Priests obey bishops in imitation of Jesus

By Msgr. John Wynand Katende

Pilots are trained extensively to handle the immense responsibility of operating an aircraft and ensuring the safety of their passengers. The Air Traffic Controller talks with them by radio and gives them instructions, which they must strictly obey.

A priest too possesses extraordinary responsibility and powers. On him depends people’s spiritual nourishment and flight to heaven. He is highly educated. He gets respect and attention that no one else could get. The media gives a lot of publicity and opportunities for recognition to priests. This exposes them to the temptation of pride. Indeed, most of the chaos in the Catholic Church is closely linked to the pride of priests.

No bishop can minister to all of the faithful in his diocese, so priests act, in the words of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, as "co-workers of the bishops." They exercise their powers lawfully only in communion with their bishop, and so they promise obedience to their bishop at the time of their ordination.

In the rite of ordination, both deacons and priests promise their respect and obedience to the bishop. As the ordinand kneels, he places his folded hands into the hands of his bishop, signifying his fidelity to the bishop and his successors. Through this symbolic action, the ordinand is ultimately placing his own will in the hands of God through the hands of the successor to the Apostles. By trusting his bishop, the priest recognizes that his decisions are made for his own good and the good of the church.

Obedience is called the sacrifice of the human will to God. While it may appear that obedience hinders a priest’s free will, it actually offers an occasion for him to conform his life more closely to Jesus Christ. Obedience was Jesus' fundamental attitude in sacrificing Himself, and it bore fruit in the salvation that the whole world has received. We learn of the Son's obedience where He says, "I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me" (John 5:30). Where every other man sought to do his own will, the Son of the Father sought only the Father's will.

When a priest offers himself obediently to his bishop, he imitates Jesus’ own obedience that he offered the Father in all his actions here on earth. He freely chose this out of love for his Father and us, and trust in his will. While it may appear that obedience hinders a priest’s free will, it actually offers an occasion for him to conform his life more closely to Jesus Christ. If priests are to manifest Christ's obedience, Christ must be the object of their hearts.

Christ called his disciples not servants but friends (cf. John 15:15). The bishop's authority and the obedience of his co-workers, the priests, should thus be exercised in an atmosphere of true, sincere friendship. Bishops should take the greatest interest they are capable of in the temporal and spiritual welfare of their priests. To realize this relationship, councils are put in place for mutual consultations between bishop and his priests.

Throughout Scripture, we see examples of God punishing bad and disobedient priests who neglected their duties, corrupted the worship, exerted control over or used their position for personal gain.and led His people astray. By his bad example a priest teaches others to sin, by bad teaching he gives rise to confusion, leading others to think that sinful conduct might not be sinful after all. It undermines the faith itself, which is the foundation for the entire Christian life.

According to spiritual guides, the priest can cultivate this indispensable humility by humble prayer; by daily reflection on his failings and sins; by humbly performing the unskilled duties and not looking for positions or places where he can shine. He must be willing to humbly displease those who would monopolize his attention and preoccupy his heart. The faithful are called upon to pray for priests so God may bless and help them to be obedient to their superiors.