Dear Saints,

This weekend’s Gospel passage has Jesus preach one of the central paradoxes of Christian life. He says to his apostles, “Whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” Put another way, we discover who we are by going all in on Jesus.

When I gave one of my first full yeses to Jesus almost 15 years ago, I didn’t know what he’d do with it. I had some idea of what my life would look like as a result, but this yes was my total commitment to giving it all over to him. I trusted Jesus and wanted to follow him: the rest was - and is - details.

One of the happiest turns of my young priesthood came when Bishop Serratelli asked me to head up Our Lady of Mount Carmel almost eight years ago. When I arrived here, people asked me how long I intended to stay at OLMC. I’d always respond - without hesitation - that I expect to die here.

That might seem desolate, but it's a lively reflection on this weekend’s Gospel passage. OLMC is the place I’ve been called to follow Jesus in total allegiance all the way to death, where - here and now - I find my life by losing myself entirely in his cause.

Thank you all very much, my friends, for being worthy companions along the way (or the Way, as Christianity was known in its earliest years). Your total commitment to Jesus inspires and encourages me, and I'm excited to see where the Lord will take our yeses these next eight years and beyond!

In the Peace of Christ,

Father Daniel
δοῦλος Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ