March 4th - My love for the Priesthood

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.