Saturday, August 4, 2012

It is not easy to be a priest...

Homily given during the celebration of the memorial of St. John Marie Vianney, patron of all priests, with priest-representatives from the different community of priests that belong to OLPP.


Today we celebrate the feast of St. John Marie Vianney, the Cure of Ars and the patron of all priests. It was said that St. John Vianney almost quit on Ars. When nothing seemed to be happening in changing the ways of the people of Ars, in the middle of the night, St. John left his convent and was actually walking to get out of Ars. At the edge of the town, he found himself in the cemetery. He went through the tombstones and read the names of the dead. He asked himself, “If the priest of Ars leaves, who would take care their souls?”


This changed his mind. He started walking back to the town and decided to stay as the priest of Ars. He stayed there for 42 years and became the holiest priest Ars would ever have.


It’s not easy to be a priest.
It’s not easy to carry the responsibility of taking care of people’s faith, building communities, running a parish, running a school, doing formation, providing hope, comfort and consolation, challenging complacency, helping the poor, making sure that the world knows about Jesus and ensuring that He remains at the center of every Christians’ life.


And yet today we celebrate the gift of the priesthood.
This is one unique gift in our parish; this community enjoys the blessing of having several communities of priests whose mere presence gives witness to God’s faithful love for his Church. Today, we celebrate together this gift. We celebrate in gratitude; thanking the Lord for the inspiring hope that is engendered every time we see servants of the Lord who continue to offer themselves selflessly.


But we do not forget that this gift of the priesthood has not come without sacrifice. This has not come without challenges being surmounted and trials being conquered. Sabi nga ni Dolphy, “Hindi ko narating ito nang nag-iisa.”


We have not become who we are merely on our own efforts. We rely on the mercy of God. A young man does not become a seminarian on his own. A seminarian does not become a priest on his own. A priest does not become a good priest on his own. Behind every priest is the support and prayers of lay people like you. We need your support. We need your understanding. We need your prayers.


So that when things do not happen according to our plans, or according to our expectations, may we, like St. John Marie Vianney, never quit on God’s boundless mercy. That even when pushed at the edge, may we always find the way back to the ever-open embrace of a loving Father, an embrace that soothes our wounded hearts, in order that this heart may continue beating for you, God’s chosen people.


We may not find our heads served on a platter, as what happened to John the Baptist in the gospel today, but I am sure like John, we too will find ourselves being demanded to give witness to the priestly vocation that the Lord has entrusted to us. And when those times come, we have you, our community, to inspire us. We have you, our dear people of God, to keep us wanting more to offer ourselves. 


May you find in your heart the need to include priests in your prayers always. Amen.