LENTEN FISH FRY

Liturgical Minister Schedule

^{>updated 12/11/09}

Parish Registration Form

Alumni Online Donation

SCRIP Order Form

NEW!

Online Stewardship Intention Form

February 7th, 2010

My Brothers and Sisters,

 Since fall, our Faith Formation Commission has been focusing on the seven sacraments. In January, the focus was on priesthood.  Unfortunately, none of the Sunday readings in January really fit the theme of priesthood.  However, on the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, the Gospel told the story of the wedding feast at Cana, which offered a great opportunity to talk about marriage.  This month the Commission is focusing on marriage.  Unfortunately, none of this month’s Sunday readings fit the theme of marriage, but today’s readings fit the theme of priesthood.  A few weeks ago, there was a flyer in the bulletin with stories from priests who grew up in Little Flower or served at Little Flower.  I included my story there, so I am not going to repeat it.

 Whom did Jesus choose as his first priests? If we look at today’s Gospel, Jesus chose very ordinary people to do extraordinary things for God.  Peter, James, and John were ordinary fisherman. Nothing in the Gospels suggests anything extraordinary about them. On the contrary, throughout the Gospels, Jesus was often frustrated with them for not getting the meaning of his message.  Not only were they not extraordinary men, like the rest of us, they were sinful people.  Peter knew it when he said to Jesus, “‘Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.’”

 Why did Jesus choose these men? I can only speculate.  Jesus’ call to them was radical: “from now on you will be catching men.”  He appealed to their idealism.  It seems to me that Peter, James, and John were passionate men.  After all, they were willing to leave everything and follow Jesus. Also, they would all be very into their relationship with Jesus, even at times to the point of jealousy.

 Priests share in Jesus’ three-fold ministry of teaching, sanctifying, and shepherding.  For example, today’s first reading tells the story of the call of the prophet Isaiah.  Every priest is called to teach. Priests teach primarily through their homilies and through the witness of their lives. Each priest is called to be a sanctifier, healer, reconciler.  Of these, sanctifier is most important because it touches on the very essence of priesthood.  Priests celebrate the sacraments in the person of Jesus.  In other words, in the sacraments, Christ acts through the priest.  For example, in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, it is not the priest who forgives sins; it is Christ who forgives sins through the priest.  However, the most important work of the priest is to celebrate the Eucharist, the source and summit of Christian life, to fulfill the mandate of Jesus at the Last Supper, “Do this in memory of me” [Lk. 22:19]. Finally, every priest is called to be a servant leader.

 Today’s reading from Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians reminds us that priests have to be men of the church. In other words, priests do not operate as independent agents or lone rangers.  Note the words of Paul, “For I handed on to you as of first importance what I also received.”  Paul handed on the faith of the Church rooted in Scripture and Tradition. Contrast this, if you will, with some contemporary non-denominational churches in which the faith of the church is really the faith of the founding pastor. 

 My brothers and sister, what should our expectations of priests be? Priests are ordinary people who are also sinful  Even the holiest and best priests are both.  Priests should be idealistic and have a passionate love for Christ and for their people.  Within parishes, their principal responsibilities should be teaching, celebrating sacraments, especially the Eucharist, and providing servant leadership to the community. Finally, they should be men of the Church.  When all is said and done, we, who are priests, should say with St. Paul, “by the grace of God I am what I am.”