Until The Day We Die

And they were gone. Once the Savior of the world had come upon them and extended an invitation to join Him, they suddenly left their former lives and followed Him. If one were to gaze at the sand, only their footprints could be found. In our lives, such a "call" would, I suppose, possess many characteristics: uncertainty, excitement, fear of the unknown. I am certain, too, that we would have many questions: "What will happen to my family? Will I ever see them again? How will I provide for myself? Can I be certain in my trust of the One whom I have chosen to follow?"

In our day and age, how many times have we heard of individuals doing such a thing? Over the years, I can recall listening to stories of people who suddenly decided to do one thing or another. While one person might view a television "info-mercial" promoting some sort of product and immediately choose to call the '800' number and order whatever snake oil that was being promoted, still another might experience a mid-life crisis and choose to move their life in a direction that appears so odd to observers that they wonder whether the individual has lost all sense. I imagine that the latter impression must have been the dominant one among those who knew the departed and newly appointed apostles of Jesus.

One such life-shifting experience happened to a Catholic deacon. The date? March 9, 1978. Ordained just three years, Bill Steltemeier was a successful Vanderbilt Law School graduate and senior partner at the Nashville law firm of Steltemeier & Westbrook. On weekends, he served as a prison chaplain.

That morning, while attending a legal convention in Chicago, he had stumbled upon a flyer in the vestibule of that city's Holy Name Cathedral that was promoting a talk to be given by Mother Angelica later that evening. After a day of meetings, a tired Deacon Steltemeier checked back at the hotel and asked for directions to St. Margaret Mary Church. And he was off. But before long, he found himself in the midst of a blizzard. Having skidded past accidents and hazy interstate signs, his car eventually ran out of gas and puttered into a gas station. For the second time, he asked for directions to St. Margaret Mary Church. Fortunately, it was right around the corner.

Upon entering the church, he quickly made his way to the front pew and noted that only once did Mother Angelica look in his direction. But while standing there, he heard a voice.

Until the day you die.

According to Steltemeier, "It scared him to death. I knew my life belonged to her from that first instance, no question about it." At a reception afterward, he recounted that Mother smiled at him from across the room but that they did not speak. And as he drove back to his hotel that evening, he kept telling himself that "he was not going to get involved."

Upon returning home to Nashville, however, his prayer life kept repeating the words. "Until the day you die." After a month of this, he had enough and began to drive down to the monastery in Alabama. When he arrived and knocked on the door, Mother answered: "I wondered when you were coming." (Adapted from Mother Angelica: The Remarkable Story of a Nun, Her Nerve, and a Network of Miracles, Raymond Arroyo, Doubleday, 2005, pp. 137-138)

In Mark's Gospel (1:14-20), Jesus arrives in Galilee and proclaims that "This is the time of fulfillment, the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the Gospel." And in his Letter to the Corinthians (7:29-31), St. Paul reminds us of the urgency: "I tell you, brothers and sisters, the time is running out...the world in its present form is passing away."

Not long ago, I helped coordinate some talks at my parish on the Sacraments of Initiation. I was blessed to have drawn several talented speakers to reflect upon Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist. In each of their talks, the speakers reflected upon the boldness and courage that the early Christians possessed which enabled them to "walk the walk" of Jesus Christ. Often subject to persecution, these men and women approached their newly embraced faith with vigor, having rigorously reflected upon the decision they were about to make. On the day of their baptism, they would enter the sacred and holy waters, be immersed by the deacon, and rise from those waters as fully changed people. After all, they had just "put on Christ." Forever changed, they would from that moment on, come to rely upon God's Spirit, who would be their compass in a world set against Truth.

Like the apostles and early Christians, we, too, have received, and continue to receive, unexpected calls. For given that the Spirit of God animates our lives, if we listen closely, we become aware that God sometimes asks us to move forward, sideways, and yes, sometimes even in reverse! And when He does so, perhaps the Spirit asks us to do something for, or to speak words of wisdom to, another person. But more often than not, it is likely that the Spirit invites us to slow down in this busy world of ours, even if only for a moment, in order that we might listen, reflect, and hear God speak to us in the deepest sanctuary of our hearts.

At the end of the Baptismal Rite, after the blessing of mothers and fathers, the following is prayed over all those gathered:

By God's gift, through water and the Holy Spirit, we are reborn to everlasting life. In his goodness, may he continue to pour out his blessing upon all present, who are his sons and daughters. May he make them always, wherever they may be, faithful members of his holy people. May he send his peace upon all who are gathered here, in Christ Jesus our Lord.

In the end, you and I may not receive such a vivid call such as the one received by Deacon Bill Steltemeier and be asked to use our talents to help create the largest religious broadcast outlet in the world. Nevertheless, each of us is called by our dear Lord to participate in His Plan in a very special way. Perhaps it is to become a great mother, father, wife, or husband. Or maybe He is calling us to priesthood, diaconate, or religious life. Each of us, however, is called to use the many gifts He has given us for the benefit of others. However this may transpire, as Christians open to the Spirit, we shouldn't be surprised to hear God's voice calling us to a radically different way of life than we may presently be living. And after hearing that call, like the Apostles, we should remember that Jesus tells us to "be not afraid" in following Him.

Until the day we die.