I like being a priest. Not only do I like it, but I consider it as a great honor and privilege. It is so wonderful being able to bring Christ to others in the holy sacraments, to tell others in the sacrament of confession how merciful our God is. It is a great honor to baptize a newborn child, to preach the word of God, visit the sick, and witness the sacrament of marriage. This is what (I believe) I was called to do and I like doing what I am doing. But when I was a younger priest and on Sunday afternoon after a very busy week, I felt overwhelmed and tired, I would become angry at myself thinking -- how can I be tired after doing God’s work? Masses can’t make me tired, nor a Holy week with all these beautiful celebrations. So how can I be tired after couple hours of confessions or several funerals last week? But I have learned that even doing God’s work, helping others, ministering to others, can make us tired. Even those very holy things can make us feel overwhelmed. Nothing wrong with that; we all need to rest, just like the disciples: “The Apostles gathered together with Jesus and reported all they had done and taught. He said to them, come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.”
