Twice I have had the privilege
of visiting the Holy Land. It was a wonderful experience to be able to visit
all the places where Jesus lived and preached. I remember being struck at seeing
shepherds leading their sheep,
something which I had never seen in any other country, because they are a
different kind of animal. At one stage we were about to celebrate mass in what
is celebrated as ‘The Shepherd’s Field’ where the shepherd’s who saw the angels
were meant to have been. As we were getting ready for mass, two heads popped up
over the hill and then two sheep came to us and walked right into the middle of
everyone and began poking around. The only sheep I have ever seen would run
away. In Palestine the shepherd walks in front and the sheep follow in a line
behind. You can still see them doing this in the fields. It makes more sense of
what we read in the Scriptures where Jesus says ‘I know my sheep and mine know
me’ and ‘He leads me to green pastures.’
I also remember hearing a
story of a tourist who was visiting one of these places and was looking at the
sheep. To his horror he watched as the shepherd took one of the lambs and
deliberately broke its leg. When he saw this he went over and began to give out
to the shepherd, saying ‘I saw what you just did.’ The shepherd got angry and
said ‘You know nothing about what is going on here’. He then explained to the tourist what he was
doing. He said that the lamb was constantly running away, because he was afraid
of the shepherd. Therefore he was constantly in danger of getting lost or being
eaten by a wild animal. When this happens the shepherd breaks the leg of the
animal and immediately puts it into a splint to heal. During the time it is
healing, he carries the animal on his shoulders. By the time it has healed the
lamb is no longer afraid of the shepherd and stays close to him and is
therefore no longer in danger of getting lost. They actually do this.
Today is vocations Sunday,
also known as ‘Good Shepherd Sunday’; a day when we remember and pray for
priests. St. Thérèse of Lisieux said she could never understand why people
were always saying that we should pray for priests until she went on a
pilgrimage to Rome with several priests. Then she understood! Priests
are just men like any other men, with the same strengths and weaknesses. The priest
is meant to be a shepherd, one who leads people to God, or points people in the
direction of God. If I am to do that, my life as a priest must be completely
centred on God to begin with, because I cannot give you what I do not have. Nothing
I have of myself will be of any use to you. The only thing that I have which is
of any use to you is what I receive from God. I am only a vessel or instrument
of God; at least that is the idea.
We also know that we
priests are not always as good as we should be. Sadly we have often let people
down in different ways and even led people away from God, which is something
that we will be answerable to God for.
In the book of Ezekiel God says to the prophet, ‘Woe to the shepherds of
Israel who only take care of themselves. Should not shepherds take care of the
sheep?’ (Ex 34:2). I always find that line a bit frightening. God has given me
the gift of the priesthood, but it also comes with a lot of responsibility. I
will be answerable for how I have lived it.
So why does God keep on calling
people who are weak? Why doesn’t He pick stronger people, or more reliable
people? I have no doubt it is to make it all the more obvious that we are only
instruments that He uses. Of ourselves we are nothing, but the message that we
pass on to you from God is everything. It is like a glass of really good wine. Whether
the glass itself is good or bad, beautiful or ugly, is irrelevant. What matters
is the content. If you find yourself disappointed with a priest, or if he lets
you down, try and remember that. A priest is not the Church. He is one person and
a certain amount of people will always cause scandal. One out of twelve of the Apostles
betrayed Jesus.
While it is a great help if
the priest is a holy man, the only thing that is really important is the
message that he is bringing. We are only messengers, or as St. Paul says, ‘But
we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this
extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us’ (2 Cor 4:7). We
are only cracked pots that carry this extraordinary treasure. What matters is
the treasure that we bring to you and not the one who carries that treasure. That
treasure is the teaching of Jesus Christ, that He has won eternal life for us
through his death and resurrection; that He is Lord of all things and all
things are subject to him; that He has given us the Scriptures, the Eucharist,
the forgiveness of sins. That is the only thing that matters. Jesus is the one
who offers us the fullness of life, and He is the only one who can offer it. We
continue to turn to him for life and hopefully we priests will continue to be
vessels, or instruments, helping people to rediscover these extraordinary
treasures which God has given us, in spite of our weakness.
What if the priest is not
a very holy man and even living a bad life? Is God less present in the mass or
anywhere else, because the priest is not a good man? Of course not. God would
never let his presence depend on the holiness of a priest. Even if the priest
is living a bad life, the bread and wine still become the Body and Blood of
Christ; sins are still forgiven through confession, the sick receive the same
grace when they are anointed.
I know a lot of priests
and most of them are good men and many of them are holy men, but we also need
prayer, because we are human beings and we are subject to the same temptations
as everyone else. We need your support and that is how it is meant to work. The
shepherd guides the flock and the flock take care of their shepherd. That has
also been my experience and I thank you for that. We all try to play our part.
God has given us the
priesthood so that we can have the Eucharist, the gift of Jesus himself. The
two are intimately linked and are a great gift to us. Everything God gives us is
to help us and because He loves us.
‘I have come
that you may have life and have it to the full.’
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