Friday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Today’s readings are the types that make people squirm in their pews. They are not easy to preach on either. The Church gives a sanitized alternative for the first reading. It reminds me of what an old farmer relative of mine once said: “Those Old Testament folks didn’t mince words!”
However, despite the graphic imagery of Ezekiel and the teaching on divorce, I think people are most uncomfortable with the Lord’s affirmation of the value of celibate chastity. The scandals in the Church are always more shocking in the press because priests and religious promise perpetual continence. Celibacy for the Kingdom is a sign of contradiction. Those who suggest priests should get married often say that not because they care about priests, but rather that they wish they would be more worldly—because that would lower the ideals for those in the married vocation too. Rather than pointing to those who live their vocations courageously and calling married and consecrated celibates to an ideal, they would prefer the ideal removed.
However, Christ says today that indeed some are called to freely accept chaste celibacy to witness to the Kingdom to come, to the Resurrection, and to experience spousal love with God alone. He also says that there are some who are born this way—told not to lay down a cross and give in to, say, same-sex activity—but to embrace chaste celibacy as a path to holiness, even if it were not their choice. Lastly, there are those who are made celibate—for example, the widowed—originally on the way to heaven through their spouse but now forced to live a holy single life. Whether freely chosen, born so, or made so, this way of life is a path to holiness in participation in the one that our Savior led. And if He recommends and models it, He will give us the grace to make it fruitful and happy.
Reflection by Fr. Pachomius Meade, OSB
Posted in Articles for Ordinary Time, Daily Reflections