It made me reflect, when an Anglican
priest told me that he is doing a job; he has to apply seeing the classified on
the newspaper for a vacancy in a parish. He is paid for his service in the
parish by the diocese. This is not to compare Anglican and Catholic priesthood
but just to reflect with you, what it means to be a priest? Most often, we come
across priests as lecturers, professors, canons, doctors, singers, musicians,
artists and so on. Is it important to have a profession or be man of God or may
be both?
One of the persons told me that he
does want to see a priest who is less qualified than him to preach to him from
the alter. Now the questions about qualification are an issue for some modern
priests. It is significant to have qualified priests in our society today, in
order to bring about the kingdom of God in an effective and creative way. Our
society needs priest of quality and all-rounders to an equitable dialogue with
the most advanced world.
Pope Francis addressing the
Catechists told that catechists is not a work but to be a catechist. I think
this suits my line of argument too, priesthood not a job or a profession rather
it is being a priest. Being a priest involved a deeper understanding of oneself
and God. An inner depth of one’s knowledge about God and a deep experience of
God through prayer and way of life, will suffice my argument pro priests. As
St. Ignatius said, give me only your love and grace that is enough for me; true
we have grow in love and grace of God and the rest will fall in life.
Sometimes priest might have a
temptation to think about their predecessors, that they have become famous,
that I also must become famous. Thus follows every craze to be one. Why do I
become famous? Pope Francis says, not to hail his name rather hail and recite
Jesus’ name. This is the greatness of a person. One who is last will be first
in the kingdom of God and one who is first will be last. There is remote
temptation of craving for degrees and titles, thus going to any extreme to get
them. Priest’s life must not revolve around these worldly attraction and
momentary greatness. Rather is in doing simple things like St. John Mary
Vienne, we can glorify God.
You are a priest forever, it is in
becoming priest that we are recognised by the people of God. It requires a
certain amount of dedication to prayer and a constant touch with the people. A
priest draws his inspiration from the Eucharist he celebrates and the church
prayer that he recites every day. If this is true rest will fall in line; like
being a teacher, professor, physician, artist and so on. A mediocre priest will
find it hard in the long run to be able to work for the kingdom of God. A
priest craving for attention and prestige sooner or later will drift along the current;
however, there is always a danger be in the limelight. Soon people forget the
sacraments and adore the priest because of his constant popularity and his
work. This is exactly working against the will of God, where one seeks to be in
the limelight whilst the centre focus, Jesus and his church are side lined.
This is just alarming and scandalous to the people of God.
Priests somehow have to watch and
guard against this temptation of being workaholic to such an extent, forget
that one is priest forever. Craving for power, prestige and popularity can be
an obstacle for the greater glory of God. Being a priest means, being a man of
prayer and man in constant touch with the people of God.