The Superior Experience

After we finished exams, we had a week of work and preparation before the deaconate ordinations and our departure for vacation. Over the summer, some brothers are going fundraising, some brothers are taking or giving some complementary courses at the same house we use for vacation, a great deal are doing month-long spiritual exercises, several others are helping out at camps, and many are heading out to ministry. For all these things, you need a book or two or ten to read. At the same time, everyone needs to drop off their textbooks, their dictionaries, and their reading from the year.

So where does that leave the chief librarian? In over my head.

I think for a week straight I didn’t have 5 minutes in the library without someone coming to ask me something. “Do we have Narnia in Spanish?” “Can I keep Metaphysics for Dummies over the summer?” “Do I need to take The Diary of St Faustina on vacation or will you bring it?” All the while I was directing the brothers who were putting all the textbooks away and cataloguing new books and labeling them.

In a way it was exhausting but in a way it was satisfying because each time I answered a question or when one more book was in its place, I knew I helped the brother.

I have never been a superior, and hope I never become one, but I think this is in some small way this time gave me a taste of the superior experience. Obviously, such an experience is limited as all I dealt with was books, I didn’t have to worry about other aspects of these brothers’ lives.

Having this experience, even in a small way, helps me to realize how much our superiors do for us and be that much more grateful. Just as Jesus came to serve and not to be served, in the Legion a superior serves more than he is served. Thanks to all my superiors.