The Way of the Cross Leads to Michigan

Tomb of Bl. Solanus Casey. I took this picture on a seminary pilgrimage to Detroit. Notice the Vatican wax seals on the casket- this ensures no one outside the Vatican can work with the relics, if Bl. Solanus is canonized.

 

    "And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul?" -Deuteronomy 10:12

    Yesterday (on the day of this writing), I went on a seminary pilgrimage to multiple Churches in Detroit, MI. The height of this pilgrimage was when we visited the Blessed Solanus Casey shrine at the St. Bonaventure Capuchin Monastery. At this monastery, during the early 20th century, hundreds of people came every day to meet a humble doorkeeper, one who spent his days serving his monastery, the poor in spirit, and the poor in wealth. Because of his difficulty in seminary, Blessed Solanus was deemed not eloquent enough to preach or hear confessions, and was assigned to the role of doorkeeper, porter, and sacristan. In this lowly position, however, Blessed Solanus was able to give of himself in the service of others without any gain for himself, and so was made conformable to Christ until his death in 1957.

    We are called to a life of service. It is not enough for us to forgo sin and be content to coast through life while meeting all the "minimum requirements." We must walk the way of Jesus Christ crucified, who gave every moment of His life ad majorem Dei gloriam (to the greater glory of God), even to the point of death. Jesus, God Himself, teaches us and walks with us on the way of sacred service, for:

    "Though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross." -Philippians 2:6-8

    Jesus calls us to live as the forgiven prodigal son, giving ourselves in utter service and yet being received as a parent receives their child. So, we are conformed to the Heart of Christ in coming into union with His passion as we as Him to let our own hearts be nailed to the cross, and so we learn to love the Lord our God as Jesus does, serving Him with all our heart and all our soul.

    Yes, we must serve God as Jesus did. And Jesus shows us the path to serve God when He says that:

    "The King will say to those at his right hand, 'Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me... truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.'" -Matthew 25:34-36, 40

    The treasure I am sharing today is simple: we must serve God as He calls us, and we must do this in union with Jesus Christ. And Jesus served the least and the littlest- those who could not take care of themselves, whether they were chained by sin or chained by prison, consumed by sin or consumed by hunger, frozen by fear or frozen by cold...

    I warn you: If you choose to give yourself to God in humble, loving service, you must die with Christ. You will go places you do not want to go, serve people you do not want to serve, and get out of bed though you do not want to get out of bed. However, your life will be fulfilled by the mission God has perfectly crafted you for, and you will be strengthened for the journey by the everlasting life of God. You will be slowly reformed by the joy of the Lord which weathers any storm. Though you may have spent your life content to wallow in the nothingness of sin or sloth which does not fill, God is calling you to walk the way of Christ, with Christ. Jesus tells you the same prophecy he tells Peter:

    "'Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you fastened your own belt and walked where you would; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will fasten your belt for you and carry you where you do not wish to go.' (This He said to show by what death he was to glorify God.) And after this He said to him, 'Follow me.'" -John 21:18-19

    Our Lady, Mother of Good Consolation, will pray for you to Jesus, Her son, that as She supported Her son in His way of the cross, so will She support you in yours. She is the best Mom. Ever.

    Jesus, meek and humble of Heart, make my heart like unto Thine!