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DEFINITIONS OF PRIESTHOOD
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1. Orchestrating the giftedness of God's people. The priest works to blend competing tunes and competing instruments into a harmony. Once harmony is achieved you work to gather all the forces into a great crescendo.
2. A priest leads God's people to share in the priesthood of Christ. As Christ offered his life and death for us and the Kingdom, so the priest invites the Church to offer their lives as a sacrifice to others and the Kingdom. The sacrifices of the old covenant were animals. Christ is a high priesf of a new covenant because he leads us in offering our very selves.
3. A priest says "I give you me". These words can be said appropriately at all of the Sacraments. In ordination the words are said simultaneously to God and the people of God. We strive to give the gift of ourselves 'without strings'
4. A priest is "a walking Sacrament". We are ambassadors for the life of grace that we proclaim. Our work is built on a delicate and precious trust.
5. A priest is called to build a world of love, and to build a community. A contagious love for Christ, the Kingdom, and the Church need to be there long before ordination!
6. A priest labours to bring the Church to an ignition point. Just as fuel, oxygen, and flame all have to be brought together in once place for ignition to happen, so the priest labours patiently to bring together the elements that ignite faith and community. Once ignition is achieved there is a momentum which is self propagating.
Item XVII
©1999 Ronald C. Ferris
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