One of the fascinating things about languages is how the meaning of words can change and shift radically over a relatively short span of time. There are even some words that bizarrely shift from one meaning to its literal opposite over the course  of a century or so. For example, the word “peruse” can mean either to skim through something haphazardly, or to read it thoroughly. Frankly, these kind of shenanigans can be maddening, because language is meant to communicate truth, not obscure it further.

There is a shift in the connotation of one particular word that always drives me up a wall, and that is the modern implications of the word “preach.” There was a time when it almost universally indicated the attempt to drive home an important, even salvific message to someone else in need. Jesus preached the Gospel. John the Baptist preached repentance. A friend of mine was staying with Mother Teresa’s community in Calcutta and came back with a story about when she was dying and the nuns told a priest who was saying a private Mass in her room that he should just omit the homily because she was very sick and near death. When he tried to skip over the homily and continue with the Mass, Mother Teresa made a hand gesture that the poor in India make while begging, and said in a feeble voice, “Please
Father, some words from Jesus?” If we are in tune with Our Lord, we desire to hear Jesus’ voice through (hopefully decent) preaching.
 
In recent times, the word “preach” is used derisively almost more often than not. We are told not to be preachy. People tell others to get down from their soapbox. Even the phrase “to pontificate,” which is taken from the office of the Pope himself, is used as a snide, vaguely anti-Catholic jab. But as someone who is called by virtue of my office to preach the Gospel, I often find myself longing to be preached to.
We are so often blind to our own faults, and even worse, blind to how God’s love is poured out for us.

Whenever I am on retreat or at a priest convocation, I revel in being able to sit back and listen to someone break open the Word of God for me. Listening to our Deacons in the region preach has been a blessing for me, and I love celebrating regional holiday Masses when I get to sit at the feet of Fr. Lambert, a priest who inspires me through his obvious love for the Lord and our Blessed Mother.
 
This week our region has the immense blessing of experiencing a mission preached by Fr. Sullivan from the Fathers of Mercy, an order whose charism is to give parish missions all over the country. I spoke to him last week and am very excited to hear his message of mercy and conversion. He will be speaking on the lives of Mother Teresa and Padre Pio, as well as bringing along mementos and relics. He has also returned recently from the Holy Land and says that he is bringing blessed oil from the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the very place where sin and death were overcome in the Resurrection of Our Lord. I invite, even beg, as many people as
possible from the region to come experience this opportunity for deeper conversion for our parish family. The schedule is here in the bulletin and on the website, and for those who would rather come during the day instead of in the evening, Fr. Sullivan will have Mass at OLR Monday through Thursday at 8:30 am and then present a devotional DVD in the Catholic Center. I look forward to stepping aside and being preached to for a change, and I pray that many will join me as we prepare for the holy season of Lent to bring us closer to Our Risen Lord.
 
Prayers always,
Fr. McC