“Do you know him to be worthy?” These words, spoken by the bishop for each ordination, ring out in my ears just as much as they did on my ordination. Standing in front of the bishop, the priests of our diocese, and the family and friends who came to witness this momentous occasion, I remember how nervous I was and how this great responsibility of the priesthood fell on my shoulders.
Questions raced through my mind: Would I be able to do this? Was I worthy to do this? What would I be called to do in my life as a priest of Jesus Christ?
The nerves and anxiety quickly fell to the wayside, as the joy and happiness of this day took over. As I took my place among the priests of our diocese, I felt that I had truly found what I was looking for. I was right where God wanted me to be, and with excitement I took His hand as He led me into my priestly ministry.
Catechism 1536 tells us: “Holy Orders is the sacrament through which the mission entrusted by Christ to his apostles continues to be exercised in the Church until the end of time: thus it is the sacrament of apostolic ministry.”
The gift of Holy Orders is something that allows us to continue to make Christ present in our ministry. We do this in a variety of ways.
First and foremost, through the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Each Mass we celebrate, we are able to re-present the sacrifice of Christ on Calvary. We make Him present in the Most Blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist, the Bread of the Angels and the Bread of Life. He nourishes all of us through this sacrament and helps us to walk with Him. Each Mass we celebrate is unique and special, and we need to take seriously our role in making Him present and allowing Him to work through us for the salvation of souls.
This continues in our other priestly ministries, especially in the Sacraments of Reconciliation and the Anointing of the Sick. We hold the keys to loosen and bind, and at the same time are called to have that love and compassion that Jesus had throughout the Sacred Scriptures. As shepherds, we look to Him who has shown us the way, and we look to Him as the Truth that will be able to set us free from the temptations and pain of sin. The presence of a priest in those moments is truly the presence of Christ who seeks to heal and welcome us home to eternal life.
I could go on for hours about so many moments that helped to bolster my vocation, moments that cemented by acceptance of this vocation. To be there to welcome a penitent who had been away from the Church for years, or to comfort a faithful parishioner in their final moments, are just the tip of what it means to receive this sacrament and to share it with others.
Now, as Director of Vocations, this becomes something even greater as I help other men discern God’s calling and to receive the great gift that this sacrament is.
The Sacrament of Holy Orders has truly been the greatest gift to me in my life. I can see this even in the short time I have been His priest. It has opened me to a greater family that spans counties and towns, and stretches to different countries. I have had the blessing to share my priesthood with our seminarians and many other other men and women who are searching to find their vocation in life. Not every day is perfect, but with the help of God I am able to do my best to make Him present in everything I say and do for His glory.
I pray that I am worthy to sustain such a gift, and at times I know I fail at this. However, this does not stop my calling to be better and to do better. The Church needs worthy men to continue the work of Jesus Christ. She needs men who will be willing to sacrifice just as Christ did; not for Himself, but for the salvation of the world.
Father Adam J. Cichoski is director of Vocations, Diocese of Camden.
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