What Are You Looking For? Part 2: The Liturgy and the Sacraments

The Sacrament of Holy Orders: The Indelible Spiritual Character

The Sacrament of Holy Orders: The Indelible Spiritual Character

            Through the sacrament of Holy Orders something pretty amazing happens.  It’s the same thing that happens to every Catholic who is baptized and confirmed.  When someone is baptized and confirmed they are indelibly marked as belonging to God.  The sacrament of Holy Orders “configures the recipient to Christ by a special grace of the Holy Spirit, so that he may serve as Christ’s instrument for his Church.  By ordination one is enabled to act as a representative of Christ, Head of the Church, in his triple office of priest, prophet, and king.” (CCC 1581)

            What this means is that once a priest, always a priest.  Even if the priest ever (God forbid) “leaves” the priesthood, or is forbidden to exercise his priestly ministry, still he will never again be “just” a layman.  It is impossible.  That indelible character is forever. 

            This is, or should be a comfort to all Catholics, because it means that no matter how “good” or “bad” the priest may have been, the sacraments they conferred are always valid.  God, being God, sees that indelible character that the priest is marked with as he performs his priestly duties.  “Since it is ultimately Christ who acts and effects salvation through the ordained minister, the unworthiness of the latter does not prevent Christ from acting.” (CCC 1584)

            This doesn’t mean that the priest is free to go and do whatever he wants and everything will be fine, any more than any of the rest of us can.  We are all called to live in a manner worthy of our calling in Christ Jesus, whether priest or layperson.  It just means that if the priest has failed in some way, the sacraments are still the sacraments and Jesus still works through them.  As St. Augustine wrote, “The spiritual power of the sacrament is indeed comparable to light: those to be enlightened receive it in its purity, and if it should pass through defiled beings, it is not itself defiled.” (St. Augustine, In evangelium Johannis tractatus 5, 15 PL 35, 1422)

            The recipient of the sacrament of Holy Orders isn’t left to try to carry out the duties of his ministry in his own strength.  It would be impossible for him to do so.  It is through the grace of the Holy Spirit that he is able to carry out his office.  For bishops this includes the grace to properly and wisely govern those placed in their care.  He is given the grace to guide and teach his flock.  And the grace to defend the faith and the faithful, with his life, if necessary.  For the priest, it is the grace to lead and teach and guide those of his parish.  To be with them to celebrate life’s joys and mourn with them in life’s sorrows.  For the deacon, it is the grace to serve, often quietly and behind the scenes. 

Above all, all who receive the sacrament of Holy Orders are given the grace to follow the instructions of St. Gregory of Nazianzus, “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, were we find yourselves 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, Oratorio 2, 71, 74, 73 PG 35, 480-481)

            May all of us lay people always faithfully and earnestly pray for our bishops, priests and deacons that God would keep and protect them, as they care for our souls.