Editor’s note: This is the 13th column in a series on the priesthood.
A priest is a humble servant, not a high and mighty ruler. Jesus explained this when his Apostles were striving for positions of power: “You know that those recognized as rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant” (Mk 10:42,43). Jesus operated out of this mindset as he went on to say, “The Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve” (Mk 10:45; see also Mt 20:25-28). Priests use their office as a platform to guide and teach, not control or dominate. Their service is given freely for the benefit of others, not for personal advantage (see Lk 14:12,14).
Jesus modeled humble service when he washed the feet of his disciples (Jn 13:1-15). Jesus left his seat at the middle of the table, the seat reserved for the person of highest rank at the meal. Then he took off his outer garments, another sign of his status. Next, he knelt to wash their feet (Jn 13:4-5). Service was not beneath Jesus. A priest may sit in the presider’s chair at Mass, and he may be dressed in fine vestments, but his seat and clothing do not excuse him from service; rather, they are a summons to serve at Mass and everywhere else.
The foot washing prefigured Jesus’ ultimate act of service: his death on the cross. Jesus told his disciples on Holy Thursday night, “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (Jn 15:13). On Good Friday he proved his love when he took up his cross (Jn 19:17) and willingly laid down his life (Jn 10:18; Jn 19:30). Priests regard their people as their friends, and they willingly lay down their lives for them. Priests are asked to shoulder their cross, to endure the hardships that come with ministry for the spiritual well-being of their people. As Jesus gave his very life, priesthood is a lifetime commitment, and from their ordination day until they take their last breath, priests are called to serve from start to finish.
As Jesus died, blood and water flowed from his side (Jn 19:34b). Jesus poured out everything that he had to give. When Jesus died, he was totally spent. There was nothing left. Jesus gave his all. Likewise, a priest is to pour himself into his ministry, and at the end of the day and the end of his life, if he has served as Jesus did, he will have given everything that he has to give and be totally spent, and thus emptied, Jesus will be his all.
Jesus is aware of the selfish inclination to relax and be waited on. Jesus asked his disciples, “Who is greater: the one seated at table or the one who serves?” and then declared, “I am among you as one who serves” (Lk 22:27). The priest must be selfless and have the mentality “I am your servant and have done what I was asked to do” (paraphrase, Lk 17:10).
If pride creeps in, a priest might be tempted to promote himself and his own ideas or even encourage allegiance to himself and foster a cult-like following. This may have been happening in Corinth when early Christian converts claimed to belong to Paul, Apollos or Kephas (1 Cor 1:12). St. Paul would have none of this and announced, “We proclaim Christ crucified” (1 Cor 1:23). The focus is on Jesus and his Gospel teaching, never on the priest and his opinions. When a priest serves, he puts Jesus on center stage, introduces Jesus to others, invites others to listen attentively to Jesus and to follow him, and then quietly exits off to the side. Jesus is the main attraction. The priest is merely a supporting actor.
When a priest serves with humility, he keeps the focus on Jesus, not himself, and has the same attitude as St. John the Baptist who wisely and humbly said, “He (Jesus) must increase; I must decrease” (Jn 3:30).
Father Van Sloun is the director of clergy personnel for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis.
