As we do each Tuesday, my community of Franciscan friars comes together in the late afternoon to discuss the Scripture readings for the upcoming weekend. This coming Sunday is “Good Shepherd” weekend as the reading for the Gospel is always from John 10. It is also Vocation Sunday. In the course of the discussion, one of the friars remembered the key points of the homily at his ordination Mass. The presiding bishop said that the qualities of a good priest, a good shepherd, is a man who is joyful, lives simply, is a man of prayer, and one who can faithfully live in the ambiguity and uncertainty of parish life.
Of course more can be said about the qualities of a good and holy parish priest. But I was struck by the phrase “can faithfully live the ambiguity.” It was while pondering upon the may situations replete with pastoral ambiguity that I read this article in the NY TImes. Apart from the political and moral complex of the article, I wondered how one would pastorally help the family navigate their road ahead in a way that is life giving, joyful, prayerful, and faithful to the teachings of Christ and the Church.

I shared this article already with a friend of mine who is in business.  It was very “black and white.” Not much tolerance for ambiguity there.  And so I continue to muse…