A new trend is taking shape in our Catholic Church these days.It is becoming a fashion for Catholics, laity and clergy, to celebrate priestly ordination, jubilees (silver, golden and diamond) and other feast days on a very grand scale, spending so much money, time and energy. Many bishops and priests converge to concelebrate the occasion with mass and banquet attended by thousands of people from all over the country.
It is indeed gratifying to have faithfully served in ones vocation for so long, but do we need to put in so much efforts to praise and glorify the one for the services to God ? Does service to Him needs glorification?
Most of us are not lucky and gifted, as we rarely have the honour of a single priest to participate in similar occasions of ours, happy or sad. The priest, whom we long for especially in times of sorrow, to console and encourage us, is never there.
The Catholic Church, founded on the teachings of Christ, is a Church of the masses but unfortunately today it is increasingly being seen as the Church of the clergy, the rich and the powerful.
May be we should also reflect on the action of Mother Teresa. After initial reluctance she finally agreed to accept the 1979 Nobel Peace Price with the following words:
"I choose the poverty of our poor people. But I am grateful to receive (the Nobel) in the name of the hungry, the naked, the homeless, of the crippled, of the blind, of the lepers, of all those people who feel unwanted, unloved, uncared-for throughout society, people that have become a burden to the society and are shunned by everyone."
However she refused the reception to honor probably because she felt her work for God needs no human glorification.
Dr.Chris Anthony
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