Pray for your priest

     Photo credit: stjosephsloftus.co.uk

Over the holidays, I met a young man who is aspiring to be a priest. I kind of observed him and I wondered what inspired him to become a priest and abandon most pleasures of the world especially the bitter sweet pleasures of marriage. 

This isn't the first time, I have often wondered why some priests become priests, why they even bothered. Some are so good looking that I feel they did a lot of injustice to the womenfolk.  

Some are so smart that if given the opportunity to lead our nation we wouldn't have all these nonsense going on now. 

Some of them would have given the likes of Tuface and Banky W or Flavour a run for their money. 

Anyway,  I have come to the conclusion that God chooses everyone and there's no difference in His eyes.  We see beauty and ugly but God sees only beauty.

My opinion about priests is that they should not be interested in anything earthly, money,  food, the opposite sex, politics,   parties etc.  They have been called to the service of God and humanity. 

I think I'm wrong though because these men are able bodied and have blood running through their veins.  

I engaged the young seminarian and he had this slightly edited submission on the priesthood.  

Hear him, 

"Now some people may think that the priesthood is a career, work, engagement, part time job, appointment, right? ( I really do not get this part)  

It is a "Call" (Voco- to call, from Latin lingua) This Divine Call is done by the Master (God- Deo) Who picks an unimaginable, unreserved, unworthy, common, unintelligent, unqualified candidate for the ministry. (This is quite profound) 

The Priest acts as a mediator with the Father (God) In the Mass, before consecration, he invites everyone as thus: "Pray brethren that our sacrifice may be acceptable to God Almighty"  The response follows, "May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands for the praise and glory of His Name for our good and the good of all His Holy Church". 

A priest constantly strengthens the bridge of mutual understanding between the people and God.

The life of a priest. 

In our present world today, some bless him, while some others simply ignore him.

The priest exists for the community but not everyone in the community accepts this fact.  

Here are some  instances that might get you thinking;

The poor are angry if he associates with the rich then they call him a Capitalist.

The rich feel insulted if he devotes himself to the poor and so they call him names too. 

The worldly minded look at him pityingly when they see him kneel before the terbanacle.

If he dresses poor, he is an agitator. If he is happy, enjoys life and believes in love, he is worldly and not a churchman.

If he relates with women, they term him a womanizer and a pimp (or even a gigolo! My addition) 

If decides to hang out with his fellow men, oh! here comes a gay priest.

If he chooses to keep away from both, they say he's secretive and tag him a sadist.

If he lives an auster, ascetic life,they will say that he is a "monk" and not a committed and current priest of the 21st century".

Submitted by Chukwuma Ebiziem

In my opinion it takes more than human efforts to become a priest and it's even harder to be faithful to the calling. 

Pray for your priest today!