Hypocrites

"I'm a phony and a fake."

A holy man used to say those words, the late Father William O'Leary, a Jesuit at Creighton Prep who sometimes celebrated Masses at St. Columbkille.

When Father O'Leary talked that way, I was taken back, because clearly he was a good Christian. He gave away what few possessions he had, constantly made himself available to serve others and maintained a life of prayer and sacrifice.

A phony and a fake?

I thought maybe that was his awkward way to deflect his growing reputation for holiness. But to say he was a phony, a fake, a hypocrite, seemed so over the top, maybe even a lie. I've had the same feeling when I read the writings of some saints, when they go on and on about how wretched and unworthy they are. I would read their works, knowing that the Church later canonized them as saints, and think, "Really, how could think of yourself that way?"

But I was completely wrong. That's no false sense of humility. In fact, the saints had humility in the truest sense, knowing how completely unworthy they were of God's calling and recognizing Him alone as their source of holiness. They were, and we are, pretty wretched on our own. And it's proper to give credit where credit is due: all our good works, our love for one another, comes from God.

They couldn't help that others saw their holiness. After all, you can't hide a lantern under a bushel basket. Christ's presence, His holiness, glows in His saints. It's meant to be noticed, that all would give glory to God.

Sometimes I say to myself quiet accurately, "I'm a phony and a fake." I try to witness to how God is working in my life, but I know my faults and failures, and so do others. I can't help but feel like a hypocrite.

When we try to be Jesus' disciples, we make ourselves vulnerable that way. Others will see the sinner in us, but hopefully they will see something of God.

In a way, we're all phonies and fakes. But God's light can be seen most clearly when it shines through the darkness of sin.

Inspired by the Year of Faith, Susan Szalewski began writing weekly columns for us. Although that year is over, we liked them so well that we asked her to keep writing. Thankfully, she said yes. So watch for these on Thursdays and see the Year of Faith Blog here.

Light of the World

"You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house. Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Heavenly Father."

Many people at St. Columbkille remember Father William O'Leary, a Jesuit priest who passed away Monday in Wisconsin. He taught at Creighton Prep for four decades and offered Masses at parishes across the Omaha area, including St. Columbkille.

I had the pleasure of interviewing Father nearly nine years ago for an article in The Omaha World-Herald. The occasion was a surprise party for his 75th birthday. The party had to be a surprise, organizers said, because otherwise Father O'Leary would not have allowed it. He lived humbly, not drawing attention to himself. But in the course of living out his Catholic faith, people noticed him and were drawn to him. In other words, his light shined.

I didn't know Father O'Leary personally, but I was inspired by his simplicity. I learned that when he received gifts, he often gave them away. He is said to have owned just three pairs of pants and three shirts. He drank water without ice and gave what money he had to pay for lunches for underprivileged students or for their families' utility bills. Father didn't travel by airplane; he preferred the bus because it gave him time to minister to fellow passengers and even offer them the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

The light Father O'Leary shared is Jesus, the Light of the World. We, too, are called to let Him radiate through us. May Jesus, our Perpetual Light, shine on Father O'Leary and all the souls of the departed.

Inspired by this Year of Faith we will be posting columns like this from Susan Szalewski about exploring and/or deepening our faith. Watch for it on Thursdays and see the Year of Faith Blog here.