5
BY FATHER JIM THERMOS
Spiritual Director,
St. John Vianney
Theological Seminary
I
t had always been one of my favorite days of the year, and it
never failed to disappoint. As the one appointed to lead the
newest seminarians in their Spirituality or Propaedeutic
Year, I gathered the men together on the couches in the living
room on the second day to tell one another (in ten minutes
or less!) exactly how it was that Jesus led us here to discern
becoming a priest.
Three hours (and 18 guys) later, there settled upon us a
feeling of awe, excitement and renewed trust in Jesus' plan and
the Holy Spirit's power to bring each of us to the seminary.
If I had to put a Scriptural reference to it, I would say pur-
suing God's call to be his holy priests is akin to the disciples
on the road to Emmaus (Lk 24:32) recalling, "Were not our
hearts burning [within us] while he spoke to us."
Feeling that ' burning,' these men would spend the next
seven to nine years seeking to cooperate with the Holy
Spirit and refine their understanding of what it is to be
Jesus' holy priest.
What follows will be a few reflections on being holy, being
a priest and being a holy priest. ⊲
5
HOLY
PRIESTS,
HOLY
PEOPLE
Jesus has
breathed his Holy
Spirit upon us at
our baptism and
every moment
thereafter. The
Holy Spirit is
the sanctifier,
the one who
makes us holy."
DENVER CATHOLIC | AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2024
