Happy Good Shepherd Sunday! Thank your priests today for all they do phisically and spiritually for you and your parish. Our souls would be dead without them.
Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep. I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I will lay down my life for the sheep.”
Jn 10:11-18
A priest is called and accepts his call from God. He then lays prostrate before the bishop at ordination on the altar to lay down his life for the flock of the diocese he will serve. The bishop and all priests of the diocese will lay their hands on the head of the transitional deacon/soon to be priest passing on the authority Jesus gave the Apostles.
Sometimes we criticize a priest because of their homilies, personality, what they do or don’t do, whether they are approachable, a good finance person, good with the kids, etc. None of these things, although they are important, even come close to the importance of the spiritual things a priest gives us. Our souls would be dead. We would not have the grace of God to sustain us. We would not be able to receive Jesus. We would not have our sins reconciled with God. We would not be able to receive our last rites before we die or babies that don’t make it after birth. Religious brothers and sisters would have no one to bring Jesus to them. Hospitals would not have priests to do Mass, anoint the sick, or do emergency baptisms. We are talking about salvation issues here. Yet, many times we focus on the human shortcomings or the good attributes of a priest’s physical abilities. They have laid down their life for their sheep. Pray for them and all of our seminarians. They give all! They give all for you and me!
If you feel a little tug to be a priest, I ask you what nobler vocation is there. You get to save souls on a daily basis. You get to act in the person of Christ and God performs miracles through you everyday. It is worth going to seminary to discern!
Thank you God for giving us our priests to sustain our souls! Amen.
Become a saint!
Christian YOLO
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