As a little kid, perhaps much like yourself, I loved to play in the mud. It was especially fun to play in deep mud. But there were times that I would get stuck and needed one of my brothers to help pull me out.
In Jeremiah 38, Jeremiah is being persecuted and is lowered into a well of mud. Men were sent to rescue him, much like my brothers had to rescue me from the mud. Now, it’s one thing to want to be playing in the mud and then needing help to get out, but it’s a very different thing that Jeremiah experienced. He was put into the mud in this cistern because there were leaders at the time who did not like what he was prophesying.
As Catholics, we stand in a world that sometimes will bring about great persecutions and trials for us. At times, we might feel like we are being lowered into a well of mud. This feeling could be because of others or because of the circumstances of our lives, such as our health.
As bishop, I found myself lowered into a well. I once thought I was invincible, but in that darkness, I learned I wasn’t. I’m so grateful to Bishop Kettler for allowing me the opportunity to get the professional help that I needed as I dealt with debilitating migraines, so as to be healthy in mind, body and spirit. As human beings, we have a body, we have a mind, we have a spirit, and all of those need to work well together in order for us to persevere through the wells of life.
We all must persevere because we never know what trial will be upon us, what well we might find ourselves in. Perseverance requires us to draw close to Christ and keep our eyes on him. In Christ, we have everything we need. He gives us the strength, even when we’re in the dark, uncertain wells.
To be honest, I didn’t know if God would provide me the opportunity to return to all of you. During this period of time, I prayed for you all intently, and it became apparent that, like the men rescuing Jeremiah from the well, all of you, through prayers and sacrifice, played a role in God restoring me to health.
I can tell you that as I spent that time away, the fondness in my heart to love and serve all of you grew stronger and stronger. Even so, I didn’t know if it would be possible for me to serve you again because the well seemed deep and dark, and I didn’t know the way out. But God knew the way out. And God provided me with people to help me rise above the trial, just like he provides us all with people who help pull us out of the wells we find ourselves in.
In his letter to the Hebrews, Saint Paul speaks about how we’re surrounded by a cloud of witnesses, “Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of faith” (Heb 12:1-4). For me, I desperately desired to be back here serving you all and helping you get to heaven, but I had to die to this desire for a time. It became a cross I had to bear, a cross that has new meaning now. As I persevered in the dark well, keeping my eyes focused on Christ, this desire became a fire of love for you all. A fire that gave me strength. A fire that never dimmed. A glimmer of light that gave me hope.
As bishop, I offer you profound gratitude for your prayers and your sacrifices. As I crossed the state line into South Dakota, I thought, “It’s so good to be home.”
God is always faithful. Let us persevere in running the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes always fixed on Jesus.
