A reflection on the scripture readings of November 5, 2023, the Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time. The audio, when available, will be posted here.
It is not the easiest of times to be a Catholic priest. On the one hand, there is a tremendous shortage of priests. But the bigger issue is credibility. It’s not that individual priests are not loved, respected, and trusted by people but I am talking about the profession as a whole. Especially in the post child-abuse crisis church, the credibility of the Catholic hierarchy has taken a big hit. I am sure the issue is more complex, but perhaps, there is some link between the credibility of the hierarchy and the shortage of priests.
Writing a homily this weekend was difficult. I mean, what does a priest do with scripture readings about priests who failed to live up to their calling? Both Malachi and Jesus address the abuses committed by the priests and religious leaders of their time. In my three points for today, I would like to understand Malachi and Jesus’ critique of the religious leaders, and reflect on Jesus’ teachings on Christian leadership.
Clerical Failings
Today’s first reading is from the book of Malachi. Malachi is not a proper name. Rather, Malachi means, “My Messenger.” The author of the book is anonymous. Perhaps, that points to the problem. It would have been dangerous and risky to openly prophesy against the religious leaders of the time.
The book of Malachi was written after the people returned from the Babylonian exile. The Babylonian exile was interpreted by the prophets to be caused by the infidelity of the rulers and religious leaders towards the Covenant. Some seventy years after the people had returned from the Babylonian exile, the priests were once again turning complacent and corrupt. The primary problem was that the priests were dishonoring God by offering blemished sacrifices. In other words, they were offering sacrifices to God of animals that were not useful for them. The problem went deeper. Their heart was not in the priesthood. They seemed tired of religion and the rituals seemed to have lost their meaning for them. Moreover, instead of being committed to righteousness, they used violence to oppress the poor. Hence the author’s fear of openly prophesying against them.
In the gospel reading, Jesus continues his critique of the religious leaders of his time. Unlike Malachi, Jesus openly expressed his criticism. The main issues were that the religious leaders did not practice what they preached, and all their works were performed to be seen by others. They loved places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues, greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation ‘Rabbi.’ (Mt 23:3-7).
The priesthood and religious leaders continue to have their issues today. In a letter to the priests of the Diocese of Rome written on August 5, 2023, Pope Francis lays out two issues against which today’s priest must be on guard – “spiritual worldliness” and “clericalism”. Spiritual worldliness, Pope Francis says, “leads priests to be ‘traders of the spirit’, men clothed in sacred forms that in reality continue to think and act according to the fashions of the world. According to him, “through vainglory and narcissism, by doctrinal intransigence and liturgical aestheticism, they hide behind the appearance of piety and even love for the Church, but in reality, seek not the Lord’s glory but human glory and personal well-being.”
Clericalism is the other issue Pope Francis takes head-on. He says, “one can assume a ‘clerical spirit’ in carrying out ministries and charisms, living one’s own calling in an elitist way, wrapped up in one’s own group and erecting walls against the outside, developing possessive bonds with regard to roles in the community, cultivating arrogant and boastful attitudes towards others.” More recently, speaking at the Synod, Pope Francis said, “when clerics overstep their roles and mistreat the people of God, they disfigure the face of the Church with macho and dictatorial attitudes.”
As a priest and a cleric, it is obviously hard to hear these words. I am sure there are times in the last 29 years as a priest, that I have failed Christ, the Church, and Gpd’s people. I acknowledge my failings, and I say, “I am sorry!”
The Call to Conversion
Both Malachi and Jesus not only point out the problems but also call us to conversion. Malachi would say, “Have we not all the one father? Has not the one God created us? Why then do we break faith with one another, violating the covenant of our fathers?” (Mal 1:8-10). Jesus says, “The greatest among you must be your servant” (Mt 23:11). Paul in today’s second reading uses an imagery that can be very helpful for clerics. Using his own approach to ministry, he says, “We were gentle among you, as a nursing mother cares for her children. With such affection for you, we were determined to share with you not only the gospel of God, but our very selves as well, so dearly beloved had you become to us” (1 Thes 2:7-8).
Whereas the focus of today’s scripture is the clerics, perhaps each one of us can evaluate our attitudes toward power, parenting, teaching, leading, and working. Do we practice what we preach to our friends and coworkers? Do we live in our own lives what we teach our children? Do we lay burdens on others that we find it difficult to carry ourselves? Do we look for praise and feel deflated when we are not complimented? Perhaps there is room today for conversion for all of us.
Humility is the Key
I want to begin my third point with the words of Pope Francis to the priests of his diocese. He says, “In all this, in our frailties and inadequacies, as well as in today’s crisis of faith, let us not be discouraged!” Pope Francis is right. Our past failing should not discourage us. Rather, having learnt from it, we must become better leaders. Pope Francis suggests how we can do that. He says, “It is not a matter of bringing back good observance or reforming external ceremonies, but rather of returning to the sources of the Gospel, of discovering fresh energies to overcome habits, of injecting a new spirit into the old ecclesial institutions…”
“Return to the sources of the Gospel” – this is my own standard for guarding against spiritual worldliness and clericalism. This way, when I fail, I know the standard to which I must return.
Jesus’ teaching in the gospel is simple: “The greatest among you must be your servant.” Jesus did not merely teach us this, but he practiced it in life. “The son of man came not to be served but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many” (Lk 22:24-27). Jesus on the cross is the model not only for priests, clerics, and the hierarchy, but for all of us. We are all called to serve each and humility is the key to Christ-like servanthood.
May the Eucharist in which we receive Christ help us also to imitate His humility and servanthood. Amen.
Image: Vatican Media
Fr. Satish Joseph was ordained in India in 1994 and incardinated into the archdiocese of Cincinnati in 2008. He has a Masters in Communication and Doctorate in Theology from the University of Dayton. He is presently Pastor at Immaculate Conception and St. Helen parishes in Dayton, OH. He is also the founder Ite Missa Est ministries (www.itemissaest.org) and uses social media extensively for evangelization. He is also the founder of MercyPets (www.mercypets.org) — a charitable fund that invites pet-owners to donate a percent of their pet expenses to alleviate child hunger. MercyPets is active in four countries since its founding in December 2017. Apart from serving at the two parishes, he facilitates retreats, seminars and parish missions.
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