Alter Christus - Disinterestedness in Zeal

What gives to apostolic zeal its chief greatness and beauty is the sublimity of its object: God's interests and whatever furthers His kingdom on earth and the reign of Christ in souls. In the degree in which that lofty aim stamps all the activities of the priest, in that degree is he a true apostle, in the eyes of God as well as of men. Any deviation from that single purpose cuts into his merits and future reward; it also jeopardizes his ministry among men who quickly cease to respect, and to have confidence in, a pastor whom they see swayed by selfish motives. Among such motives, the two perhaps most opposed to disinterested­ness in zeal are covetousness and self-complacency. We must strengthen ourselves against these dangers by detachment from worldly goods and by a true spirit of humility.

DETACHMENT FROM WORLDLY GOODS

In his encyclical on the Catholic Priesthood Pius XI has forcibly stressed the need of such detachment for the priest and the tremendous harm that befalls him who is "greedy of filthy lucre". The priest - in search of souls, not of money - must "holily spurn all vile greed of earthly gains". True, he may legitimately look out in his ministry for the fitting sustenance he needs; he may also, and often must seek the material help necessary for his good works. But in these preoccupations he must never pursue selfish aims, nor seek after money to gratify his desire of ease and comfort, nor look upon it as the reward of his labours.

Nothing turns people away from the priest so much as greed of money. St Paul could remind his enemies in Corinth of his complete disinterestedness: "I have not been a burden to you. For I seek not your goods but yourselves. . .I will most gladly spend and be spent myself for your souls' sake" (2 Cor. 12). And when he sent his disciple Timotheus to the Philippians he recommended him for his whole-hearted devotedness: he is not like so many others who "have their own interest at heart, not Christ's" (Phil. 2).

The nobility of his vocation should be a sufficient deter­rent. "Ordained for men in the things that appertain to God", how can he make use of his ministry to seek earthly gains for himself? Christ's teaching and example always remind him that wealth is alien to the apostolic life. By the same standard will his flock judge him: they will be shocked and repelled by any sign of greed for money or any selfish use of it. Especially in these days of widespread hardships, how can he hope to influence the poor and the destitute unless he himself is animated by a spirit of evan­gelical poverty and gives the example of an austere life of detachment and unworldliness? And what an account will he not have to render at the Judgment, if he has used the goods of this world for his own profit to the detriment of his flock:' "Woe to the shepherds of Israel that fed them­selves, etc." (cf. Ezechiel, 34, 2 seq.).

* What are my attitude of mind and my conduct in life: am I detached at heart from the goods of this world, unswayed by their desire in my priestly functions?

Do I in no way appreciate the various ministries according to the revenue they bring in?

On those occasions when I have to ask for money, do I do so in a manner that does not disedify my people and lead them to suspect my apostolic disinterestedness: "not seeking that which is profitable to myself, but to many, that they may be saved" ?

Do I practise, within my means, the precept of almsgiving which I preach?

In my way of living (dress, meals, furniture, travelling) am I behaving, as far as circumstances allow, like a true disciple of the Divine Master who could say of Himself: "The foxes have holes and the birds of the air nests, but the Son of man hath not where to lay His head"?

HUMILITY AND SELF-FORGETFULNESS

The main object of our ministry is God's glory; but there easily creeps in a secondary motive: the desire of being praised and esteemed. The danger is the greater that the very nature of the priest's functions puts him, so to speak, on a pinnacle: men are bidden look up to him as the Ambassador of Christ, and indeed he comes to them with His powers, he teaches, rebukes, rules "tamquam auctoritatem
habens". How difficult for poor human nature to resist the temptation of self-complacency in such a position!

Every priest then must beware of that self-complacency which may easily play havoc with his virtue, vitiate his zeal and spoil his ministry by self-conceit and an attitude of pride, if not of arrogance. Else he will prefer the works that bring him to the fore and neglect the more humble ministra­tions. He will care only for the good done by himself and be indifferent to, if not jealous of, the good done by others. And perhaps the admixture of selfish motives may so grow that it deprives him of most of his merits: "Amen dico vobis, receperunt mercedem suam."

The great remedy against this danger is to establish oneself more and more in true humility; to forget self and think only of Christ and His interests: "Oportet Illum crescere, me autem minui" ; to despise the vanity of human praise, "dust and ashes" in the eyes of God; to drop all subtle calculations about the accidental circumstances of the apostolic work, keeping mind and heart steadily fixed upon the all-absorbing goal: "Adveniat Regnum Tuum". "Non quaero gloriam meam. . . ; honorifico Patrem meum" (John 8, 49-50).

* Am I never swayed in my apostolic labours by pre­occupations of self-love?...Which are its open manifesta­tions which may spoil my work in the eyes of men, and its more hidden but none the less corroding influences which rob me of merit before God?

I resolve to counteract pride and vanity, by giving reference and greater care to the more humble parts of my ministry. . .to keep before my eyes the lofty goal of my vocation and the expectations of the Sacred Heart: "Ego elegi vos et posui vos ut. . . fructum afferatis."

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Adapted from Alter Christus, Meditations for Priests by F.X. L'Hoir, S.J. (1958)
Meditation 22.
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Please pray for our priests and pray for vocations to the priesthood.