I’m inspired.

When I last wrote, I was on a plane to Omaha, Nebraska to spend the week at Creighton University with 175 seminarians and many good priests, religious, and lay people at the Institute for Priestly Formation.  Now I’m back in Rhode Island; but I’m more inspired than when I left (despite another flight delay that gave me an unplanned night in a hotel in Minneapolis and brought me home a day later than expected!).

I wish you could have seen what I saw; for I saw the brightness and beauty of the Church, and I’m full of hope.  I saw seminarians who are deeply sincere about serving the Church and leading people closer to the Lord.  I saw genuinely holy and faithful priests who are selflessly serving the Church day in and day out.  I saw committed religious joyfully living their consecration.  I saw faithful lay people deeply committed to the mission of the Church.  And I’m inspired by what I saw.

We all need inspiration, don’t we?  The Church has gone through a difficult time over the last several years.  The goodness of the priesthood, particularly, has been called into question by many.  At times, it’s not been easy to be a priest.  It’s not the 1940s anymore.  No more movies like “Going My Way” and “The Bells of St. Mary’s”.  Those days are gone.

But that’s all the more reason why we need inspiration.  I’m not naive enough to believe that the effects of the scandals are behind us.  This year has been proof that they aren’t.  But I’m inspired when I look to the good priests and seminarians that I have the privilege of knowing.  I’m hopeful that the future will be much brighter than the darkness of the past.

We all need inspiration, particularly when we’re going through difficult times.  In the midst of darkness, we tend to look more ardently for the light.  I’m reminded of the saying, “Better to light one candle than to curse the darkness.”  Last week, I saw lots of candles and the darkness didn’t seem so powerful anymore.

There are a variety of ways to be inspired.  One of the most effective ways is by spending time with people who are living authentically holy lives.  Another way is to read books, particularly the lives of saints.  Still another way is to simply spend time in quiet prayer, meditating on the life of our Lord.  Often times, I’m inspired simply by the natural beauty of creation.

We all need inspiration, because ultimately we’re all meant to inspire others.