On 4th August is the feast of St. John Maria Vianney, when we celebrate Holy Priesthood. St. John Vianney, Patron of Priests, was a simple Priest in France, who stole the hearts of those around him. I find it fitting today to write on the role of priests in our lives and vice versa. Bear with me as I write what you already know.
It is a reality of all priests that even before the Ordination every Priest knows the joy and Miracle of Priesthood. No Priest will look at his Priesthood and say it is because he is capable or perfect. He knows he has faults and failings, yet he has set his life aside to proclaim Jesus to the world. Often, we the laity demand /expect much from Priests. We forget that they are like ourselves, who need to be understood and cared for, because they have given their life for each of us just as Jesus did.
Let us scan through just a few of the services they render us:-
- Baptizing our new born with the Power of the Holy Trinity.
- Preparing our young ones with catechism classes to receive their First Holy Communion – the very Body and Blood of Jesus.
- Confirmation – anointing our young adults with the Power of the Holy Spirit, a hidden Power to fight evil, with stringent catechism classes.
- Administering the Sacrament of Matrimony to those intending to marry, after sufficient preparation.
- Blessing our homes every year, bringing Jesus to the home-bound, anointing them and assisting them in their last hours.
Let us remember that each of us has been blessed / anointed by some priest in our lives
MOST IMPORTANTLY God has chosen these “faulty instruments” (if I may say so) for TWO GREAT MIRACLES: –
- To celebrate the Eucharist daily and create the GREATEST MIRACLE of changing Bread and Wine into His Very Body and Blood, as food for our souls.
- To work the MOST BEAUTIFUL MIRACLE in Confession – of granting HIS FORGIVENESS to us sinners.
Such amazing Power God has invested in these Priests! They are hand-picked. We need to celebrate Priests and nurture this ‘MIRACLE’ with daily prayer, which can never be enough for them.
Here, I admit that I am as guilty as anyone else, of talking about / against Priests, criticizing them in the presence of anyone. When writing this article it came to my mind that they listen to our confessions which can be disturbing for them and yet they maintain secrecy till their last breath. I feel ashamed of myself.
During Covid times, there has been a strange sense of loss every time news has come to us of the demise of Priests, because we are connected. As our Churches open, this loss will slowly hit us hard as our need of them will become apparent.
Let us pray fervently every day and also impress / insist on our children to pray to our Blessed Mother (Queen of the Clergy) and St. Joseph to protect our Priests from the wiles of Satan and make them powerful instruments to spread God’s Kingdom.
May St. John Marie Vianney be the Protector and guiding light of all our Priests.
Happy Feast Rev. Fr. Andrew and Fr. Leslie, God bless you for your care and concern of our souls and holiness.
Happy Pastor’s Day to all the Priests!!!
J. Rodrigues