Life makes no sense without love. In the words of Pope John Paul II:
Man cannot live without love. He remains a being that is incomprehensible for himself—his life is senseless—if love is not revealed to him, if he does not encounter love, if he does not experience it and make it his own, if he does not participate intimately in it. This is why Christ the Redeemer "fully reveals man to himself."22
Christ crucified teaches us what it means to be human: that we will find ourselves only in the fullest giving of ourselves.
How does this apply to the priesthood? A priest has died to himself in order to give life to others. He is rightly called a father, because the gift of his sacrifice brings about children in the faith. By giving up his body for his bride (the Church), he brings life into the family of God. A man does not enter the priesthood as an escape but as a conquest. He does not join the seminary because he can't get a date. He goes because of his love for God and his desire to save souls.
All too often, we think of the priesthood in terms of what is given up. We never pause to think about the blessings received, such as the power to forgive sins and to change mere bread into the flesh of God. In the words of Christ:
Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time . . . and in the age to come. (Mark 10:29–30)
If you feel a tug toward the consecrated life, don't run from it. It won't disappear. Put aside any fears you may have, and pray a Hail Mary each day to help you discern your vocation. When you feel ready, talk to a priest or youth minister about your feelings. Perhaps you can attend a discernment retreat in your diocese. Doing so does not mean that you're signing up for the seminary; it just means you're open to taking a deeper look. Perhaps you will leave the retreat with a deep sense of peace and the knowledge that the priesthood is not for you. Perhaps you will leave with a great hope that God may be calling you. Either way, we should imitate the courage of Mother Teresa, who said, "Of my free will, dear Jesus, I shall follow you wherever you shall go in search of souls, at any cost to myself and out of pure love of you."23
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Pure Manhood
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