Pastor's Note

TURNING SIXTY
December 9th, 2007

My sixtieth birthday will be December 18, but today turned out to be the best day to celebrate. Thanks for being part of this celebration with me.
If you read my column in Friday’s CHRONICLE, you will see that I shared some thoughts about being ‘youthful before the Lord.’ I am not one to deny age or to cringe at milestone birthdays. I have cherished each step along the way. (Many who read this note have already passed the 60-year mark a few years ago and may or may not agree with my attitude.)
To me, each year is a gift; we do not know how many we may have. What matters is not how many years one lives but how well one lives those years. Youth and age are not opposites. Youth is a matter of idealism, hope, enthusiasm, willingness to make mistakes in trying important things, and always thinking about possibilities. In youth we know we need others – even when we say we don’t. Youthfulness involves play, fun, and learning to deal with struggles.
Some people forget to remain young as they grow older. I like to think of sixty as more than just getting the Golden Buckeye card; it represents wisdom years. That is not to say that every word coming from someone over sixty is wise; I’m sure I will still utter some very stupid things in the years ahead.
For me it is incredibly important to be with the Blessed John Parish to celebrate this birthday. You are so much part of my life; we are growing together and experiencing so many of the cycles of life. (My recent surgeries and convalescence are a fine example of that.)
Finally, I need to take the time at this milestone birthday to be thankful to the Lord for so many blessings, so many great people who have come into my life, and so many wonderful surprises. Being a priest for 33 of those years is the greatest thing. I can’t imagine not being a priest or doing what I do. The ministry of today, of course, is not what I ever really expected. It is so much better!
God has been very good to me, to us. Let’s celebrate!