The Chosen Ones

 In today’s gospel, Jesus gave to the Twelve Apostles the “authority over unclean spirits to drive them out and to cure every disease and every illness” (Matthew 10:1). What an awesome gift and responsibility! Christ knew he was only going to be here for a little while and in order for the gospel to be spread to the ends of the earth and for all generations, he needed to establish a means in which that could happen. The beginnings of the priesthood are being formed. Priests are a gift to the world so that the Church may grow by leading more people to Christ. I give thanks for the priests that have personally touched my life whether through the celebration of Mass and the other sacraments or on a more personal level by offering support through my trials and celebrating with me, my triumphs.

I came across this beautiful reflection in Magnificat by Fr. Maurice Zundel, “It is clear that as a priest I am not myself. I am a priest precisely so as not to be myself, in order to be the sacrament of Jesus Christ. It is clear that if men entrust their soul, their deepest secrets, to a priest, it is because the priest is not himself, it is because he is the sacrament of Jesus. It happens that the priest gives some souls some counsels that are infinitely beyond him, because he is a sacrament and that, insofar as he conforms to this mission, he can count on the help of God. I know that I must never undertake anything on my own, because I am sent.”

The priesthood is a wonderful gift from God, yet we are all called to be priests. We are “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that you may announce the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light” (1 Peter 2:9). We are all called to announce the praises of our Lord and Savior. To give witness to what he has done in our lives. Even as we struggle and stumble we need to give witness. We need to show others that there is hope even in the darkest moments. We need to make sure that others know they are not alone and that someone cares about them. How often do we feel that no one can understand our pain, our struggles, or our shame?

We have to place ourselves last. Christ needs to be first and foremost and then those around us need to be placed before us. We need to put Christ first in our lives because he is our Lord and Savior, the Prince of Peace, King of Kings!! If I die unto myself and allow Christ to consume me then where I am, Christ will be. I will no longer matter. It is His presence that will be felt by others.