We all have the famous priests we follow.
Priests like Bishop Robert Barron, Father Mike Schmitz, and Father Josh Johnson are some of the greatest priests to bless my life. But only one priest can walk through my door and into my everyday life.
My parish priest is this man and my life would not be the same if I had never invited him over for dinner.
In the past, the vast majority of my interactions with priests involved listening to homilies, partaking in the Mass, and shaking their hands as I went about the rest of my Sunday.
I never interacted with them, but on quite a few occasions, I deeply analyzed their homilies and thought of ways they could improve upon their words or how they could engage with the community.
I never thought to talk to a priest or even invite him over to my house.
After I invited my parish priest over for the first time, one dinner turned into another. Then it turned into seeing movies together. Then, eating Buffalo Wild Wings for a wing night. And then it turned into beers and conversations.
Most importantly, it turned into numerous trips to the gym to maximize the muscle.
This allowed the Holy Spirit to flow freely between us in thought. It lit a burning desire in my life to be closer to the Lord. This passion is something I could share with my wife and kids.
The interesting thing is, that these benefits were not just my own. My priest gained a friend.
I became someone in his parish he trusted for advice–someone he asked for favors. Instead of being isolated to his church and rectory, he now enjoyed life in another way.
A while back, I read an article on how many priests struggle to cope with the workings of the parish. This then leads to avenues like alcoholism or stress eating.
Can you imagine? Everyone comes to you with problems, and unless you have a strong support network, you must process all of it alone.
What if we turn this on its head and make it so priests can come to their parishioners for joy? This should be our goal.
We should befriend priests so we can all grow together in God’s love.
I had the great experience of taking my kids to the movie, “Minions: Rise of Gru.” The entire premise focused on needing a tribe to get through life.
The common expression, “It takes a village” comes to mind. Why is this not the same for the Church?
It doesn’t take a priest to make a parish. It takes a community. The priest leads and guides us through the sacraments and the spiritual life, and we the people support him.
Just as Christ is the head and we are the body, our priests are the head of our Church and we are the parts of the body. We all work better when we work together.
So, the next time you have a chance, invite a priest over for dinner. Bring him to a bar. Play a game. Challenge him to a feat of strength in the gym.
Either way, befriend a priest and your life will be changed.