He returned from his retreat in the desert of Mexico with a sun-kissed face, aglow just as I imagine Moses must have been when he returned from being in the presence of the Lord on Mt. Sinai. With a wide smile, a boyish buzz cut, and a freshly shaved face he had a renewed sense of calm. It was obvious that he had been in the presence of God. He quietly confessed to me that in Mexico he had been contending with the Lord. “If you have called me,” he said looking up with shaking fist, “You’d better give me the grace to perform the tasks and duties of a Priest—fully.” I urged him on with a quizzical look. He calmly relayed God’s response: “Of course I will, that is why I’m ordaining you.” A gentle smile came over him. As we sat in a moment of silence, I recalled the Scripture about the precious ointment poured upon the head of the first priest, Aaron; so great was this anointing that the fragrant oil ran down off his head into his beard, and continued down overflowing to the skirts of his garments (Psalm 133:2). It was done for his anointing, to sanctify him, a sacramental sign of what God was doing inside. In just a few short hours, Mark would join the historic rank of the priesthood.

In the thirty-five years that I’ve been a committed Christian, I have had the honor to count among my friends numerous priests. The contact list on my cell phone contains almost as many priests as family members. During times of tragedy, the presence of a priest has been a great comfort. Their presence makes obvious what is hidden, God’s presence. As human representatives, our priests “stand in for Christ” both at the altar and in the important moments of our lives.

As evening approached, everything was ready. The church, although quiet, was full of anticipation. The ancient rite of anointing a priest was about to begin and the world around us would continue on without taking notice. Quietly taking my seat, I noticed out of the corner of my eye a beautiful young woman, dressed in purple with adornments appropriate for the occasion. She sat so tranquil and deep in thought. Tonight would mark the beginning of her life as a priest’s wife. My thoughts drifted twenty-five years into their future, and I was overwhelmed with what it might hold for them. I began to pray, “Oh Lord, only You know what awaits her as she accompanies her husband on this journey. The people they will love and lose. The children they will baptize and the friends they will bury. What will their ministry look like as they look back on years of faithful service?” I was comforted by Mark’s own words: if God was calling them, He would provide for them. The Bishop’s voice broke into my thoughts: I charge you, young man, do you now in the presence of these people. Strong admonitions were given followed by Mark’s public ascent to the oaths taken in private audience with the bishop. The response: a humble nodding of Mark’s head.

The organ music began to swell and fragrant incense filled the room. The solemn procession began, hymn 220. God of the prophets! Bless the prophets’ sons, Elijah’s mantle o’er Elisha cast; each age its solemn task may claim but once; make each one nobler, stronger, than the last.

The Bishop’s sermon next declared the duty and office of such as come to be admitted as priests. The authentic nature of the priesthood is the work of reconciling people to the Lord. There have always been prophets and priests, but the disciples were not called prophets nor priests—but Evangelists. Joining their brotherhood, you are to be about this business. The conversion of hearts is the beginning of any sacramental ministry. It is the reconciliation of God to man through the Evangelist’s preaching of the Word. “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine (2Timothy 4:2).” As a priest, Mark was entering into the enduring ministry of the disciples of Christ. The Bishop continued: Balance the needs of both those committed to your care and to your family. Remembering, the nurture of she who is one flesh with you is the nurture of self. Always be thankful, admit what you do not know. The Lord will be beside you, behind you, in front of you, He under-girds you and hovers over you. The journey you are embarking upon is one that you will not go on alone; God has surrounded you by many that care for you. With this, he indicated the congregation with a movement of his head.

After the Bishop’s remarks, the rite continued with Mark prostrating himself in front of the Bishop. It was awkward to see this strong young man in a lowly, vulnerable position, and one could hardly be unmoved at the very humility of the act. The Litany and Suffrages for Ordination began with the cantor’s cry: O God the Father. Have mercy upon us, we replied. Both cantor and congregation continued antiphonally, evoking the Trinity: O God the Son, Have mercy upon us. O God the Holy Ghost, Have mercy upon us. O Holy Trinity, one God, Have mercy up on us.

At calling upon the Trinity, the Bishop made the three-fold sign of the cross over the prostrated applicant. Continuing, the cantor sang out: That it may please thee to guide by thy indwelling Spirit those whom thou dost call to the Ministry of thy Church; that they may go forward with courage, and persevere unto the end. At this moment, the Bishop held his hands open, palms down toward the prostrated applicant, who had not made the slightest movement. The Bishop’s motions were ancient and mysterious to our modern minds.

It was a weighty vision: thirteen men standing in attendance at the Lord’s altar. Aged twenty-one to sixty-five, these men have devoted themselves to the service of the Lord through the agency of the Anglican Catholic Church. Believing so strongly in what the continuing church stands for, they willingly offer themselves to this service, without guarantee of retirement, health insurance, or other benefits that are usually the first concern of a man seeking a career and direction for his life. Yet these men aren’t seeking a career but a vocation. They are ready to set all aside to answer God’s call and continue the ancient work of reconciling God to His people.

More prayers and the stirring Schubert setting of the Kyrie, Lord, have mercy upon us. Christ, have mercy upon us. Lord, have mercy upon us. The Liturgy of the Word began with the Collect for the Ordination of Priests, which was evidence that the Church knew the “things” Mark needed to perform for the duty of a priest. It prayed that he would be mercifully replenished with God’s truth, and a called upon God to adorn him with an innocency of life: two things that Mark could not do for himself, naturally the Church would ask God to provide them.

Next there was the reading of the Epistle and the Holy Gospel. And the Bishop would continue his exhortation to the applicant now standing:

And if it should happen that the same Church or any Member thereof, do take any hurt or hindrance by reason of your negligence, ye know the greatness of the fault, and also the horrible punishment that will issue. Wherefore consider with yourselves the end of the Ministry towards the children of God, towards the Spouse and Body of Christ.

At these words we all silently gasped as we pondered the severity of his commitment. Grace and mercy we would pray for, but with the word “punishment,” a hush stunned us. The men on the altar batted not an eyelash. Four of them have already heard this admonition at their own ordination, one is drawing near to entering the same commitment, while the rest were still in the process of discernment.

Next, the interrogation. The Bishop asked: Do you think in your heart, that you are truly called, according to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ, and according to the Canons of this Church to the Order and Ministry of Priesthood? Mark calmly responded, I think it. A whole cadre of questions flew at him: Are you persuaded … Will you then … Will you be ready … Will you be diligent … and, finally, Will you maintain and set forwards, as much as lieth in you, quietness, peace, and love, among all Christian people, and especially among them that are or shall be committed to your charge? The program indicated a moment of silence to be kept for the secret prayers of those present. In that space my thoughts drifted again to the host of souls that would be directly influenced by Mark’s ministry.

The Bishop’s songful voice interrupted our prayers and introduced a new thought. Again he called upon the Holy Spirit, Come, Holy Ghost, our souls inspire. We answered in song, And lighten with celestial fire. We entered the Veni, Creator Spiritus, music and lyrics from the eighth century, gloriously sung at hundreds of thousands of ordinations.

Finally the moment came. The Bishop along with the three other priests laid their hands upon Mark’s head, who was now kneeling. The Bishop prayed:

Receive the Holy Ghost for the Office and Work of a Priest in the Church of God, now committed unto thee by the Imposition of our hands. Whose sins thou dost forgive, they are forgiven; and whose sins thou dost retain, they are retained. And be thou a faithful Dispenser of the Word of God, and of his holy Sacraments; in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

All at once we were overwhelmed with the sounds of trumpets, timpani, strings, and soaring sopranos. The choir sang Mozart’s Te Deum laudamus, which is the Church’s ancient song of praise. In amazement, I wondered how many times this motet has been sung? It was truly a magnificent piece, a sample of the heavenly choir.

As the music filled our hearts with praise, we observed what appeared to be carefully choreographed movements. Two men, a new priest and his Bishop, began the ancient ritual of consecrating the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ—one for the first time, the other perhaps for the thousandth. The gentle hand of the Bishop extended to the back of the new priest. His amethyst ring caught the light, their heads leaned in, quiet instructions were shared and more incense was introduced into the room. I was lost in a moment that words can only feebly begin to describe.

The hymn and movement at an end, everything was ready. The new priest turned. Looking down he shuffled through the prayer cards brought to the altar, his eyes intently drinking in each request. His visage was markedly changed. He read aloud the requests of those submitted. His list finished, he paused, and then he looked up at us in earnest. There was a new depth to his eyes. Then we heard him say for the first time as a priest of God, Let us pray for the whole state of Christ’s Church. This moment was full of great solemnity and sincerity, which pierced our hearts and drew us nearer the altar of the Lord. We heard the same familiar prayers, but this time in a new voice, a young voice, a voice infused with freshness, a hint of naiveté, but wisdom at the same time. A voice of merely thirty years and yet a voice that would have had the same youthful inflection of our Lord who, at about the same age as our new priest, was beginning His earthly ministry.

I knew at that moment that God had indeed kept His promise to Mark. God’s anointing had made him a Priest of God. There was a sacramental change, something outward that had accompanied the inward change. It was a moment in time, one I will, with great thankfulness, never forget.

Prayer for Priests

O Almighty and Eternal God, look upon the face of Thy Christ, and for love of Him who is the eternal High Priest, have mercy on Your priests. Remember, O most compassionate God, that they are but weak and frail human beings. Stir up in them the grace of their own vocation, which is in them by the imposition of the Bishop’s hands. Keep them close to You, lest the enemy prevail against them, so that they may never do anything in the slightest degree unworthy of their sublime calling.

O Lord, I pray You to help your faithful and fervent priests; for Your unfaithful and lukewarm priests, for Your priests laboring at home and abroad in distant mission fields; for Your tempted priests; for Your lonely and desolate priests; for Your young priests; for Your aged priests and for Your sick priests.

But especially I commend to you the priests dearest to me: the priest who baptized me, the priests who have given me the precious Body and Blood of Jesus in Holy Communion; the priests who taught and instructed me or helped and encouraged me, and all the priests to whom I am indebted in any other way.

O Jesus, keep them all close to Your heart and bless them abundantly, both now and in eternity. Amen.