CHAPTER I
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF PRIESTHOOD
Priesthood is the state or
office of persons recognized as able to mediate between human beings and divine
Being, especially by offering sacrifice. In our Christianity priesthood is the
state of persons recognized as able to bring themselves and others closer to
God, by their offering of the one perfect sacrifice of Christ.[1] Priest is above all, the man responsible for
the Eucharist. This is one of the most important parts of his functions, as it
perceives the various aspects of his role in their proper perspective and
organic unity.
It is true that the priest,
as ministers par excellence of Christ is to be ‘a man for others’. It is in the
full Eucharistic celebration that the people are brought together and reconcile
to one another by being reconciled with God in Jesus Christ. Priest is not only
minister of the Eucharist and man for others, but he is the man who is to
enable his fellow brethren to become fully themselves by living in the common
fulfilment of the society of the divine love among them, working together and
individually to bring the world at large to its final goal.[2]
Priest inspiteof, the
singularity of his vocation is not an isolated man. He is to live among all
sorts and conditions of men and women, he is to help them to live together. He
is to make them realise that their distinctive activities and their distinctive
types of life are consonant and concordant parts of building up the community.
Every priest should be a witness to his fellow Christians and non-Christians so
that he can bring the dynamic reality of the progressive development and the
ultimate activity of the word of God. In the gathering of the believers, priest
must be the visible sign of the continued presence of Christ that will enable
them to fulfil their hearing of God’s word.[3]
1.1 THE DIGNITY OF THE PRIEST
All people in this world
have their own religions, their own way of worshiping God, and minister set
apart to discharge its functions. They have regarded priesthood as the highest
dignity to which moral man could be raised to profound sanctity of priesthood
in union with God. The Fathers of the Church considered this dignity of priest
as an extraordinary an exalted position that one’s occupied in the world.[4]
God however, has the interest here on earth, that human souls are to be gained
and the elect to be gathered in, from every corner of the world. It is
necessary therefore, that he choose his agents (priests) from among the people
to be his ambassadors who can intercede and bring God’s blessing and graces to
them. Because of this priests are instituted as inter-mediators between God and
human beings. They are to make known the will of God to the people and offer
their prayers to Him. They are also the dispensers of the blessing and mercies
in answer to their prayers. Thus priesthood in its origin is of heaven, but its
functions are exercised here on earth.[5]
It is Jesus Christ who
lives and acts in the priest that is why the holy and noble enterprises are
expanded and grow to be the great agencies for the good under His guidance and
influences. Priest communicates to the people the spirit of life, and the works
of charity can be done through him. The unfortunate most have his assistance
and his providential care which must be visible to the whole world. That is why
priest have the power to reform and to make perfect not only for individual but
for the entire nations. Henceforth, he is the man necessary for the society and
for the Church.[6]
1.2 PRIEST IS A MAN OF PRAYER
Human being by its own
nature is incapable of coming into existence or continuing to exist. Our daily
experiences recalls to fact that we are depending beings, without the divine
help we cannot find our perfect equilibrium. In the supernatural order our
dependence is no less absolute, ‘Without Me you can do nothing’(Jh,15:5). It is
in our prayers that we acknowledge and proclaim the total subordination before
God, in which we pass our life (Acts 17:28). So we ought to pray always (Lk.
18:1).[7] Priest must be man of prayer in order to live
in truth. Every beat of his heart should be an act of love in reply to the
charity of the Lord towards him. Prayer in the life of priest must be limited
to a number of isolated, passing incidents, as minister of Christ he must
cultivate the spirit of prayer. There are two reasons before all others require
this spirit of prayer in the life of the priest; (a). on the one hand, there is
the question of his own perseverance and fidelity to the love of Christ, (b).
on the other hand the necessity of assuring the divine blessing on his
ministry. Besides of the nobility of his vocation he remains weak and
imperfect, he also at time harassed by temptations. Therefore, prayer is
necessary for the priests it they are to persevere in good life. As minister of
Christ, how is the interior happiness of priests when they are faithful to the
spirit of prayer, they act all things for God and for his Church, under the
inspiration of charity. Prayer is the capital importance for priest’s personal
sanctification, it is no less so for drawing down God’s blessings on their
works.[8]
a)
Priests as Mediators:
A priest whether
diocesan or religious is a mediator between God and men, and he receives his
priesthood from Jesus Christ, the only mediator, he exercises his priestly
office on behalf of men in the name of Christ. There is only on mediator
between God and mankind, himself a man, Jesus Christ (1Tim.2: 5-6). Mediation
ministerial priesthood is a service to God and to human beings. Therefore
authority in the church has to be understood as service. As a mediator priest
announces all the word of God, exercises in a supreme degree their sacred
functions, act s in the person of Christ and proclaim his ministry to the
faithful.
CHAPTER
II
FUNCTIONS OF THE PRIEST
The work of the priest in
the Catholic Church, is none, other than the work of continuing the functions
of the priesthood of Jesus Christ, who uses them as his instruments. St. Thomas
said that priests are the tools of God, He is the Master worker. Since then the
Catholic Priests being the co-workers of Christ communicates in different
degrees of Bishops and priests who personally exercise their power in his place
and name. Therefore, priest is called another Christ “Sacerdos Alter Christus”.
He is the living personification of Christ, he discharges his duties in the
name of Christ. He exercises in the Church the office as the head, transmitting
to its members the sap of the living vine and the spirit of life. St. Paul
would say that it is Christ who lives and works in the priest, when he teaches
from the chair of truth it is Jesus Christ who speaks through his mouth,
therefore God is exhorting through the priest.[9]
2.1 PRIESTS AS MINISTERS OF
GOD’S WORD
The People of God is formed
into one in the first place by the word of the living God, which is quite
rightly sought from the mouth of the priests. Henceforth, preaching the Gospel
is the first task of the priests as co-workers of the Bishops. Through
preaching the Gospel to all men and women, priests carry out the Lord’s
command, ‘Go into the whole world and preach the Good-news to every creature’
(Mk.16:15), and thus set up and increase the people of God. Priests then aught
to share the truth of the Gospel with everybody. Moreover, preaching the word
of God in this present day-conditions is very often difficult, if it is to
become more effective in moving the minds and hearts of the hearers. It must be
expounded the word not merely in general and abstract way but by an application
of the eternal truths of the Gospel to the concrete circumstances of life.
Therefore, preaching the word of God required for the sacramental ministry
itself, since Sacraments are faith drawing that has their origin and
nourishment from the word of God.[10]
2.2 PRIESTS AS MINISTERS OF
THE SACRAMENTS
The priests administer the
Sacraments, but it is Jesus Christ who by his hands seals the foundation of
grace and froods with it the souls of the faithful. God, who alone is the Holy
One has willed to take man as allies and helper to become humble servant in His
work of Sanctification. The purpose then by which priest is consecrated by God
through the ministry of the Bishops in that they should be made sharers in a
special way carrying out the sacred functions of Christ’s priesthood, as his
ministers, who through his spirit continually exercises his priestly functions
for our benefit in the liturgy.[11] By Baptism priests introduce men and women to
be the people of God, by the sacrament of penance they reconcile sinners with
God and the Church, by anointing of the sick they relieve those who are ill,
and by the celebration of the Holy Eucharist they offer Christ’s sacrifice of
body and blood. Holy Eucharist is the centre of the Assembly of the faithful,
over which the priests presides. Hence priest teaches the faithful to offer the
divine victim to God the Father in the sacrifice of the Mass and with the
victim to make an offering of their whole life.[12] It is Jesus Christ dwells in the priests and
gives judgment by his mouth at the sacrament of penance. At the altar in the
Holy Mass it is Jesus Christ who offers gifts, changes the bread and wine into
his body and blood. As Jesus Christ and the Church, according to St. Augustine,
are not two Christ but one, so the eternal Priest and all the priests born in
time are not a multitude of priests but one priest.[13]
2.3 PRIESTS AS RULERS OF
GOD’S PEOPLE
The priests on the day of
their ordination received the sacred power of investing grace. This gives life
to their words and makes them light that shines out in the darkness, a curb to
restrain and a support on which to rest securely. It is Jesus Christ who lives
and acts in the priests and this is why the holy and noble enterprises expand
and grow to be great agencies for good under his guidance and influence.[14] Priests exercise the functions of Christ as
Pastor and Head in proportion to their share of authority. In the name of the
Bishop they gather the family of God as a brotherhood endowed with the spirit
of unity and lead it in Christ through the spirit to God the Father. And in
building up the Church, Priests ought to treat everybody with the greatest
kindness after the model of our Lord. They should act towards people not
according to what may please men and women, but according to the demands of
Christian Doctrine. Although priests owe service to everybody, the poor and the
weaker ones have been committed to their care in a special way. It was with
these that the Lord himself associates and preaches the Gospel to them is given
as a sign of his Messianic Mission. Priests ought to be especially devoted to
the sick and the dying, visiting then and comforting them. In building up the
community of Christians, priests can never be the servants of any human
ideology or party. Rather their task as heralds of the Gospel and pastors of
the Church is the attainment of the Spiritual growth of the body of Christ.[15]
a)
The Ministry of the Word:
The ministry of the word comes as
the first task of the priest in the order of time for building up of the
Church. As St. Paul says, “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will
be saved. But they will not ask his help unless they believe in him, and they
will not believe in him unless they have heard of him, and they will not hear
of him unless they get a preacher and they will never have a preacher unless
one is sent”(Rom.10: 13-15). Thus the purpose of the preaching of ‘the word of
God is the salvation and sanctification of souls, which should be done
first. “ Therefore it is the first task
of priests as co-workers of the bishop to preach the gospel of God to all men.”2
b)
The Ministry of the sacraments:
Thee decree affirms that the
ministry of the sacraments is a means of sanctification for the priests, It
says, “Priests as ministers of the sacred mysteries, specially in the sacrifice
of the mass, act in a special way in the person of Christ who gave himself as a
victim to sanctify men.”3 The
Eucharist is the principal and central part of the sacrament of the priests.
The priests carry out their principal mission and express themselves in all
their fullness in celebrating the Eucharist. Priests whether diocesan or
religious as ministers of sacred things, are first and foremost ministers of
the sacrifice of the mass because without the priests there can be no
Eucharistic offering. Therefore the holy Eucharistic sacrifice is the meeting
point of God’s self-communication of life and holiness and man’s response to
God in faith and love.
c)
The sacrament of reconciliation:
The sacrament of reconciliation
requires of priest’s availability and patience. Since the priest imparts God’s
forgiveness and mercy to his fellow beings, it goes without saying that he
becomes more and more Christ like. He becomes more and more conscious of human
sinfulness and the need of God’s salvation. He represents Christ in this
sacrament of reconciliation. Thus the sacrament of reconciliation is a great
mystery of God’s merciful love for us. Therefore St. Paul says, “You were dead,
because you were sinners and had not been circumcised; he has brought you to
life with him, he has forgiven us all our sins”(Col.2: 13). The Code of canon
Law (978.1) says, “In hearing confession the priest is to remember that he acts
as a judge as well as a healer and is placed by God as the minister of the
divine justice as well as mercy, concerned with the divine honour and the
salvation of souls.”4
CHAPTER
III
THE BIBLICAL DOCTRINE OF THE CHRISTIAN PRIESTHOOD
Christian priesthood and
ministry have its foundation in God’s revelation. In the Old Testament, God
constituted Israel as a consecrated and priestly people and appointed priests
to serve God and his people. For instance, Exo. 30:30, God (Yahweh) said “you
shall anoint Aaron and his sons and consecrate them, in order that they may
serve Me as priests. The same is found in the book of Exo. 29:1 and in Lev.
8:1ff… In the New Testament, Jesus took the place of Yahweh and consecrated
God’s people as chosen race and royal priesthood… (cf. 1Pet. 2:9). Then He
handed over this priesthood to the Apostles and gave them a mission of
sanctifying the truth, and to speak the truth. As God sent Him to the world so
He sent his Apostles into the world (cf. Jh. 17:17).[16]
3.1
PRIESTHOOD IN THE OLD TESTAMENT
Priesthood in the O.T. has
a historical development, and this can be classified into three periods: The
Pre-Monarchical period, the Monarchical period and the Post Exile period.
1.
Pre-Monarchical Period: (This was from Abraham to David, 2000–1000 B.C.). In this period
there were both Natural priests as well as Professional priests. Natural
priests are leaders of a human group, as the fathers of the family, the chief
of a tribe and the kings of the kingdom. Their sacred character derives from
the leadership they exercised in human group. Professional priests is the
members of a priestly class into which he has been introduced by one of the
following ways; election by the community, appointment by the authority, or
birth into a hereditary class. During this pre-Monarchical period, the
Patriachs and other heads of the tribes were officiated as priests for
instance, Abraham, Moses, and Livite. But gradually the account of priesthood
was characterised and consecrated by God himself for his service (Exo.
32:25-29).[17]
2. The Monarchical Period: (This was from
David to Exile 1000 – 586 B.C.). In this period the king performed several
priestly functions, he offers sacrifices from Saul (1 Sam. 13:9) and David (2
Sam. 6:13-17), down to Ahas (2 Kgs. 16:13) he also bless the people (2 Sam.
1:8; 1 Kgs. 8:14). The chief priest of the Temple e.g., Jerusalem Temple, (2
kgs. 12:17; Jer. 29:25), became great and important. As Supreme representatives
of the people, he alone has the right to enter once a year on the Day of
Atonement in the holy of the holies, access to which was forbidden under pain
by death to any other men.[18]
3. The Post
Exile Period: (from Exile to Jesus, 538 – 6 B.C.). Exile meant the end of
Monarchy and so of the natural priesthood. Sacrifice, hitherto shared by the
king and priests became pregative of the priest alone.
3.1
THE FUNCTIONS OF THE PRIEST IN THE OLD
TESTAMENT
1.
Service of the Word of God: It was the responsibility of the priests to communicate God’s Word
and his will to the people. For this purpose they consulted the Urim and
Thummim i.e., Sacred lots that were cast in order to discover God’s answer to a
problem, and they are the instruments who will find out God’s will and
answering the requests of the people (1 Sam. 14:41-42).
2.
Teaching: Another function of the priests as mentioned in the book of Deut.
33:10, is teaching. They are to communicate God’s to the people (Jer.18:18;
Mal.2:6–8).
3.
Offering Sacrifice: The last function of the priests is to offer sacrifice and other
cultic offerings. This was the principle function of the priests in the O.T.,
because the first and the second functions were shifted to the Prophets and
Scribes respectively.[19]
3.3
PRIESTHOOD IN THE NEW TESTAMENT
The reality of the
priesthood and the priestly is always there in the New Testament, its
understanding emerged in the course of time. The foundation of priesthood is
Jesus Christ himself. It is He who calls some people and consecrates them to
the service of God and his people. He sent them to the mission to be mediators,
interpreters of God and stewards of the divine mysteries (cf. 1 Cor. 4:1; 2
Cor. 6:4). Priests share in the ministry of unceasing building up the Church on
earth into the people of God, the body of Christ, and the temple of the Holy
Spirit. The priests of the New Testament are, by their vocation to ordination
set apart in some way in the midst of the people of God. But this is not in
order that they should be separated from their people or from any man or woman,
but they should be completely consecrated to the task for which God have chosen
them. They could not become servants of Christ unless they were witnesses and
dispensers of life other than that of this earth.[20]
The Catholic Church
considered Jesus Christ as a High priest of the New Covenant that God made with
humankind. His salvation won through his Passover mystery, and reaches to all
the people through the Apostles and elders in the Church. The name ‘priest’ and
‘priesthood’ would be used eventually to those servants of the Lord,
consecrated for the ministry of salvation. Though Jesus is the only High priest
of the New Covenant, He was not referred very much as a priest. Let us examine
some of the texts where Jesus is mentioned as priest.[21]
a). 1 Tim. 2:5-6: “For there is one God, there is also one mediator between God and
humankind, Christ Jesus who gave himself as a ransom for all”.
b). 1 Cor. 5:7: “Clean out the old yeast so that you may be a new batch, as you
rally are unleavened for our paschal lamb, Christ has been sacrificed”.
c). John 1:29: “The next day John the Baptist saw Jesus coming towards him and
declared, here is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world”.
d). Mark 14:24: “Jesus said to them,
this is my blood of the covenant which poured out for many”.
e). Luke 22:24: “Jesus took a loaf of bread, and when had given thanks, he broke
the bread and gave to them saying, this is my body which is given to you”.
f). Heb.
4:15: “For we do not have a high priest who is able to symphatize with our
weaknesses, but we have one who is in every respect has been tested as we are,
yet not sin”.
g). Heb.
7:26 & 28: “Fort it was fitting that we shall have such a high priest
holy, blameless, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the
heaven. For the law appoints as high priests those who are subject to weakness,
but the word of the oath which came later than the law appoints a Son who has
been made perfect forever”.[22]
CHAPTER
IV
THE EFFECTS OF THE SACRAMENT OF PRIESTHOOD
This Sacrament not only
confers the grace proper to this particular function and state of life, it also
confers an indelible character that conforms the sacred ministers to Christ. It
enables the priests lawfully to perform the acts of religion by which human
beings are sanctified and God duly glorified according to the divine ordinance,
especially the Holy Eucharistic sacrifice. Therefore, it is important and
venerable for all the faithful to understand that it is their duty and highest
privilege to take part in the Eucharistic celebration with active devotion as
to be in closet union with Christ the High Priest.[23]
Priests hold a special
position in the mystical body of Christ. They acts in the name of the people
precisely and only because they represents the person of our Lord Jesus Christ,
as the head of all the members and offers himself for them. Therefore, priests
approach the altar as Christ’s ministers lower than him, but higher than the
people. There is no wonder that the faithful were accorded to have a privilege
to become members of the body of Christ the High Priest, by reason of their
Baptism. By the character that has engraved upon their soul, they are appointed
to the worship of God, and so they share in the priesthood of Christ. The faithful
offer sacrifices through the hands of the priest who acts in the person of
Christ the Head. But when the people re said to offer with priests this does
not mean that all the members of the Church perform the Liturgical rites like
the priests. This is done only by the ministers who are divinely appointed for
this purpose. The external rite of sacrifice is the sign of internal worship,
which signifies by the sacrifice of new law that is, the supreme homage by
which Christ the principal offerer, with him and through him all his mystical
members pay to God due honour and veneration.[24]
CONCLUSION
Priesthood
is a vocation that God has given to men whom he chooses to be the sharers in
his divine plan for the salvation of human beings. From the word of Jesus ‘as
the Father sent me so I am sending you’, we can understand that priests who
consecrate themselves in the ministry of Jesus has the privilege of
communicating God’s grace and blessing to human beings. It is through them that
the sacred action of Christ is made present here on earth. As Jesus called his
twelve Apostles from the community, so also priests are called from the
community and for the service of it. Yet this does not mean that priesthood has
its origin from the community, nor does the priest receive his priestly power
from the community. But he received them from Christ through the Bishop.
Therefore, priest should have certain closeness and intimate relationship with
Christ. And this will help him to do everything in Christ, through Christ and
for Christ. Henceforth, priest can have perfect union with Christ the high
priest. Then brings his graces and blessing to the whole community in which he
is working. Thus he becomes sharer of God’s divine plan in the history of human
salvation.
We
cannot measure Priest as it were, by an intellectual, spiritual or physical
yardstick. They come in assorted sizes, ages, weights and now a days dress, but
above all we know that a priest is, and ought to be always an instrument and
minister of Christ. For he is a man called from among men to be in the very
depths of his being, like Christ, the priest of humankind. Priest is
consecrated by a special seal of the Holy Spirit, and in virtue of this
consecration, he acts in the person of Christ and as a minister of Christ, the
Head, he deputed to serve the people of God. Through the priest Christ
continues and fulfils that mission which He receives from God the Father.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
BOOKS
MARMION, Columba D. Christ The Ideal of The Priest, Great Britain:
Northumberland
Press Ltd., 1952
MILLET, P. SJ. Jesus Living in The Priest, New-York: Benziger
Brothers, 1901
TERWILLIGER, Robert E. To Be A Priest, New-York: The Seaburg
Press, 1975
ARTICLES
DUPUIS, Jacques. The Christian Faith, Bangalore: Theological
Publications in India, 2001
FLANNERY, Austine, Vatican Council Second, Mumbai: St. Paul’s
Publications, 1975
PAMPACKHAL, Stephen. Lectures on Priesthood, Barrackpore:
Morning Star College,
2002
[1]
Cf. Robert, E. Terwillizer, To Be a Priest, New-York: The Seaburg Press,
1975, p. 30
[2]
Cf. Ibid, pp. 103-104
[3] Cf. Ibid,
p. 106
[4] Cf. P. Millet,
s.j. Jesus Living in The Priest, New-York: Banziger Brothers, 1901, p.
17
[5] Cf. Ibid,
pp.18-20
[6] Cf.
Ibid, p. 26
[7]
Cf. D. Columba Marmion, Christ the Ideal of The Priest, Great Britain:
Northumberland Press, Ltd. 1952, p. 242
[8] Cf.
Ibid, pp. 246-249
[9] Millet. Pp.
20-21
[10] Cf. Austine,
Flannery, Second Vatican Council, Mumbai: St. Paul’s Publications, 1975,
pp. 763-764
[11]
Cf. Flannery, p. 765
[12]
Cf. Ibid, pp. 765-766
[13]
Cf. Millet, p. 24
[14]
Cf. Ibid, p. 26
[15]
Cf. Flannery, pp. 767-769
2
Presbyterorum Ordinis No. 4, p. 868.
3
Presbyterorum Ordinis, No. 13, p.887.
4 The Code
of Canon Law, no. 978-1, p.177.
[16] Cf. Stephen,
Pampackal, Lectures on Priesthood, Barrackpore: Morning Star college,
2002
[17] Cf. Ibid
[18]
Pampackal
[19] Ibid
[20]
Cf. Flannery, p 762
[21]
Cf. Pampackal
[22] Ibid
[23]
Cf. Jacques, Dupuis, The Christian Faith, Bangalore: Theological
Publications in India, 2001, pp. 732-733
[24]
Cf. Ibid, pp. 734-735
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