Reflections of Life….With Good Friday upon us, it’s a great time for reflection. One can never underestimate the trust that is given, shared or accepted.
July 1986. I was 21 years old and leading Youth Programs in Jackson and Lansing Churches. Occasionally putting them together for different events and holidays.
Fr. Tom McCloskey placed enough trust in me to secretly give me the key to the Church as a teenager. I lived close by and we had a couple times when people needed to get in the Church and he nor the secretary were available.
He allowed me to lead my way and he shared his idea of who the Church was and how do we grow. We talked about reaching out to kids in the schools. He sent me to Notre Dame with my Godfather for two weeks of Youth Ministry classes which solidified my thoughts on the concept of “Fishers of Men” and going after people.
As a teenager, he seen through the efforts of our youth wanting to enjoy Church with friends who didn’t attend on Sunday but wanted to be there at Youth Night. I would visit the 3 high schools in Lansing during lunch to meet with students amd teachers. I remember getting criticized for half the program being non-Church kids by someone who would become my replacement. Fr. Tom told me to continue doing what I do and little by little, many of those kids came on Sundays. A couple years later, that replacement took over and I left her with 60 kids. She lasted one year and she left the next Director with 5-10 kids.
His trust of me, provided a way for many kids to attend Church. When Jesus went looking for his 12 Apostles, he didn’t ask for a resume or a Theology Degree. He didn’t worry about what class of people showed up. He just wanted people to show up. I could never repay Fr. Tom for that trust he placed in me as I was just some kid who thought I could try and yet there was always a doubt from authority as to: “who is this Sein guy?”
This Sunday is Easter and a time of renewal. A time to start again. If you haven’t found a Church, ask me. Ask a friend. Ask family. But, whatever you do, show up. It might just be the turning point you need or the message you never knew you needed to hear – off my soapbox
