STOP KILLING PRIESTS. IN MEMORY OF LATE FR. ACHI WHO WAS BURNT TO DEATH.

 MONDAY, JANUARY 16, 2023

Office: Psalter Week 2

First Reading. Hebrews 5: 1-10

Psalm. 110: 1-4 (R. 4cd)

Gospel. Mark 2: 18-22

TOPIC FOR REFLECTION 

A PRIEST IS NOT A SAINT, BUT A WEAK PERSON LIKE YOU. 

A priest is not an angel, but a human being who like you occupies the divine office of Jesus. 

But, if I may ask... 

How do you see a priest? 

What is your conception of a priest? 

Do you see a priest as an impeccable angel? 

Do you see a priest as a person who can neither urinate nor defecate? 

Well, do you know that a priest is a human being like you? 

No one is born a priest, rather all are born human like you. 

If you are weak, a priest is also weak. 

If you are strong, a priest is also strong. 

If you react, a priest also react 

If you are moody, a priest can also be moody. 

In short, what you experience as human beings, a priest also experiences. 

Remember that John whom you knew as your best childhood friend is still the same and will remain, John whom you knew, even after his ordination as a Catholic priest; any weakness of his remain. 

I want to let you know that ordination does not remove the weakness of a priest, rather becoming a priest in his weakness helps to lead people to God by his example, just as Jesus who was like us in everything but sin, became man to lead us to God. 

What will be expected of John is to work on his weaknesses, and have self-control because he is occupying the office of Christ and leading people to God. 

More so, the difference in John is that by the virtue of his priestly ordination, he becomes no more an ordinary person, but a consecrated person to God, since he occupies the office of Christ. 

So, the fact that a priest could change bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, makes him an extraordinary person in his human nature embedded with his human weakness. 

Therefore, a priest is chosen among men to become an intermediary between God and humanity. 

According to today's first reading from the letter to the Hebrews, it says... 

Every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward since he is beset with weakness. Because of this, he is bound to offer sacrifices for his sins as well as for those of the people. And one does not take the honor upon himself, but he is called by God, just as Aaron was. So also Christ did not exalt himself to “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”; as he says also in another place, “You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek.” In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard for his godly fear. Although he was a Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered; and being made perfect he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, being designated by God a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.

So, my dear after reading the above explanations, I will encourage you to take it as a point of duty to pray for your priest every day. 

To be a priest is not easy, Satan always wants to strike a priest is that the flick can scatter, just as Very Rev Fr Isaac Achi of SS Peter and Paul Catholic Church Kaffi Koro, was burnt to death in his apartment on the 15th of January,  2023.

What a gruesome killing, may the soul of Fr Achi and the souls of the faithful departed rest in peace. 

Let us stop the killing of priests, and let us never stop praying for priests. 

Priests are the most tempted. Keep praying for them. 

Peace ✌️ be with you. 

Rev. Fr. Segun Oladeji, CRS.