"Be free to discern well so that, before, during and after a decision is made (and you must make one!) you can rest confidently in the knowledge that you were entirely free in the process."
BR. JEREMIAH
WASHER, OP
TAKE A MOMENT TO
MEET BR. JEREMIAH!
What's your favorite prayer?
My favorite prayer is the "Litany of Humility". It is a prayer that I have found is great at recentering me and reorienting my perspective on various feelings that I have (positive and negative) and tempering desires that are becoming too ambitious.
What's your favorite thing you've read during your studies?
I greatly enjoyed reading "Man at Play" by Hugo Rahner. This work really was an attempt at developing a theology of play and set out to show the interconnection between the man that plays, the Church that plays and the God that plays in the sense that play is activity to freely delight in something for its own sake alone. It's really a perspective of engaging the created world as good in an intimately proactive way in spite of, or on a deeper level, in addition to all the evil that exists in the world. For anyone one who knows me, this reading really meshed with my personality and I took a great spiritual joy in reading it.
If you had a warning label, what would yours say?
Warning! Highly sarcastic and known to prank; highly committed to the bit.
If you had to eat a crayon, which color would you choose and why?
White. That way, my teeth will look ultra pearly since that wax is not coming off for a while haha. Alternatively, black, because it would throw people off. Now you see the inner chaos at work (see warning label above).
TIPS FROM BR. JEREMIAH:
What's a tip you have for young men discerning priesthood/religious life?
Really be proactive and create a space for yourself suitable for strong, intentional discernment. What I mean is, you want to build relationships that will assist your discernment (e.g. with a vocation director, spiritual director, close confidants you can talk to, etc.), and distance yourself from relationships or activities that hinder your discernment. This may mean breaking off a romantic relationship if serious discernment may be leading you to priesthood/religious life. The main point is to be free. Be free to discern well so that, before, during and after a decision is made (and you must make one!) you can rest confidently in the knowledge that you were entirely free in the process.
Any words of encouragement?
Discernment (no matter the vocation) is going to feel like an emotional rollercoaster at times. Sometimes, it will be really easy and you'll feel good about where you are. Other times, you will find yourself struggling with personal things or the loss of certain freedoms, opportunities, luxuries, etc. that you either didn't notice before or that you didn't think you'd miss. One week everything might be right in the world, and then the next week you might find everything is so much harder than it should be for no apparent reason. This is all perfectly normal. God wants to purify our wills and our desires, and I myself took great comfort in the knowledge that this hill-valley process is drawing me closer to God in concrete ways if you are willing to reflect on them.