TO: Rev. Fr. Edwin Gliane S.

FR: Sem. Pham Hoang Phu

DT: March 6, 2020

SB: Theology of Ministry

PRIEST, WHO ARE YOU?

In the eyes of most people, priests are always in a high position. Priests are respected by

everyone. At the mass, while the people have to crowd for seats, the priests are

prepared with comfortable chairs and cool fans. Good food is also for priests. People do

not dare to offend priests because they are afraid of being punished by God. Being

blessed by a priest, shaking hands with a priest, even taking a picture with a priest, is

enough to make people happy for days. They have the right to forgive sins, their words

have more weight, just spread their arms, read some prayers, share a bit, they are able

to earned a lot of money. Is the priest just like that?

They have such privileges, is it because they are the few persons selected among

people? It is true that it is not easy to become a priest, the path to becoming a priest is

not for anyone; they had to make great sacrifices, had to go through many ups and

downs and challenges, had to strive so much, to exchange for many things to receive the

holy order. Is it because of that that priest are automatically ranked above others? No, it

is definitely not!

Priesthood is a vocation, a mystery. Priests are the mediator between God and man.

Priests became bridges between people and God, witness the covenant between the

two. Priests are those who offer offerings to God on behalf of the people. It can be said

that priests are the mediators connecting the visible with the invisible through which
man can reach to heaven, and God can speak to the people through them. People trust

priests because they think that priests are those who can talk to God intimately, have a

close relationship with God, and the prayers of priests are easily accepted by God.

People admire priests for their sacrifices, that they renounce from the earthly goods to

become persons who are fully blessed by God.

From that sacredness of being a priest, as a seminarian, I have to be aware that I cannot

choose to become a priest as a job to earn a living. If I use the priesthood as a means to

promote myself, I would truly go against the will of God, betray the expectation of the

people, and also betrays myself. Being a priest is becoming like Jesus who is the first and

most perfect priest. Priests must be persons who are constantly attached to the God the

Father, and thus always has compassion for men, those who are like a vast field without

a harvesters, and a flock without shepherds. They awaken the people from the

allurements of the passing world. They illuminate the world with the virtuous light and

warm their hearts with the flame of love. It can be said that the priest is the one who

brings Heaven to this earth, and brings people back to God. Like Jesus, they are aware

that they come "to serve, not to be served"; they associate their lives with all people

whether they are rich or poor, holy or sinful, noble or lowly. They guarantee people a

happy Kingdom; they offer peace, forgiveness and lead people to a new, more beautiful

life in God.

The Church gives priestly assignment to a person who takes him up the hill of Calvary.

There, every day and every moment of life, priests spread their hands to offer a sacrifice

of life. They offer themselves as prayers for God's people. They make themselves an

offering of thanksgiving, smiling in peace and happiness for obeying the Father's will, to

crucify with Christ for the salvation of all people.

It would be so beautiful to become a priest but it is also very difficult. I felt a chill when I

thought of this, but I still try to tell God: “please grant me perseverence so that I can

bravely continue to step on this journey, the journey not for myself, but for the heveanly

Kingdom of all.”