The people of God treat their priests very well, and often I am invited to join families for special events and celebrations. It’s humbling to know that I’ve been given such affection because of the role that I play in their lives as a priest, and I try to accept the invite if I am at all able. The most common reason I have to decline is that my schedule is rather full since beginning at the parish. Some of the events in my day are predetermined by the parish sacramental schedule; confessions, Mass, baptisms, etc. Others are the result of the needs of the groups or individuals with whom I am meeting; couples preparing for marriage, spiritual direction, Finance Council, etc.

As I reflected upon this fact of parish living my first thought was that I am glad that to be so busy because it means I’m doing what I was ordained to do, that it’s an honor to have such a full schedule. But, I then decided that ‘busy’ is often a word I use to describe those things I don’t want to do. Instead, the word that I have recently begun using to describe my calendar and daily routine is ‘occupied’, meaning that the time in question has an event already scheduled but without the negative connotations I believe busy carries. It seems like a small change on the face of it, but it reflects a desire to use language that more accurately describes my life and my attitude towards those demands.

All of us, at some point, have to decide for ourselves how we are going to view the world, our faith, and our lives. Although I realize that I will have to decline many invitations because of so many time commitments, I have decided to try and remember the difference between ‘busy’ and ‘occupied’ as I see the terms. I pray that God continues to bless me with many opportunities to minister and serve His flock and to always see those occasions in a positive light.