GUNLESS PRIEST

Why does a priest should not arm himself with or even possess a gun? Instead, what should he carry always with him? The clothes that we wear, the vehicles that we ride, the food that we eat, the things that we possess often reflect our status, our values, and even our priorities. Doctors wear white medical garb. Policemen, the military, the navy wear their respective uniforms. Judges, court justices wear their black toga during hearings. Students wear their school uniforms. What about us priests? What should we always “wear”? Do we have to wear our white cassock as our daily uniform to remind ourselves as well as the people around us of our identity as priests? Saint Paul reminds us Christians particularly us “men of cloth”: “put on Christ!” What does he mean? It means that we “put on” certain priestly characteristics or qualities that are reflective of Christ himself. “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.” (Colossians 3: 12). Thus, the call to “put on” these godly characteristics is rooted in our status or identity as followers of Christ and in particular as ordained ministers. In another letter, Saint Paul exhorts: “Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” (Ephesians 6: 13-17) Mirroring always the values and the attitudes of the High Priest, Jesus Christ, we, priests, should carry with us not a gun or any deadly weapon but a “belt of truth”, a “breastplate of righteousness”, a “shield of faith”, the “helmet of salvation” and the “sword of the Spirit.” When we “put on” all these every day, we do not have to carry a gun to protect ourselves because we are already fully protected.