Priest and religious in the Kingdom of God
You certainly know people, who dress differently than the general public, they voluntarily give up starting their own family and lead a slightly different lifestyle. These are our priests, nun, nuns. What are they actually doing ? Could you describe just one day of their lives ? Could you list any works, works done by them ?
There are certainly such people, who believe, that priests and religious do nothing or that their activities are completely unnecessary. They see them as unproductive people. Others see their work for society, therefore they value and respect them, taking care, that they fully deserved it. Who's right ?
Priest - in the service of God and man
You have met many priests in your life. You see him often in your parish : in the church, in the catechetical room, maybe he comes to your house. You see him at the altar, you hear, how the word of God translates. Do you know, that he also confesses, gives the sacraments, presides over various services, procesjom. Maybe you've met him sometime, when he was going to the sick.
Try to take a closer look at his work. It is not always easy and pleasant. Hearing a confession for several hours is exhausting and requires constant attention. The priest devotes most of his time to catechesis, not always in favorable conditions. And any teaching requires so physical effort, and mental. Just like the doctor, the priest must be ready to rush to the sick person no matter what time of day or night, no matter the weather or rain. He must always be ready to serve others. And if we add other additional matters to it, which sometimes make life difficult for you ? - After all, not everyone has a beautiful and carefully finished church, a comfortable presbytery and kind people in the parish. He also has these troubles and activities, that every human has.
And for whom the priest does all this ? Certainly not for myself. After all, he might have taken up a profession, which would be his livelihood. After performing his duties, he would have time to himself. The chaplain, on the other hand, must be ready to serve throughout the day. In addition, his material existence is completely dependent on his parishioners. Why did he undertake this service ? One day he understood clearly, that God wants to use him, to bring people salvation. And today a priest works in your parish for this, that all believers, so do you too, they could unite with God and build God's kingdom. For through the ministry of the priest, Christ is among us, and the Church can continue to fulfill her saving mission. And just as the Church will build God's Kingdom on earth until the end of the world, so there will be people in every generation, who will answer God's call and lay down their lives, to serve God's cause with one's person.
A priest caring for the divine life of his parishioners, at the same time it contributes to the ennoblement of their earthly lives. With your sermons, he wants to influence this by teaching in confession and by his personal attitude, to make people better and happier. Wants, that they may grow in their mutual coexistence : justice, honesty, veracity and punctuality, diligence, gentleness.
And it has always been so in history. Everywhere there, where the influence of the Church reached through the priest, people not only started to pray to the true God, but also all earthly affairs, such as work, science, fun, imbued with the spirit of the Gospel. And then the morals softened, and life became calmer and happier. It is the same today. The Church is not limited to proclaiming the Gospel, but he speaks up on all matters of the modern world. He talks about hunger, overpopulation, the threat of war, cultural needs and human civil rights. (Remember papal encyclicals, trips of the Holy Father. to different countries, speeches etc.). So you can rightly say, that the priest is both a servant of God and of His kingdom on earth, as well as a servant of man, helping him to become better and nobler.
Orders - or just for your own salvation ?
Besides priests, you probably know other clergymen : men and women religious. We address them by saying "brother" and "sister", and if a religious is also a priest, we tell him "father". There are many religious families in the Church : male and female. The history of their creation is interesting and long. When some extraordinary situation arose, society was plagued by a need, or the teaching of God was in danger of error, then God sent a providential man, inspired by a special grace and tried to remedy the evil. Other zealots of God soon gathered around him, and thus a new law was born.
This was the case, for example. in the 6th century, during the "migration of peoples". Then Benedict of Norcia began to create large monastic settlements, which apart from serving God, they served the people of that time by teaching them how to cultivate the land, building houses, breeding, crafts. This is how the foundations of a new European culture were created. In the Middle Ages as a result of continual Arab invasions, and then the Tatars and Turks, many people were held captive by Muslims for years. Then there were people, who sacrificed their lives for them. They collected money to restore their freedom, and when it was necessary, they sold themselves into slavery. They started special orders for the redemption of slaves.
W XIII w. while, when wealth and a comfortable life became the ideal of people, God inspired St.. Francis of Assisi and he showed him through his evangelical poverty, how to view these matters. Others followed him, giving rise to mendicant orders. Other orders and religious congregations in the Church were established in a similar way, e.g.. charlotte, lazarystów, Salesians, handmaid of the Blessed Virgin Mary, school brothers, Piarists, Jesuits, Albertines and others.
How do they differ from each other ? They were born of the changing needs of the Church. Therefore, they seem to differ in terms of their specialties. Each order prepares its members for their own purposes. So for some, the ministry of the sick comes to the fore, with others, caring for orphans, in still others, learning at school, writing books, that is, the apostolate with a pen, missions among people in pagan countries, etc.. That members of individual orders could be good specialists in their field, Religious educators try to shape them appropriately. Therefore, they pay special attention to this virtue and this character trait, which will be particularly needed in a given job, e.g.. on the spirit of poverty, mercy, obedience, the spirit of fine, contemplation, the idea of redress, educational sense, preaching abilities, passion for physical work, for the care of the sick, ability to work in research, etc..
You ask now : what's all this for ? - we have so many social institutions, which deal with most of these matters. it is true, but this was not always the case. And even today, orders in the countries of the so-called. Of the Third World, they do what they used to. In some countries, he willingly devotes himself to religious orders, e.g.. caring for the handicapped and terminally ill. This work requires heroic patience and generous dedication. Besides, the orders, dealing with human needs so comprehensively, they are the image of Christ bending over our human life. Same Christ, who once prayed here on earth and repented of human sins, he healed the sick, taught, comforted, admonished, now he is doing it with the hands of men and women religious. Their activities are not only religious, but also charity, social, scientific, cultural, economic and everything else teaches us, that all human affairs must be imbued with the spirit of Christ, to bring us closer to God.
This is what the monasteries do. The work of religious orders for the benefit of mankind teaches us, that service to one's neighbor is man's most beautiful vocation. So it is worth giving up such matters for her, like your own family, own property and personal freedom. For this purpose, men and women religious make three vows : poverty, chastity and obedience. As a result, they become the property of the entire Church and can freely devote themselves to the service of God and neighbor. Thus sanctifying yourself, they come closer to Christ. Such people will be needed by the Church until the end of the world.
A vocation to God's service
Do not be surprised, when you sometimes hear of a special priestly or religious vocation. For the Church constantly needs new sacrificial people, completely dedicated to the service of God and neighbor, so that he can fulfill his saving mission. He waits for them and often prays for good and numerous spiritual vocations. He also underlines this, that this vocation has a special character. For God calls man to every state or profession, giving him a certain love and talent. But the spiritual calling is more complex. Whom Jesus wants to see a priest, monk or nun, instills in his heart a love for life not for himself, but for others. It also arouses special interest, whether it is priestly work, or religious life and its specific activities. The candidate must not lack adequate physical and mental health, nor certain mental faculties and moral qualities. When a boy or girl sees God's calling in himself and wants to follow it, he reports to a seminary or to a particular order or congregation. Then the clergy superiors put the candidate or candidate for several years. They educate his mind, they strengthen character - they nurture the seed of vocation, thus educating a future priest or religious. The day finally comes, when the Church solemnly calls him to serve in the priesthood or order. This is done by conferring on him the sacrament of priesthood, or by admitting him to three religious vows : cleanliness, poverty and obedience.
How will I answer God ?
Idea, as you were looking at the priest thus far, monk, nuns ? Do you have respect and appreciation for them ? Have you been kind to them ? Have you prayed for them ? Perhaps hearing some unfavorable opinion about them, you nodded indiscriminately ? How can you help priests and religious ? The Church today needs many good priests, men and women religious. Or perhaps God is calling you to such a life ? What should you do, to strengthen in oneself or in others this kind of divine call ? I will pray for numerous priestly vocations : "We ask you, Lord, send laborers into your harvest, that the commandments of Your only-begotten Son may be kept constantly, and His sacrifice may be renewed everywhere " (Collect of the Mass. for priestly vocations).
■ Think :
1. When and where do you meet the priest ?
2. Who does the priest work for ?
3. What is the priest's service to the people ?
4. How Religious Orders Were Formed ?
5. What role do they play today ?
6. Who calls to the priesthood and to the law ?
7. Who admits to the sacrament of priesthood and religious vows ?
8. What is a theological seminary and novitiate for ?
■ Remember :
46. “The harvest is indeed great, but few workers : therefore pray to the Lord of the harvest, to send out laborers into his harvest " (Luke 10, 2).
■ Task :
1. find out, how many priests, men and women religious come from your parish, where they work, what they do and to what law they belong ? Write it down in your notebook.
2. What kind of priests do you know, who contributed to the development and progress of our homeland in scientific matters, social, economic, charities ?