In a society of competition and success, can a vocation to the priesthood or monastic life look like a loss?
We live in a society of competition, a society of being perfect, of success. We hear the word “success” very often. And then we may think: What is the priesthood? What is monastic life? It is losing opportunities, losing time, money. But it is not.You are gaining. As Jesus said to Peter, who said, “We left everything and followed You,” you will gain much more here—you will gain families, brothers and sisters. You see how open people are to you. You see their kindness and openness, that together we can do something, that together we are following Christ, that together we are finding and discovering something about Him. It’s not about the money. It’s about the people.
We often speak about a “successful priest.” What does being a good priest mean to you?
I don’t want to use the word “successful” at all. I think it is a very technical word. We can speak about success in a mission, success in construction, building or rebuilding, success in retreats or Lenten missions. But the priesthood is a gift of the Holy Spirit. Is it something mine? It’s not mine. I believe that God is acting through us, and not us. No matter how weak or sinful a priest may be, if he says, “Lord, help me. I am sinful,” God can still do more through him than through someone who looks super successful. For me, being a good priest means being a good collaborator with the grace of God, someone who is working with God. Using the language of the Bible, it means being a good servant.
What is most important to you today in the mission of a priest?
First of all, never to lose God from my sight.To hear His Word and pass it on. Not to obstruct Him, but to be attuned to Him. And to remain a Christian who is himself being converted, so that I do not disfigure His image in the eyes and understanding of the people.
How, then, can we recognize God’s providence in our own lives?
We want to calculate everything—which is good; we plan. But there is always God’s providence in everything. I never thought that I would be a priest in the United States of America. When I was at school, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, I joined an English-language class. We had seven hours of English a week, and I remember thinking: If I am going to join a monastery, why do I need English? They told me, “Learn English. It will help you in the course of life.” Later, I went to Ireland, where the Irish Redemptorists helped confreres from Poland, Slovakia, and Ukraine improve their English. Then there was an opportunity to continue my studies. The first time I came to the United States was to preach Lenten missions, and later I became a member of the Redemptorist community here. So there is always God’s providence in everything. Maybe some would say, “Oh, it’s a coincidence.” I do not see the coincidence. I see the straight line.
Oftentimes we think, “I don’t see the result,” or “I don’t think this is the right thing to do.” But we do not see the end. God has the whole picture; we have just a part of it.
Interview by Halyna Vasylytsia
