February 22, 2010

Titus 1

I admit I chose this book pretty much because tonight I opened in my first major acting role as Lavinia in Titus Andronicus. However, the smaller books have really made me focus on the different salutations and openings. It's so easy to just skim over those things - the "hello!"s actually have an interesting story to tell.

While the Philemon salutation was brief, the Titus one is almost overwrought. The focus lies on the truth - Paul is proclaiming the things that are true, and that's because they are from God who never lies. I wonder what comes next in this book that that is the preface. Will Paul be setting down some rules? The next section is all about what we want in a bishop in a given community. Or is it more about legitimacy and establishing a chain of authority that comes straight from Jesus Christ? Because I don't know how often he refers to himself as an apostle, but it's a bold move even if we tend to accept it as true these days. And he didn't do that in Philemon for all he was throwing his moral authority around.

The interesting thing from the modern perspective of an ideal bishop is the qualification that they be married "only once." Which would change a lot about the Catholic Church, wouldn't it? But I'm reminded of a passage in Orson Scott Card of all people that talked about priests and those in the religious life as less a part of the church as in service to it - how full adult membership in a community and thus the Church as the Body of Christ required marriage. To be outside the Church was a worthy vocation, but membership required a partner.

Setting aside, however, whether or not either side of that divide is true - is that what it feels like to be an apostle? Is that how it always feels? My mother is a great woman in our church community, but she gets to be thoroughly IN and OF the community. Is it different for priests and nuns - who are always a breed apart? It must be, in a way. Because they're job and their religious life choice becomes such a huge definer of who they are as people. Choosing to marry and teach or work or raise children doesn't usually define you in the same way. You are a priest. Everything else is prefaced with that - you are a priest who is funny, you are a priest who likes to go to the gym, you are a priest who has a great hunting dog. Does it get lonely? Or does it keep you closer to God to be continually identified with Him?

How does it feel if you are assumed to be "blameless" (married only once, children believers), "not accused of debaucery", "not rebellious", "not arrogant," "not quick-tempered," not "addicted to wine or violent or greedy"? To be assumed "hospitable, a lover of goodness, prudent, upright, devout, and self-controlled"? Does it help you become so?

The last description of what a priest must be is a man knowledgeable in the world so he can take up the quarrels with the world. Paul goes into arguments of Jewish tradition, especially circumcision, but it's an important point. Priests have to defend the faith and the positions of the Church. They have to be able to explain the delicate and often crazy-talk-sounding doctrine of the Church so that their flock can understand and the detractors can be at least challenged in their nay-saying.

It's a tall order, so all I can say is, in this our Year of the Priesthood - here's to them all.