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One day I was called to attend a meeting of priests. The meeting was called to evaluate a group of seminarians who were applying for ordination to the priesthood. It is not my work to evaluate. I have not been a seminary professor, but I was asked and I acceded. In the meeting, we discussed each candidate and raised some questions.
My question was, “How is he in theology” The other priests asked, “Is he good in public speaking? Is he good in counseling and spiritual direction? Is he good in philosophy? Is he good in dealing with people? Can he deliver a good homily at Mass? Is he fond of girls? or boys?”
Finally, when we could not agree, and we realized that we were trimming down the list of candidates who could pass because we were too harsh with our questions, one of the eldest in the group, actually one of my professors in the seminary said, “You ask so many questions. Have you realized that if those questions were asked of you, you would not have become priests yourselves?
And then this priest told us, “There is only one question to ask: Does this man have enough of the Spirit in him, so much so that he can share the Spirit with other people? If you can say ‘yes’ to that question, then ordain this man.”
Everybody was so quiet. But come to think of it, it is not necessary that we know public speaking. It is not necessary that we know the Bible from the first page to the last page. It is not even necessary that we know how to counsel or give spiritual direction. The one basic question is: Do you have the Spirit with you and are you ready to share this Spirit with other people? That is the basic question. That is the million-dollar question that will make or unmake a priest or a Christian for that matter.
The Lord sent laborers to His vineyard. But the one basic question is: Do you have Me in your heart?
Ask yourself that question. Do you have Jesus in your heart? And do you have enough of Jesus in your heart so that you can change the lives of people, that you can share the love of Jesus with other people?
Let us stop being surprised. Let us stop asking why our families are not converted: Why your husband will not go to church; why your children will not go to confession. The question to ask yourself is, “Do I have Jesus in my heart to convince the members of my family to go to Him?”
If they cannot see Jesus in me, they will not go to Jesus because I have become an obstruction to the grace of God. Mother Teresa says so beautifully: “Evangelization means Jesus in my heart reaching out to your heart.”
Very truly, we are all called to be evangelizers. We are all called to be writers of the gospel. We are all called to be followers of the Lord. And the basic question to ask is: Do you have Jesus? And are you willing to share Jesus with others?
DO YOU HAVE JESUS?
Mt. 10:5-20
Only Jesus, Always Jesus
