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Deacon Kevin and Pope Francis |
I can’t explain it – can you? Something has changed. I used
to walk through the streets of Rome all the time, dressed in a roman collar, as
I am now, but no one would stop me. Sure, they might ask me for directions. But
how did the two girls just now who asked me to bless their rosaries know that I
could bless their rosaries? I must have been walking down Via di Porta
Angelic about 100mph, cell phone to my ear, just coming from the metro and on
my way to a religious goods store before beelining it across Saint Peter’s
Square to a train that I knew wasn’t waiting for me.
And yet these two 14-year-old girls had no fear in stopping
me – Mr. in-a-hurry – and asking me to bless their rosaries.
I guess something’s changed. I mean sure, I knew that I had
received a special seal on ordination day, I know that I’m different now. But I
didn’t think I’d be this kind of different, and without trying. Somehow
my relations with everyone have drastically changed. I’m still the same
me – in fact, to make it to that train on time I still had to jump the barrier
in Saint Peter’s Square, cut through the line into the basilica, and make a mad
dash up the hill to the station. These two girls were just the latest – among
many – who have stopped me since that fateful day exactly two weeks ago when I
received the gift of the Holy Spirit. Things have changed. Reminds me of John
21: “when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever
you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone
else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go.” I
don’t consider myself old yet, but my life is certainly not my own any more.
That’s one of the lessons I’ve learned in these first two
weeks as a deacon. I’ll try to write some more of the things I’ve learned as
there’s time. And hey, it’s not my time anymore, so I’ll write when the time is
given me!
God bless you all,
Deacon Kevin
PS- I head to the US tomorrow at 10am to start my ministry
as a deacon. Please pray all goes well!
PPS- Here is a better photo of me and Pope Francis last
Sunday. I’m still savoring the memories, and will try to write them out in
full!