“Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:17-37.)
Last week, there was a discussion on social media about the long process and the many studies it took before a man could become a priest. Some questioned it, saying the apostles of Jesus were mere fishermen. Only Matthew was educated being a tax collector.
My dear friends, almost all the groups — whether Roman Catholic, Iglesia Filipina Independiente, also known as Aglipayan, Anglican, Episcopalian, and the Orthodox church — go through the process and it is really necessary for each candidate to at least have studied philosophy and theology in preparation for the ministry. Some are already ordained priests but they continue with their studies leading to a Masteral degree or specialization like Canon Law, Liturgy, Pastoral Ministry, and Scriptures, among others.
Why do we have to study? I did answer the comment on social media, saying it is necessary for a person, even if he was already a priest, to continue his studies as long as his intellectual capacity can respond to the issues and concerns that people bring to him. In addition to that, some lay people sometimes surpass even the Pope in Rome in questioning a priest even though they already know the answer to their questions, who are simply looking for a loophole.
Imagine if a priest is uneducated and someone comes to him and asks him questions that the priest is not able to answer. The person could use this to discredit the priest before the people who go to church.
If you ask me, I will follow what Canon Law says: “Studies in philosophy and theology can be done conjointly,” meaning a candidate for the priesthood can study philosophy and theology at the same time so he can finish his studies in five years and be ready for ordination. I believe that what matters is not how long a candidate studied in preparation for the ministry but how he will teach the faithful, i.e., the correct doctrines and teachings of Jesus in a very simple way.
As preachers of the Word, we must be careful in teaching people about the Kingdom of God and how we follow the Lord, otherwise, we will be punished by God.
God has given us free will to choose our path. We can choose God’s way and find life or choose against God and find death. Saint Paul assures us that the rewards for those who remain faithful will exceed our imagination. Matthew, in his Gospel today, challenges his listeners not only to observe the law but to go beyond its requirement, which is love.
Sometimes we treat God’s commandments and the Church’s laws as a guide to help us do the bare minimum.
We ask exactly how much we can eat on a fast day or how late we can arrive at Mass and still have it “count.” We want to know exactly how generous and loving we need to be to make the grade. But Jesus’s preaching puts the lie to that way of thinking. Instead, he asks us to ask ourselves how much more we can do in love. Our standard is not the minimum we can do but the best way to share the abundance of God’s overwhelming, unconditional love.
We rely on the grace of God to help us live according to His laws, loving generously as we choose life and come to the joys of heaven.