By james art 
What does it mean to be human? How do we find ourselves in the “here” and “now” – the “everyday” of everyday life? And to what extent am I fulfilled? These are just some of the eternal questions of life that I think we all ponder from time to time. In a sense, we know various characteristics of our humanity by simply observing everyday life, we know who our parents are and what their family background is, and we know what gives us happiness – albeit in this life, temporarily.
As I progressed in this journey to the priesthood, marked by prayer, study, parish activities, apostolic work, and the like, I found that my formation revealed an answer that satisfied all three questions, and more, simultaneously. This is something that, while it may seem obvious on the surface, will never be fully understood if understood in its depths.
The answer:
CONNECTION.
You and I find all the answers to life’s deepest questions in relationships, primarily in our relationship with God through prayer. Subsequently, our relationships with each other help us become more fully aware of God’s presence in our lives.
Today, our world is overwhelmingly marked by a selfish, individualistic society. But when one studies God, one quickly realizes that to be made in His image and likeness is to be in relationship. The Holy Trinity distinguishes Father, Son, and Holy Spirit only by existing relationships. Theologians call this idea perichoresiswhich simply means that each of the Three Persons is completely united to one another in eternal and ineffable love, while perfectly possessing the divine essence.
Therefore, being made in the image and likeness of God calls us to strive for unity with one another. We, the baptized believers, make up the Church, which comes from the Greek word ekklesia meaning “gathering” or “gathering”. The Church is universal (ie Catholic) and forms the mystical body of Christ.
Knowing these truths should naturally call us to a spirit of evangelism. We must suffer for those who are separated from Christ’s Church just as a wounded body suffers pain. And just as the body seeks to be healed through its complex biological processes, so we must feel the impulse to restore the health of Christ’s mystical body, the Church. After all, we, along with Christ, are hurt by the division that exists between God and His beloved children.
It is all too common for me to meet lapsed Catholics, separated brothers or people who have no faith at all. As I understand the ways in which the Lord calls me to serve Him as His priest, I am reminded of the unity that Jesus desires for His followers. In John 17:20-21 Jesus’ prayer to the Father is as follows:
I pray not only for them, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word, that they may all be one, just as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, so that they may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You have sent Me.
This unity inspires me to embrace the spirit of relational evangelism. I live first to receive the graces that God desires to give me by opening my heart to a relationship with Him so that I can freely share these gifts with others. I pray that my priesthood will be marked by an offering of my whole being to God, so that He may use me as a means of serving all my brothers and sisters, drawing them into communion with one another and ultimately with Him through the Sacraments .
We only truly become human when we step outside of our own interests and extend ourselves for the good of others. The central point of humanity is not found within, but only without. It is by interacting with others, by inviting them into relationship for the sake of encountering God, that we truly come to know who we are.
I view my time in seminary as a precious gift that allowed me to deepen my theological understanding of God, learn the dynamics of human relationships, and improve my Spanish-speaking abilities to reach more people. These experiences will prepare me to serve the community I hope to lead, inviting them into a life of fellowship with God and His Church. I pray that when I receive the Laying on of Hands, God willing, I will be ready to pour myself out as a person who is all things to all people, embodying a gospel spirit of joy, generosity and gratitude.
Michael Hess, a seminarian from the Diocese of Madison, is in his second year of formation; God willing he will be ordained a priest in 2027.