31st Sunday Year A Priesthood

  

The readings today are about what religious leaders should Not be like.

The first reading from the prophet Malachi, condemns religious leaders, who do not give glory to God. He said, they have turned aside from their way, and have caused many to falter by their instruction. They show partiality in their decisions. They have broken the faith and violated the covenant.

The Gospel continues with this same condemnation of religious leaders who do not do, what the Lord desires. Jesus said, they preach, but do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens hard to carry, and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they won’t lift a finger to move them. They widen their phylacteries, and lengthen their tassels. They love places of honor in the synagogues, which were places of worship. And all of these performed, to be seen, by others.

Cardinals, bishops and Priests are human, but they are held to a high standard because they represent Jesus, the Good Shepherd. Recently it's been notable how some of them have caused confusion among the lay faithful about their attempt to change Church teachings and others have lived lives of hypocrisy and scandal.

When I was a child our family very rarely went out to eat at a restaurant because we were poor, and if we would go to eat, my parents ordered the same food for each of their 8 children, a hamburger, fries and a coke. We were elated to go to a restaurant.

One time, I can remember seeing a priest eating in a restaurant and thinking, he must be rich to be able to go out to eat. While that obviously wasn’t true, as I later became a priest, I understand there are people who can’t afford to eat out at a restaurant, and so shouldn’t a priest live the same poverty which the poor live?

People are exceptionally kind to priests. I’m not a very good cook, so I am always very happy to receive a meal or a dessert from a parishioner. Or leftovers from funerals.

Despite the weaknesses of priests, God has called and chosen them to act in union with His Son Jesus Christ. Priests are called to be holy, to be faithful, to do penance, to fast, to sacrifice themselves, to become a real and true victim, for God’s people.

Priests are called to lay down their lives for Our Lord’s Sheep, and His Church. Priests are called to intercede for God’s people, and so act as a mediator between God and His people. He does this through prayer, and in offering sacrifices—especially his own sacrifices with the sacrifices of the people, in union with the one sacrifice of Jesus, to the Father, here on the altar.

Pope John Paul II used to encourage priests to make a daily Holy Hour with Jesus in the Eucharist, which is what I have done every day for the last 19 years as a priest.

Priests act in “persona Christi” which means they act in the “person of Christ”. In other words, Jesus acts through the priest. It is Jesus, who baptizes through the priest. In confession, Our Lord sits behind the confessional screen, listening to our sins, giving us advice, and a penance, and then absolves our sins. Who can forgive mortal sins, but Jesus, in the priest?

Our Lord, uses the lips of the priest, to utter His words, at the Last Supper, which make His body and blood present upon the altar, and gives us Holy Communion, through the hands of the priest. Every time I say the words, “This is my body to be given up for you.”, it is very humbling to know Jesus is acting through me to work the greatest miracle of changing bread into His body.

When we hear the words of the Gospel, proclaimed by the priest, do we hear the voice of Jesus speak to us? When the homily is given, do we hear Jesus speak the truth and the doctrines of the Church, as proclaimed and explained by the priest?

In some parishes, priests are ridiculed behind closed doors, because they preach the truth. Today, there are what’s called “canceled priests”, who preached the truth of the Gospel, but due to the complaints of those who disagree with Church teaching, their bishop doesn’t support the priest, but rather cancels him, meaning he is no longer assigned to any parish. Some bishops tell priests to not preach on abortion, or contraception, homosexual marriage, or to avoid hot topics for fear offending people, who would then discontinue giving money in the collection.

Yet, the priest is supposed proclaim the truth, in season and out of season, out of love, for the people, so as to guide them toward heaven, no matter the consequences.

Yes, the priest is human. Yes, the priest makes mistakes. Yes, the priest is a sinner. But clothed beneath his sinful human flesh, is the sacred character of ordination. And it is through the Sacrament of Holy Orders; Christ is present in the world. St. John Vianney, patron of parish priests, made this statement about the priesthood, “The priest continues the work of redemption on earth…If we really understood the priest on earth, we would die not of fright but of love…. The Priesthood is the love of the Heart of Jesus.”

Pope John Paul II called the priesthood, Gift and Mystery. He said the priest is a steward of the mysteries of God. And said, we can’t have the Eucharist, without the priesthood. Pope Benedict XVI said, we can’t live without the Eucharist. Therefore, we cannot live without the priesthood, because it is the priesthood, which gives us the Eucharist.

The priest is not a staff member of the church. The priest is not an employee of the church. The priesthood is not a job. The priesthood is a way of life, and a way of love. The priest is Christ sacramentally present within a man.

Yet, there are some, who frustrate the ministry of Christ by fail to reverence the priest, as their spiritual father. They ignore the priest’s suggestions, encouraging them to live a deeper Christian life. In the end, each person is responsible for their own judgment and whether or not they heeded the priest’s words to help them to grow in holiness.

So many think, priests just offer Mass, and hear confessions, and go play golf. I know of one pastor, who gets up at 4 or 5 am, and works non-stop everyday until 11 or 12 at night. How many lay people do this? Do lay people work from 5am until 11pm --6 days a week?

St. Paul in his letter to the Thessalonians speaks about his ministry, which was a ministry of priesthood. He said, ““With such affection for you, we are determined to share with you not only the Gospel of God, but our very selves as well.” You recall, brothers and sisters, our toil and drudgery. Working night and day, in order not to burden any of you, we proclaimed the Gospel to you.”

Here at Holy Trinity the word of God is truly at work in you, who believe. What reverence and faith do you receive Our Lord in Holy Communion! How many of you come night and day to make your Holy Hour with Jesus in Eucharistic Adoration? How many show so much warmth and friendship to the priests, welcoming priests and new pastors, who come to give themselves to you? How many have given encouraging words, and have forgiven the mistakes of the priests, so readily.

This past year, I had 5 surgeries and 9 procedures and was overwhelmed by so many how came to my aid. I appreciate those who made meals, who checked on me and especially am very grateful for all your prayers.

Thank you for opening your heart to me, inviting me into your homes, overlooking my weaknesses, forgiving my failings, and allowing me to be a spiritual father to you.

I am sure there are young men, who God is calling to be a priest. Its a most glorious life, but also a life of sacrifice and love.

Let us now offer this prayer for priests:

O Jesus, I pray for your faithful priests and fervent priests;

For Your unfaithful and tepid priests;

For Your priests laboring at home, or abroad in distant mission fields;

For Your tempted priests;

For Your lonely and desolate priests;

For Your young priests;

For Your dying priests;

For the souls of Your priests in purgatory.

But above all I recommend to You the priests dearest to me;

The priest who baptized me;

The priest who absolved me from my sins;

The priests at whose Masses I participated, and who gave me Your Body and Blood in Holy Communion;

The priests who taught and instructed me;

All the priests to whom I am indebted in any other way;

O Jesus, keep them all close to Your Heart, and bless them abundantly in time and in eternity.

And may Mary, Your Mother, the Mother of Priests, keep them safe under Her mantel and within Her Immaculate Heart. Amen.