01/23/2023
Here is my vocation homily from yesterday. Its a little general since I was preaching in spanish. ...
Today, I want to share with you why I am a priest. I can tell you right now that I am a priest today because God called me and I listened.
I grew up here in Plano and went to Plano East Senior High. I made excellent grades in high school and I knew that I would go to university. I eventually did go and received my first degree in meteorology. I played all types of sports and especially liked football. I was involved in Boy Scouts and started my own lawn-mowing business when I was 11 years old. My parents were supportive of me and showed me great love and a stable home. I could have done lots of things with my life. I could have made lots of money. I could have been involved in politics. I dreamed of being a writer. I could have been well-known as a football coach or a meteorologist on television. I always thought that I would marry. I thought that I would be a great husband and father and I would have many children.
Moreover, in high school I lacked faith. Although I was raised Catholic and confirmed in the 8th grade, much of my time in high school was marked by my lack of faith. Rarely did I think about God and even more rarely did I pray. Just occasionally would I go to Mass and I knew very little about the Church. I didn’t altar serve nor was I involved in youth ministry.
And yet here I am a Catholic priest and your pastor at St. Mark. How did this happen?
God Called and I listened.
Today’s Gospel presents the calling of Simon Peter, Andrew, James and John. These four men were busy about their daily lives. They were fisherman. Never would they think that in the matter of years they would be leading an every growing Church. They would be shocked to know that God would work miracles through them and that eventually they would offer their lives for a new way of believing. And yet that is what happened. They met Jesus and their lives changed. They were called. They listened and followed him. They became fishers of men.
For me, I am a priest because Jesus reached out into my brokenness and pain. During my senior year in high school, I was searching for meaning in life. I wondered what the point of life. There I realized suddenly that God exists and a few months later I learned that Jesus is the Son of God. I invited Jesus into my heart and I realized that I needed to follow him. Very shortly afterwards when I was 18 years old, I heard in the depths of my heart and invitation. This was an invitation by Jesus to come follow him. To follow him to the priesthood.
Honestly, this scared me and I initially I said no. I wanted so many other things as I had already said. My first year at university, I going out with friends and dancing with the ladies. At the time and would go out sometimes 3 times per week country dancing with groups of friends. The idea of marriage and children was still deeply on my heart. And yet, Jesus’ call on my heart to follow him was strong. And so, I did.
I first started following him by going to bible studies and church services. I began to pray every day. I received my first bible when I was 18 as a Christmas present. Soon, I rediscovered the true presence of Jesus in the Holy Sacrament. A friend told me that the Eucharist is the Body, blood, soul and divinity of Jesus Christ. I looked in the Bible and read John chapter 6. Jesus says clearly in the Bible that he is the bread of life. I believed in the Holy Sacrament and thus rediscovered my Catholic faith. I realized again that I was not just a Christian but a Catholic Christian. I began going to Church every Sunday and then multiple times per week. I began helping out on retreats and serving the Church. I began going to Holy Hour once per week.
While doing all these things, I felt Jesus tell me in my heart. Jason, I want you to be my priest. Will you follow me? This time instead of saying, no. I took it to prayer. And so I prayed and prayed. The thing was, since being part of all these ministries and work of the church, I was so full of joy and filled with peace. I longed to spend more time in prayer. I also longed to serve the Church more. I began thinking that if this is what it is like to be a priest then, I definitely want to look into it.
I talked to my priest about it and began talking to my friends. I even began meeting regularly with other men who had a similar feeling to be a priest. I spent time praying with others and slowly I began to realize that I would be very happy being a priest. I ended up graduating from University and was here at St. Mark in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament when I finally said yes. My last fears about being a priest was overcome. I was afraid to talk in front of people and was afraid to meet people. During adoration, I felt Jesus speak to me and say that He has already given me the gifts that I need as a priest. I needed to trust him, follow him and it will be my greatest joy.
I entered the seminary. The seminary is the place where a man learns to become a priest. While in seminary, I offered to God my desires to be married and to have children. I learned that only men who could see themselves as great husbands and fathers should think about the priesthood. With this in mind, I was able to sacrifice these for the priestly vocation. In 2007, I was ordained to the priesthood. I want you to know that I see the priesthood as an absolute gift. Its an adventure and life if full! Every day there are challenges and difficulties. I get to see miracles and I get to walk with people in the most special of moments. I love being a priest and can say without a doubt that God chose me to be a priest. I am thankful that I have listened.
What about you? Is God calling you to be a priest? Are you willing to listen?
If you are a young man who is single and you have thought about the priesthood and you are afraid of taking the next step, then, I want you to take courage and have faith. This desire for the priesthood is in your heart for a reason. Be a man and talk to someone about being a priest. Talk to Father Michael or Fr. Ricardo or I. You can call up our vocation director, Fr. Paul Bechter. Many times, the devil will place excuses in your mind to tempt you away from exploring the priesthood. Don’t allow him to have that fun with you. Bring this desire to Jesus and bring it to someone in your life and talk about it. If you follow Jesus and his will for you, it will be an adventure and joy.
The same is true for women who are thinking about being a religious sister. Sadly, we don’t have many religious sisters here in the diocese of Dallas. And so, I encourage you to go to places where there are religious sisters and have time to talk with them and join them in prayer.
Parents and grandparents, what can you do to help your son to be a priest? First, you need to bring your own desires for your child to our Lord. Many times, parents keep their children from following Jesus because they want to have grand children. This is my only son. He can’t be called to the priesthood because I need grandchildren. This is selfish and is nonsense. On the opposite are parents who tell their sons that from the very beginning of their life that they should be priest and are called to be a priest. This is also not what God wants. Instead, you simply can tell your son that you will be happy with your son as long as he follows the will of God. If God calls him to be a priest, if God calls him to be married or if God calls him to be a missionary. Bless those decisions as long as he follows the Lord’s plans.
WIth this in mind, you can have moments when your son can interact with the priests of our parish. They can be part of a youth group that has the priest over to talk about something in life.. Or you can invite the priest over for dinner at your house or for a house blessing. You can bring your son over to the seminary for one of the seminarian’s masses. You can have your son serve at the altar. These are all ways that you can help your son think about the priesthood.
Most importantly, you need to ask God for the grace to support the vocation that God calls your son or daughter.
I know that someone here is being called by God to take the next step toward the priesthood. Jesus is calling you. Be a man. Take courage and listen. To follow Him, will be your greatest joy!
