I GIVE MY OPINION…

1 Corinthians 7:25-31 
25 Now concerning the unmarried, I have no command of the Lord, but I give my opinion as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy.26 I think that in view of the present distress it is well for a person to remain as he is.27 Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be free. Are you free from a wife? Do not seek marriage.28 But if you marry, you do not sin, and if a girl marries she does not sin. Yet those who marry will have worldly troubles, and I would spare you that.
29 I mean, brethren, the appointed time has grown very short; from now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none,30 and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no goods,31 and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the form of this world is passing away.

Luke 6:20-26

20 And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said: “Blessed are you poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
21 “Blessed are you that hunger now, for you shall be satisfied. “Blessed are you that weep now, for you shall laugh.
22 “Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude you and revile you, and cast out your name as evil, on account of the Son of man!
23 Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets.24 “But woe to you that are rich, for you have received your consolation.
25 “Woe to you that are full now, for you shall hunger. “Woe to you that laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep.26 “Woe to you, when all men speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets.

MEDITATION

St PAUL opine that the priestly vocation is best suited for men who choose to live a single life, because it frees them from worldly material troubles and distress which the state of marriage demand. With this said, Paul encourage single men such as himself and the twelve apostles, to gaurd their state of purity and remain single, whilst men who are in a married state are instructed to remain committed to their marriage vocation. 

Paul do however raise the bar for married priests (v21) by calling them to “live as though they had none,” implying that they cannot use marriage as an excuse to not sacrifice their lives to serve Christ and the people as priestly ministers. In 1123AD the Roman Catholic Church made a universal declaration that the single life would be the norm for the consecrated priesthood.

THE GOSPEL READING: Upon responding to the overwhelming temporal needs of the crowds, our Lord turns His attention to His future priestly ministers who “left everything” (Mk 10:28) and began to earnestly pray that they shall be satisfied and consoled in the face of; loneliness, hunger, pain, abuse, hatred and rejection for the sake of being pure for the kingdom of God! 

Moreover, Christ guarentee that such men shall have their reward in heaven whilst those who live the hedonistic highlife, will mourn and weep on the day of judgement! In 2009 Pope Benedict established the ordinariate for married Anglican ministers who unconditionally entered the Catholic Church, allowing them to possibly be ordained as priests. Both consecrated priests and laity who were called to live the married life are similarly consoled to endure all manner of pain and vitriol for expressing; true, just, verifiable, candid, objective opinions or conclusions that comport with the teachings of Christ Jesus as explicated by the Church, Sacred scripture and Sacred Tradition! 

LET US PRAY:Psalms 45:11-17

11 and the king will desire your beauty. Since he is your lord, bow to him;
12 the people of Tyre will sue your favor with gifts, the richest of the people
13 with all kinds of wealth. The princess is decked in her chamber with gold-woven robes;14 in many-colored robes she is led to the king, with her virgin companions, her escort, in her train.
15 With joy and gladness they are led along as they enter the palace of the king.
16 Instead of your fathers shall be your sons; you will make them princes in all the earth.17 I will cause your name to be celebrated in all generations; therefore the peoples will praise you for ever and ever.

Commentary. Henry R SYLVESTER Note: The daily scripture readings are taken from the Roman Missal which the Catholic Church use in the daily Celebration of the Holy Eucharist throughout the world.Some weekly readings may differ because of the celebration of local feast days.

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