First Weekend, first homily

Believe it or not, I just became pastor this weekend.

Someone out there might want to see the homily I gave:

Our first reading, from a prophet a long time before Jesus was born, reminds us of the Lord riding into Jerusalem on a donkey; the event we commemorate every Palm Sunday.

I invite you to imagine the scene from the donkey’s point of view, as he rides into Jerusalem, and everyone gathers around, shouting and singing, throwing palm branches down before him.

Imagine what the donkey thinks: “Wow! I must be something pretty special!”

Becoming your pastor, I take that illustration to heart!

I suspect many have questions: How will Father Martin handle things? What will he do as pastor? The time will come, soon enough, for all that. I’m going to be here a long time!

I know I speak for you when I say we owe Father Grilliot a debt of thanks for helping us the past few months. He and I will be working closely together.

I’m so grateful, as I know you are, for Father Caserta being such a caring presence. We are fortunate to have them helping us.

Whatever changes come for us, you and I will tackle them together. For now, my job is just “getting to know you.”

But I think it’s so fitting the Lord provided that we had these readings today. Because my job—and yours, if you don’t mind me saying it—is to be a good donkey: to carry the Lord wherever he wants to go, to bring the Lord to people who need him, and not get in the way.