THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH Her Doctrine and Morals Sunday after the Ascension 1 June 2014

The Sunday Sermon

Dear Friend,

It is just as necessary that we feed our souls with the Word of God, as we do with the Body of Christ. The Holy Ghost has been given to our pastors so that they may feed our souls with the Word of God. They have been given the admonition to preach in season and out of season. They will be judged for their diligence or lack thereof in leading our souls to the pastures of God's grace to feed our souls.

St. Caesarius of Arles, tells us that our priests are like cows that feed upon the lush grass of the Sacred Scriptures, and having eaten, they now produce milk to feed our souls. Cows eagerly seek out their calves so that they may nourish them, and see them grow big and strong. In this vein, St. Paul speaks of having given us milk, because this is what we need, rather than meat, The calves, also, must be eager for the milk of the cows. We often see calves that are so eager that they often almost lift the cow off of the ground to obtain the nourishing milk that she produces. 

Our priests are, therefore, under obligation to feed themselves upon the Word of God, and to take this and, in a manner, convert It to milk so that we may easily digest it. They are to be burning with desire to give us this milk so that we may grow strong in the faith. In a similar manner, we must be eager for this spiritual milk. We must come with such eagerness that we seem to knock the priest over. We must be ever eager to be further nourished by this heavenly food. 

Sadly, we find that there are few priests eager, (perhaps they are no longer even able) to bring the Word of God to us in the pleasant and tasteful manner of milk. Just as shocking, is the fact that there are few if any who are eager to nourish their souls with this milk. If the people would demand it like a hungry calf demands milk from its mother, then the priest would soon begin to produce it; and the more it is demanded the more he would produce. Of course, the priests do not produce this of themselves, but it is the Holy Ghost that produces it through them. 

All too often, people come to hear the priest just as they come to listen to a radio program, or a concert. They want to be entertained. As soon as the Word of God is read, or is preached to them, they sit back and relax, awaiting some amusement. With this attitude, it is no wonder that they find It boring, and have little or no interest. Consequently they find no spiritual nourishment in the Word of God.

These poor souls suffer from a disease of the soul, similar to a disease of the body that destroys a person's appetite. They refuse to take nourishment and gradually wither up and die. We might have to be forced for a time to take nourishment, but once we have tasted how good and sweet It is, we soon will seek it out more and more. 

As little children, let us remind ourselves of how we are to receive this Food for our souls. When we hear the Gospels read to us, the proper bodily position is to be standing — ready to hear and to put into action. Those who are truly unable to stand, may sit, but must be eager to attune their ears so that they may not miss anything. All too often, when the young and healthy see the exceptions made for others, they begin to think that the exception is for all. They begin to assume a less than perfect bodily posture, and soon their ears are no longer attentive either; and their minds are off in another direction. They leave not only, unnourished, but even develop distaste for this most necessary food for their souls. Faith gradually dies out, and charity grows cold, and they spiritually die from malnutrition. 

We must likewise remember that it is not the priest that is speaking to us, but rather God Himself. He speaks to us through the priest. The priest may be the worst of speakers, but if we are eager to hear and feed upon the spiritual food for our souls, the Holy Ghost will put the words we need to hear in his mouth. If we are truly desirous for this most necessary Food, God will give it to us. It may come to us in the humblest and perhaps the most unworthy of instruments, but it is nonetheless the same nourishing Heavenly food for our souls. Rather, than blame the priest, let us look to ourselves; God gives us the guides and rulers that we deserve. If our priests are not what they should be, perhaps it is because we are not worthy enough to have better priests. If we accept with grateful hearts the little we are given and are ever eager for more, God will give us that which we desire. 

Let us pray for our priests, that they may be made perfect instruments of God's grace so that we may obtain the nourishment we need for our souls. Perhaps, even more importantly, we must pray and act in a manner that we may receive and benefit from the nourishment that God has given us; and that He may continue to feed us and help us grow stronger in Faith and Charity from day to day.