The Video
Recently, I have seen many Catholics reacting overly negative to Pastor Mark Driscoll’s clip about catholic priests saying that he doesn’t want to be like them, who are broke virgins.
I disagree with my catholic brothers on this issue because some of them said, and I quote, “So Mark doesn’t want to be like Jesus who died a broke virgin”
Jesus’ ministry on earth required him to be broke because, firstly Jesus was concerned with spiritual wealth more than material wealth like in Matthew 6:19-21 where Jesus advises storing up treasures in heaven rather than on earth.
Secondly, His mission required Him to be a virgin because He as the Bridegroom of the Church cannot love one woman more than the rest because He calls all of His church His bride, we as a collective are the Bride of Christ. So setting one woman apart would not have been in standing with Jesus’ character.
Jesus is not prescribing this way of life to us this is just how He had to live to fulfil his ministry.
To my Catholic brothers quoting 1 Corinthians 7:8 where Paul writes **“**I say to the unmarried and widows: It is good for them if they remain as I am.”
This is not Paul saying that being single is better than being married, we have to examine the context of this passage by looking at the surrounding verses.
The Corinthians struggled with Sexual Immorality and asked Paul for his opinion on their issues. His contextual response was to remain single because the unmarried people would totally misconstrue the whole concept, purpose and heart behind marriage because of their sexually immoral way of life.
There is a quote by Miles Morales: “Without purpose, abuse is inevitable.” Because the Corinthians could not comprehend the purpose of marriage, they abused it and withheld sex from their wives and husbands and slept with prostitutes, etc., hence the necessity for Paul’s letter.
My Opinion
I can relate with Mark Driscoll who says it is hard to admire or be inspired by a man who is responsible for nothing and no one.
Boys mature and turn into men by taking on responsibility. This is especially the case when you become responsible for other people and now have to step into the role of priest, prophet and king.
Unfortunately, this facet of masculinity is missing in Catholic leadership, and I believe it is a crucial error in the Catholic tradition because the priests then, by this logic, have not matured as men should and could never understand the struggles men face as husbands and fathers.
How can they counsel couples going through marital difficulty? How can they give fatherly advice if they aren’t fathers themselves?
At some point in my life, I will need someone with experience in these areas of manhood to guide me, but how am I supposed to trust the word of a man who has no practical knowledge of my struggle?
These are some of the things that I am concerned about as a young man.
My concerns
The priesthood only looks after itself, to the contrary, the church does because they are sworn to poverty, they have no responsibility outside the church and only work on weekends and weekdays if called upon. They have no family because they are sworn to chastity and thus no further responsibility for anything or anyone.
I don’t think that this attracts the most healthy men into the Catholic church either because they are sexually frustrated men who never have the opportunity to alleviate the frustration. That is why I think we hear of so many catholic priests who have committed sexual atrocities because of their lack of self-control.
I would like to quote I Corinthians 7:5 on this matter: 5 Do not deprive one another—except when you agree for a time, to devote yourselves to[d] prayer. Then come together again; otherwise, Satan may tempt you because of your lack of self-control.
I want to draw your attention to the latter part of the verse:” Then come together again; otherwise, Satan may tempt you because of your lack of self-control.”
We, as human beings with a corrupt nature, have little self-control concerning sexual desires, especially when there is no need for celibacy, like in the extreme circumstances of Jesus and Paul.
If one unnecessarily puts oneself in the position of celibacy, then I do not believe God would grant us the capability to remain so if it is not His plan for us.
We are not following the commandment to be fruitful and multiply and thus we are missing out on what God has in store for us.
This is God’s commandment in Genesis 1:28: “Be fruitful and multiply”, and nothing in the New Testament has subverted or repudiated that commandment.
This is what I appreciate about Orthodox priests like Father Josiah Trenham, who is a hard-working father who provides for and protects his wife and 10 children. Even though the Orthodox Church also has celibate priests, they do allow their priests to be married.
The Bible puts a lot of emphasis on the importance of marriage and a high expectation on men in verses like 1 Timothy 5:8, “A man who does not provide for his family has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever” and Proverbs 18:22, “He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favour from the Lord.”
The argument that the priests reject the “worldly things” like marriage as to more effectively lead the congregation to God is unfounded because God uses marriage as an illustration of his relationship with us.
I believe having a Christ-centered marriage is one of if not the most powerful ministries a man can have because it is an example of the type of relationship that Christ has with us, a testament to the type of man we are and the standard for the man we ought to be.
How does one think he can lead others to Christ if he can’t even shepherd his own children.
Our family is our first mission ground only then can we branch out when our family is on the right track.
Conclusion
No hard feelings towards the Catholic Church, they have also done great good in the world no one can deny that, and they are some of the most devout Christians which is beautiful however, I believe this is a major shortcoming in the Catholic Church.
A sacrificial, passionate, unconditional and deeply personal love story between us and our wives and us with Christ is illustrated through marriage.
How could a priest begin to comprehend such an intensely sacrificial relationship if he isn’t in one?
