The Life of a Priest

The life of a priest is marked by sacrifice and service, mirroring the life of Christ. In the presence of sacrifice, love thrives. The priest administers the Sacraments and addresses the needs of the community. He serves as the shepherd to his entrusted flock, similar to Christ as the shepherd of all humanity. Furthermore, he acts as an intermediary between God and humanity, sanctifying the people and drawing them nearer to God.

Each day brings distinct challenges and rewards, embodying the essence of the Gospel.

Every priest participates in the Mission of Jesus Christ and thus embraces the three roles of Christ:

Teacher – He educates others in the faith, proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ. He teaches through preaching the Word, instructing the people, and exemplifying a life of sacrifice.

Shepherd – As the leader of those in his care, the priest becomes the shepherd of his flock. He guides, unites, and encourages his spiritual children, to whom he is a FATHER.

Sanctifier – Through the administration of the Sacraments, God’s work of sanctifying His people is accomplished. God is made truly present and active in their lives.

All these roles are roles of service. At the Last Supper, Jesus washed the feet of his disciples, saying, “What I have done for you, you must do for one another.”

A priest must serve the people, bringing Christ’s love and strength into the parish, the school, the hospital room, the prison—wherever God’s people are found.

First and foremost, a priest should be a man of prayer. His most important daily prayer is to re-present the Sacrifice of Jesus in the Mass. Each day, his community will ask him, ‘Father, please pray for…’ and ‘Father, will you please lead us in a prayer…’

A priest also dedicates time daily to personal prayer with the Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) and personal reflection with the Lord in silent prayer, deepening his relationship with God and nurturing his ministry.

A priestly ministry devoid of prayer is a barren ministry that fails to bring life to the priest or the people.

Since ancient times, God’s people have needed voices to help them comprehend the Word of God. In Old Testament times, prophets fulfilled this role, and today, it falls to the priest to illuminate the Word so that people may understand God’s will more clearly.

When a priest is articulate, vibrant, and reflective in preaching the Word, his congregation is inspired about their faith and encouraged to practice it.

Therefore, the priest has a duty to teach his community how Christ’s life is relevant to theirs, answering the question, “How can I live my faith today?”

The Life of a Priest

The life of a priest is one of sacrifice and service, as it reflects the life of Christ. Where there is sacrifice, love flourishes. The priest administers the Sacraments and cares for the people. He is the shepherd of the flock entrusted to him, just as Christ is the shepherd of the entire human family. He also serves as a mediator between God and humanity, sanctifying the people and bringing them closer to God.

Each day brings its own unique challenges and rewards, truly embodying the life of the Gospel.

A Servant

A Man of Prayer

Preacher of the Word

A Man of the People

There is a tendency to place the priest on a pedestal for the wrong reasons. While the priest is marked by God to continue Christ’s saving work, it is crucial to remember that he is still a man. He is a vital servant of the Christian community and a member of that community.

Jesus came for the forgiveness of sins and to experience humanity fully. By living the human condition and remaining faithful to His Father, Jesus opened the gates of heaven to humanity and restored what was lost. He understood what it meant to be human and faced challenges “in all things, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15).

We believe that Jesus is fully human and fully divine. The priest is fully human, but with the divine character of Christ impressed upon him through the grace of ordination, known as ‘ontological change.’ This means that deep within his being, the priest is endowed with the necessary gifts to fulfill his duties. It does not mean the priest is divine; Fr. Bob Smith remains Bob Smith!

As a man of the people, the priest better understands the situations he encounters. He engages with those around him, getting to know them and accompanying them on life’s journey. A priest can experience a lifetime of events, from the Baptism of a newborn to the funeral of a recently deceased individual. In all this, the priest is a man of the people and for the people, part of the one family of God.

At the heart of the Church are the Sacraments. The invisible Jesus becomes visibly present through ordinary signs and symbols in a tangible, human way. The Lord works among us in various ways, but He truly becomes present in the Sacraments.

The bishop is the key sacramental sign of Jesus as the leader of His Church, sharing in the ministry of the apostles. Through ordination, the priest shares in the bishop’s ministry, effectively becoming a co-worker with the bishop.

Everything a priest does in his ministry flows from his ordination. He is a ‘walking sacrament,’ a ‘living icon’ of Jesus the Teacher and High Priest. When the priest acts in the sacraments, it is Jesus who acts. The priest serves as a mediator, just as Jesus is the mediator between God and humanity.

Mediator

Unworthy

Many men contemplating a vocation to the priesthood feel doubts and perceive many reasons why they might not fit the character profile, experiencing a sense of unworthiness and apprehension. This is quite normal.

No one is worthy of the priesthood. However, the Lord calls the weak—consider some of the apostles! Peter, the greatest, the Rock, the first Pope, pleaded, ‘Leave me, Lord; I am a sinful man’ (Luke 5:8). What matters is not how you feel, but whether Christ is calling YOU.

Priesthood is a free gift from God. We shouldn’t ask ‘Why me?’ but instead say, ‘Here I am, Lord, help me to do Your will.’ God doesn’t choose men because they are better or more worthy. The priest, like everyone else, is in need of salvation, forgiveness, and healing. He strives to live up to the call to holiness that we all received at baptism. Therefore, we should not be discouraged when God calls us to this great ministry; instead, we should take heart that He calls us to something that can help us live up to the call of holiness.

The priest is a man of humility, acknowledging that in his weakness, God calls him to do great things, and that in doing these things, it is God who acts through him in the power of the Holy Spirit.