Optional Memorial of Saint Bernardine of Siena, Priest

Lectionary: 286

They appointed presbyters for them in each Church and,
with prayer and fasting, commended them to the Lord
in whom they had put their faith.

 T his coming Saturday I will celebrate my fiftieth anniversary of priesthood with friars, family, and friends here at Mount Saint Francis. And the following day, I'll preside at the Sunday Mass at Mary, Queen of Peace Church in Louisville, Ky. That will be the 50th anniversary of my first mass 

So I noticed in today's first reading Saint Luke's remark about the "appointed presbyters... in whom they had put their faith." 

Everyone who initiates a project in business, sports, or warfare must delegate authority to others as it grows from an idea to reality. It's how we get things done. Even solo artists must entrust their paintings, sculptures, or poetry to others for placement or distribution. If it's successful, the enterprise may grow into an institution with thousands or millions of people, each contributing their time, energy, and particular creative genius toward its goals. It may grow far beyond its original inspiration and become unrecognizable to its founder.  

In the Lord's project of announcing the Gospel to the nations, we must find worthy persons who never lose sight of its original inspiration. They must be recognized by him, even as they readily recognize him! And they keep their eyes on him. They will embody the Gospel, making it flesh and blood to others who must also come to believe in Jesus. This appointment cannot be temporary. It is not a job undertaken, completed, and dismissed. They are more than subordinates with assignments. 

Like the man in the street who attracts a crowd by staring at the sky, the appointed presbyter is always gazing upon the Lord, always fascinated by his goodness, beauty, authority, and mercy; and always learning the truth from Him. His fascination must draw others to look in the same direction. 

However, unlike the comedienne in the street, he actually sees something, and others see it with him. And they soon forget about whoever caused them to look upward in the first place. He's no longer interesting. Disciples of Jesus never draw attention to themselves. As the servants said, in Saint Luke's gospel, "We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do.’”

The Church understands ordination to the priesthood as an ontological transformation within the individual, like that of Baptism. Neither priests nor baptized belong to themselves; they are wholly and entirely the Lord's; and their lives are at his disposal. Like an article of furniture in a store that is marked "sold," the ordained cannot be given or sold to someone else. The priest is different only by the authority he exercises in the name of the bishop, whose authority, like his responsibility, is necessarily greater. All are directed to and by the Lord. 

For that reason, priests never retire from the priesthood, not even upon their death. I co-presided with a Lutheran minister once, several years ago, at a wedding of a Catholic/Lutheran couple. He was a pleasant fellow, conducted the service with devotion, and gave an edifying sermon about marriage. I was astonished a year later, to learn he had left the ministry to become an insurance salesman. With all due respect to salesmen, it seemed like a huge comedown. 

Recently, Catholics have seen bishops and priests leaving the ministry, and some cardinals being retired. It's profoundly disappointing, to say the least. But, if one of the Twelve could betray the Lord, we can hardly be surprised. Faced with these incidents, we do not lose faith. Nor do rationalize away the sorrow with excuses for the wrong. The sin may belong to the one who put his hand to the plow and looked back; or to those authorities who overlooked what should have been obvious before his ordination. But a wrong has been done and the rest of the Church offers prayers and sacrifices in atonement for that. 

Saint Luke says nothing about how the presbyters in Antioch were chosen, but we can be sure they were not those who thought they had a right to lead.  They were chosen, as the Author of Hebrews says:

No one takes this honor upon himself but only when called by God, just as Aaron was.

But I confess I desperately wanted to be a priest as the goal came closer. I had wanted it all along and made more than a few sacrifices along the way. But in the ensuing years I have had to recognize my unworthy motives and foolish arrogance. In celebrating fifty years, I acknowledge what the Lord has done with this Adam, this creature made of mud. And I am grateful that he has used me.