My Dear People of the Lake Region of Devils Lake:
As many of you know I will be reassigned to St. James Basilica, in Jamestown, ND, on the 28th of June, as their new Pastor. I could not let this last article of mine to go by….without saying….”Thank you for a wonderful 21 years in Devils Lake.” I can truly tell you, you all received me so well when I was at the tender age of 34 years old. Now 56 and a priest for 29 years, I have lived in Devil Lake for most of my priestly service. As priest, you all taught me to love all people. At my door many nights, I would receive the usual emergencies….”I’m hungry can I have something to eat;” or “I’m out of gas, and I need to get to Grand Forks, because my loved one is dying.” In one of my favorite Scripture Verse’s….our Lord says: “That is what you did to my least brothers, you have done to me!” What you all have done for me is beyond “thank you!” The best training to be a Priest of Jesus Christ has come through you good and noble people of the Lake Region.
No longer do I see a “white” face or a “brown” face….I see the face of Christ! No longer do I hear someone calling me from the street as “high” pitched or “low” pitched voice….I hear the voice of Christ calling me! No longer do I shake the hands of “soft” hand or a “calloused” hand….I touch the hand of Christ! You all have been Christ to me….I pray I have shown Christ to you! “Whatsoever you do to the least of my brothers you have done to me!”
So, we see that Faith and Good attitudes and service are indeed the effects that direct us for Heaven. So, it truly means that our life and the Faith and performing good works for your fellow human go together like body and soul. You simply are not alive unless both body and soul are united (James 2:26). It’s the same for being alive in Christ – You need faith in Christ first, and then good works (not works of the law of the Old Testament) to justify that faith.
“When the Son of man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will place the sheep at his right hand, but the goats at the left. Then the King will say to those at his right hand, `Come, O blessed of my father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, `Lord, when did we see thee hungry and feed thee, or thirsty and give thee drink? And when did we see thee a stranger and welcome thee, or naked and clothe thee? And when did we see thee sick or in prison and visit thee?’ And the King will answer them, `Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.’ Then he will say to those at his left hand, `Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, `Lord, when did we see thee hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to thee?’ Then he will answer them, `Truly, I say to you, as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me.’ And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
May we all meet in Heaven one day, and rejoice with our Lord. I love you all in Christ.
Fr. Chad Wilhelm – Pastor of St. Joseph Catholic Church, Devils Lake, ND
