Brothers and sisters, it’s wonderful to have you come here and join me for this 34th sacerdotal anniversary celebration. When I woke up this morning, I praise and thank God for the gift of vocation. I can’t imagine that I have reached this long of service and self-giving. One of my formators told me that I would only last on my priesthood for ten years. I believe that when receiving rush judgment, it encourages us to be fervent in prayer and stay focus on the journey to perseverance. I’d like to share with you my vocational reflection on priesthood for 34 years. Please bear with me this might last for four hours, hold your breath.
Many of us are able to retrospect what happen to our life, after getting our first job, or marriage or something that we have achieved in life, many of us have the feeling of surprise for the unexpected. But I have to say, just the same in my priesthood. God works in mysterious ways. As I always tell people that my vocation has been a product of cooperation with the grace of God. God did not appear to me and say, “Arlon, I want you to be a priest.” God never did that to me.
My priesthood has been much unexpected. Unexpected about the many difficulties in formation or seminary training, unexpected to pass all my written and oral exams, unexpected that I would be the only one who remained among our batchmates. We were 26 who joined the Order of St. Augustine Seminary. I know deep inside me that God’s plans win always. God has chosen those who are not actually expecting to be called, we just need to cooperate with Him. The grace of God is tremendously powerful changing those crooked lines of my life and make it straight. I have one that I have expected, that is the life of a priest is difficult, that the difficulties the priesthood have, become bearable I am focus on Christ. The Lord has called me, like St. Peter, when he said to Jesus, his Master, “Lord, you know that I love you! And Jesus says, “Feed my lamb, tend my sheep, feed my sheep.”
There are two things that I didn’t really expect…the unexpected things happen.
First, that God’s generosity would exceed anything I had shared and have shown for the Lord. I feel that most of my accomplishments and achievements are not coming from my personal effort, and the glory that I have achieved is not because of me, but all credits belong to God who consistently embraces me with lots of love and mercy.
Second, that I would not expect that I have this opportunity to celebrate the Traditional Latin Mass or the Extraordinary Form of the Mass. Not in my expectation that God has given me the grace to change myself as His priest in the celebration of my daily offering of the Mass. I am totally converted to find meaning in every moment celebrating the Eucharist. I feel that I have nothing to brag but to completely open my heart and spirit to avail such precious grace to preside mass with humility, to offer such perfect offering to God and for the people. This I am truly grateful of my priesthood.
I believe that God has promised to me, “My grace is sufficient for you.” I have been through all trials and difficulties, however through God’s providence, the Lord prepares me to overcome them and for me to be strengthened to bear. I know that through meekness, forbearance, patience and love, the Lord taught me how to carry the cross with cleat vision that the Calvary gives us a glimpse of His resurrection. My heart and eyes have been fixed on the Lord who have shown me the “Way” to be cheerful amid difficulties on my priesthood, for He truly rewards me with great consolation and faithfulness. God has exceeded His generosity, for every difficulty that has come, there have been joys that made it all seem right.
Today, it is 34 years that I have been offering Mass, I always give thanks to our Lord, that I have been chosen to offer His infinite merits of sacrifice in Calvary that is continuously present on this altar and being offered to the Father. My celebration of the mass is not about what I am doing but Christ’s. When I am at the altar, when I preach and teach, when I bless, when I hear confession, administering other sacraments, I am doing these in reality it is not about me but Jesus Christ who loves me. I am but just a vessel and an instrument to dispense His infinite and overflowing grace.
When I am in my office at work, His presence becomes incarnate in a certain sense in my flesh and in my humanity and my personality, though I am not perfect.
St. Augustine when he became a bishop, he said to his congregation, “For you I am a bishop, with you I am a Christian.” He has spoken with humility identifying himself together with the people that we have the dignity to be Christ to others. It means that as much as I am a priest, I must be Christ. And so as much as we are Christians by virtue of our Baptism, we must be like Christ too! By His grace we must make ourselves responsible for each other to grow in the Lord.
Therefore, my 34th sacerdotal anniversary, I am grateful to God for the priesthood, grateful that His gifts have even exceeded even what He had promised, and I am grateful to your presence in oneness of heart in prayer and thanksgiving. And through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, we bow down and willing to consecrate ourselves to God in humility and gladness like our dear Mother, always shows us the way to her Son, Jesus Christ, our High Priest, and Lord. Amen
(Photo taken December 6, 2024 — Left to Right:
– Knights of Columbus State Chaplain, my successor and priest from Las Vegas, Fr. Steve Hoffer
– Myself, former State Chaplain and presently the Associate
– Bishop Daniel Mueggenborg, DD)
