St. Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, painting by Francisco de Zurbaran
There can be no doubt that the New Testament Church is an extension of the Old Covenant. As the Scriptures said: "And you shall be to me a priestly kingdom, and a holy nation. These are the words thou shalt speak to the Children of Israel." (Exodus 19:6). These same quote from the Scriptures was spoken of by St. Peter (1 Peter 2:9) in describing the mission and role of the Church as a people called by God from the darkness of this world to follow the light of the gospel,-to be a different people, set apart from the rest of the nations, to be a kingdom of priests and a holy people. Thus by virtue of Baptism all Christians become priests and kings,-to be holy to serve the Lord and to rule. But for practical and functional purposes and for the sanctification of the Faithful, the Lord has commissioned the ordained ministers, or the ministerial priests to serve the people of God by ministering the sacraments and mysteries of the faith. The priesthood is a gift to the Church. A mere inclination of the individual to be a priest is not fully sufficient for the office because the ministerial priesthood is a gift bestowed by God through the Church. It is not a personal or an individual endeavor; it is a gift of God through the Church. Although the personal inclination is a good foundation since as a vocation the one called must respond freely and with a willing heart.
Our Bishops and Priests need our support and prayers. The many problems and difficulties that surfaced in the Church recently has created a wound in the body of Christ. But to some extent these scandals and negligence has its beneficial effect. It has served to awaken the church and shake her foundations and has awakened individual who have been sleeping for a long time.
Here is a very good passage from the Scriptures that speaks of the role of the Bishop: "For a bishop must be without crime, as the steward of God:not proud, not subject to anger, not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre: But given to hospitality, gentle, sober, just, holy, continent: Embracing that faithful word which is a according to doctrine, that he may be able to exhort in sound doctrine, and to convince the gainsayers." (Titus 1:6-9) Moreover, here is a passage from Timothy: "A faithful saying: if a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. It behoveth therefore a bishop to be blameless, the husband of one wife, sober, prudent, of good behaviour, chaste, given to hospitality, a teacher, Not given to wine, no striker, but modest, not quarrelsome, not covetous, but One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all chastity. But if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God? Not a neophyte: lest being puffed up with pride, he fall into the judgment of the devil. Moreover he must have a good testimony of them who are without: lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. 8 Deacons in like manner chaste, not double tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre: Holding the mystery of faith in a pure conscience. 10 And let these also first be proved: and so let them minister, having no crime." (1 Timothy 3:1-6)
I think that these passages from Scriptures are so clear that there is no need for further commentaries. But one very striking role of the Bishop is that the Bishop must be person who can teach the Word of God. To pass on to the next generation the deposit of faith. Expounding faithfully the Word of God, to guard the faith against the heresies and to stand up for the faith. How many of our Bishops stood courageously against the errors of our time? How many Bishops has openly spoke against the evils of contraception, abortion and the likes? How many of our Bishops has imitated St. Ambrose in his pastoral approach to emperor Theodosius? Or are some Bishops under the guise of "pastoral" concern remain silent against those who are promoting the anti-life and anti-God practices of modern society?
Although Bishops must be good managers, their primary role is to pray and teach the Word of God as said by St. Peter in Acts 6:2 "Then the twelve calling together the multitude of the disciples, said: It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables." This is the reason why the early church appointed deacons in order to take charge of the temporal matters of the Church so that the Bishops will not be bothered by temporal matters.
Let us pray hard for our Bishops and priests. For indeed our hierarchy is our link to the Apostolic Church. For no individual is an authority to himself but we obey God, through Christ and through His Church as served by ministers on a continuing line of unbroken line of apostolic succession.
No comments:
Post a Comment