The banquet after the Banquet

It's not often that a group of lay people respond spontaneously to an invitation to celebrate priests. Especially in today's climate which places Catholic priests in rather precarious limelight, we may find ourselves more often than not in sad need of a reason to celebrate. Yet, scarcely had they heard of the plan to mark a special Year for Priests, and the Little Servants of Christ the King, a group of lay faithful in this diocese had already set to work organizing this evening of celebration.

It's a humbling experience to allow another to sing your praises. Often, the giver finds little or no reason to celebrate that which is given, but the receiver can easily point out the blessings that have been passed on. With ever-more humbled hearts then, we priests were celebrated tonight by those who have benefitted or who are still benefitting from the work we do.

The evening's festivities began with a litany of thanksgiving,

• for the heralds who prepare children and their parents for baptism, the doorway to all other sacraments, and the beginning of a life of faith;
• for the ministers of mercy who mediate the Lord's forgiveness in the Sacrament of Reconciliation;
• for the confectors of communion, the divine food that sustains the faithful and strengthens us for the task of living as Christ's witnesses;
• for the watchmen who act as witnesses when words of love are exchanged and the Sacrament of Matrimony is celebrated;
• for the human angels who appear in hospitals, and so many other places to bring the Lord's healing presence in the Sacrmaent of Anointing to those who suffer or face imminent death.

All this we do, not for our own glory, but for love of the One who we serve, and with the hope that those who are served might experience not so much the popularity of being liked ourselves, but the reputation for being faithful to a call that was first heard in the quiet of prayer, and which is still issued each day from the heart of the Shepherd.

With words of great wisdom, the guest of honour invited priests and lay faithful alike who were present to grow ever deeper in our understanding of the mystery of priesthood, to cherish the gift that has been offered, and to live it to the best of our ability, knowing that in the end we are only workers, whose hands are used by Another to do the work of peacemaking, reconciliation and personifying love for a world that otherwise would be depraved of this precious gift.

A wonderful opportunity to break bread with parishioners, a chance for them to repay just a bit of the goodness, generosity and love which they have benefitted from, and a moment for friends old and new to meet or be reaquainted, this evening was truly a blessing for all those who took part, and for the many others who expressed a desire to be physically present, despite the limitations of the physical space that accommodated more than 500 souls.

Would that at times like this, earth could be more like heaven, and more angels could fit on the head of a pin, then others who were barred from this moment of grace could also have their moment to share in the festivities. Ah well, for some things there will only be full understanding when we reach or true homelands. Until then, we continue walking in humility along the road.