Ordination Thoughts

Thinking about ordination (again), and what it all means.

Heavy stuff.

"Vito's Ordination Song" by Sufjan Stevens has been swirling through my head for several days now. It's a beautiful song (I need to get the CD):

I always knew you in your mothers arms
I have called your name
I've an idea placed in your mind
to be a better man
I've made a crown for you
put it in your room
and when the bride groom comes
there will be noise
there will be glad
and a perfect bed

and when you write a poem
I know the words
I know the sounds
before you write it down
when you wear your clothes
I wear them too
I wear your shoes
and your jacket too

Ialways knew you
in your mothers arms
I have called you son
I've made amends between father and son
or if you haven't one
rest in my arms
sleep in my bed
there is a design
to what i did and said

I don't know who Vito was/is, and I don't know what his circumstances were when he was ordained, but I sure do know that these words speak to me. . ."I always knew you/in your mother's arms," "I know the words, I know the sounds, before you write them down." God's relationship to us--all of us--is so close that he knows us better than we know ourselves.

God calls all of us to special ministries--within the Church and in the World. As I near the taking of my ordination vows, I begin to feel the weight of my call bearing down on me, but I also feel God's protection, and the rest that God promises to the faithful. I also know what it means to lay aside my "heavy burden," and take up the lighter yoke of service in Jesus' name. I only pray that I can be faithful to that call, as God has been faithful to me.

Here's a YouTube video of Sufjan singing his song live (the quality isn't great, but the song is!)

"I always knew you. . ."
"Before you knit me together in my mother's womb"
"In your mother's arms."

Thanks be to God.

--David