From pastor’s desk on the 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time, year A
This Sunday’s readings remind us of the importance of the role of priests, who are supposed to be the men of God. The role of the priest in the Old Testament was to offer a sacrifice on behalf of the people of Israel and to give an example of holy life with God. We hear in the first reading, however, about the priests who were unfaithful and how God rebuked them. God speaks through the prophet
Micah directing this warning to the priests of Jerusalem Temple:
“And now, O priests, this commandment is for you: If you do not listen, if you do not lay it to
heart, to give glory to my name, says the LORD of hosts, I will send a curse upon you and of
your blessing I will make a curse.”
These are very harsh words directed to those who both, stood before God on behalf of the people and represented God so that people could approach God without fear. The Temple priests had proved to be unworthy of their role and their sin was revealed, for they “turned aside from the way, and have caused many to falter by [their] instruction.” In other words, instead of bringing people to faith, they started doing their own business by violating the covenant God had established with the Chosen people on the mount Sinai. Human weakness again prevailed and the priests of the Temple had become a stumbling block to the simple folk. Hence, once more God had claimed what was His: the fate of the people.
Similarly, in the Gospel we hear an echo of the prophet Micah. But this time it is the Lord Jesus Himself, who rebukes the scribes and the Pharisees, who were supposed to help the Chosen People to know the Holy Scriptures and lead them to the deeper understanding of God, and eventually to the recognition of the Messiah. Instead, the scribes and the Pharisees were using their position to rule over people’s hearts and minds while keeping them in the dark. In this case the so-called religious people used their authority either for their own gain or because of their pride. Like the prophet Micah, Jesus is very straightforward while directing His message. Here too, Jesus pinpoints the sin of the scribes and the Pharisees sins: they do their piety as a show-off — “all their works are performed to be seen.” Consequently, they cannot or do not want to hear Jesus’ message. Hence, the Lord directly warns the people: “do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example. For they preach but they do not practice.”
It seems that the things have not changed much since Jesus’ times, for today too many of us, priests or theologians, do not do what God commended us to do. Unfortunately, for too many priests and theologians today, the priesthood or study of theology have become just a career or a lifestyle, not because they wanted to do that from the beginning, but rather because they have neglected their relationship with Jesus and the Blessed Mother. Yes, a lack of deeper relationship with God is the first indicator that a particular priest is on the way to lose his vocation. In my opinion, it is the key to understanding the crisis of the priesthood back in the ancient times and today. Too often we just rely on legality of the religion or we try to intellectualize our faith and mission instead of cultivating deeper ties with the Lord and the Blessed Mother through intense prayer, repentance and ongoing formation.
Since currently there are so few young men entering the seminaries or religious life because the crisis among the priests is too obvious, I ask you, please, unceasingly pray for vocations to the priesthood. Remember that without the priests there will be no sacraments: no baptisms, no confessions, no anointing of the sick, no holy matrimony, no Eucharist, eventually no Church. So, pray also for the priests you know so that we all may be truly the holy men of God. Thank you for your support and prayers.
Blessings to all.
Fr. Janusz Mocarski, pastor