[00:00:05] Hello! My name is Sally Moriarty-Flask; welcome to From His Word to Our Hearts, my weekly Bible study podcast. Together we will explore the readings to be proclaimed at the Catholic Mass on Sunday, October 20, 2024, the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time.
[00:00:24] This week's episode is entitled: What Do WE Want from God? And in these readings, we'll explore how the desire for power and prestige can lead us on the wrong path.
[00:00:39] As we journey through the readings this week, consider the following: Do we pursue power, prestige, and influence because it makes others respect us and we like being in the spotlight?
[00:00:54] So let's begin in prayer. In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
[00:00:59] Heavenly Father, we praise you and we thank you for the gift of this day, for the gift of the Sacred Scriptures that teach us of the immense love you have for each and every one of us. You know us better than we know ourselves. Help us to ask rightly for what we need, and not be tempted to ask wrongly for things that will only benefit us in this world. And we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
[00:01:32] Now that we've opened our hearts in prayer, let's listen to what God is telling us in the Scriptures.
[00:01:38] Our Gospel this week is from Mark 10: 35-40. And just as we have had the options on the length of the Gospel for the past two weeks, the Church offers the same option this week. Interestingly enough, the shorter version of this week's Gospel IS the last four verses of the passage. Unlike the last couple of weeks where they've dropped off the last three or four verses, this week they drop off, or omit rather, the first seven verses, so the shorter version IS the last four verses.
[00:02:14] “James and John, the sons of Zeb’edee, came forward to [Jesus], and said to him, ‘Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.’ And he said to them, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ And they said to him, ‘Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.’ But Jesus said to them, ‘You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the chalice that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized.’ And they said to him, ‘We are able.’ And Jesus said to them, ‘The chalice that I drink you will drink; and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized; but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.’ And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant at James and John. And Jesus called to them and said to them, ‘You know that those who are supposed to rule over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you; but whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For the Son of man also came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.’”
[00:03:57] Those who composed the Catholic Lectionary chose to skip several verses in Mark's Gospel that separate the end of last week's passage and the beginning of this week's. What we miss - in those omitted verses - is Jesus foretelling his death to his apostles for the third time.
Now I'm going to invite you to picture this scene… Jesus and his disciples are walking along together and Jesus tells them: “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man will be delivered to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death, and deliver him to the Gentiles; and they will mock him, and spit upon him, and scourge him, and kill him; and after three days, he will rise.”
[00:04:50] This week's Gospel follows immediately after that prediction! And to gain further perspective on today's passage, let's think about the order in which the disciples were called: First were Simon Peter and Andrew… and Second were James and John - the featured players (if you will) in today's passage. Also, keep in mind, James and John left their father Zeb’edee, in the boat mending fishing nets, to follow Jesus. They abandoned their father, which would have brought shame to their family in an honor/shame society, to follow this itinerant preacher!
[00:05:33] So that's the background we need to keep in mind as we read through this passage. Jesus has just told his followers FOR THE THIRD TIME that he's going to Jerusalem to die when James and John approach with their jarring request. It's almost as if they're trying to bring this to Jesus’ attention before it's too late - get it in there quick! So, let's jump back into the beginning.
[00:06:06] “James and John, the sons of Zeb’edee, came forward to [Jesus] and said to him, ‘Teacher’”
Look at how they address him here. Teacher or Rabbi, NOT Lord. These same men that have traveled with Jesus for three years and seen all of his miracles… all of his healings… they've heard all of his preaching and teaching… they call him Teacher.
[00:06:33] “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.”
[00:06:39] Clearly, their minds are not where they should be. Remember, Jesus has just reminded them that he is going to be betrayed, tortured, and killed. Now, while the juxtaposition of their request with what Jesus just told them may seem upsetting to us - it should also make us stop and think of how many times we begin our own personal prayer - sort of - in the same way!
[00:07:11] The appropriate way to approach the Lord of the Universe would be as young Samuel did when he said: “Speak, Lord, your servant is listening” but instead - we need to be honest with ourselves here - how many times do we say exactly the opposite? In essence… “Listen, Lord, your servant is speaking!”
[00:07:34] I know I do! I want God to hear my needs, and my concerns, and my wants - as if he doesn't already know them - and I want to make sure he knows how important I think they are!
[00:07:47] We all do that, truth be told, I think - if we're honest with ourselves… we can all admit that! When what we should really be doing is sitting in this stillness with God and letting his peace, and his love, and his grace fill our being. Mark goes on…
[00:08:12] “And he said to them, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’”
Remember what I've pointed out for the last few weeks - when Jesus answers a question with a question, that's important… it's a hint. What he's really saying is that he wants people to think for themselves… he wants them to examine all sides of a situation to see if perhaps they missed something.
[00:08:40] The disciples have observed this in action numerous times and they should have recognized the tactic immediately. Jesus is trying to get them to realize that they are on the wrong track, but they don't get it.
[00:08:57] They are so wrapped up in their own situation, so fixated on their concerns, and so aware of the fact that time is running out for them to influence Jesus to do what they want him to do for them, that they just don't recognize the hint! Now, because Scripture is the living word of God - we also need to be aware that Jesus is speaking those words to us, too. He is asking US that very same question - what do you want me to do for you?
[00:09:35] And we need to consider how we would answer that.
[00:09:40] “And [James and John] said to him, ‘Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.’”
[00:09:48] Asking for positions at Jesus’ right hand and his left hand means that what they're really asking for is power, prestige, and honor in God's kingdom. Now - power, prestige, and honor aren't bad things, in and of themselves. God is all-powerful, after all! And power, prestige and influence - these things - allow us to accomplish things in this world… they help us to achieve things… they make it easier for us to get things done. They aren't bad - it's what we do with them that makes them good or bad.
[00:10:36] Remember, I asked at the beginning… do we pursue power and prestige, honor and influence simply because we like to be admired? Because we like to be in the spotlight? Because we like to have other people look up to us? Or… do we prefer to use those qualities to help other people and make the world a better place?
[00:11:06] “But Jesus said to them, ‘You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the chalice that I drink’”
Now, to drink something in biblical times indicates acceptance - and a chalice, or cup, is an Old Testament metaphor for what God planned for someone… think of instances of the use of the word cup as in a Cup of Blessing at a Seder supper, which is done to commemorate Passover… or the Cup of Wrath mentioned in several Old Testament books (Jeremiah, Psalms, Zechariah, Lamentations, Habakkuk) and it represents God's righteous anger. So what Jesus is really asking, James and John is if they are willing, and able, to accept God's plan for them. And when Jesus says that cup “that I drink” think also of the Last Supper and the Institution of the Eucharist.
[00:12:17] There's a reason for that. I'll get back to it. Then Jesus asks them - or so Jesus asks them…
“Are you able to drink the chalice that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?”
[00:12:34] In this one sentence, Jesus links Eucharist and Baptism… remember, I said, I get back to it? And those are two of the foundational Sacraments of Christianity… and he links them with his Passion and Death. And remember what happened when the Roman soldier pierced Jesus’ side with the lance as he hung on the Cross? Blood and water poured out from his side, right? Symbols of Eucharist and Baptism… the blood represents the Eucharist and the water represents Baptism.
[00:13:24] “And they said to him, ‘We are able.’”
[00:13:28] Now, that's a tremendously ironic statement, given what actually happens on Golgotha and beyond. And I'll make that connection after this next part so.. again, bear with me. It all kind of builds on itself.
[00:13:42] “And Jesus said to them, ‘The chalice that I drink you will drink; and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized’”
[00:13:55] So, let's look first at who is actually present at the foot of the Cross when Jesus was Crucified. Three women named Mary, right? Mary, the mother of Jesus; Mary, the wife of Clopas; and Mary Magdalene… and the beloved disciple, who we know to be the Apostle John. So, one of the men asking Jesus for special treatment WAS at the foot of the Cross.
[00:14:26] What about the other? What about James? The Scriptures tell us that the disciples deserted Jesus and fled when he was arrested. So, James was nowhere to be found when Jesus was Crucified.
[00:14:42] At the same time, it's equally important to mention here the ultimate fate of both of those men. James, the one who was NOT present at the Crucifixion, became the first Apostle to be martyred in the year 44 AD… while John lived to the age of 100-ish (we believe 100) and died in the city of Ephesus in Turkey. Now, that's not to say that John's life was easy, it wasn't. But he was the only Apostle to die of natural causes. I think that makes it worth thinking about for us! Jesus goes on…
[00:15:27] “but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.”
In other words, that is the Father's prerogative alone. And only the Father knows who he will choose.
[00:15:45] “And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant at James and John.”
[00:15:50] Well, of course they were… likely, because they didn't think of it first! Had they thought of it first, they probably would have been first in line.
[00:15:59] “And Jesus called them to him and said to them, ‘You know that those who are supposed to rule over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them.’”
[00:16:14] Jesus is referring here to the ABUSE of power and authority. Power and authority run rampant… run wild… with no checks on it… that's what he's talking about. Instances where power and authority are sought for the benefit of the individual alone, rather than to help others or serve the greater good. Jesus goes on…
[00:16:40] “But it shall not be so among you”
Meaning that there is no place among the company of the disciples for rivalry or self-promotion. Remember, those who exercised authority in biblical times enjoyed many perks and benefits - but Jesus says NO! No, that's not how it will be with you. And, as faithful Christian disciples, he says the same thing to us: It shall not be so with you.
[00:17:18] Your power and influence and authority are NOT going to reign unchecked… they're not going to run amok. They're going to be put to use to help others and to serve the common good. Jesus goes on…
[00:17:36] ‘[W]hoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all.”
[00:17:47] Jesus is telling them that there WILL be positions of authority in his Church, but that authority will be exercised through service.
[00:18:00] Remember, we heard this same message from Jesus in chapter 9 of Mark's Gospel when he said: whoever wishes to be first will be the last of all and the servant of all, right? Turns the whole idea of being leaders upside down and stresses the importance of being servants to each other. Then he goes on to say…
[00:18:29] “For the Son of man also came not to be served but to serve.”
[00:18:39] Jesus did not come into the world for his own benefit - ever - but to serve his Father and all people. This wasn't a lark for Jesus… this wasn't a grand adventure… he knew what he was getting into and he chose to do it anyway.
[00:19:03] What he's really stressing here - what he's reiterating - is the words he will speak to his disciples at the Last Supper when he will wash their feet: I am giving you an example to follow. And then, the last words of this passage…
“For the Son of man also came not to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
[00:19:33] The idea of Jesus giving his “life as a ransom for many” is the basis of what is known as Atonement Theory. Now, Atonement Theory was described by Saint Anselm of Canterbury in the 11th century. In his book entitled: “Why God Became a Man” Saint Anselm wrote: “The only way to satisfy the debt [meaning the debt of our sins] was for a being of infinite greatness, acting as a man on behalf of men, to repay the debt of justice owed to God.”
[00:20:14] Think about that for a moment… the only way to satisfy the debt was for a being of infinite greatness to repay the debt for us.
[00:20:26] Now… does that mean that God has a huge scoreboard up in heaven, and he's keeping track of everything we do so that he can track every bad action? Of course not!
[00:20:37] What it does mean is that Jesus, through his Passion and Death on the Cross, became a perfect sacrifice - holy and pleasing to God - and by the blood he shed became the instrument of atonement for the sins of all men. That is a sized debt that no human being could ever have satisfied… only a perfect sacrifice could be offered by a perfect High Priest - and the Letter to the Hebrews clearly explains that Jesus is both! We'll get to that a little bit later - another part of that - in our Second Reading. But right now, let's turn to our First Reading, which is from the Book of the Prophet
Isaiah 53: 10-11.
[00:21:36] “It was the will of the LORD to bruise him; he has put him to grief; when he makes himself an offering for sin, he shall see his offspring, he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand; he shall see the fruit of the travail of his soul and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous; and he shall bear their iniquities.”
[00:22:10] Now, that passage is from Second Isaiah, and it is the last of the 4 Suffering Servant songs.
[00:22:20] It's clear to those of us who are Christian why this passage is paired with the Gospel, and we see Jesus woven throughout this passage. But, it's also important for us to understand how the Jewish people interpret this! Remember, in Jewish theology, the Suffering Servant represents the Jewish people that are in exile in Babylon, some of whom - at the time that Second Isaiah is writing - have never even seen their original homeland or the Temple in Jerusalem. So, let's go through this from the Jewish theological perspective.
[00:23:06] “It was the will of the LORD to bruise him; he has put him to grief; when he makes himself an offering for sin, he shall see his offspring, he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand;”
[00:23:22] The prophet here is NOT saying that God delights in suffering. No, no, no!
[00:23:30] What pleases God is the Suffering Servant's willingness to suffer for the salvation of others. And specifically, that God will bring grief to the Jewish exiles as a means of inspiring them to return to faithful observance of the Torah… the Covenant… the Law of God. Not so much even bring grief, but allow grief to be experienced by the Jewish exiles.
[00:24:04] And when the Suffering Servant DOES repent, he will be rewarded with descendants, a long life, and prosperity. Now, I also need to point out something while I'm here. The Hebrew word used for offspring in this passage refers specifically to physical children, NOT to spiritual descendants. And because of that, Jewish theologians believe Christianity really subverted this passage, this Suffering Servant song, by saying that it pertains to Jesus who, himself, had no physical children.
[00:24:46] And while I can appreciate the Jewish point of view, I also want to point out that it misses the mark in one crucial way. And that is in a fundamental lack of understanding of the Trinity - which, of course, is a Christian dogma that states that God is three distinct persons: Father, Son, and Spirit - all sharing one eternal essence. So, while we can speak of the individual persons of Father, Son, and Spirit, and while we can address our prayers to one - or all - of those distinct persons, they are all nevertheless, one God… sharing one essence… one substance.
[00:25:32] AND we - as Christians - view ourselves as adopted sons and daughters of God. God and Jesus are the same essence… it is through Jesus that we are - we become - adopted sons and daughters of God the Father… thereby satisfying that concept of physical offspring rather than just spiritual descendants. So, I think that's where Jewish theology misses the mark a bit. Isaiah goes on to say that the Suffering Servant…
“shall see the fruit of the travail of his soul and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous;”
[00:26:16] In other words, the exiles - those exiled in Babylon - will lead the world to righteousness through knowledge of the one true God. That knowledge will be spread not just by the example that they live amongst other nations, but it will also be spread by their direct teaching and instruction of others.
[00:26:43] And then the last line…
“and he shall bear their iniquities.”
[00:26:51] This idea of bearing the sin or iniquity of another is not a theme that is common to Jewish theology. And in fact, it appears nowhere else in what we call the Old Testament (or, of course, what Jews call the Bible) because Old Testament theology held strictly to the opinion that each individual must atone for his or her own sins.
[00:27:18] And nowhere is this made clearer than on the Jewish High Holy Days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur… basically Jewish New Year and the Day of Atonement… along with the days that separate those two Holy Days, called the Ten Days of Repentance. And remember, these Holy Days are still celebrated faithfully by modern Jews. So, while Jewish theologians think that Christianity got it wrong in saying that this passage - and in fact, all of the Suffering Servant Songs - pertain to Jesus. In truth, I think this is precisely where Christianity gets it entirely right.
[00:28:02] We see the prophet affirming the value of the Suffering Servant’s sacrifice and death which will be of a great benefit to many. In fact, we Christians perceive Jesus so clearly in these Suffering Servant songs that the entirety of this 4th Suffering Servant song is read as part of the Good Friday liturgy, not just the two verses we heard today, but the entire passage… from chapter 52:13 – 53:12, the entire passage… as a reminder that Jesus, himself, was the perfect Suffering Servant.
[00:28:51] Our Psalm this week is Psalm 33, and the response is:
“Lord, let your mercy be on us, even as we hope in you.”
And here are the verses:
[00:29:02] “For the word of the LORD is upright; and all his work is done in faithfulness. He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the mercy of the LORD. Behold the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his merciful love, that he may deliver their soul from death, and keep them alive in famine. Our soul waits for the LORD; he is our help and our shield. Let your mercy, O LORD, be upon us, even as we hope in you.”
[00:29:37] Now this Psalm is a Hymn of Praise to God. And remember, a Psalm of Praise is intended to express the gratitude, exaltation, and joy of the author for the greatness of God. Here in Psalm 33, the just are invited to praise God and acknowledge that mankind is good simply because God is our creator, and he made us to be good… that he loves us, his creatures, and he chooses us to be his people… and our completely appropriate response is to joyfully give God our faith and love in return. Of course, this Psalm was originally written for God's Chosen People, the Jews - the Israelites - but it is now applicable to all who love God.
[00:30:29] And that leads us to the Reading from the Letter to the Hebrews 4: 14-16.
[00:30:38] “[Brothers and sisters:] Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. For we have not a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sinning. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
[00:31:17] Now remember, the Letter to the Hebrews was written, in part, to encourage a Christian community that was becoming weak in their faith to strengthen and encourage them.
[00:31:30] I mentioned previously that the author of Hebrews is unknown which is made beautifully evident by a quote from Origen of Alexandria, who is a 3rd cent. Theologian. He wrote that only God knows the author - and, clearly, that has been the case since the Patristic Era - the first few centuries of Christianity.
[00:31:54] This week's passage is the 3rd of our 7 passages that we will hear from Hebrews and it begins where last week's passage left off…
[00:32:04] “[Brothers and sisters:] Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God,”
[00:32:15] The words “through the heavens” refer to Jesus’ Resurrection from the dead and his Ascent to the Father - after which the author provides a clear statement of Jesus’ identity: “the Son of God” – so… through the heavens… Jesus, the Son of God… So, we are to…
[00:32:37] “hold fast to our confession.”
In other words, don't let anything shake our faith. Remember, this letter is intended - was intended - to encourage and strengthen believers in a faltering Christian community. But - it is just as directed at us! Because so many times the world tells us what we think… what we believe… is wrong. And so these words are intended to encourage us as well.
[00:33:19] “For we have not a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses”
[00:33:25] What the author is saying here is that Jesus is not a high priest who is ONLY human - like the Levitical priesthood of the Jews would have been. He is fully divine AND fully human. In his humanity, he is able to fully sympathize with our weaknesses, but…
“who in every respect has been tempted […] but without sinning.”
In other words, while he can sympathize with our weaknesses in his humanity, he was without sin in his divinity. Fully human - so he understands us; fully divine - so that he still loves us and gave himself up for us.
[00:34:21] “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace”
The throne of grace is that place of divine favor with God the Father.
“that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
This reminds us that Jesus makes possible our access to God's throne of grace AND at the same time gives us the confidence we need to approach it.
[00:34:53] Remember… he said to his Apostles, when he taught them how to pray, call God: Abba, Father. Abba is not a formal address of Father… Abba is close… intimate… it is the address of a little child who knows - without a doubt - that they are, and always will be, completely and totally loved.
[00:35:21] He makes possible our access to God's throne of grace and gives us the confidence to approach it. Now, let me digress here - just a bit - in order to take a deeper dive into the concept of priesthood in general. First came the Levitical priesthood of the Jewish people that I referenced earlier. And think back to the end of our First Reading and the phrase: “he shall bear their iniquities.”
[00:35:51] Remember, while I said that bearing the sin of another is NOT common in Jewish theology (which it isn't), I also referenced the Jewish High Holy Days… one of which is Yom Kippur, or the Day of Atonement. On the Day of Atonement, the Jewish High Priest, who is himself a sinner - like all the rest of us humans - would have entered the Holy of Holies in the Jerusalem Temple - that inner sanctum, the symbol of God's presence on earth - to offer sacrifice on behalf of the people who are also sinners.
[00:36:30] Now let's contrast that with Jesus, the eternal High Priest. Jesus, a being of infinite greatness who was without sin himself… Jesus, who entered into heaven, not an earthly symbol of God's presence, but the presence of God himself… Jesus, who bore our iniquities - or to put it another way - who took upon himself the weight of the sin of all people and became the perfect means to repay the debt of justice to his heavenly Father… Jesus, who - as a Great High Priest - offers himself as the perfect sacrifice of atonement!
[00:37:22] You can see the presence of both theologies there… and one of the reasons why we - as Christians - build our theology on Jewish theology. It's a great underpinning. Now, let me further connect the High Priesthood of Jesus with the concept of priesthood in Christianity. So, we're gonna make one more leap here. When a Christian is baptized, he or she is anointed priest, prophet, and king… and through that anointing with sacred Chrism becomes part of what is called the common priesthood of the faithful that is shared by all Christians.
[00:38:05] Beyond that common priesthood of the faithful, Catholics also have the ministerial priesthood which is reserved for those select men who have been called by God to serve as ministers in the Church. Remember, I said the whole idea of service is at the heart of being a leader. It's also important to note that the ministerial priesthood and the common priesthood of the faithful BOTH participate in the one priesthood of Christ, that one Great High Priest, but each in its own proper way. Saint Thomas Aquinas wrote that: “only Christ is the true priest, the others being only his ministers” and that those men who become part of the ministerial priesthood should “make their lives a bridge between God and man.”
[00:39:12] I think that is such a beautiful sentiment… “make their lives a bridge between God and man.” In Catholicism, our ministerial priests administer the Sacraments to us, and the Sacraments are how we receive God's grace; one of the many ways… through Baptism, through the Eucharist, through Reconciliation, through Marriage, through Anointing of the Sick… these are all ways that God's grace is dispensed directly to us through the ministerial priesthood.
Bishop Robert Barron wrote that priests - and I'm going to use this quote because it's absolutely beautiful – “must be able to travel down far enough to reach the most ‘lost of the lost’ and, at the same time, be able to reach up high enough to facilitate the journey to heaven. They must have what Pope Francis called ‘the smell of the sheep’ and still be comfortable in the company of angels.”
[00:40:33] For those of us who are Catholic, (hopefully) we understand the ministerial priesthood and appreciate the sacrifices that many good men have made in order to serve Christ and his Church. I am not - by any means - ignoring or glossing over bad things that have happened. I would never do that! There have been a number of people that have been seriously hurt by misguided priests. And I think this is part of where the CALL to priesthood becomes so important.
[00:41:11] I think, sometimes, men used to go into the priesthood because they felt they were supposed to… not because they had a real call for it. And I think that's where - at times - the ministerial priesthood went off track.
[00:41:25] And I also think that too many times, the Church - as a human organization - has protected men that did not deserve to be protected… and did NOT protect innocent people that SHOULD have been protected. So, by no means am I saying that every priest is great.
[00:41:48] I wouldn't say that! I've known good AND bad priests in my life. But the good priests - that I have had the privilege of getting to know - are selfless, kind, loving, and compassionate examples of what Jesus intended in the ministerial priesthood.
[00:42:15] I think all the qualities that make a man a good father are the same qualities that are necessary to make a man a good priest. So, when I say that good men make sacrifices in order to serve Christ in his Church, it's because those men do make the sacrifice… of having their own home… and a wife… and their own children… and grandchildren. But, in not having a nuclear family, they gain - in so many ways - a family beyond what they could have ever imagined. And I have seen that as well!
[00:42:59] For those who are not Catholic, I hope that this has helped explain the idea of Catholic priesthood - ministerial priesthood - just a little bit.
[00:43:13] If you would like to reach out to me with questions or comments, send me an email at
[email protected]
Thank you for listening and until next we meet, may God shower his blessings upon you like a soft and gentle rain and may he hold you, safe and secure, in the palm of his hand.
[00:43:34] From His Word to Our Hearts is produced by SFS Audio Solutions. The content of the show was assembled by me, Sally Moriarty-Flask. Our music was composed by Jimmy Flask and is used with permission of the composer. All rights reserved.
[00:43:50] Information regarding references used in preparing the exegesis for this podcast are available upon request.
[00:43:56] Thank you for listening and God Bless.
