335. What are the effects of the sacrament of Holy Orders? (part 3 continuation)
(Comp
335 repetition) This sacrament yields a special outpouring of the Holy
Spirit which configures the recipient to Christ in his triple office as Priest,
Prophet, and King, according to the respective degrees of the sacrament.
Ordination confers an indelible spiritual character and therefore cannot be
repeated or conferred for a limited time.
“In brief”
(CCC 1592) The ministerial priesthood differs in essence
from the common priesthood of the faithful because it confers a sacred power
for the service of the faithful. The ordained ministers exercise their service
for the People of God by teaching (munus
docendi), divine worship (munus
liturgicum) and pastoral governance (munus
regendi).
To deepen and explain
(CCC 1587) The spiritual gift conferred by presbyteral
ordination is expressed by this prayer of the Byzantine Rite. The bishop, while
laying on his hand, says among other things: Lord, fill with the gift of the
Holy Spirit him whom you have deigned to raise to the rank of the priesthood,
that he may be worthy to stand without reproach before your altar, to proclaim
the Gospel of your kingdom, to fulfill the ministry of your word of truth, to
offer you spiritual gifts and sacrifices, to renew your people by the bath of
rebirth; so that he may go out to meet our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,
your only Son, on the day of his second coming, and may receive from your vast
goodness the recompense for a faithful administration of his order (Byzantine
Liturgy, Euchologion).
Reflection
(CCC 1589) Before the grandeur of the priestly grace and
office, the holy doctors felt an urgent call to conversion in order to conform
their whole lives to him whose sacrament had made them ministers. Thus St.
Gregory of Nazianzus, as a very young priest, exclaimed: We must begin by
purifying ourselves before purifying others; we must be instructed to be able
to instruct, become light to illuminate, draw close to God to bring him close
to others, be sanctified to sanctify, lead by the hand and counsel prudently. I
know whose ministers we are, where we find ourselves and to where we strive. I
know God's greatness and man's weakness, but also his potential. [Who then is
the priest? He is] the defender of truth, who stands with angels, gives glory with
archangels, causes sacrifices to rise to the altar on high, shares Christ's
priesthood, refashions creation, restores it in God's image, recreates it for
the world on high and, even greater, is divinized and divinizes (St. Gregory of
Nazianzus, Oratio 2, 71, 74, 73: PG
35, 480-481). And the holy Curé of Ars: "The priest continues the work of
redemption on earth.... If we really understood the priest on earth, we would
die not of fright but of love.... The Priesthood is the love of the heart of
Jesus" (St. John Vianney, quoted in B. Nodet, Jean-Marie Vianney, Curé d’Ars, 100). [END]
No comments:
Post a Comment