I wrote this article on January 28th of this year and I have been holding on to this for a while...
Enjoy the read.
My name is Mary
Magdalene. I am Roman Catholic. I am a female and I love the Priesthood.
When I became a Mass
Server in 2007, I was asked if I wanted to be a nun. I said no; I wanted to be
a Priest. The first female Priest in the world and I was willing to petition
the Pope if that was what it would take to become one.
My spiritual director,
at that time, told me I could still opt to be a nun and set up my own
congregation if that was what I wanted. That was not what I wanted.
Growing up, I sense a
deep desire to be a wife to a man and a mother to as many sons as I would have…
and maybe a daughter, if the Lord wills it. And yes, the more the years, the
more I still want to be a priest. I want to do the work of God more and more.
Yes, I want to equip the saints for the work of the ministry. Yes, like John, I
want to mend the net. This is my father’s business and my food is to do the
will of The One Who sent me.
I am reading a book
titled, God Is A Matchmaker” by Derek and Ruth Prince and I have come across the
concept of celibacy. I am pondering on this concept when I realize that Daddy
(God) equips some men (and women) to tow the path of celibacy for the sake of
His purposes for them and for His creation.
I look at Peter (the
rock, the one on whom the church is built) and I remember that Peter was not
unmarried. In fact, some of the Apostles of Jesus Christ, the pillars on whom
the church rests, were married men who travelled to share the Good News, after
Jesus’ ascension, with their wives.
I am thinking… I am
asking myself a lot of questions…
Okay, this is my
concern.
I believe that the
young men in my church must understand some things. I believe that we have the
responsibility to make them aware that they all don’t have to sacrifice marriage
in order to do the work of God.
You see unless the
Lord build the house, they labour in vain those who build it. If the Lord does
not specially equip one to become celibate for the sake of His purposes, those who tow that path walk in perpetual
frustration. Here I was, trying to establish a covenant with the Lord when He
showed me through the Book of Exodus that for me to get the boldness to want to
do such a thing means that I am sure of my ability to keep that pact with the
Almighty and Sovereign Lord. But this, no matter how noble, is flawed because
in this case, I am assuming that I am able and I know it all… but I don’t know.
It is He Who establishes covenants with His people. It is He Who equips us with
His Holy Spirit to remain in covenant with Him and to do His will.
We must teach young men
in the church to know that we need Priests. Yes, we need Priests in our homes.
We need Priests who, as fathers, will lift up the name of Jesus in their homes
and be shining examples of fatherhood to their seed. We need Priests who will
teach their sons and daughters the Word of God and establish God’s Kingdom in
their Homes. We need Priests who will understand their role, as husbands, to
love and tend the gardens the Lord has placed them in… their wives.
We need to let them
understand what it means for the family to be termed as the smallest unit of
the Church. We need Priests who will understand that in marriage, they will do
more work for God than in thinking that they would if they sacrifice the love
or desire they have for marriage and for companionship with a woman. This love
is a Gift of God. Obedience to God’s call for fathers and husbands who are
priests is better than sacrifice.
I am not against men
choosing the path of celibacy to become Priests. This is also a Gift of God. I
only want the young men in my church to know that our homes need priests who
are fathers and husbands as well…
There are men with a
genuine desire to work for God, to lift up the name of Jesus, to do His will
and to teach others about Him, to preach about Him and to share His love with
mankind. We must keep this fire in the hearts of our young men alive and we
must teach them that they can still be
married to the right partner and do so much more for God than they ever
thought possible. You just must have faith that God Is able to do with you more
than you could ever imagine. Please, do not confine Him only to the box of the
Priesthood to make that happen.
You can yell at me, you
can speak against me, you may call me ignorant but in your heart of hearts, you
know I speak the truth.
I don’t want the
zealous young men in my church to tow the path of perpetual frustration…yes,
you can be a priest in your home and still be an awesome father and a loving husband.
Peace.
Ahhh...Marlene, who are you?
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