February 15, 2003
The Pious Priests and Deacons of the Holy Metropolis of Denver
Beloved Brothers and Concelebrants,
As the period of Great Lent rapidly approaches, I wish to share a few thoughts with you, basing my words on the writings of a fourth-century Father of our holy Church. I offer to each of you the following thoughts praying that they will assist you in your Lenten ascesis, and help you reflect on your duties as a priest and pastor to the rational flock entrusted to your care.
The season of the Great Fast is a time for concerted personal
spiritual introspection and reflection. This is something we as pastors
too often neglect, excusing ourselves as being too busy in our
parishes doing the Lord's work
to have time to pray and contemplate
on the great compassion and love that God has for each one of us. This
is tragic, because if we are not spiritually filled, we have nothing to
offer the faithful who look to us and come to us for edification and
encouragement. Worse, if we do not contemplate God's mercy to us, how
can we extend that mercy to our families and the faithful in our
parishes? Perhaps, though, by practicing genuine loving kindness toward
others, we might come to an understanding of divine love.
Let me begin first by saying a few words to those among us who have
been tonsured into the monastic habit, the archimandrites and
hieromonks. We may be fish out of water,
because the monastic
life is normally lived in the community of the coenobium under a rule
and an abbot. Yet, we celibates have nonetheless been called at this
place and time in our Church's history to serve parishes in the world.
Therefore as pastors, either celibate or married, we must live our lives
in ways that are pleasing to God.
The danger for us is that not being in obedience to a monastic rule
under the hand of a spiritual father, we are not being tried as gold is
tried in the fire (cf. Proverbs 27:21). We therefore run the
risk of becoming soft as lead, through our earthly works keeping faith
with this passing world but not with the Gospel. Living without a
shepherd, being enclosed not in the Lord's sheepfold but in our own, our
rule
is reduced to the simple gratification of our own desires.
When this happens we could lead ourselves astray, and the faithful with
us, calling holy only those things which we choose to do, and regarding
as unlawful whatever we dislike. Unchecked, we could be roving and
never settled, indulging our passions and the cravings of our appetite,
and in every way living a most-wretched life without profit before God.
Obviously this is not our desire.
Setting aside these particular considerations regarding the celibate clergy, let us address the duties that all of us have as married and celibate priests and pastors called to serve and minister to the flock of Christ.
The pastor must always be mindful of what he is called, pastor
and
father,
and make his deeds conform to these terms. Each priest
holds the place of Christ in the parish when he is called father
even as the Scriptures state, you received the Spirit of adoption by
Whom we cry out,
(Romans 8:15). A pastor must
therefore never teach, prescribe, or command anything contrary to the
laws of the Lord.
Abba, Father.
Every priest must always bear in mind that he will give an account at the fearsome judgment of God for both his own teaching and for the things that his spiritual children do in obedience to him.
Each pastor should lead his flock by a twofold teaching; namely, he should explain the teachings of God in words, and he must show all that is good and holy by his deeds even more than by his words.
A priest cannot make any distinction between persons. We must
equally love both those who love us and those who hate us;
indeed, we should love those who hate us and oppose us even more than
those who are nice and agreeable toward us. After all, we are all one
in Christ (cf. Galatians 3:28 and Ephesians 6:8), and we all
bear an equal burden as servants under one Lord, for there is no
partiality with God
(Romans 2:11). We pastors must excel others in
good works and in humility.
A pastor must have and express the loving affection of a father,
cautioning the rebellious and restless, while exhorting the obedient,
meek, and patient to advance in virtue. He must not shut his eyes to
the sins of evil-doers, but must be eager to correct with words those
who are well-disposed and those of good understanding, remembering that
Do not correct a scoffer, lest he hate you; rebuke a wise man, and he
will love you. Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still
wiser; teach a just man, and he will increase in learning
(Proverbs
9:8-9).
Every priest must constantly remember and be aware of what he is and for what he is called, knowing that to whom much has been entrusted, from him much will be required (cf. Luke 12:48). Let us also not forget that we have taken on a difficult and arduous task in guiding the souls of the faithful. Every priest must accommodate himself to a variety of characters and temperaments among his people; it is we who must adjust and adapt ourselves to everyone—not the other way around—so that we might not only suffer no loss to the Lord's flock, but may rejoice in the increase of a worthy fold pleasing in the sight of God Who Himself is long suffering and endures all of our sins and shortcomings.
Above all else, a priest must not neglect or undervalue the welfare
of the souls entrusted to him. He must not be too concerned about
fleeting, earthly, and perishable things—even though these seem to
be the most pressing matters in his parish. Instead, we must always
remember and prayerfully consider that he has undertaken the ministry of
souls, not the business
of some worldly career or profession.
The man employed in the world gives an account to his supervisor for a
short time; but we will give an eternal accounting to the Lord for all
the souls entrusted to our care, as well as for our own soul
Although we should be in constant fear of the Lord's future
examination of us regarding the rational sheep entrusted to our care, we
must, as Saint Silouan says, Keep our mind in hell but not
despair,
for God is merciful.
While we are being cautious and watchful regarding the account we must make for our ministry, we must also take care of our own souls—making time to pray, to read the sacred Scriptures and writings of the holy Fathers, and to contemplate on God's love and mercy.
Finally, when tempted to complain about our salary or the want of
earthly needs, remember what is written: Seek first the kingdom of
God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to
you
(Matthew 6:33), and those who seek the Lord shall not lack
any good thing
(Psalm 33:10).
May this forthcoming Great Lent be most compunctionate for you, your loved ones, and the faithful entrusted to your pastoral care.
With Paternal Blessings,
Metropolitan Isaiah of Denver