The Gift of Priestly Celibacy
In the gospels we see Jesus live (and die) totally for others. He is ever present in his saving journeys with companions along the way and close collaborators but there is always that element of him that is a total gift.
The Lord, anointed at his baptism, transfigured on the mountain and lifted high on Calvary is not just for one but for everyone. The Priest is called to give himself in a particular way to the mission of Christ. He is also to be set apart while being with others for the Lord. This is a reality for him at the bedside of the dying or assisting the bereaved. This being for the Lord, for others, becomes clear if he is praying with the sick, preparing couples for marriage or children for First Holy Communion and young people for Conformation. It will be evident in him in helping to form young people in secondary school or college.
In these situations he will be seen as for each of these groups in a way unlike many others because of his gift of self. At the altar, he is called to give his voice, his hands, his personality, his ability to teach the Sacred Scriptures as a gift of himself so that another can be seen, Christ. This intensity of love is the celibate life, setting oneself apart for the Lord.
Does this mean loneliness or a sense of loss? No more than any other vocation. The Priesthood will have its high points and low points. When the priest truly ministers as the Lord would wish him, then celibacy is a wonderful joy, a voyage of privileged discovery that sees people trust him with the hurts, consolations and sufferings they bear. In these encounters, he will feel the presence of the Lord who calls him to be with him for others.
Celibacy is also a witness to God in the world. Everything that we see now is advertised as my right to be experienced, my freedom. By holding himself for God, the priest is showing that life can be truly fulfilled by another type of freedom; the freedom of loving God in a total way and giving that to others. This example can inspire many that the celibate comes into contact with. In him they will see that joy is not just in having what we want but in giving and living a Christian example.
Jesus has his companions and so it is for the priest. With close friends, family, his priestly brothers and parishioners he finds great consolation and happiness. The priest is never alone. Apart from all these supports, Mary the Mother of Priests is always there to guide him to her Son. In Christ, the Priest finds a friend, guide and an example of always giving for others. The Priest lives the celibate life as a joy, a gift and a way of calling others to the Lord.
In this he finds true happiness.