The Ministry

Being set apart for the work of the Spirit

06/11/2019

Acts of the Apostles 11:21B-26; 13:1-3 In those days a great number who believed turned to the Lord. The news about them reached the ears of the Church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to go to Antioch. When he arrived and saw the grace of God, he rejoiced and encouraged them all to remain faithful to the Lord in firmness of heart, for he was a good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and faith. And a large number of people was added to the Lord. Then he went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he had found him he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the Church and taught a large number of people, and it was in Antioch that the disciples were first called Christians. Now there were in the Church at Antioch prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Symeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who was a close friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them."Then, completing their fasting and prayer, they laid hands on them and sent them off.

I was saddened to hear yesterday that Fr. Jonathan Morris, a very popular writer and television personality, had decided to leave the priestly ministry. Have you heard that? Many people have been inspired by his spiritual writings and charming personality. There is probably a collective twinge of disappointment in the Catholic world today as Fr. Morris’ decision to depart from ministry became public. Fr. Morris explained his decision saying: “While I loved and thrived in so many aspects of my ministry, deep in my interior I struggled for years with my vocation and with the commitments the Catholic priesthood demands, especially not being able to marry and have a family.” There are, therefore two reasons for my personal sadness at this news: first, because Fr. Morris felt priestly celibacy was more of a burden than a blessing, and second, because some people who loved him may confuse the message with the messenger. Let me say a word about each of these two saddnesses, beginning with the second point, confusing message and messenger.

Whenever a particularly gifted and charismatic priest preaches the gospel, there’s always a temptation to confuse the message with the messenger. In a word, we create a “cult of personality.” Maybe without realizing it, unintentionally, we take our eyes off Jesus (the Message) and focus too much on the human priest (the messenger). And when the messenger gives up the ministry, we can doubt or struggle about the authenticity of the Message itself. I’ve done that in the past, too, so don’t feel bad.

But the bible is full of messengers who remind us they themselves are not the message. Noah got drunk and feel asleep naked (Genesis 9:21), Abraham fathered a child through Hagar, his maidservant (Genesis 16:4), Moses struck the rock twice in anger and could not enter the Promised Land (Number 20: 11-12), David committed adultery and later murder (2 Samuel 11:26-27), Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines (1 Kings 11:3). And not much changed in the New Testament. If there’s one message the bible emphatically teaches it is not to confuse the Message with the messengers. The Message is always Jesus Christ and him alone.

The first point I wanted to make was the blessing of celibacy. I truly honor and respect Fr. Morris’ reasons for relinquishing the priesthood, and I wish him only happiness and peace in his future endeavors. Nonetheless, I desperately hope people will not conclude that clerical celibacy is itself the problem. Maybe some people will argue that if priests did not have to be celibate Fr. Jonathan Morris would still be a priest. I do not know if Fr. Jonathan Morris would still be a priest or not. But here’s what I do know: Fr. John Antony would not be a priest if it were not for the rule of priestly celibacy. What do I mean? As bizarre and bewildering as it may sound, celibacy actually attracted me to the priesthood, rather than repulsed me. Celibacy was the concrete sacrifice I could point to and say, “See, Jesus, I love you that much, enough to sacrifice marriage and family.” Please do not misunderstand me. I am not saying Fr. Morris does not love Jesus. He probably loves Jesus a lot more than I do. I am just saying that celibacy to me is not a burden but a blessing.

Today is the feast of St. Barnabas, an early apostle who worked closely with St. Paul in the ministry of word and sacrament. We read in Acts 11: “While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul (Paul) for the work to which I have called them’.” When a man is ordained a priest in the Catholic Church, he is set apart for the work and ministry to which the Holy Spirit has called him. One way – although not the only way – he is set apart is through priestly celibacy. By not being married and having a family, the priest enjoys greater freedom to preach and teach and go wherever the Spirit leads him. Again, we are blessed with wonderful married priests who are powerful preachers and terrific teachers. Still, who can deny that celibacy affords a greater freedom to go where the Spirit leads?

Let me leave you with the words of Pope St. John Paul II in his apostolic exhortation called “Pastores Dabo Vobis” (I will give you shepherds), that sums up all I’m stuttering to say about celibacy. The pope-saint taught: “Celibacy, then, is to be welcomed and continually renewed with a free and loving decision as a priceless gift from God, as an ‘incentive to pastoral charity,’ as a singular sharing in God’s fatherhood and in the fruitfulness of the Church, and as a witness to the world of the eschatological kingdom” (29). By the term “eschatological kingdom” the pope simply means “heaven.” In other words, in a sense that we cannot fully quite grasp, we will all be celibate in heaven. Why? Well because we will all be the Bride of Christ married to Jesus, our Spouse, even Fr. Jonathan Morris.

Praised be Jesus Christ!