Priesthood is life, ordination is rite (2)

Continued from yesterday

AS Catholics, the easiest part is for us to tend to resort to condemnation of these rituals. However, we as Seminarians, Catechists, Deacons, Priests, Bishops must address the issues of how and why we also seem to have become less committed to preaching about the Sacraments. If the priest himself does not consider the Sacraments important in terms of how he celebrates them, then clearly, it will have an effect on how the people see them. We must return to our roles, not as Managers dispensing authority and power, men committed more to the temporal benefits of the Priesthood, men concerned mainly with the size of the collection, Tithes, or Harvest, but we must return to the salvific goals of our vocation and the priesthood, namely, the salvation of souls.

As our country stumbles through the challenges of building a nation, we have come full circle again, believing that we are close to the shore only to find ourselves pulled back again into the sea of doubt. We are told that shooting war of the Boko Haram sect is about to end. However, this might be the easy part. The more difficult part is the miniature Boko Haram culture of intolerance that is gripping our nation. It is manifested in the discrimination in opportunities in our society. It is evident in those who believe that one religion is superior to the other or that some men and women are superior to others. Amidst these trials, we must return to the Gospels, the Good news, the source of our hope and salvation.

When we look back at the life of Jesus and the early Church, we must ask ourselves a few questions about our role as priests in changing society. In the last few weeks, for those of us who have been looking at the Readings in the Breviary, we will notice that St. Augustine has been speaking to us about the Good Shepherd, laying out very clearly what separates the good from the bad.

This year, the Holy Father, Pope Francis has declared the Year of Mercy. Last week in Abuja, I was called upon to address a group of young Catholics on the theme: Mercy in a Merciless Society. I found the topic quite intriguing. Essentially, I called attention to the fact that it was not only mercy that was scarce in the Nigerian society, but we seem deficient in a lot of things that make us human. We are not only merciless; we are careless, graceless, faithless, lawless and so on. But, as I said to them, in a society where people assert themselves by diminishing others, a masochistic or sadistic society, we would be forgiven for thinking that the concept of Mercy should be anything but something to laugh at.

As some of you may recall, some months ago, a Catholic priest was kidnapped in his own house in Kontagora Diocese. When the matter was reported to me, I called the Inspector General of Police to alert him. After that, I also called the Director General of the State Security Services, SSS, to alert him too. He kept me up-to-date with the developments, their location and so on. After the Bishop called to tell me that the priest had been released, I called the DG, SSS to thank him. He said to me: Bishop, there is nothing to thank us for. We are only doing our job. But, I want to tell you that for us it is not over yet with these criminals. I am sorry to tell you that when it comes to these criminals, I suspend the New Testament. I only read the Old Testament: An eye for an eye, Bishop that is what I believe in with these criminals.

Still, we are called upon to be agents of mercy. Often, we wonder how a merciful God can be just at the same time. In our minds, a just God must ensure justice by sending the sinner to hell. This is the position held by the elder brother of the prodigal son. However, with God, Mercy and Justice are not two sides of a coin as such. Thomas Aquinas argued that God was not bound by the rules of justice because God is sovereign. He is just in relation to Himself and Love is His name (1 Jn. 4:8). Therefore Mercy is just the other side of the coin of God who is love.

As we celebrate with our newly ordained priests, let us keep them in our prayers. This is not the end of their Seminary training; it is not a terminal point. Rather, it is the beginning of a long journey. Ordination is just a rite, a ritual wrapped with symbolism. The priesthood is life. I therefore call on you to pray for us, you priests. I know that for some of you, if God had sought your opinion, we will not be here. With all our flaws, only He knows the reasons why He chose us to be His priests. So, to each and everyone of us, we must recall the words of the French priest, Lacordaire, who summed it up when he said the mission of the Priest is to: To live in the midst of the world without wishing its pleasures; 
To be a member of each family, yet belonging to none; 
To share all suffering; 
to penetrate all secrets; 
To heal all wounds; 
to go from men to God
and offer Him their prayers; 
To return from God to men
to bring pardon and hope; 
To have a heart of fire for Charity, and a heart of bronze for Chastity To teach and to pardon, console and bless always.
My God, what a life;
and it is yours,
 O priest of Jesus Christ.

• Concluded
• The Reverend Father Kukah, Catholic Bishop of Sokoto, delivered this sermon on the occasion of the sacred ordination of two Deacons, Rev. Musa Maiyaki and Gabriel Dyek at the Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Old Airport, Sokoto on September 24, 2015.