The number I keep hearing is that around 15,000 priests from around the world joined Pope Benedict in Rome for the conclusion of the Year for Priests. I watched the Vigil on Thursday night and low and behold the camera panned through the crowd and there was a priest friend of mine who I had just seen in Missouri a couple of weeks ago enjoying the celebration up front! I loved the answers Pope Benedict gave to the five priests who got to ask a question of him at the Vigil. And I love that he answered their questions off the cuff - he didn't have a pre-written answer. I'm still looking for an English translation of his answers, so when I find that I'll probably post something about it. I did find his homily from the Mass concluding the Year for Priests though so here are some highlights from that (my emphases in bold; my comments in blue):
"The priest is not a mere office-holder, like those which every society needs in order to carry out certain functions. Instead, he does something which no human being can do of his own power: in Christ’s name he speaks the words which absolve us of our sins and in this way he changes, starting with God, our entire life. Over the offerings of bread and wine he speaks Christ’s words of thanksgiving, which are words of transubstantiation – words which make Christ himself present, the Risen One, his Body and Blood – words which thus transform the elements of the world, which open the world to God and unite it to him. The priesthood, then, is not simply “office” but sacrament: God makes use of us poor men in order to be, through us, present to all men and women, and to act on their behalf. This audacity of God who entrusts himself to human beings – who, conscious of our weaknesses, nonetheless considers men capable of acting and being present in his stead – this audacity of God is the true grandeur concealed in the word “priesthood”. " (The focus on the identity of the priest - that it is an identity, not simply a job - is awesome! It's important for priests to know who they are - that they are in persona Christi - and it's important for the laity to know who the priest is. Knowing who the priest truly is helps the laity come to love the priesthood and appreciate everything about the priesthood, which in turn fosters support of our priests and will most definitely lead to an increase in priestly vocations. When parents truly know who the priest is, they will encourage their sons to consider the priesthood which will lead to young men discovering that they have a priestly vocation. It is absolutely crucial that both the priest and the laity know what priestly identity is all about!)
"...the Lord shows us the right way to be human. He teaches us the art of being a person. What must I do in order not to fall, not to squander my life in meaninglessness? This is precisely the question which every man and woman must ask and one which remains valid at every moment of one’s life." (Thank you, Papa B! Preach it! Jesus shows us what it means to be human! "Christ fully reveals man to himself" - Guadium et Spes. I love the phrase that Benedict uses: 'the art of being a person'. Every human person is beautiful - made in the image and likeness of God - you are God's work of art. If you want to know more about how Jesus shows us what it means to be human, come to our Theology of the Body studies this fall!)
"We see in these words [he's talking about the end of Psalm 23] a kind of prophetic foreshadowing of the mystery of the Eucharist, in which God himself makes us his guests and offers himself to us as food – as that bread and fine wine which alone can definitively sate man’s hunger and thirst." (Keep preachin' it, Holy Father! God alone can satisfy all our hungers and thirsts. Our thirst for love. Our hunger for beauty and truth. Everything. As St. Augustine said, "Our hearts are restless til they rest in You." God alone can fully quench our thirst and satisfy our hunger. He is telling us this by offering himself to us in the Holy Eucharist.)
Even though the Year for Priests has concluded, let's be sure to continue to pray for our priests, bishops and the Pope - and don't forget about the deacons! All of the clergy need our prayers to lift them up to God so that they may remain faithful to their vows and live lives of holiness and authenticity. We are blessed with so many faithful and holy priests throughout the world - let's show them our thanks for saying 'Yes!' to God's call by our prayers and support! Also, be sure to pray for our seminarians who are discerning God's call in their lives. We especially thank the seminarians currently studying for our diocese: Patrick Murphy, David Baunach, Mathew Stephens, J.B. Kelly, Joseph Kelly and Michael Kuper. And I also thank my cousin Eric who is currently in seminary! You guys are awesome!
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