CALLED TO SERVE AS A PRIEST OF GOD

HOMILY AT THE PRIESTLY ORDINATION OF FRIAR JOHN DECRIBB JASKSON AMANKWAA, OFM CONV.

AT THE ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI CATHOLIC CHURCH, AWOSHIE,

11^th January, 2025

By Most Rev. John Kobina Louis

READINGS: Jeremiah 1:4-9; Psalm 110:1-6; Hebrews 5:1-10; John 10:11-16

THEME: CALLED TO SERVE AS A PRIEST OF GOD

OUTLINE

• Introduction
• Priestly Vocation
• Priest as God’s Prophet
• Priest as a Shepherd of God’s People
• Priest as a Minister of Christ’s Sacrifice
• Conclusion

INTRODUCTION

Congratulations to you, Friar John Decribb Jaskson Amankwaa, for responding positively to God’s call to share in the Priesthood of Our Lord Jesus Christ. You have accepted a call which your Founder, St. Francis of Assisi, felt was too sublime for him to accept. So, be conscious of the fact that God has called you to assume a great responsibility. However don’t be afraid, for He who assured the prophet Jeremiah of His assistance and empowerment (cf. first reading), will do the same for you through this ordination.

1. PRIESTLY VOCATION

The Catholic priesthood is a vocation. That is, it is a call by God to share in the unique priesthood of His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

Now, a potter makes various vessels for various purposes: for carring water, food, flowers, cooking, etc. He/she decides on the purpose of a vessel before making it. Similarly, God creates us for various purposes, and He decides on what we are meant to be before we are conceived and born. Thus, in the first reading, He told the young man, Jeremiah,

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
and before you were born I consecrated you;
I appointed you a prophet to the nations” (Jer. 1:5).

Similarly, God calls men to become priests before they are conceived and born. Though, like Jeremiah, one may realize God’s call later in his life, the fact remains that he was called before his birth. This means that he was called when he had no CV. God called him not because of what he had achieved by the time he heard the call, but because of His purpose for creating Him.

No one is, therefore, worthy of the call to the priesthood: “one does not presume to take this honor, but takes it only when called by God, just as Aaron was” (Heb. 5:4). Called at a time when he had no merits or achievements of his own, a priest should be a humble person.

So, dear Friar John make humility one of your key virtues. Fortunately, you do not have to go far to find a good model of humility, as St. Francis of Assisi, was a man of great humility. Consider this: despite St. Francis’ deep love for Christ, great passion for the salvation of souls, advanced holiness, deep spiritual enlightenment, charisma to attract many followers, etc., he felt unworthy to be ordained as a priest. That was simply humility!

Now, called to share in the priesthood of Christ, a priest is a prophet of God, a shepherd of His people and a minister of sacrifice. Let us consider these three roles of a priest in the light of the readings we have heard.

2. PRIEST AS GOD’S PROPHET

Firstly, God told Jeremiah: “Now I have put my words in your mouth” (Jer. 1:9). So, like Jeremiah, a priest as a prophet of God, receives God’s message. Therefore, Friar John, please go often to God to receive His words. Approach Him in holiness so you that can get close enough to the Most Holy God to hear clearly His words. Please approach Him through prayer, the reading of the Bible and meditation. Please spend more time in receiving God’s message than in using the social media or watching TV.

Secondly, the Lord told Jeremiah: “you shall speak whatever I command you” (Jer. 1:7c). So, a priest is to proclaim God’s message which he has received. Unfortunately today, so many so-called prophets, evangelists, apostles, pastors, etc. proclaim, not God’s message, but their own messages to people with the aim of extorting money or wealth from them. Dear Friar John, don’t come and join this band of fraudsters. Rather, be a true prophet of God who hears His words and proclaims nothing but His message. This also means that you must remain silent – say nothing – when you have not heard God’s message. Avoid false prophecy or “spiritual fake news”.

Thirdly, a priest as a prophet is to take people’s concerns (i.e., petitions, supplications, etc.) to God in prayer. Today’s second reading recalls that “In the days of His flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears” (Heb. 5:7a). Therefore, Friar John, as men called to share in the ministry of Jesus, we should be men of prayer. We should show keener interests in the concerns of the faithful and speak, on their behalf, to God in prayer. Let us pray:

More regularly

More pervasively

More intensively

More promptly (pray the very moment a request is made)

More spontaneously (using our own words)

More consciously

More … and more ….

3. PRIEST AS A SHEPHERD OF GOD’S PEOPLE

As Christ the Good Shepherd knows, loves, cares for, protects and guides God’s flock (cf. John 10:1-18), so a priest should do for the people entrusted to him. Firstly, Christ says, “I am the good shepherd. I know my own, and my own know me” (John 10:14). So, Friar John, let us be available and close to the flock to know their names, concerns, capabilities, aspirations, etc.

Secondly, because of His selfless love for us, Christ laid down His life for us (cf. John 10:11,15). So, Friar John, let us not learn from the pastors of today whose goal is to feed on the flock. Rather, let us be like the Good Shepherd and make sacrifices for the good of God’s flock.

Thirdly, Christ the caring Shepherd feeds His flock (cf. John 10:2-3,9). Like Him, we should ensure that God’s flock get the best nourishment from God’s Word, the sacraments and prayers.

Fourthly, Christ the Good Shepherd protects His flock from evil or danger (cf. John 10:11-13,27-28). Similarly, we should protect the flock from moral, spiritual and social dangers. We should therefore not be like pastors who rather worsen the plights of their followers.

Fifthly, Christ the Good Shepherd is also the only Way to the Father (cf. John 14:6). He guides us along the path that surely leads us to the Father (cf. John 10:3). Similarly, our pastoral ministry should lead people to God. We should not be like pastors who lead people astray through occultism, etc.

4. PRIEST AS A MINISTER OF CHRIST’S SACRIFICE

On behalf of God, the Old Testament priests received people’s sacrificial offerings, which they, in turn, sacrificed to God, on their behalf (cf. Lev. 1:1-9). Christ the High Priest, however, did not receive a sacrificial animal or harvest from anyone. What He sacrificed to the Father was His very life (cf. Heb. 9:11-14) though through the body He had received from Mother Mary.

No more animal or crop or material sacrifices are required by God, since Christ has offered the one perfect sacrifice (cf. Heb. 7:26-28). Whatever offering, therefore, a priest receives from the faithful is only a token of appreciation which may please God only because of the perfect sacrifice of Christ. This sacrifice is re-presented to the Father every time the Holy Mass is celebrated (cf. 1 Cor. 11:23-26). Therefore, priests must adequately prepare and celebrate every Mass with the reverence, devotion, solemnity, attention, sincerity, etc. it truly deserves.

While the offerings of the faithful are only tokens of appreciation, priests should treat and use them properly because of their association with the sacrifice of the Mass. In addition, because they are tokens, priests should not make demands for them in ways which demean the sacrifice of Christ.

CONCLUSION

Finally, Friar John, through this ordination may God empower you by granting you:

• the grace of humility as you appreciate ever more the fact that your priestly calling is an undeserved gift from God
• the graces of holiness, fortitude and prayerfulness as a prophet of God
• the grace to know, love, care, protect and guide the flock of God; and
• the grace to be a true channel of the blessings of Christ’s sacrifice upon His people.

Amen!