This Laboring Day Remember Our Priests Who Labor

©2010, Randall A. Beeler

9 For I think that God has set forth us apostles, the last, as it were men appointed to death. We are made a spectacle to the world and to angels and to men. 10 We are fools for Christ's sake, but you are wise in Christ: we are weak, but you are strong: you are honourable, but we without honour. 11 Even unto this hour we both hunger and thirst and are naked and are buffeted and have no fixed abode. 12 And we labour, working with our own hands. We are reviled: and we bless. We are persecuted: and we suffer it. 13 We are blasphemed: and we entreat. We are made as the refuse of this world, the offscouring of all, even until now. (1Cor 4, DRE) 

In too readily identifying Saint Paul's words above solely with the Apostles, we forget that the Church is Apostolic—that Saint Paul's discourse applies to priests. In light of what our priests now face, we would do even better to recognize Saint Paul's description as prophetic.



"men appointed to death"
Our priests, in every moment, must die to themselves—it is their spiritual marriage to Christ, their call to holiness. Truly, like us, called to die to ourselves in our walks of life, priests often fail to die to themselves. Nonetheless, the call continues as an indelible mark upon their souls. And through them, the call is audible and visible to us.



"made a spectacle to the world and to angels and to men"

Our priests are on exhausting display—every movement, every gesture, even their choice of vestments and clericals is subject to our observation and (don't lie) critique. But we forget they are also on display before the angels. As much as they receive angelic protection, so they are subject to attack by the demons. That God allows this attack is part of the mystery of how God pours forth his grace even more to frustrate the plans of the enemy. So the world batters our priests, and so God's grace is poured upon us through our priests.

"fools for Christ's sake, but you are wise in Christ: we are weak, but you are strong: you are honourable, but we without honour. " Our priests become foolish—to us and to the world: expenses of spirit in a waste of shame, as the world and often our own ruminations can lead us to think—that we might be made wise, strong, and honorable. They spend themselves, pour out their very honor, so that we the Church, might be honored in God's sight. Such is their honor.

"hungry, thirsty, naked, buffeted, having no fixed abode"
Our priests may seem well-fed and clothed. Indeed, haven't some absconded with Church funds, and a hideous few robbed souls of their innocence? But aren't we, also, well-fed and clothed, to the measure Christ sees fit to work His Grace? Like our priests, we are, no doubt, unworthy servants. Thank our priests for reminding us that this fixed earth is not our fixed abode. Our priests are strangers and sojourners in this world, carrying before them, the Host, Which calls to us … come home, my children.

"reviled: and we bless. We are persecuted: and we suffer it. We are blasphemed: and we entreat. We are made as the refuse of this world" Our priests, as Catholic philosopher, Peter Kreeft, has noted, are sewers who drain away our sins. Pray today, and every day, for them and their labors, unseen most of the time, even to them, our priests.

Thank God for our priests. Thank God.