I am a Priest

I am a Priest, I am your brother, I am your friend, with human blood, human instincts and human frailty. I grew up in the poor neighbourhood. I went to school together with the other kids and you know my parents and my siblings. I was a normal kid, remember?

But Now you call me “Reverend Father, Daddy, Vicar, Papa because of who I am presently. When you are in difficulties you run to me and I listen to you. I try to understand you patiently. I even help whenever I can. I come to console you when you mourn and to cheer you when you celebrate. When you sin you run to me, and I in “persona Christi”-God forgives your sins through the sinful me.

I help you with family, emotional, spiritual, marital and career issues. I pray for you, journey with you and give a hand to raise you when you fall (just to name these few).

But when I make mistakes you seem to forget these. You condemn, insult, gossip and even do lie about me. You say all sorts of things about me even when its not the truth. You neither listen nor offer to help me as a priest serving God and humanity. You do not even try to understand nor try to journey through my stories of tick shadows.

You forget all the sacrifices I do make for your sake and many souls out there. You show me no patience, love, compassion and you even do not pray for me. You refuse to forgive my short comings instead shouting at me and you celebrate and laugh when I seem down; making it a public show. In your mind you are shaming me.

Do you even think about my own burdens, temptations, loneliness and pains? Have you forgotten I am human too? Do you ever think of my own difficulties and needs? What do you do to help me when am down? Why do you shame me when I seem fallen rather than help lift me to more righteousness and holiness? Why does no one even bother to consider my feelings and bear with my frailty? Why do you forget that I too am not an angel but a fragile human just as u are?

Please pray and support your priest, he is human, he needs your prayers, your financial assistance, your understanding of situations to move the ministry forward.

More strength to all the priests in Jesus name amen.