Twenty-Seventh Sunday
October 06, 2019•
The teaching of clerical celibacy is from Christ Himself. The celibacy of His priests started with Jesus, and in fact finds its roots in Judaism, in the Old Testament. So don't listen to anyone who would tell you that this is an innovation in the Church. The Fathers of the Church, in discussing and trying to understand this teaching that comes to us from Christ, give three reasons why they believe Jesus wanted His priests to be celibate.
The first is Christological - having to do with Christ Himself. The second is ecclesiological, meaning having to do with the Church. And the third is eschatological, having to do with the end of time, meaning Heaven.
Hab 1:2-3, 2:2-4, Ps 95:1-2, 6-7. 8-9, 2Tm 1:6-8, 13-14, Lk 17:5-10
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