From Verbum * , St Thomas Aquinas Seminary.  Fall 2002 Page 4


The Priesthood: Low-Tech, High Payoff

[Editor's Note: The following is the appeal of a first-year seminarian for young men to examine their lives seriously.]

    The 21st century has arrived, and technology is evolving at breakneck speed, producing faster, smaller and cheaper gadgets than ever before. The Internet has linked the corners of the world, making global communication a reality, and e-mail and instant messaging are vying with the telephone for popularity. Cell phones are commonplace, laptops are in demand, high-definition televisions are widely available, LCD-panels are in the main-stream, and high-speed dedicated Internet access allows people to stay connected to the World Wide Web 24 hours a day without interruption. The surge of technological advancement shows no sign of diminishing. With each passing day civilization becomes more high-tech and more attractive.

    The pull of the world is greater than ever before, and religious vocations are in severe decline. Fewer and fewer men are responding to God's grace and answering His call. No doubt many are summoned to the service of God, but few can perceive the interior calling amidst the commotion of the modern world. Christ speaks to the soul in silence and prayer; He does not compete with radio and television. As the Curé of Ars once said,-

 "The noise of the world drives the Holy Ghost away."


  Inspiration behind a religious vocation originates from the Holy Ghost. If God's call is being drowned out by the incessant distractions of movies, music and technology, how can men expect to know the will of God?

      'The harvest indeed is abundant, but the laborers are few" (Matt IX, 37). These words were spoken by Our Lord as He preached throughout the cities and villages of Palestine. He observed the vast multitudes of people and ' 'He was moved with pity for them, seeing them bewildered and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd" (Matt IX, 36). Two thousand years later, the situation has not improved. For many, the vocation to the priestly or religious life is not even considered; the idea is distasteful. It is regarded as a burdensome existence filled with unending toil and sorrow.

  Yet nothing could be farther from the truth. The Priesthood is the most rewarding job on earth. Rather than working for money, the priest labors for souls. Instead of amassing earthly goods, the priest gathers heavenly treasure by offering his life to God. It is true that sacrifice plays a large part in the priestly apostolate, but God counterbalances that suffering with a supernatural joy unlike
anything the world can offer. This is the antithesis of the modern world —the world which surrounds people with exterior comfort but leaves the soul in a state of constant unrest.

Those who run after the vanities of the world, which pass away like shadows, give a great deal for very little profit; they give their eternity for the miserable smoke of the world. Life is short. And despite the riches one might gain on earth, death will eventually steal it all away. From the tiny infant lying quietly in its crib, to the wealthy stock broker on Wall Street, every person will eventually face death. It is the unavoidable fate of man's fallen human nature. It cannot be prevented. When at last one leaves this world, he will be stripped of everything. Wife, family, friends, possessions — death will separate him completely from the life he once knew. Only his soul will remain. And it will not die. It will go on living, eternally praising or cursing God.

  When this time comes, as Christ assures us it will, in what regard will he hold the material world? Where will the money be, which he labored so tirelessly to accuмulate? The luxurious house, the beautiful car, the expensive television, the high-tech computer — what are all these in the face of death?

  Scripture repeatedly warns men of the folly of caring too much for this life, reminding them that they are merely passers-by, soon to leave. As Christ told the multitudes during the Sermon on the Mount: "Lay not up to yourselves treasures on earth... but lay up to yourselves treasures in heaven: where neither the rust nor moth doth consume, and where thieves do not break through, nor steal" (Matt VI,
19-20).

  Of course not all are called to serve under the cloth of the religious habit. Many are called to the married state, the holy sacrament whereby new life is added unto the Mystical Body of Christ. But even in this calling Catholics are obliged to forsake the allurements of the earth and to strive for sanctity — even in this vocation men will face the Four Last Things.

  Therefore it is fitting that young men take a step backwards and reflect on what the future holds for them. It is time for them to rouse themselves from the artificial reality of our modern society which encourages them to "live for today" and to indulge in the transitory pleasures of life. It is time for men to turn their gaze to the heavens, to raise their expectations, and to consider for a moment a higher calling in life — the calling of Christ the King.

  This very day Our Lord is beckoning young Catholics of the 21st century to climb Mt. Calvary with Him, to suffer with Him during this "Age of Apostasy." The battle for the Faith is underway, and God's faithful priests are holding the fort, waiting for the reinforcements to arrive. Young men have the chance to prove their fidelity to their King by joining His priests on the battle-line. Earthly comfort is not promised; the "salary" consists of long hours, hardship and sacrifice. But for the faithful servant an eternity of bliss is the reward — the finest retirement plan on earth.

  Timidity breeds failure, and time is crucial.  Now is the time to make the decision that could forever change your life —and your eternity.
 
    If God is calling you, do not procrastinate. Make the heroic step that millions of young men have obstinately refused to make. Defy the odds and enter the Seminary to learn once and for all whether
YOU have been chosen by Christ to serve Him in this hour of need.

    The time is now. The place is Stockton Hill.  Operators are standing by!

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* Unofficial

Pray for many holy priests. St. Monica pray for us. +