{"id":2263,"date":"2012-03-11T15:49:51","date_gmt":"2012-03-11T22:49:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/?p=2263"},"modified":"2012-04-05T16:39:55","modified_gmt":"2012-04-05T23:39:55","slug":"crossroads","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/crossroads\/","title":{"rendered":"Crossroads"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

There is something magical and compelling about a doorway, about a crossroads. It is a time and place in between the old and the new, between past and future; the liminal space where for a moment time stands still and new possibilities, undreamt of mere moments before, now come sharply into focus.<\/p>\n

Thus says the LORD:
\n\u201c<\/span>Stand by the roads, and look,
\nand ask for the ancient paths,
\nwhere the good way is;
\nand walk in it,
\nand find rest for your souls.”<\/p>\n

(Jeremiah 6:16)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

This past month or so has seen many doors close, many possible paths end in brambles. <\/p>\n

I had a great conversation with my friend Fr. Bryan Dolejsi about the diaconate. He made it very clear to me that the archdiocesan vocation efforts for the foreseeable future will be for priests, rather than deacons. So although I still feel the Lord’s call to service stronger than ever, this particular door is closed for at least five years. Maybe longer. Maybe forever.<\/p>\n

After many years, I finally completed the Archdiocese’s foundational program<\/a> for liturgy. It was a moment of great joy for me, as the beauty and spirit of the liturgy was my original gateway to the Church. It remains the calm centre of my life, where I can rest in the Lord in tranquility. <\/p>\n

I was looking forward to the certification classes for Master of Ceremonies with barely disguised exuberance.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, yesterday another door closed. I will no longer be involved in any liturgical ministry in my parish. The reasons behind this are both complex and probably of little interest. Let us simply say that it was not voluntary on my part, and it apparently has nothing to do with my actual abilities, attitude, or performance. <\/p>\n

In fact, it actually has very little to do with me at all.<\/p>\n

God is most present to me in the liturgy, and I feel called to serve Him there. However, it has been made it clear to me that this cannot happen in my parish. Another door shuts.<\/p>\n

I barely slept at all last night, for all I could see were the doors closing, one by one.<\/p>\n

This afternoon, I remembered the words<\/a> of Blessed John Henry Newman:<\/p>\n

God has created me to do Him some definite service; He has committed some work to me which He has not committed to another. I have my mission\u2014I never may know it in this life, but I shall be told it in the next.<\/p>\n

I am a link in a chain, a bond of connection between persons. He has not created me for naught. I shall do good, I shall do His work; I shall be an angel of peace, a preacher of truth in my own place, while not intending it, if I do but keep His commandments and serve Him in my calling.<\/p>\n

Therefore I will trust Him. <\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Last night, I could only see the doors closing, one by one. Today, I see that we stand in the liminal space. Suddenly, all my ties to this parish are cut. This parish, which I love even with the constant heartache we’ve endured for the past year, has cut all the ties that bind us to it.<\/p>\n

It could not be done more neatly nor more surgically.<\/p>\n

There are so many good people at our parish, people I love, people who have been generous and kind to us. These people, I will miss. But God has given us a gift, the gift of suddenly having no responsibilities or obligations to this parish, and when the Lord gives you gift, you must take it in thanksgiving. You must take the path He offers.<\/p>\n

I no longer know where the Lord is calling me, or to what. I only know that I hear His voice calling me to follow Him, and follow I will, wherever He leads.<\/p>\n

Please continue to pray for us as we take this new path in our earthly pilgrimage.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

There is something magical and compelling about a doorway, about a crossroads. It is a time and place in between the old and the new, between past and future; the liminal space where for a moment time stands still and new possibilities, undreamt of mere moments before, now come sharply into focus. Thus says the LORD: \u201cStand by the roads, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[40,24,8,15,3,36,35,18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2263","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-camino","category-community","category-francine-my-love","category-meditations","category-moments-in-time","category-rev-bryan-dolejsi","category-rev-gene-delmore-s-j","category-vocation"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1aGBK-Av","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":false,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":51557,"url":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/a-face-for-radio\/","url_meta":{"origin":2263,"position":0},"title":"A Face for Radio","author":"Thom","date":"14 March 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"So yesterday amid the Papal hoopla and huzzahs, my old friend Rev. Bryan Dolejsi invited me to be a guest on his radio show. Father Dolejsi is the Director of Vocations for the Archdiocese of Seattle, and his show, called \"Vocation Radio\" is broadcast on Sacred Heart Radio several times\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Fun"","block_context":{"text":"Fun","link":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/category\/fun\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"reverse","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/reverse-298x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1356,"url":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/congratulations-fr-bryan-dolejsi\/","url_meta":{"origin":2263,"position":1},"title":"Congratulations, Fr. Bryan Dolejsi!","author":"Thom","date":"02 August 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"I am tardy in offering congratulations on this venue to my friend, Fr. Bryan Dolejsi, for his appointment as Vocations Director for the Archdiocese of Seattle. This is apparently the first time in over 20 years that a priest has been appointed to this position. When I met Fr. Dolejsi,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Francine my love"","block_context":{"text":"Francine my love","link":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/category\/francine-my-love\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"http:\/\/pics.livejournal.com\/thomryng\/pic\/000858gb\/s640x480","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":83755,"url":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/the-vocation-of-living\/","url_meta":{"origin":2263,"position":2},"title":"The Vocation of Living","author":"Thom","date":"25 February 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"It's been a long time since I last talked about my own life here. Obviously, there was a whole lot of journalling when Francine and I walked the Camino, but since then not so much. When I started this blog, I was discerning whether God was calling me to the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Dreams and Visions"","block_context":{"text":"Dreams and Visions","link":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/category\/dreams-and-visions\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Thom and D'Artagnan","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Thom-and-DArtagnan-240x320.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":20,"url":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/the-immaculate-conception\/","url_meta":{"origin":2263,"position":3},"title":"The Immaculate Conception","author":"Thom","date":"08 December 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"This morning's Mass at the school where I work was sponsored by the second grade class. I am always of a mixed mind on these things. On the one hand, the children are involved in the planning and celebration of the Mass. They are gaining experience as servers, as lectors,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Holy Days"","block_context":{"text":"Holy Days","link":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/category\/holy-days\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":329,"url":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/faith-and-reason\/","url_meta":{"origin":2263,"position":4},"title":"Faith and Reason","author":"Thom","date":"28 January 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Today is the Feast of the Universal Doctor of the Church and one of my name Saints, Thomas Aquinas. When (certain) people, told of my conversion, said to me \"oh, you're Catholic - you don't need to think any more\", I always pointed them to Thomas Aquinas. Here's a guy\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Bishop Robert Barron"","block_context":{"text":"Bishop Robert Barron","link":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/category\/bishop-robert-barron\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":2053,"url":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/faith-and-reason-2\/","url_meta":{"origin":2263,"position":5},"title":"Wear Both Shoes!","author":"Thom","date":"28 January 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Faith and reason are like the two shoes you wear on your journey. You get a lot farther with both than just one. (J. Michael Straczynski) Today is the Feast of the Universal Doctor of the Church and one of my name Saints, Thomas Aquinas. 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