‘Listen to Him’

One of our neighbors to the east, Father Paul Coakley, was chosen recently as the new bishop of Salina. He is being sent, as Paul told Titus, as an apostle of Jesus Christ. (1:1) That is a concise summary of what he will be about in the northern reaches of our state.

He is being sent, St. Paul goes on to tell Titus, for the sake of the faith of those whom God has chosen. (1:1) Think about that for a moment.

He will go among the people of northwest Kansas carrying the message of Jesus Christ, and nothing else. He will hold fast to that authentic message. (Titus 1:9) His presence, his voice, his limbs, his imagination, his mind, his heart: all will body forth Jesus Christ for them.

And do not forget why. He will do so for the sake of the faith of those whom God has chosen. There are those in the Diocese of Salina (as there are in every diocese) who do not yet believe. He will try to move in their midst in such a way as to awaken faith in them. He will fall upon them as a living, breathing, possibility of faith. They will see him and say why not me.

There are those in the Diocese of Salina whose faith has waned, has dimmed, has grown cold. He will try to move in their midst in such a way as to stir that cold faith into flame. He will wring from them again that lovely prayer: Lord; I do believe. Help thou my unbelief (Mk 9:24) They will see him and find their way home.

There are those in the Diocese of Salina whose faith is warming, simmering, ready now to be seasoned after twenty good years of Bishop Fitzsimons. He will move in their midst in such a way as to deepen their faith. He will open for them its treasures, help them explore more thoroughly its many halls and rooms and secret places. They will see him and want to know what made him who he is.

The What is a Who, of course. And the Who is a Person. Jesus Christ made him who he is. Bishop-Elect Coakley’s path will soon cross their path. And, as they both round a new corner, there will be that always surprising Jesus Christ. Our prayers will go with them as they turn that corner.

Uno de nuestros vecinos al este, el padre Pablo Coakley, ha sido recien-temente nombrado el nuevo obispo de Salina. El ha sido enviado, como Pablo envio a Tito un apostol de Jesucristo (Tito 1:1). Esta lectura es un resumen conciso de lo que el va llevar a cabo en la parte noreste de nuestro estado.

El ha sido enviado, pensemos en esto por un moment. San Pabo continua diciendole a Tito por el bien de la fe de aquellos ha Dios ha escogido. El ira a la gente del noreste de Kansas a llevar el mensaje de Cristo y nada mas. Sera un proclamador del mensaje autentico para ellos con su presencia, con su voz, con sus brazos y piernas, con su imaginacion, con su mente, con su corazon todo su cuerpo sera fortalecido en Jesus y no olvidemos el porque.

Lo va ha hacer por el bien de la fe de aquellos que Dios ha escogido. Y ellos son la gente de Dios en la Diocesis de Salina (como los hay en cada diocesis). Quien no ha creido aun tratara de mover su ambiente en tal forma que despierta la fe en ellos. Caera sobre ellos un soplo de vida haciendo posible su fe. Ellos le veran y diran porque no yo.

Hay personas en la Diocesis de Salina cuya fe ha disminuido. Se ha enfriado como crece en resfrio. El tratara de mover su ambiente en una forma que cambiara su fe fria por una fe en llamas. Arrancara de ellos la hermosa oracion: "Senor yo creo. pero ayuda mi poca fe" (Marcos 9:24). Le veran y volveran a encontrar el camino a casa.

Existe en la Diocesis de Salina personas que despues de veinte intensos anos de un magnifico trabajo del Obispo Fitzsimmons en que su fe ha madurado y esta hoy lista para su realizacion. El se movera en su ambiente en una forma en que se adentrara en su fe. El abrira para ellos sus tesoros, les ayudara explorar mas profundamente sus mas secretos lugares. Le veran y quedran saber que lo hizo lo que es.

Quieren saber quien por su puesto y quien es como persona. Jesucristo le hizo quien es. El Obispo electo Coakley pronto cruzara el camino con el de ellos. Y juntos llegaran a una nueva esquina, que sera el siempre sorpredente Jesucristo. Nuestras oraciones siempre les acompanaran a su camino a esa esquina.