Why do we feel loneliness in the seminary? Why do we miss our home, as if the seminary is not a home formed by Christ? Why do we want to run away from it? Why do we want to be secular persons? Why don’t we want to obey the superior or our fellow man? Why do we live our lives for ourselves only?
Bishop Fulton Sheen says that “A PRIEST IS NOT HIS OWN.” What does it means? We know that God’s Call is for all of us. We need to respond Him what he wants us to be as we are created in the likeness of Him.
There are numerous reasons for us to become priest of God, when we read Psalms for prayers we see there are Old Testament priests of God who offer offerings to God. Like Aaron and his two sons, Melechizedek. They live for People of God. Are we selfish enough to be priest for ourselves alone or to run away from the Call of God? There is no way. If One wants to be priest he must be for the people of God. We share ourselves. We break ourselves so as to be the offerings on the altar and at the same time we are the priests who offer.
There are many priests holy and working for the children of God. They are called messengers of Christ the savior. They bear Christ, they speak truth. They do what needs to be done for the common good. They never hesitate to give their lives to prove that their lives are for Christ alone. Once Jesus said he hates those who are Luke warmers. We must be cold or hot. Otherwise he will spit us out.
I wish to present you this small touching story.
A fatal epidemic attacked the Eskimos settlements in Alaska. The missioner was busy everywhere in his neighborhood, bringing medicine and giving to the dying.
An urgent message came asking him to come to a camp 60 miles away, but his own villagers crowded around him begging him not to leave them while the stricken were dying everyday. He stayed a few days until the worst seemed over, and then harnessing his dogs, set out on the long journey.
There he found a terrible state of things: sick and dying in every hut; outside, eleven dead bodies frozen stiff awaiting burial. After attending to the sick he returned to the bodies to say a prayer. He noticed that each corpse held a folded strip of birch-tree bark in its dead hand. Was it some superstition perhaps? Then he saw writing on the outside of the bark (which Eskimos use as writing material). “To be opened only by the father,” said writing. On these each of the men had written their last confession to show they had sorrow for their sins.
Each of them had a message something like this, “This is my confession. Please father, offer a mass for my soul; for and offering I am leaving a beaver skin, a sealskin…” and so on……
There are many places which need many priests for the salvation of souls, consolation of restless minds. Let’s try ourselves ready for this reason. When we are priest we will become somebody in Christ. Let us give ourselves in humility for the people because there is no selfish person in heaven. Christ wills it and waiting you to bless eternally. There is vacant place in the Company of Christ, for you. “You are needed to be Priest.”
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