An excellent line from Spider-Man pivots my reflections for today: “With great power comes great responsibility.”

James and John asked Jesus what they had to do to sit at his right and left in glory.” These two went up the mountain with Peter and saw our Lord’s glory. They saw Jesus walking on the sea, performing many miracles, and the miracle of feeding thousands. In Mark’s account, they make their way to Jerusalem. These two ask Jesus a provocative question. They want to secure their future. Jesus’ response is like that of Spider-Man, “With great power comes great responsibility.” He says you will be great but on God’s terms. Your greatness is measured by your capacity to serve and not on the altars of success, money, and pride. Jesus put it this way:

“But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all. For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Jesus’ life serves as a road map for us. As Isaiah foretold, he drank the chalice of suffering in total obedience to his Father. Jesus served and he showed us the way to true glory. We can all walk this road because Jesus has paved it for us.

Jesus’ call to be a servant is not exclusive. It is a universal call that extends to all who wish to be great. By serving others, we serve Christ, who is here in every person we meet. This understanding makes us all part of a greater purpose, contributing to the manifestation of true greatness in the world. One person who is a tangible example of Christian greatness is Pat Chavez.

I met Pat Chavez on my first day as Music Director at Saint Joseph Parish. She was gracious and kind, giving me a warm welcome to the parish. At the same time, she was a woman focused on her mission and work. Pat supervised many nurses throughout her long career. Now, I found myself under her wing. She took the helm with the liturgy committee and all the funerals at Saint Joseph. I was captivated by her poise and her philosophy of bringing everyone together. She was a faithful servant to the parish.

The greatest lesson I learned from Pat was work balance. Ironically, I have been in parish ministry my entire teenage life and throughout my young adult life. Still, hearing about work balance and engraving it into me only came at this chapter through Pat Chavez. I came to Saint Joseph with my wife, who was already pregnant with our first son. You can easily imagine the stress I felt in my heart. I struggled in my first year. Balancing the arrival of our first child and my performance as a full-time minister was challenging. Yet, Pat kept reminding me that my family was a priority. The church would take care of itself, and there were resources. I had to focus on being a father. I am grateful that Pat was there to help me manage these feelings. Then the pandemic hit.

There was a shift, and the parish shut down. Pat and I connected through the phone as the world navigated through COVID-19. She shared stories about supporting her nurses. Her nurses constantly interviewed for other jobs while under her supervision. This kept them fresh in their skills and motivated them to grow in their careers. I told her that I had completed my graduate degree. She was the one who pushed me at the parish level to pursue my doctorate.

She told me to obtain as many degrees as possible at this moment in life. This way, the doors would open for my family. She endorsed me on this adventure with her letter of recommendation to enter the program! Along the journey, I shared my success through an extensive paper or project. Shortly after graduation, I sent her a photo of my family on graduation day. I was indebted to her for all she did for me in this chapter of my life.

The offer to leave Saint Joseph and start a new ministry came during the pandemic. I gave my farewell speech at Mass. Pat came before the whole assembly. She gave me a peace lily plant. She hugged me and tapped the plant pot, pushing me along into this new ministry. I think of her often and that final goodbye moment from parish to a new adventure.

Pat died a few weeks ago. When I received the news, I stood still in prayer. I thanked God for the gift Pat was to me. I recently returned to Saint Joseph to cover for Masses as they transition between Music Directors. I paused for prayer, gazing at the steps where Pat hugged me and pushed me along into my current ministry. It hit. She was no longer here.

She is now in eternal glory! Rest from all her labor in this life. The Mass of Christian Burial will be this Tuesday. I will be there as I go on a four-day retreat with my high school seniors. She was one of the greats, a force to be reckoned with.  

She taught me to serve by being a servant. She instilled in me the importance of putting family first, having a work-life balance, and going after my dreams.

I miss you, Pat. Rest in peace and rise in glory!