Blessed Because of the Pure of Heart

"Blessed are the pure in heart" (Matthew 5:8).

The other weekend I was able to spend most of the day with three of my brother seminarians from the Diocese of Saint Cloud. Let me note right away that I won't be giving their names - most of this entry will be about them and I do not want to embarrass them.

During these weeks in the summer, many small towns as well as parishes of Minnesota hold their summer festivals - this is more especially the case in the Diocese of Saint Cloud. At these various small-town summer festivals, the vocation director for the Diocese of Saint Cloud likes to have seminarians attend these events to encourage others to consider serving the Church through their vocational call - an advertisement, really.

The highlights from this particular day included a volleyball tournament (the seminarians had our own team AND our own uniforms - try to beat that), an outdoor Mass (my first "polka Mass"), and interaction with the crowds at the downtown party and main festival. I could tell many great stories about the day's events, such as: the young men we met who could be great priests, the little girls who thought it would be cool to be nuns, and the very kind folks who were so happy to see that the Diocese had an increasing number of seminarians.

However, I would like to write to you regarding my brother seminarians. As I wrote above, one of the main events of the day was a volleyball tournament; we spent most of our time here because of the sheer number of people moving through the area.

On occasion, we (the seminarians present) would have a break from playing volleyball and chatting with the crowds around us and were able to just hang out with one another. It is here that I gained a full understanding of how fully Christian and pure of heart are these men with whom I am privileged to work. Their lives are centered around Christ and His call, they treat all whom they meet with great compassion, and (clearly) have pure hearts.

I have always known this - even from the moment I met them - but it is only now that I fully appreciate how fortunate I am to be "on the same team" as these great men. Should these seminarians of which I write be chosen for ordination, blessed indeed will be the Diocese of Saint Cloud and the whole Church.

We are able to learn from the example of Christ as well as the saints. As we follow their example, we can also see those who now walk among us are examples of how to live, work, act, and be fully a Christian. I will always continue to learn such virtues.

"Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew within me a steadfast spirit" (Psalm 51:10).

Take care, -Jeremy