Welcome to the Team: 6th Sunday of Easter

           One of the challenges of graduating college was no longer being on a sports team.  Since the time I was in elementary school I was on one team or another and for the first time I was not.

            In particular I found a particular bond between runners, especially at St. Scholastica.  We grew as a team as we hit the roads, pounded the hills and ran as a pack in our races.  I suppose it’s easy to gel when you’re all doing something everyone else thinks is torture.  Above all, we didn’t care what place we were on the team, so long as we pushed each other to be our best and improve our times.

            I have two fond memories from my times on the CSS cross-country team.  The first was as a freshman.  In one of my first collegiate workouts, we did mile repeats.  It’s a simple workout—you simply run a mile hard, take a quick break, and start up again.  It’s quite exhilarating.  On our final trek our top runner and captain paced me.  He could have beaten me by quite a bit, but held back to help me run my best.  He even let me take it first to the line and I was inspired by his leadership.

            Second, we even had a way to cheer each other on during races.  Now we couldn’t really speak—you don’t run to chat—but if a guy started falling back we raised our right hand and gestured him forward.  I can’t tell you how many times I was ready to fall over and wait for the ambulance when I saw a teammate’s hand shoot up to encourage me on.

            As a baby priest, the month of May seems to be one of the most fun of the year.  I have several Baptisms this month to welcome in the little ones to the Church, our Juniors will soon be confirmed, and our second graders will receive their first communion at our 10:30 Mass this weekend.  We are indeed adding to our Catholic team—our family.

            In so doing we see Jesus’ promise fulfilled: “I have told you this while I am with you.  The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you.”  This gift of the Spirit hovers over the waters of Baptism.  This same gift will bring our high school students to the fullness of the faith in Confirmation.  Likewise, the Spirit is present in the hearts of our children as they receive Christ’s Body and Blood for the first time this weekend.

            We give God thanks for the gift of the Spirit and as we do I ask that you pray for those to be baptized, confirmed and welcomed to the Eucharistic banquet at our parish.  Pray that we, and our newest members of our Catholic team, may bring many more to Jesus in the fullness of the Catholic faith.