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A. MINISTRY -- The performance of a service function for another. The office, duties, or functions of a minister of religion. B. VOCATION - A summons from God to an individual to undertake the obligations and perform the duties of a particular task or function in life: a divine call to a place of service to others in accordance with the divine plan: A divine call to a religious career as shown by natural inclinations and one’s fitness. C. PROFESSION - An occupation or employment requiring a high degree of training, skill proficiency. D. JOB - A regular, remunerative employment, situation, position. A priest is ideally the consummate ultimate of these four definitions. In practicality and over the years, some of the attributes get tarnished; some of the skills and proficiency diminish. Some of the ordination zeal is squelched or drained. Sometimes the lure of the world and the flesh become the priorities. Sometimes the modern term “burn-out” results in an apathy and depression. And, there are some who are on fire; who have the same type of potential detriments and temptations, but who have either maintained or renewed their vision; who remember and draw strength from the words of Scripture, “He who has begun a good work in me, is able and just to complete it!” As one of God’s anointed and ordained, your priesthood can be assumed to be a valid answer to God’s call. You are His chosen vessel. Even the most humbling of views, “He is the potter, you are the clay”, is a blessing because He has been melting you and molding you. Were there deficiencies in your character, aptitude, or abilities, He was and is perfectly capable of supplying your lack. The human weakness of one’s flesh is remedied by the holiness of Him who became for us a high priest “holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners” (Heb. 7:26). Having set forth parameters which could be seen as a part of God’s design and your present positioning in that design, you deserve applause and encouragement if you are on the ‘up’ side, and empathy and encouragement if you are the on the ‘down’ side. If you are progressing, much of the following will be insightful and reminding. Primarily, it is being offered as a sort of self-examination so that where there is regression, it can be privately explored. It would seem that turning the negatives into positives would be the beginning of a Holy Spirit directed remedy. By reviewing the definitions, you can assess the present emotional and factual status of your priesthood. Since it is unlikely that any of God’s anointed are completely devoid of some measure of each of the positive elements, a simple line evaluation of 1 to 10 (10 being the optimum positive) will suffice. A final note: None of this is intended to be condemnatory. Let it be a means of implementing an answer to your daily Communion prayer, “Do not let it bring me condemnation, but health in mind and body!” When you seek Him, He will be found, when you call to Him, you will be heard. What is your understanding of the term ‘ministry’? Do you have to redefine it in comparison to your ordination years? If the Webster’s dictionary definition is different in significant respects from your own, perhaps yours in no longer primarily ministry, but more focused on the profession and job categories. The secondary ‘ministry’ definition does encompass duties and functions’ but the Scriptures, the laity and even your own initial dream of priesthood was that of a holy man, anointed by God and consecrated to Him, whose total mission (ministry) in life is the salvation and spiritual growth of those souls entrusted to your care. It is at this point where it is most likely that self-defense comes in. Most likely it will focus on the demands on time and emotional drain of operating a parish, especially the administrative, and the diversity of groups, societies and committees vying for the Pastor’s attention. In most instances this comment is an excuse rather than a reason. One definition of ‘excuse’ is, “The use of a self serving minor reason to avoid or explain what isn’t being carried out”. Before exploring the remedy, it would also be well to look into the real possibility that a ‘hierarchical potentate’ syndrome is one’s own inward culprit.
In today’s parishes there is a modern sophistication of many parishioners, and ever improving means of administrating, so that the priests could, with a will and willingness, delegate the details and meaningful authority to those who are equipped to handle them by virtue of their own skills and aptitudes. Potential excuse number two - we can’t make ends meet now! Earlier, we mentioned ‘vision’. If you will take a look backward, you will be reminded that when the church flourished, parishioners gave of their time and money from the heart. Yes, sometimes there was a form of pulpit bludgeoning, but for the most part, giving was from the heart and surely, “out of her need”. Today, we do not want to burden from the altar, so that sermons are ambiguous and non-confrontational and non-confronting. We do not teach giving from the altar, which is practically the only platform left for teaching, today. Instead, we try to invent painless ways of separating people form their money, so that they are not ‘giving unto the Lord’, but spending and receiving something of value, even if it’s just a chance to come out ahead. To summarize this excuse and provide a real basis for Pastor and Parochial Vicars to get back to the spiritual basis for their priesthood, consider this: First, come to an honest understanding and evaluation of what your present attitudes and conditions are. Is the primary focus of your time and efforts anything other than the direct well-being of your flock? One Pastor offered that, without a well-maintained, comfortable physical plant, quality of worship would be diminished and it would be counter-productive if he did not maintain a hands-on policy. A short passage from Vatican II will put that excuse to rest, “Priests who are perplexed and distracted by the very many obligations of their positions may be anxiously enquiring how they can reduce to unity their interior life and their program of external activity. This unity of life cannot be brought about merely by an outward arrangement of the works of the ministry, not by the practice of spiritual exercises alone. Priests can achieve it by following in the fulfillment of their ministry the example of Christ the Lord, whose meat was to do the will of Him who sent Him that He might perfect His work. (Jn 4:34) Secondly, seek out a brother priest, preferably one whose spiritual fruit of the Spirit is reasonably obvious. Of course, this will mean becoming vulnerable. Your ego may take a basting, but the rewards are “out of this world.” Remember that the majority of your brothers have walked in the same shoes and paths, and that there is a built-in love and concern. Ask him to be, in a sense, a spiritual sounding board. As men, we tend to try to maintain an “in control and in charge” attitude and outward appearance. In fact, the ideal priestly ministry would place the top priority on the spiritual aspects of priesthood with prudent delegation and overseeing of the administrative and other phases of Pastorship. The help and encouragement which a priest gives to his brother priest is personally sustaining, in itself. © Peace Valley House “AND GOD SPOKE THROUGH JEREMIAH…..(3:15) “I will appoint over you shepherds after my own heart, who will shepherd you wisely and prudently.” Dear Heavenly Father, You have called our Priests to holy lives according to your own designs. For this reason, we ask you to help them, through our prayers, to stir into flame the gift You have bestowed upon them that they may continue to guard the rich deposit of faith with the help of the Holy Spirit who dwells within them and to bear with courage their share of the hardship which the gospel entails. Father in your plan for salvation You provide shepherds for your people. In the name of Jesus, our High Priest and intercessor, we ask that our priests may receive a:
S-- a SERVANT’S heart committed to enthusiastic service of leadership. Father, we thank you for hearing our prayer and ask that You protect them from the evil one and keep them always in Your love. Amen.
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