 your dad's when you preached homilies but I was thinking of it this morning in relationship to Father Dave's reminding me that this needs to be brief my mom and dad when I was newly ordained would generally come to my mass on Sundays because they didn't live too far from that parish and my mother was always my biggest fan and would always you know after mass say to my dad that was a great homily right and my dad is up too long and I realized that I would my dad was not alone because my classmate was celebrating and I think it was his 10th anniversary or I'm not sure 10th or 25th whatever all those you when you get to my age all the years are to blend together and I went to his mat the massive for his anniversary and he preached of course and so I went afterwards went to his home and they had a little reception and I said to his dad Peter did a great job don't you said in front of his son my my classmate I counted seven good conclusions how many have made Curcio always strikes me when we come to Friday morning that very similar to this Curcio program there's a talk entitled the fifth day we call that and it was so important to help all of us realize it's not over by no means Curcio has a powerful impact on our spiritual lives but it's only the beginning of a new phase of our spiritual lives and it's the same every year here I mean this is not the end of this retreat brothers and we know that but this feast gives us a great opportunity for reflection John the Baptist on two levels one a verbal non verbal the other verbal when Mary visits Elizabeth in her pregnancy we know the scripture as soon as Elizabeth heard Mary's greetings the baby left in her womb for joy I don't think we fully could appreciate what Elizabeth may have experienced John the Baptist in her womb loved for joy knowing that salvation was near at hand Mary's voice affected this fetus in the womb of Elizabeth loved for joy in my mind I think the baby fetus danced and was probably kicking with joy that Elizabeth realized this is really a joyful baby even now in the womb my baby is filled with joy the joy of the priesthood is important there are two things I think our people ask of us number one primarily be holy and they expect us to be happy joyful people the baby leapt for joy in the womb of Elizabeth we're joyful today we've experienced graces poured out upon all of us and it's important for everyone to make to understand that although you don't feel any different you didn't experience perhaps anything very dramatic don't allow the evil one to allow you for a second to think nothing happened to me each one of us each person here is different from the person you were and I was on Monday it is not possible for it to be anything but that adoration the talks God has touched our lives but we need to continue to move in that direction and the other is the point that is verbal and I think it's so important as priests deacons and seminarians to understand what John the Baptist was saying in his clear understanding of his call this is so important his clear understanding of his call he must increase I must decrease that humility is often something we can lose sight of because people are constantly in all of our lives complimenting us you know father I heard you did a great job at that baptism father your homily was wonderful we need to always give praise to God that he worked through us and to continue to direct everyone to praise and to worship of Christ Jesus where his instruments and only that John the Baptist was his instruments par excellence but he knew his calling was to direct people to Jesus and isn't that the case with his mother Mary to direct people to her son always to a deeper relationship with her son so we go forth from this retreat with this understanding we don't leave alone we're not leaving this campus as individuals by ourselves but with the love of Mary who will accompany us in our ministry to God's people by being truly a mother for each and every one of us so praying the rosary every day and secondly how do we understand our role to decrease allowing Christ to increase I think adoration of the Blessed Sacrament certainly if it's available to you some are privileged to have adoration in your church chapel 24 hours a day if not making a holy hour there make a holy hour every day I told the seminary and yesterday Archbishop Fulton Jay Sheen often said I never knew a priest who left the priesthood who made a holy hour every day now it's not easy I'll be the first one to admit but the former president of this university Father Michael Scanlon wrote a book entitled appointment with God we make appointments don't we with other people sure I'll see you two o'clock Wednesday to I'll be there father I can see you 730 on Thursday and we put it in our date book or iPad or iPhone brothers if you haven't decided on a time when you are fully awake and alert and able to give your time to the Lord find that time for me it's early morning for you you may not be a morning person it might be afternoon but make a commitment as we go into the fifth day in the Criseal language that it's an appointment with God and I need the strength I need the grace that I can continue to grow in the love of Christ and in my love for Christ Jesus so we know we hear the Gospel of last Sunday when Jesus asks but who do you say that I am we can say from the bottom of our hearts Lord you are my everything nothing matters more than you you are my everything and if you're not there you will be if you give him an appointment an appointment with you alone every day and you will grow to understand the words of John the Baptist I must decrease and he must increase but first increase in us his seminarians and his deacons and his priests