What It Means...

As a part of the application process I was asked to write an essay explaining what the priesthood means to me.  Here is what I turned in.

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Last night when I got home the movie “Martian Child” was playing on television.  It’s the story of a recent widower, David, and his attempt to adopt a young boy, Dennis.  Dennis is only six years old and has, as an escape mechanism after having been abused and abandoned by his biological parents, developed an elaborate fantasy world in which he believes he has been sent to earth on a temporary mission from Mars.  He sits in a cardboard box all day for fear of the sun, and wears a weight belt made of flashlight batteries to keep from floating away – like he did from his last mommy and daddy.

One scene from the movie just won’t stop playing in my mind.  It’s Christmas night, and David and Dennis are standing in a driveway as David argues with his own sister.  Dennis is intrigued by a display of Christmas lights in the yard and wanders off to investigate.  Moments later David silently walks over and stands next to Dennis.  He reaches out his hand but isn’t sure whether he should pat him on the head or hold him close.  Instead he simply touches the boy’s shoulder and turns to walk back to the car, hands at his sides.  Dennis follows, about a half a step behind and looking up at David.  Just as Dennis is about to reach out and take David’s hand for the first time ever, David sticks his own hand into his pocket to retrieve his keys, missing the child’s extension of trust.  It wasn’t that he didn’t want Dennis to take his hand, in fact I’m quite certain the simple gesture would have thrilled him.  Their timing was just off.  They were simply out of sync.

I am struck by how that simple scene serves as a metaphor for our relationships with God and with one another.  How often do we miss the opportunity to connect with the divine because we just don’t know how to reach out, or more appropriately, how to be open to the many ways God reaches out to us?  How many times do we miss out on opportunities for true community with other people because, for want of understanding or out of pain over past or present hurts, we are simply out of step with one another?  To me that is what the priesthood is about – helping people with their timing, helping people live in sync with God and with one another.  Whether presiding at the Eucharist, hearing a confession, anointing someone who is sick, counseling someone who is troubled, sitting with someone in mourning or baptizing a newborn baby a priest is helping people come to know more fully the love God has for them and the importance of their care for one another.  

Perhaps it is an oversimplification, but to me the priesthood means loving as Christ loves, serving as Christ served, and always trying to lead people to deeper faith in God and more perfect love for one another.

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