In the Introduction to the Devout Life, Francis de Sales identifies ready acts of charity as one of the descriptors of true devotion. As someone who slowly reaches for his wallet when the bill comes, I have a hard time seeing myself as ready to act with love. When reflecting on the Gospel passage where Jesus calls the apostles to follow him, we hear from Mark 1:20 that, “immediately they left their nets and followed him.” Immediately? I think I would have been left in the boat dragging my feet. I still say to the Lord, “Now is the wrong time, I am not ready.”
This past Saturday, I buried my third Oblate since becoming Provincial. Fr. Rich Yost, OSFS, died and was welcomed to eternity on January 13, 2024. There is always grief when a brother Oblate dies, but we are not toppled by death. As Francis himself admitted when he grieved at the death of his sibling, “I have a human heart.” We have human hearts and so we cry, but we cry tears of sorrow and hope.
As part of my responsibilities, I write the obituaries. To prepare, I always read the letters requesting entrance to the novitiate, vows, and ordination. After he graduated from St. Francis in Toledo, Fr. Rich entered the Oblate Novitiate in Childs, Maryland in 1965. In his letter of acceptance to the Oblate Novitiate, the Provincial, V. Rev. John Conmy, OSFS, wrote to him, “Never doubt that what the good Lord has given you the grace to begin, He will also give you the grace to finish.” Rich kept those words in his heart. I know this because similar words appear when he wrote to the provincial requesting priestly ordination, “I recognize that requesting to be ordained to the Order of Priest is principally a faith response and I do this trusting that God’s grace will sustain me.” While I sat with Rich in hospice, the last words he said to me were, “No regrets. I’ve had a wonderful life.” Fr. Conmy’s words were true; the Lord did sustain Rich and blessed him with a wonderful life.
As someone who delays in responding to the Lord and being ready for acts of charity, I think Fr. Conmy’s words hit my heart, “Never doubt that what the good Lord has given you the grace to begin, He will also give you the grace to finish.” We will be given the grace even if we are not ready - no regrets, I’ve had a wonderful life.
May God be Praised!
Fr. Joe Newman, OSFS
Provincial
Toledo-Detroit Province
