THE HOPE OF EASTER AND A CYNICAL PRIEST

Sometimes we come across Catholic priests who have fire in their homilies or other general talks, and in everything that they do. And sometimes, we also come across Catholic priests who are cynical with constant chuckles. Sadly, cynicism is part of our inherited ‘original sin’, which does not spare even a Catholic priest if he is not vigilant. How are we to understand a cynical priest? How are we to understand cynicism? Does Easter cure those who embrace [whoever it might be] of this disease? Yes, they are also part of the salvific plan of God along with Dr. Kermit Gosnell, [the master butcher of fetuses and babies], who has hit the headlines across Europe and USA in the past few weeks.

Cynicism is a sin to which a few priests succumb and sadly it does not draw the attention of any news media. It simply means ‘anti-Barnabas’, and by ‘Barnabas’ we know it is ‘Son of Encouragement’. Cynicism is truly a vice, which raises suspicions and ample chuckles about anything that is good. We do not hear anyone complain of a priest being cynical and moreover it is taken for granted that such cynicism is a ‘virtue’ because they appear to be no-body’s fool, progressive, liberated and even amusing.

A few characteristic features of a ‘cynical’ are these: they snicker under their breath when Christian ideals are shared; they give enough chuckles when a Provincial or a Bishop or any other significant leader in the Church shares a Church project or Missionary plan or something ennobling to transmit faith; they treat human life expediently; they speak truth when convenient; they abet sexual relativism in identity and practice; they betray their intellect by lying, and amply fail to call sin as sin; they lack fire and eagerly embrace lethargic life, and therefore their vice [cynicism] erodes the good of their very vocation.

Honestly, there are no psychological remedies in the market for this kind of vice unlike for other vices –alcoholism, somnambulism, and obesity, etc. In fact such cynicism is more dangerous both for the Church and the Society at large. To such as those ‘little ones’ [the cynical ones] Jesus speaks the same words which Nicodemus heard, “If I tell you about earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things?” (Jn. 3:12).  How then can the cynic believe in the Real Presence of the Eucharistic Lord, the Virgin Birth, the Royalty and Grandeur of the successor of St. Peter [Petrine Ministry], and the Communion of Saints?

Therefore, the words of Jesus to Nicodemus [as mentioned above] reveal what is corrosive about clerical cynicism. This runs deeper to what ordinary sins he might commit and those which we might be aware of. He loses all sense of ‘heavenly things’, including his own identity and the mystery and sacredness of his priesthood, and it leaves him hollow and noisy gong. He has enough chuckles to produce, in fact readily, but to offer LOVE and ENCOURAGEMENT, great is his difficulty, because he is not ‘Barnabas’.

Of course, the cynical priest is part of the salvific plan of God. The priest who finds it difficult to see the good around him; the priest who catches himself thinking only negative thoughts; the priest who prefers chuckles to encouragement; they need only to consider the example of the first Christians. These early Christians, we are told, were of “one heart and mind” (Ac 4:32).

What was the reason of these ‘communion of spirits’? What else could be? It is the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus, the only Savior and Redeemer of human race. And to this fact of RESURRECTION, only unbelievers remain cynical. A priest by his very vocation is called forth to offer in adequate measure the JOY and HOPE of the Risen Lord, if not he, who else could be?

Let us pray for our priests that they may be strengthened in faith, so that they may in turn strengthen their flock.

Thank you,

Papireddy. Gade

[May 4^th 2013]