Cease Thinking As Human Beings

There are many challenges in discerning a call to the priesthood, not the least of which is distinguishing between selfish desires around personal satisfaction, and doing what God is calling one to, regardless of whether His will is palatable to ones personal comfort. Today's readings (Twenty-Second Sunday, Ordinary Time) give us some guidance in this regard.

St. Paul, in his letter to the Romans, gives us the starting point: "I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice... . Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect." Rom 12: 1-2. To be able to discern His will, we must not conform ourselves to this age. How many of us have mastered that directive? I would say not many. I know I have not. And that is exactly where I struggle in my discernment, when I try to fit my worldly desires into the discernment of the Lord's other-worldly call.

I think it is a natural human trait to want to be comfortable and happy. When I am "conformed to this age," then taking vows of poverty, chastity and obedience to become a religious order priest does not sound appealing, at least through the lens of "this age." Discerning God's will through the satisfactions of this age, however, is not going to work for us. And Paul tells us such! But Jesus is a bit more firm in today's Gospel.

"Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly ... and be killed ..." (Mt. 16: 21), but St. Peter did not think that was such a good idea. In fact, Peter had a little chat with Jesus " ... and began to rebuke him ..." Id. Can you imagine! Peter rebuking Christ! That is not a casual manner which Peter used, but a stern disapproval and reprimand of Jesus' apparent "giving up" to the authorities who wished to kill him. Peter had not had the luxury of Paul's counsel in his letter to the Romans, as we have. He was not up to speed with the concept of not conforming ourselves to the ways of the world in order to discern the will of the Father. Peter said to Jesus, "God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you." Mt. 16: 22.

Now, looking through our lens of worldly ways (the current age), this seems like a perfectly natural thing to say to a friend who is about to suffer. I'm sure I would have said the exact same thing! So, what would Jesus say to me? Perhaps, "Oh, thank you my good friend ... I appreciate your concern ..." Apparently not! He would say the same thing He said to his friend Peter: "Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me." Mt. 16: 23. Wow ... Satan! Really? I'm sure Peter would react as we would - I was trying to show concern, and now I am labeled as Satan? And even still, I am an obstacle? This just does not make sense, and I am certain it made no sense to Peter, His loving friend.

But Jesus explains: "You are not thinking as God does, but as human beings do." Id. Ah, okay, now we see what He is getting at. Peter was stating his will, in saying "No such thing shall ever happen to you!" We are not to think as human beings do in order to discern His will, and Peter was reacting with his human thoughts. So, all we have to do to understand our Lord's call to us is to stop thinking as human beings ... um ... okay, how do I get started with that program? Well, Paul tells us to not conform ourselves to this age, because Jesus told us in Matthew's Gospel that "Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself ..." Mt. 16: 24. This is easier said than done, obviously, but it is doable; and necessary to all of us, but especially those of us trying to discern His call to the priesthood.

The directive has become clearer, has it not? We cannot allow ourselves to conform to this age, because this age is a selfish one! We must extricate ourselves from the age which makes oneself the center of ones existence. If we do not, we will continue to think "as human beings do" and Jesus tells Peter that is not how He wants us to discern! If we continue to think from a self-centered perspective, then we are but an obstacle to our Lord.

To free ourselves from the obstacles in discerning His call to the priesthood, we must disown ourselves. The uncertainty we feel sometimes in this discernment process comes only because we have not disowned the wants and needs of "this age." When we remain too much in this age, we remain an obstacle to Jesus and His voice in our hearts. Let us pray for the grace to offer ourselves as a living sacrifice, reject conformation with this age, renew our minds in the Lord, and deny our self-centeredness. It is then that we shall know His will, and it shall be "good and pleasing and perfect." Amen.