Most Reverend Jerome E. Listecki
Archbishop of Milwaukee
 

In 1967, the iconic folk trio, Peter, Paul and Mary, had a hit song entitled “Leaving on a Jet Plane,” (written by John Denver). The first line was, “All my bags are packed, I’m ready to go.”

Now, if there is one thing that I have come to realize over the years, it’s that I cannot pack my bags. There are other activities in my life that I do poorly at best: cooking (can do breakfast, but that’s it), sewing (with difficulty threading a needle), and washing clothes (whites rarely turn out white). But, I thought packing – what’s there to it? Throw some clothes in a suitcase, and off you go.

Inevitably, no matter how large the suitcase and no matter how meticulous I am, I always seem to fail to pack something that I need. If it’s a handkerchief, that’s not too bad. I can always get a Kleenex. But if it’s underwear, then that presents a problem. Wearing the same underwear for a few days can make you feel like you’re back in high school gym class, where gym clothes were washed maybe once a week, and the trunks could almost stand by themselves.

There’s an art to packing, and Father Jim Lobacz has mastered that art. Father Jim is the Vicar for Senior Clergy, and is often my Master of Ceremonies. There was an old saying that was popular years ago: “Americans invent it, Germans perfect it and the Japanese make it small.” Well, Father Lobacz must have some Japanese in him. He can take what I would put in an oversize suitcase and almost fit it all into a carry-on. The amazing thing is that my oversize suitcase contains cassocks, albs and vestments. These garments would have a thousand wrinkles. I could hear my mother saying, “Take that off, you look like you slept in it.” But, in Father Jim Lobacz’s carry-on bag, those same cassocks, albs and vestments would emerge looking perfectly pressed.

My sister is another packing artist, who never packs just for herself. To paraphrase the poet, John Donne, “For whom the Bell Tolls, “No one packs for me, I pack for thee.” Penny not only packs the stuff she needs, but she also packs whatever might be needed by everyone else. There is a pharmacy in her bag with medications, bandages, cold and hot packs. No, she will not be caught short in an emergency.

Once, while I was in Brazil for World Youth Day, I hit my leg on a steel step that caused a pretty deep gash in my leg, blood all over. I was able to stop the bleeding. When I returned to the hotel, everything was closed. However, I remembered that Penny had thrown her emergency kit in my bag. Sure enough, there was antiseptic ointment and bandages for the cut and a cold pack to take down the swelling. She also packed various repair items like needles, pins, and thread, just in case those tears and rips needed immediate attention to save from embarrassment.

Packing is one art, unfortunately, that I have failed to master. As they say, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” So, I will have to depend on the more gifted to see me through my journey in life, and apologize to those whose toothpaste I borrow.

In some sense, my packing for my spiritual journey is the same. I depend on the more gifted to help me pack what I need to fulfill my journey. It is through the inspiration of the saints, the influence of priests, religious, deacons, friends and my family – both the natural (mother, father, aunts, uncles, sister and cousins) as well as the ecclesial (parishes, dioceses and archdioceses) – who assist me in the most important packing of all.

When the angel of death comes to pick up my bags, I hope they are filled with everything I need, especially with those examples of how we LOVE ONE ANOTHER.

Note: This blog originally appeared as the September 5, 2017 "Love One Another" email sent to Catholics throughout the Archdiocese of Milwaukee by Archbishop Jerome E. Listecki. If you are interested in signing up for these email messages, please click here.