The wonderful privileges of the pastor

Being a pastor and working in the context of a parish is truly a wonderful thing. Without a doubt the ministry is filled with challenges, and has its fair share of trials and tribulations. This is equally true for every other area of work. The difference is that the pastor lives and works out of a deep sense of call by God to the ministry. This sense of call is a powerful resource that sustains the pastor in all circumstances of ministry. The pastor is assured through the call that he/she is never alone. The people of God and God Himself are promised presences that help the pastor to face the challenges of ministry.

The observation of the twenty-fifth anniversary of my ordination gave me cause for reflection. I remember the challenges, trials and tribulations that came my way in the ministry over the past twenty-five years. However, what stand out for me are the great privileges God opened to me as a pastor. The grace, generosity and love of God’s people stand out as reasons to celebrate my years as a pastor. People let me into their lives; the best and worst of it. I was privileged to share in their joys at the births of babies; I presided at those babies’ baptisms and even had the unbelievable joy to preside at the marriage ceremonies of people I baptised as adolescents. People invited me to celebrate and rejoice with them for their birthdays, successes at exams and jobs and their many good fortunes. In many ways they opened their lives to me, the happy and the sad.

One of the privileges of the pastor, though to some people it is hard to see it as such, are the times when you sit with people in their darkest moments such as times of crises; death, marital and family problems, addictions, sickness, etc.. It is amazing the way people let you into their lives and homes, because you are a pastor. In many circumstances they look to the pastor for strength, guidance, support and among other things, presence. Being a pastor makes me understand what our Lord means in his promise “to have life in abundance.”

Yes, there are many challenges, trials and tribulations in being a pastor. These pale into the shadows when compared with the great privileges in the ministry-especially the privilege of serving God and God’s people.

Thank you God’s people and thank you Lord Jesus Christ for these wonderful twenty-five years of service in the gospel ministry.

– Pastor Roy