I recently revealed to a friend for the first time that if my faith, Catholicism, had permitted or would ever permit it, I would have liked to have been considered as a candidate for the seminary and priesthood. "You could have," you might say, "gone to the Episcopalians which allow women priests.".
The thing is, however, I could not. I believe that my faith has the fullness of truth and if that be the case then my personal desires, wishes or hopes for a particular role within it, must properly be superseded by how that truth unfolds within it. Perhaps in time the Holy Spirit will cause it to be concluded that "in persona Christi" is not restricted to the male. For now, I remain in obedience to the dogma and doctrine.
I am blessed that I am able to act as server at Mass almost daily. When the celebrant raises the host as it becomes God Himself I am close to the central action of Catholicism. It just doesn't get better than that other than to be in His Presence in Paradise.
I've got no complaints you see. Still having heard more than one poorly constructed homily in my life (I have been fortunate that within my parish the priests have generally been inspired) I have wondered what it might be like if I could preach homilies-which is not allowed to either lay men or
women under canon law. What a joy it seems it would be. Work of joy.
Maybe it's the beginning of this new year or the agitation and events of these last several that has me thinking in this direction and needing to enhance my offerings in this forum, this blog. Perhaps I shall on a Sunday or holy day take a stab at writing about the readings during the Mass from the perspective of this spottily trained often auto didactic lay person with the title above on those occasions-If a Djinn Could Preach.
Depending on my schedule and emotional and/or spiritual impetus I shall try to begin about today's readings, tomorrow. Stay tuned if you tune into these pages at all.
No comments:
Post a Comment