The Priest — The Sign of Hope
As we continue as pilgrims during the Jubilee Year of Hope, one of the great signs of hope in our midst is the ministry of the priest. At a time when our world and nation are in such division, violence and disregard for the meaning of life, the priest lives and speaks boldly the true meaning of life. In the midst of this division, as artificial intelligence threatens further to alienate the human heart, it is the priestly heart that evokes the true wisdom of God’s love and compassion, which is the heart of who we are. In the sacraments, especially the Eucharist, the priest speaks the Word of God as no one else.
On June 12, Pope Leo XIV gave a moving address to the priests of Rome, shortly after his election as pope in May. He expressed, “We are concerned and saddened by everything that happens every day in the world: we are hurt by the violence that generates death, we are challenged by inequalities, poverty, many forms of social marginalization, the widespread suffering that assumes the features of an unease that no longer spares anyone. … The Lord wanted us in this time filled with challenges that, at times, seem to exceed our strength. We are called to embrace these challenges, to interpret them evangelically, to experience them as opportunities to bear witness. Let us not flee from them! Pastoral commitment, like that of study, becomes for us a school to learn how to build a kingdom of God in today’s complex and challenging history.”
The pope’s encouragement of priests during our challenging times reminds us in a vivid manner of the sign of hope that a priest is for each of us. As we celebrate Priesthood Sunday on Sept. 28, may we understand more how the Priesthood of Jesus Christ, of which every priest is a part, stands on its own and needs no justification. We have in our Diocese wonderful priests who are true signs of hope, who do not disappoint as they stand, day by day, to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ. Our world needs that Good News more than it needs anything else. It is the priest who stands in the very Person of Jesus Christ when he celebrates the Eucharist, and enters into the very hour of Jesus Christ as he gave his life for us on the cross. The priest feeds us with Christ’s Body and Blood on our journey through this life. Certainly, there is no greater sign of hope than the Eucharist.
One of the reasons that the priest is able to be a living sign of hope is his personal relationship with Christ to which God called him in a unique manner. In an address to priests from all over the world gathered in Rome for the Jubilee Year on June 26, Pope Leo spoke to them: “Jesus’ words, ‘I have called you friends’ (John 15:15), are not just an expression of the affection He felt for His disciples, but a real key to the meaning of our priestly ministry. The priest is a friend of the Lord, called to a personal trusting relationship with Him, nourished by the word, the celebration of the sacraments and daily prayer.” It is this friendship which enables the priest to enter into our lives as a messenger of hope. The priest, through his unique relationship to Christ, reminds us of the intimate relationship with Christ to which we are all called. This relationship is celebrated most intimately in all of the sacraments and especially in the Eucharist.
On July 27, the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Pope Leo ordained priests at St. Peter’s Basilica. In his homily, he exhorted those to be ordained, “Remember that the Church, in the 2,000 years of her history, has had — and today continues to have — wonderful examples of priests’ holiness. From the earliest communities on, the Church has raised up priests who have been martyrs, tireless apostles, missionaries and champions of charity. Cherish this treasure, learn their stories, study their lives and work, imitate their virtues, be inspired by their zeal, and invoke their intercession often and insistently! All too often, today’s world offers models of success and prestige that are dubious and short lived. Do not let yourselves be taken in by them! Look rather to the solid example and apostolic fruitfulness, frequently hidden and unassuming, of those who with faith and dedication have spent their lives in service of the Lord and their brothers and sisters.” We are grateful to our priests for living their lives as a hopeful reminder of what the true meaning of life is all about in a world where that meaning has become so confused.
All of us thank our priests for being the signs of hope that they are. We realize that we do not have as many priests as we would like to have. Let us continue to pray for young men to be open to the call of the Lord, which he continues to make. Let us not hesitate to encourage young men we know, in our families and in our parishes, to consider this call. May our prayers and our words of support to our priests remind them of how important they are to all of us. It is just as important to say thank you to a priest as it is to express dissatisfaction when we are not pleased with something.
I would like to make the words of Pope Leo expressed to the priests of Rome over the summer my own to the priests of our Diocese: “I assure you of my closeness, my affection and my readiness to walk with you. Let us entrust our priestly life to the Lord and let us ask Him to be able to grow in unity, exemplarity and clarity and prophetic commitment to serve our time.” Thank you for your ministry!
Most Reverend Geral M. Barbarito
