The One Priesthood of Christ
In a recent letter from Archbishop John Wilson, he announced the appointment of a new vocations team for the Diocese.
Their remit is to help men genuinely discern whether God is calling them to the ordained priesthood, and to create an environment where that call can be heard clearly and responded to freely. He wrote, ‘We are blessed to have seen an increase in vocations in the Archdiocese in recent years. I have just accepted two seminarians for Valladolid this coming September, which will bring the number of students for the priesthood (in our diocese of Southwark) to ten, with others discerning for next year.’
In the Gospel this weekend, Jesus saw the crowds who were following him and had compassion for them because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest.
All of us, through our baptism, share in the one priesthood of Christ. Jesus is the sole mediator between the human family and God. As we read in the letter to the Hebrews, Jesus redeemed us by appearing ‘at the end of the ages to take away sins once and for all by his sacrifice.’ (Hebrews 9:26). We can therefore all be labourers in the harvest, by offering God lives sanctified through doing everything for love of Him and one another.
The ordained or ministerial priesthood — a ministry of word, sacrament and charity — is unique and indispensable, willed by Christ, but does not supplant the priesthood of all believers. As the Second Vatican Council has stated: ‘Though they differ from one another in essence and not only in decree, the common priesthood of the faithful and the ministerial or hierarchical priesthood are nonetheless interrelated. Each of them in its own special way is a participation in the one priesthood of Christ.’
Pope Leo on Friday spoke to the people of Gran Canaria, saying:
‘I come to these islands as a father and brother in the faith: with you I am a Christian, and for you, I am a bishop. Each of us has received various gifts and ministries for the building up of the body of Christ, … And this is the Lord’s call that resonates anew in our hearts today and confirms our vocation and mission: to build the Church together, founded on Christ, the “cornerstone” to build on what is good, to harmonise our differences and to work together for the good of all.’
On this Sunday, as we hear the call of Jesus to pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest, let us pray that all of us may come to a deeper understanding of what it means for us to share in the one priesthood of Christ. We also pray that young men in our parish may respond to the call of Jesus to share in his ministerial priesthood.
