31st Sunday of Ordinary Time (Reforming Priests)
I would like to comment on our first reading, from the prophet Malachi. Malachi is likely not his actual name, but instead a title or monicker, as mal-aki means ‘my messenger’. It’s not entirely clear, exactly when it was written, but it was sometime during the life of Nehemiah, who was governor of the Jewish people as they returned from Babylonian exile. This would date this writing around 400-450 years before the birth of Jesus.
The Book of Malachi is only three chapters in length, but in that short text, the author lays out a range of bad habits and is calling the people to reform. Part of the problem was that when the people returned from Babylon, over the period of their absence, things had changed. Foreigners had moved in. Also, many of the Jewish people had married foreign people. Again, things were different. One of the questions that emerged in the hearts of the newly returned and Law abiding Jews, came from their observance of the foreign people. They began to wonder, “If they are not living in accord with God’s Law, and they seem to be prospering….then why am I going to all the trouble of living in accord with the Law?”
They became more and more lax. They began to cut corners on their religious observances, and Malachi was calling them out. But also, Malachi was calling out the priests, who were perhaps even more problematic. The priests functioned in a liturgical capacity for the people, but also they were teachers. They were official arbitrators of disputes among peoples, and as we hear in Malachi’s chastisement, they were doing all this guided by their own self-interests. Malachi was calling the priests to reform.
This made me consider what we’ve presented, about what is driving our Partners in the Gospel efforts. I cited four things. First, the shift in population in our Archdiocese, from one area to another. Secondly, there are fewer practicing Catholics. Third, it is increasingly difficult to staff our parishes and Catholic institutions. But finally, it’s because of a shortage of priests.
It begs the question: Why are there not enough priests? There are more reasons than I can cite, but one is that it is an effect of the sex abuse scandals and all the ways it has brought embarrassment, anger and heartbreak, associated with our Church but also with the priesthood itself.
In considering the shortage of priests, it sometimes gives way to possible solutions. Some folks propose that we ordain women to the priesthood. It’s a good question and one that deserves to be unpacked more than I can in this moment, but as Pope Francis himself has said, the Church doesn’t have the authority to do so. Some folks have proposed allowing priests to marry. As Pope Francis said, while this is something the Church is authorized to change, he doesn’t believe it will solve the vocations shortage. Again, these are good questions and it’s important to sort through them.
But I believe the real problem is a loss of faith in our culture. I think there’s a pervasive mindset in our culture that is not so different from the Jews returning from Babylon. We see the people around us, who don’t seem to see any need for religious practice in their lives, and yet who seem to be doing just fine. On some level, it has us asking: “Is God actually real? And does it really matter? It doesn’t feel like there’s a consequence to it, whether He’s real or not, whether I am religiously observant or not.”
Part of the challenge is that most of us don’t have an answer to those questions. Most of us don’t know how to tell people that yes, God is real and that it matters—not just for us, collectively, but for each of us as individuals. I think because we don’t know the answers, it has us asking, “Does it really matter?” Again, it’s a loss of faith. And where there’s a loss of faith, the priesthood seems less and less imperative.
Please pray for the priests we have. They may not meet your own desires for what you want in a priest. Perhaps that’s all the more reason to pray for them. But also pray for more priests. Please pray.