"The Chosen Ones": A Reflection on the Second Reading for October 28th, 2018: Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

---

Hebrews 5.1-6

Every high priest chosen from among men is put in charge of things pertaining to God on their behalf, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He is able to deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is subject to weakness; and because of this he must offer sacrifice for his own sins as well as for those of the people. And one does not presume to take this honour, but takes it only when called by God, just as Aaron was.

So also Christ did not glorify himself in becoming a high priest, but was appointed by the one who said to him, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”; as he says also in another place, “You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek.”

---

​The vocation to the priesthood is full of joy and suffering, just as any vocation is. To be wife, husband, mother, father, sister, brother, or single consecrated—all calls require tremendous gifts of self, and each priest is likewise invited to a life of radical generosity. Being the father of a community of spiritual children comes with tremendous sacrifice and, acting In persona Christi, priests carry immense responsibilities that can only truly be lived out by having access to rivers of grace.

"[A]ll calls require tremendous gifts of self, and each priest is likewise invited to a life of radical generosity."

Tweet

​
​I didn’t fully appreciate the “gifts and sacrifices” that priests offer for our sins, on our behalf, until I became good friends with a priest. Despite a busy schedule, this man took time out of his busy life to ask me what was troubling me when he saw me in distress after mass one morning. Over months, then years, he listened and continued journeying alongside me. He encouraged me innumerable times in my faith journey and helped teach me lessons that will remain with me my whole life. As a spiritual father, he took great pride in my little triumphs over my own selfish ways and personal struggles, and he prayed incessantly for me when I didn’t even know I needed prayer. He was patient when I didn’t understand where he was directing a conversation--“deal[ing] gently with the ignorant and wayward”—and he provided a space for me to seek and grow closer to God. Aware of his own weaknesses, he was transparent about his shortcomings and he frequently pointed away from himself and redirected my eyes to have them fixed on Christ. Knowing him, even as little as I did, helped me to appreciate how much priests share in everyone’s lives—all the most painful and beautiful aspects.

The “chosen” nature and “appointment” of the priestly vocation also makes sense to me, because anyone who would choose this life out of a desire to be seen or respected or to have power would be incredibly unfit for the calling. I do not know how God chooses men to be His priests, but I do believe that the title “servant of God” is well warranted. The reality of this service shapes selfish men to become Christ-like in the laying down of their lives for the people of God. It is an honour that the world can’t easily understand, and even those within the Church have often misunderstood the gift. The honour doesn’t come from being in a high place of authority or ability, but rather from the privilege of being asked to live, and die to oneself, just as Christ—our High-Priest—did for us. Even the laity, all men and women, are called to be little priests and little christs, and in our good spiritual fathers we have great examples of how we can imperfectly but diligently strive to live out this call to love.

​Kendra Chisholm