Many people are dazzled by the men who begin to discern their vocations after having achieved temporal (worldly) success; entering seminary formation after careers as lawyers, doctors, high-level business executives and from very lucrative careers. Obviously there is mystery and intrigue when a man leaves behind everything of the world and follows the Lord. There is also a stereotype that I fought personally and which many men who meet me seem to struggle with a belief that priesthood is reserved for the bookish, the highly intelligent, the “cream of the crop” of the intellectual world.

These men are among the flock of very good priests, but so are those who don’t have these particular gifts which make them successes in the business world. If I were to point to one quality which all of us need aspire to, it’s to be simple and humble and to allow God’s will to be first. God reveals Himself to us often through the most unassuming people, in the most unassuming ways. It’s meant to be this way. The message for today is not that we “dumb it down”, if we are gifted intellects, simple humility and simplicity will help us be the instruments God desires us to be. The message is that we must not close ourselves off to any way the Lord chooses to reveal Himself to us. If we do, we become the “wise” who put our ways first.