Again the priesthood

SOME friends of mine just celebrated the silver anniversary of their priesthood. Occasions like this are always happy moments of thanksgiving as we look back at those years of service that, more than our efforts, were made fruitful because of God’s grace and mercy.

            Of course, it should be a thanksgiving that goes beyond the sentimental. It has to be accompanied—that’s the unavoidable consequence—by a renewed and deepened sense of commitment and fidelity. If we have been giving our all these past years, we still have to give more and more for the coming years till death.

            That’s quite clear. We have to be ready to be squeezed like a lemon until our last breath.

            His Eminence Cardinal Vidal graciously celebrated the thanksgiving Mass for my friends and gave a beautiful homily about the identity of priests. Not that we did not know it. But it’s always good to be reminded even if we have our doctorates and quite a vast experience of pastoral work.

            Basing on Church teaching, particularly the documents entitled “Pastores dabo vobis” (I give you shepherds) and the Directory on the Life and Ministry of Priests, he reminded the jubilarians, one of them already a bishop, that a priest is not a man living on his own. He is to be with Christ. He is Christ’s minister. He has to be identified with Christ.

            Of course, when I heard that, I immediately thought that in fact everyone, priest or layman, does not and should not live by his own self. Our life is always a life with God, our Creator and Father, who does not stop being with us just because we seem to be able to live by ourselves.

            God is always with us. That’s the reason we keep on repeating at Holy Mass, “The Lord be with you, and also with you” (or now with the new English translation, “and with your spirit”). Everyone of us needs to relate himself with God. It’s our constant task, especially for priests who have to help the others to fulfil that responsibility too.

            The priest’s identification with Christ, as distinct from that of the layman, is that of Christ as head of the Church, not just as a member of the Church which is how the layman is identified with Christ.

            While there is fundamental equality between priests and laymen in the sense that everyone is called to sanctity and to participate in the apostolate or the continuing redemptive work of Christ in the Church, there is an essential difference in the way they are conformed to Christ, a difference reflected in their lifestyle and functions.

            Priests have certain powers the laymen do not have, but these powers are not for them just to enjoy and to use to dominate others, but rather to be of service to the laity. These are powers that require of them, us priests, to be most determined to identify ourselves with Christ all the way to be willing to wash the feet of the others, as Christ did.

            That’s why the good Cardinal, again echoing what the Church has been teaching, encouraged all priests to be resolute in taking care of their spiritual life that should be nourished daily and abidingly by a number of highly recommended acts of piety.

            He mentioned mental prayer, daily celebration of the Holy Mass that has to be prepared for adequately each time and other Eucharistic practices, spiritual reading, examination of conscience, holy rosary and other Marian devotions, the praying of the divine office which I’m afraid many priests have forgotten, etc.

            In fact, when the Cardinal rattled them off, I overheard someone sigh in disbelief as if to say, wow, that’s impossible! Of course, I understand him, but that’s the point. We just have to struggle to keep those practices of piety, otherwise we would just be like hired actors performing an act.

            Priests lend their head and heart, their lips and hands, their feelings and passions to Christ such that where they are and when they speak it is Christ that others see and hear. They should not see the priest as this or that individual, but Christ himself.

            So the need for the priests to know how to hide and disappear, how to avoid any possibility to show off. I know this is not going to be easy, and there now many instances when this ideal is openly violated. But there’s always hope. Continuing formation and constant prayers from everyone can help a great deal.

            Please pray for us, your priests.