Fr. John Ryan

 

FIFTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

15th JULY

All who believe in the centrality of the Eucharist in Catholic life would like to see full churches on Saturday evenings and Sunday mornings. That is without doubt. Recognising that Eucharist is central places the person of Jesus and our relationship with him in prime position. Last week I referred to what has often been called the 'numbers game'. This term refers to efforts to try and fill seats but not necessarily to the depth of faith understanding that the seat fillers may have. We are under no illusion that there is a need for a new evangelisation in Ireland. There is a definite need for a re-education or to be more precise a re-development of faith, opening up the reality of relationship with Jesus as being central to all our thoughts, words and deeds.
In the past there has often been too much emphasis on 'the Church', in the narrow sense of institution and hierarchical structures. What we need is to develop an understanding of Church as all the People of God with different members called to different roles within the Church and recognizing Jesus as Head. St. Paul, in the second reading today says: "Now the Church is his body, he is its head" referring to Christ. This theme was a central feature of the Constitution on the Church, 'Lumen Gentium' promulgated by the Second Vatican Council back in 1963. At times I wonder have we really received this into our own spirituality or are we still caught up in the 'pope, bishop, priest' syndrome.
Although I understand that it is a feature of human nature, we tend to slip into a personality based reaction to our liturgical celebrations, where the personality of the priest becomes a focus. The inherent danger in this is that we can forget that the priest is there to fulfil one major function - a mediator. He is called to intercede for the people of God and to represent Christ, to show Christ to the people. Yes, he always has to act as an integrated person - well-balanced and true to the personality granted by God - but always conscious that it is Jesus Christ he preaches. When the message becomes the priest's message then there is a problem. The representative of the Head must allow the Head to be seen. Is it a demanding role? Yes. It is challenging, not just from the point of view of situations dealt with but also with regard to the constant need to live life in a sacrificial manner. It is sacrificial because of the need to emphasise Jesus Christ over one's own. needs. Always, in every situation, it is the Gospel message that has to be lived. There are times when the priest will fail to do so - temptation to neglect God can and indeed does hit the priest as well and in his humanity times will see him fail to resist the temptation. Like any other person who professes faith he needs to be constantly aware of what is happening in his life and ask for the grace to live his vocation fully and completely.
That grace comes from the Lord through the sacraments, focus on the Word of God and prayer as it does for all. The great challenge therefore becomes the constancy of witness to the importance of these, allowing the people entrusted to him see how the help in developing relationship with Christ the Head of the Body, Christ the Head of the Church.