Priests are human beings

Priests are human beings  

 " Priests are human beings ", they usually repeat this obvious when you want to understand or justify our weaknesses, mistakes of the priest. But I want to say to this obvious here as a requirement for priests and principles as a normal behavior of the priest.

Not Priest Tier Sublime.

First, say " Priests are human beings, "meaning priest obviously is not the divine order. Of course, seeing the perspective of faith, natural priesthood is extremely high because the priest is acting in the name of Christ is the leader of the Church to continue the work of salvation ( cf. Ordinance the priest, No. 2 ), but the natural instruments, is an important responsibility and privilege to be given to a person before the person is still, and not change anything in the person of their natural, no speed their body parts from ordinary people.

Aware of their position, the priest must naturally feel unworthy and scared. Of course, the position where the high priest requires a spiritual and moral is very high, but that's another story. In the eloquent words of truth, St. John Chrysostom was drawing portraits of priests as follows:

" O Father, Who is he?

He was not by him, because he was by the unknown,

He was not for him, because he is God intermediate result,

He does not belong to him, because he must live for God alone,

He is not of him, because he is the servant of the people,

He is not him, because he is another Christ.

So he is what? Nothing, but it is all! "

Orator and theologian as well as John Chrysostom to describe the greatness of the priest was ingenious, but not for the priests have none anywhere to be complacent, arrogant. Seen from himself, he is nothing (" void "), but the view from the mission and grace of God gives, he is" all "!

Vatican II reminded priests: " The work of the Holy Spirit of God which priests recruited to complete, any excess capacity and range of human wisdom, because God has chosen what weakness in the world to what the powerful stigmatizing (1 Corinthians 1.27). So the weak sense of his true minister of Christ's humility to work ... "( Decree on the priest, No. 15 ). Humility is a virtue so is the Council stressed when talking about their positions and priestly life.

Close to every person.

Priests are human beings, it also implies that he is not above or outside the categories, in contrast, must live close to people. Recalling St. Paul's thoughts, Ordinance priest wrote: " The priests of the New Testament were selected days between the People of God, but not to separate from them or any one person dedicated to doing that job God entrusted. They can not be a minister of Christ if not a witness and the other life confer a secular life, however he can not serve humanity if live far away and life circumstances of humanity "( No. 3 ).

In ancient times, people used to emphasize the isolation of human and world. Even at that time was in the minor seminary, the students had to practice to the " other "with friends his own age" at birth "in dress, walking, talking, in church, he has a seat particular, families no longer let him do the muddy feet, hands can do that does not deserve the rank, " the teacher "; many places not to seminarians about the food festival so that seminarians should be shunned amusement places, festivals, cult ...

I remember in 1953 when Francis Vinh seminary was closed, my friends and I waited to go home. After several months, I started lifting plows, hoes carry out the work to help my mother. Back then, I am ashamed, to have a strong determination to overcome the very new. My friends in the neighborhood, who also has expressed admiration, has taken pity on me as when I had to blur and hard as they do. Around 1958-59, many people still " processing "we Franciscans too" radical "when our seminarians wearing penguin, shirt-box play ball tomorrow.

In the general direction of the Vatican II Church wants to bring rapprochement with the world, far from the mentality has gradually changed with the policy known as integration or in life. Although there were certainly hard to avoid abuse, but the policy is correct and has brought good results. Today, make sure no one will get to see a priest stumbling digging, plowing, harvesting rice, or soccer, they sing with the young crowd, etc.

Of course a " distance "that is necessary because the mix does not mean that people identify with. Resources on psychosocial aspects only, it was normal, such a teacher can not " indulge "with his young pupils, an elderly behavior and natural way to speak with other young people ...

The distant and close ones are not reinforced at the surface, but depends mainly on an inner attitude: openness, understanding, willing to share. Like Jesus Pastors, priests must have hearts full of mercy and capable of communion with people, understanding the issues, the desire of most people may give them light and life of God.

Cultivate the virtues.

Being like everyone else, priests should try to hone his personality, practicing the virtues that a person holding office as he is indispensable. Here, too, feel that Vatican II should have a guide. Decree on the Training of Priests (Optatam Totius), the Council teaches:

- " The seminary education in order to train seminarians reached a maturity level to human worth, was revealed through the upright, the ability to decide thoughtful, critical mind, his master, courageous " and "in general, to know cherish the virtues that people cherish life ... as honest, fair, faithful, gracious, humble and compassionate in the language . " ( No. 11 ).

The above is repeated and a further continuation of the Ordinance of Priests ( Presbyterorum Ordinis ), No. 3 : compassion, honesty, courage, patience, fairness, courtesy, " and other virtues that St. Paul admonished , "as honest, clean, of good fame, virtue.

Of the Council reiterated that, there are certain reasons. Not the old days training priests ignored the human side of anything, but it certainly is more emphasis to the virtues of Christianity. According to a popular belief earlier, it was highly regarded as supernatural and natural light, even when they opposed the supernatural and natural, and life direction, something " sacred "and earthly things. Virtue, both diligent enough already!

Today, the Church emphasizes harmony and advocated a life can enter the pattern of the divine Word made flesh, has taken on mortal, to redeem it from within. Therefore, we are no longer surprised to hear the annual reminders such as the priest as follows:

" Thanks to the life of friendship and fraternity among priests together and with others, they may know how to evaluate and cultivate the human values ​​and beloved creatures like the good grace of God "( SL of priests, No. 17 ).

From the above, the priest that we can review themselves on some points. I take one example: the way we behave with parishioners. In Vietnam our culture, the yield under a glass requires. But sometimes because of course we priests are respected in society, so it is easy to " disregard "the elderly, seniors should rank our fathers, as they" only "lower level, lay , a sheep.

All these thoughts in this article aims first to the priest about us, but the design concept, the laity should not only know, but moreover, should help us make the right idea of the church, by the appropriate behavior. For example, although to be respected, but should not be subservient, fearful or too " worship "of priests. It used to say how priests, so that the sheep, but can also say the opposite: how the sheep, the world was a priest.

Nguyen Hong Catholic priest, the Franciscan