I recently had the honor of returning to my first parish, St. John Neumann (VA), where I was ordained and served as a deacon 10 years ago. This parish will always hold a special place in my heart because it was my introduction to ordained life and ministry. This is the place where I learned to preach, celebrate baptisms, and officiate weddings. I returned because Fr. Joe Brennan, OSFS, asked me to come and preach the Lenten mission. I looked forward to this visit for months.
As part of the mission, I was able to celebrate the Sunday Masses. I saw many old friends, but one sticks out in particular. After one of the Masses, I recognized the mother of the first child I ever baptized. I looked at her and exclaimed, “It’s you!” From behind her came her son, now 10 years old. I looked at him and said, “You don’t know what you mean to me!” He looked at me and replied, “I’ve never seen you in my life!”
Francis’ knowledge of God from the Song of Songs has our Lord proclaiming the same message to us, “You don’t know what you mean to me!” To be honest, I’ve often responded just like the young boy, “Who are you?… Do I know you?... Where are you?...” It can be hard to lean into love.
Thankfully, our God is so madly in love with us that God can’t help Godself and repeats the same heartfelt message time and time again, “You don’t know what you mean to me!” Wonderfully, we have a God who works on slow hearts like mine.
It is my prayer for us this week to whisper, say, or exclaim back to our God the same heartfelt message, “You know my heart and its ways! You know I love you!”
But even more than that, because true devotion is charity on fire proclaim, “Lord, give me the courage to be the first to say to my neighbor, ‘You don’t know what you mean to me!’”
May God be praised!
Fr. Joe Newman, OSFS
Provincial
Toledo- Detroit Province
