{"id":528,"date":"2022-04-15T00:00:05","date_gmt":"2022-04-15T06:00:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/?p=528"},"modified":"2022-04-15T12:53:46","modified_gmt":"2022-04-15T18:53:46","slug":"so-you-saw-him-too","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/so-you-saw-him-too\/","title":{"rendered":"So, You Saw Him Too?","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"

\"brooks\"The Man of Sorrows, <\/em>by Matthew Brooks
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

First published October 18th, 2007.<\/em>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

IN<\/strong> my travels throughout Canada and the United States, I have been blessed to spend time with some very beautiful and holy priests \u2014 men who are truly laying down their lives for their sheep. Such are the shepherds whom Christ seeks these days. Such are the shepherds who must have this heart in order to lead their sheep in the coming days…<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A TRUE STORY<\/p>\n

One such priest recounted this true personal story about an event that occurred while he was in seminary…\u00a0<\/p>\n

During an outdoor Mass, he looked up at the priest during the Consecration. To his utter astonishment, he no longer saw the priest anymore, but rather, Jesus standing in his place!<\/em> He could hear the priest’s voice, but he saw Christ<\/em>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The experience of this was so profound that he held it inside, pondering it for two weeks. Finally, he had to speak about it. He went to the rector’s house and knocked on his door. When the rector answered, he took one look at the seminarian and said, “So, you saw Him too<\/em>?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

IN PERSONA CHRISTI<\/p>\n

We have a simple, yet profound saying in the Catholic Church: in persona Christi \u2014 <\/em>in the person of Christ.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n

In the ecclesial service of the ordained minister, it is Christ himself who is present to his Church as Head of his Body, Shepherd of his flock, high priest of the redemptive sacrifice, Teacher of Truth<\/span><\/strong>. These servants are chosen and consecrated by the sacrament of Holy Orders by which the Holy Spirit enables them to act in the person of Christ the head for the service of all the members of the Church. The ordained minister is, as it were, an “icon” of Christ the priest.<\/span><\/strong> <\/span>\u2014Catechism of the Catholic Church, <\/em>n.\u00a01548, 1142<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The priest is more than a simple representative. He is a true living symbol and conduit of Christ. Through the bishop and his co-workers \u2014 the priests in his care \u2014 the People of God seek the shepherding of Christ. They look to them for guidance, spiritual food, and that power which Christ conferred upon them to forgive sins and make His Body present in the Sacrifice of the Mass. The flock are also looking for the imitation of Christ<\/em> in their priest. And what did Christ, the Shepherd, do for His sheep?<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

I will lay down my life for the sheep. John 10:15<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

THE CRUCIFIED SHEPHERD\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As I write this, the faces of those hundreds of priests, bishops, and cardinals whom I have met on my journeys are passing before my eyes. And I say to myself, “Who am I to write these things?” <\/span>What things? <\/span><\/p>\n

\n

That the hour has come for priests and bishops to lay down their lives for their sheep<\/em>. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

This hour has always been with the Church. But in times of peace, it has been more metaphorical \u2014 the “white” martyrdom of dying to self. But now the times have arrived when clergy will incur a greater personal cost for being a “Teacher of the Truth.” Persecution. Prosecution. In some places, martyrdom<\/em>. The days of compromise are over. The days of choice are here. That which is built on sand will crumble. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Those who challenge this new paganism are faced with a difficult option. Either they conform to this philosophy or they are faced with the prospect of martyrdom.<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014Fr. John Hardon; How to Be a Loyal Catholic Today? By Being Loyal to the Bishop of Rome<\/em>; article from therealpresence.org<\/a><\/span>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

As one Protestant commentator put it, “Those who choose to be married to the spirit of the world in this age, will be divorced in the next.<\/em>” <\/span><\/p>\n

Yes, if priests are to be icons of the Great Shepherd, they must imitate Him: He was obedient and loyal to the Father to the very end. For a priest, then, loyalty to the Heavenly Father is also expressed in loyalty to the Holy Father<\/em>, the Pope, who is the Vicar of Christ (and Christ is the image of the Father.) But Christ also loved and served and expended Himself for the sheep in this obedience: He loved His own “to the end.”[1]<\/sup><\/a>cf. John 13:1<\/span><\/span>