, whether it be I or they, so we preach and so you believed.”(1 Corinthians 15:9-11)

I am blessed to be called by God as a priest. I am blessed to work with so many good and holy people. I am blessed to be sustained by the prayers of so many people and the saints and angels in heaven. I am blessed because of the abundant and ever flowing grace God showers down upon me and all the world. I am blessed in knowing it is the work of God that surrounds me and his work is perfect. I am blessed in recognizing the gifts and talents of others who I am invited and called to work with. I am blessed.
I do not always know the time, place or those who will be the blessings God shares, but in the humbleness of knowing the heart of God, I am called to encounter in love, accept the companionship and walk the pilgrim journey. It may be in a 2:00 a.m. sick call or the lunch shared with a beloved of Christ. In being aware that I am blessed allows my eyes to be open and accept the gift given in joy.
I am blessed in the quiet of the Church in praying an early morning Holy Hour, in the encounter with those who care for the church building in cleaning and praying through their gift of ministry or in the recitation of the Most Holy Rosary in front of the blessed sacrament.
I am blessed in the noise of the Church in the praise and worship of a prayer service, in the change of environment as families come together or in the children of our parish school and summer camps playing with joyful noise of our God.
I am blessed in the familial celebrations both joyous and difficult. In baptism we hear the voice of God in the children…the one to be baptized in either the giggles of life or the crying and crankiness of nap time being interrupted or the number of people surrounding the child. It is parish BBQ’s and school sport activities. It is the funeral in which sadness is palatable like smoke in the air but faith is even stronger because the smoke changes into the gentle fragrance of incense. The stories shared of life lived in its fullness the heroic struggle of faithfulness in a world too often faithless and the family brought together to give thanks, to heal and to bless.

I am blessed in the companionship of ministry and in the cross. As St. Paul reminds us, it all begins and ends with the Cross of salvation and love.
Venerable Pablo María Guzmán Figueroa MSpS, the founder of the Eucharistic Missionaries of the Most Holy Trinity (MESST) shares with these words of companionship in Jesus’ sacramental love in his prayer Prayer of Fire (Oración de Fuego), “Que sean almas víctimas, almas hostias pero formando una sola hostia con Jesús, así comodeben participar del miso sacerdocio.” His language is poetic and difficult to translate….I have been praying with this pray for years now…but loosely translated (forgive me my faults) “Like Jesus we must take up our cross to become sacrificial victims for/with others. Where our soul is united with Jesus in the Eucharistic sacrifice (our souls imitate the host shared at the altar) but not as many sacrifices. One sacrifice united in Jesus Christ (the one host). The one priesthood of Jesus Christ.”
When I pray and celebrate…with you, with the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church: I am blessed.

God Bless
Fr. Mark