The Year for Priests is more than half over, but the need for spiritual support of priests will never end. Our Holy Father, in declaring this special Year, has set us on the right path by calling attention to the ongoing need of priests to be more attentive to their own spiritual lives and for the rest of the faithful to appreciate and support all priests. Fr. Thomas Euteneuer's words at the beginning of this Year for Priests are worth repeating.
"Some realism about the priestly vocation has to both enlighten our view of priests and dampen our expectations of them. Catholic priests are not worldly leaders, they are not perfect and they are not God. Rather, they are God's chosen servants given the duty of blessing, teaching and leading souls to heaven, and for that reason they have a fierce reckoning to go through on the Day of Judgment. On the final day, the High Priest Himself will weigh His black-robed servants in the scales against the souls that were sent them for care, and the scales will not lie."
"Even though priests don't ask it enough, every priest needs the prayers of his people to support him against the wiles of the world, the flesh and the devil. More than anything, however, he needs prayers to strengthen and confirm him in the grace that he has been given to be that shining light of faith to the world. The grace from these prayers always returns to the one who prays because everyone who prays for priests is served better by them. Prayers for the priesthood in general add more soldiers to the ranks of the clergy and keep some of the failing ones from leaving. Prayers for individual priests and their souls are enormously helpful to a priest's integrity and his generosity of service. We must never underestimate the power of prayer for God's servants. They are always fruitful for the Kingdom of God."
~ Fr. Thomas Euteneuer, from Priests for the Kingdom ~
Mary, Mother of Jesus Christ, Eternal High Priest, Mother of all priests, and our Mother, help us respond generously to the Holy Spirit's request, through the voice of His Church, to offer up to God Eucharitic adoration for priests. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment