Corpus Christi Blog

What it means to be a Priest

06-19-2016Weekly ReflectionFr. Chad King

On Saturday, June 11, four young men became priests for the Diocese of Phoenix. After at least eight years of studying and formation and after being ordained temporary Deacons this past year, Shea Bowora, Dan Connealy, Ryan Lee, and David Loeffler, were ordained to the Ministerial Priesthood for the Diocese of Phoenix by Bishop Olmsted amongst about 2000 family members, friends, and fellow Catholics from around the diocese. What a blessing for our diocese!

The Ordination is always a grace-filled time for me. It is an opportunity for me to reflect on my sacred calling and privilege to serve our Lord and His Church as a Priest, for six years now as of June 5. Hereare a few highlights that struck me during this year's Ordination.

The Preface (just before the Consecration) read:

"For by the anointing of the Holy Spirit you made your Only Begotten Son High Priest of the new and eternal covenant, and by your wondrous design were pleased to decree that his one Priesthood should continue in the Church. For Christ not only adorns with a royal priesthood the people he has made his own (all the laity from baptism), but with a brother's kindness he also chooses men to become sharers in his sacred ministry through the laying on of hands. They are to renew in his name the sacrifice of human redemption, to set before your children the paschal banquet, to lead your people in charity, to nourish them with your word and strengthen them with the Sacraments. As they give up their lives for you and for the salvation of their brothers and sisters, they strive to be conformed to the image of Christ himself and offer you a constant witness of faith and love."

Watching Bishop Olmsted extend his hands over these four men, I thought about how this ritual and sacred action over the generations has imparted blessing and authority. I recalled how throughout the Old Testament, the father gave his special familial blessing to the firstborn son by the laying on of hands. Likewise, the Holy Spirit imparted the blessing and authority to lead the Israelites as Moses laid his hands upon Joshua (Num. 27:18). The laying on of hands is how Aaron and his sons were consecrated to the office of priesthood for the people. In the New Testament, as the Church continued to grow, the Apostles laid hands on "selected reputable men filled with the Spirit and wisdom" (Acts 61-7) to help them in the ministry. The same blessing and authority imparted by the laying on of hands throughout the generations,God is pleased to continue in His Church today.

I thought about how pleased God is to call, raise and ordain men to share in the Priesthood of His Son, Jesus Christ — "to renew in his name the sacrifice of human redemption" (which is the Sacrifice of Christ upon the Cross) and nourish his people with the Word and the Sacraments. The primary responsibility of the priest is to offer Christ's Sacraments for the life and salvation of His people. What an honor and privilege it is to do so.

As a priest of Jesus Christ, I now renew my commitment to follow Jesus Christ's example, to "give up my life" in obedience and love of God our Father for the salvation of His people. I vow once again to strive (by the help of your prayers and support!) to be "conformed to the image of Christ himself and offer a constant witness of faith and love." I gladly spend my life for love of God and for your salvation—that iswhat it means to be a priest—and what a blessed life it is!

I have re-committed myself. Will you, too? As lay persons, by your baptism, you share in the royal priesthood of Christ (not the ordained ministerial priesthood). Thus, although you are not called in the same way an ordained priest is, you, too are still called to "be conformed to the image of Christ" and "give your life" for the salvation of others. Will you spend your life (in whichever vocation you are called) in love of God for the salvation of others? If you are a spouse and parent, will you spend your life for the good and salvation of your family? If you are single, will you spend your life for the good ofthe Church?

The second reading of the Ordination Mass was from Ephesians 4: "And he gave some as apostles (those who are sent out), others as prophets, others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers, to equip the holy ones for the work of ministry, for the building up of the body of Christ, until we a ll atta in to the unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God." The way I see it, my task as a priest and pastor, is to "equip the holy ones (all of you) for the work of ministry for the building up of the body of Christ." I am to equip you, who by your baptism have been given a special share in the ministry of building up the Church. This is precisely what the Called and Gifted program aims to accomplish. The Called and Gifted program is a tool to help you come to know and use the gifts (called Charisms) that God has given you individually to help build the Church. There are four CDs that you can listen to in the Parish Office on your own time to begin your discovery. Afterwards, you can have an interview with one of the seven of us in the parish trained to help you distinguish how a specific Charism may or may not have manifested in your life, how it is different from a natural talent, and some ways in which you can experimentin using a possible Charism for more discernment.

I will gladly spend my life to equip you with the tools and the strength you need to help build the Church. How else can I help you do that?

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