Congregation for the Clergy on 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time

Faithfulness to God and to His law is an indispensible condition in order to be acceptable to Him and for the effectiveness of every Christian testimony.  If this is valid for every person who is baptized, then it is even more pertinent for the Priests.  Faithfulness to the Lord in the personal, moral and ministerial duty is the means by which to avoid 'causing many to falter', rendering them far from the Church and therefore directly from God, due to one's own conduct.  

P>VATICAN CITY (Catholic Online) - Sunday's Liturgy of the Word had a strong call to conversion for all believers, especially for the Priests who are have received the responsibility for the leadership of the Community.  The Prophet Malachi affirms, 'And now, O priests, this warning is for you [:.] You have turned aside from the way, and have caused many to falter by your instruction; you have made void the covenant of Levi, [.] I, therefore, have made you contemptible and base before all the people, since you do not keep my ways' (Mal 2:1,3-4) 

Faithfulness to God and to His law is an indispensible condition in order to be acceptable to Him and for the effectiveness of every Christian testimony.  If this is valid for every person who is baptized, then it is even more pertinent for the Priests.  Faithfulness to the Lord in the personal, moral and ministerial duty is the means by which to avoid 'causing many to falter', rendering them far from the Church and therefore directly from God, due to one's own conduct.  

The full theological, pastoral value and significance of the responsibility of the exercise of the ministry must be recuperated.  If it is fruitful and charged with the promise of the right development of the communal baptismal vocation, it certainly doesn't underestimate the preeminent rule that providence has entrusted to the Priest in order to testify and teach the Gospel.

We must not ever forget the authoritative call of the Lord: 'When a man has had a great deal given him, a great deal will be demanded of him; when a man has had a great deal given him on trust, even more will be expected of him.' (Lk 12:48)  Without fear, but in full knowledge of the gravity of the vocation received, we are called to implore from divine Mercy the gift of a luminous faith, a constant commitment, vigilant attention, a tireless asceticism so that our lives are ever more conformed by grace to that of the crucified, risen, Christ.

The pay back for sin is death!  The fruit of infidelity is to become contemptible in the eyes of our brothers: 'I, therefore, have made you contemptible and base before all the people' (Mal 2:4)  The recent dramatic events that have affected the body of the Priesthood, in many cases defacing the image of sanctity of the Church in the eyes of the faithful and clouding its radiance, testify to the truth of the Prophet Malachi's prophecy. 

We hope that a lay person or a priest never happens to fall into the same error that the Lord refers to in the Gospel with such unequivocal clarity:  'You must therefore do what they tell you and listen to what they say, but do not be guided by what they do: since they do not practice what they preach' (Mt 23:3)  The harmony, which tends ever more closely between proclamation and witness, between 'what one says' and 'what one does', is the first reason for credibility and the only true, universal and effective pastoral strategy!  The only 'pastoral plan' that brings the fruits of evangelisation with surety, is sanctity!

This sanctity, has a unequivocal name: love.  It reminds us of St Paul's poignant expression:  'We were gentle among you, as a nursing mother cares for her children.  With such affection for you, we were determined to share with you not only the gospel of God, but our very selves as well, so dearly beloved had you become to us.' (1 Thes 2:7-8)  It is this 'temperature' of love that gives birth to the faith!  It is to this type of 'pastoral care' that every priest is called.  In this way, love becomes an irresistible witness and an invincible apostolic work of evangelisation.  Who can resist the love of a mother?  Who can refuse the closeness and testimony of he who is willing to offer his own life?

He who loves, also always knows his rightful place:  that  of the servant:  'The greatest amongst you must be your servant' (Mt 23:11)  Holiness is reflected in a love freely given and translates itself, finding its very apex, in the service of others.  Affiliation to Christ makes all those baptised 'servants' of the faith and of the happiness of mankind.  The ontological configuration to Christ makes the Priest the 'special servants', called to a particular intimacy and friendship with their Lord and, therefore, to an equally great loyalty and responsibility.

May the Blessed Virgin Mary, mother who more that anyone 'cares for her children', protect all the Priests in the world and make their countenance shine before men of holiness, love and service.

Citations of
Mal 1,14b-2,2b.8-10:  www.clerus.org/bibliaclerusonline/en/9avr3xd.htm
 www.clerus.org/bibliaclerusonline/en/9aml45b.htm
1Th 2,7b-9.13:   www.clerus.org/bibliaclerusonline/en/9abumkb.htm   
Mt 23,1-12:    www.clerus.org/bibliaclerusonline/en/9abttkw.htm 

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