Ordination

This past Sunday, September 18, I had the opportunity to preach at the ordination for four young seminarians.  The service was held at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Trenton.  I was given permission to leave the pulpit and preach in the congregation.  In particular, I wanted to preach to these young people entering the ministry of word and sacrament.  I met with them prior to worship.  They were all so excited and hopeful.  As we talked, I remembered the day I was ordained and the excitement and hopefullness I felt.  Of course, I was ordained before these four pastors were born, but the feeling was the same.  Ordination is an amazing experience.  Knelling before the altar, the pastors assemblied place their hands on your head, and you are delared a pastor.  You are both deelply grateful and humbled.  You have been charged with proclaiming the Gospel, offering the sacraments, and serving as a shepherd of your flock.  The feeling of responsibility is overwhelming.  Of all people, God has called you to this work.  When I preached, I reminded those seminarians, that they had been called by God and although the call would humble them (It certainly humbled me), God would be with them every step in their journey.  Whatever challenges awaited them, God would lift them up.  And through it all, God would bring them great joy.  That has certainly been my experience and I wanted them to know.  I told them that there's nothing better than being a parish pastor.