The Universality of Service
The Universality of Service
Every person has a specific job with defined responsibilities—except the priest. For his service is universal, unlimited. It enters the spiritual realm, yet people also turn to him to solve their problems—social, economic, family-related, and even obstacles they face in their work…
The position of the priest is like that of a father in the family home toward his children and everything that concerns their lives in all areas and needs.
Rather, he surpasses the physical father in matters of spiritual life, in what the son confides to him—secrets he may never disclose to his earthly father.
No priest can say that his work is limited only to the spiritual aspect, leading a person to repentance and saving him from his sins!
For spiritual life is not separate from the other branches of life.
A person’s spirituality includes his behavior in his work, with his family members, and in the church.
His spirituality is also connected to his economic condition, his free time, and the problems he faces from every angle… He presents these to his priest, seeking from him a solution, an opinion, and advice…
The priest also cares for all groups of the people…
He cares for the old and the young, men and women, workers, the poor, and the needy.
He also cares for prisoners and their families, for every human being in distress… for the sick, the disabled, those who struggle with various conditions, and also for servants and the church council members… for everyone. Every person in the congregation has a share in the priest’s service.
And the priest’s work connects with the church and all its activities…
In this, he may become involved in other matters needed for service—such as a children’s nursery, a home for the elderly, or housing for those who are away from home.
He cannot say, “This is not my work”!
For how can a young woman living away from home maintain her spiritual life if she does not find a stable place to live?
And to whom will she turn—if she is a daughter of God—except to the priest whom she trusts for his advice, discernment, love, and care?
Can the priest say, “My work is only spiritual matters,” and leave this young woman without help and with no concern for her?!
By the same spiritual logic, we speak of all the church’s projects…
Yet in all this, the goal of the project must be spiritual, its method of execution must be spiritual, and its supervision must be spiritual.
The priest may not perform all of this himself, but he may have many helpers, or specialized committees may carry out each project—but even so, he does not become disconnected from them…
These supervisors and workers are also his children…
He must oversee them spiritually—not with domination, but with love and humility—so that he may be assured of the soundness of the work.
We do not mean that everything must be in the hands of the priest, but rather that everything should be in his concern and a subject of his prayers.
This is service — in its breadth and variety—with its spiritual purpose.
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