A note from Columban Fr Joe Broderick in Japan on the occasion of his Golden Jubilee of ordination.
My mother was once asked, "How is Pa?" Pa was my father's father, a very contrary man who never did a decent day's work in his life and who lived like an uncrowned king at home. He was in his nineties at this stage. My mother paused for a few seconds and replied, "It is like this. God obviously does not want him yet. The devil definitely does not want him either so I am stuck with him!"
Recently I celebrated my Jubilee and I can say with my mother, "It is like this. God did not call me yet, the devil does not want me, no woman got me, you are stuck with me".
Five of my classmates are dead. I did not die so I reached my Jubilee. The event itself meant little to me. I look around my local village at all the people older than me who worked harder all their lives, working on farms, rearing families and eking out existences in this vale of tears without any jubilee celebrations. Why me? They got no envelopes with 50 Euro notes in them!
Jeremiah the prophet wrote, "You have seduced me, Lord, and I have let myself be seduced. You have overpowered me; you were the stronger. I am the daily laughing stock of everybody's butt....." I love those words. I am called, seduced, ignored and given the almighty task of spreading the Good News. "Go make disciples of all nations." 50 years ago I dared to say, "Send me, O Lord. I will be a carrier of your Good News". When I think of that stupendous profession of intent, I shudder. Who did I think I was? Our Lady? St Paul? I became a fool, a fool for Christ's sake. I have no regrets.
I tried to carry out that mission. Successful or not I do not know. I leave that to God. I blundered, weighted down with uncertainties, lack of self-confidence, haunted by sin, by words I carelessly uttered and when I look back on the seashore of my life during those 50 years, all I see is one set of footprints and they were deep. They were not mine. They were holy and steady footprints. I was carried along all the way, all the time, and will be until you carry me out in a box. I often pray, "Lord, be merciful to me, a sinner" and "Look not on my sins but on the faith of the Church".
I am very grateful for all those people who supported me in life, those who prayed for me, worried about me and sent donations to me. Many of those are in Japan. I am very grateful for fellow Columbans who walked the way of the priesthood with me, inspiring me, encouraging me and forgiving me. Life will continue for me. I am stuck here. You are stuck with me. Love me.
Fr Joeseph Broderick SSC lives and works in Japan and has been a missionary priest there since 1969.
Listen to "You are stuck with me"
Related links
- Read more from The Far East, May 2020
