Priesthood Poem by MICHAEL MBUWIR

God works through men and instruments - his priests,
Who from time immemorial pour their lives,
Like the Kingly master sorely opprest,
Who though killed in his youth his message still thrives.
Like Melchisedek of old Christ became,
For all who would become children of God,
A mediator and healer of their shame,
Bridging the gap created by their odds.

From the goodly night in the upper-room,
Where gathered with the group of apostles;
He being the guest yet the host, the bridegroom,
Offered bread and wine to the disciples.
A covenant in his body and blood,
Beginning what the world had never known;
As he had taught though they began to brood,
And their only real choice was to begone.


The bread and grape vine offered by Christ’s priests,
Remains not just the bread and the goodly wine;
They’re transformed into the body of Christ,
And the blood of Christ transformed from the vine.
Yet the priest remains only a servant,
Called, chosen, blessed and appointed to act,
Re-enacting the bloody covenant,
In persona Christi he truly acts.

The priesthood derives from the sacrifice,
For the priest too like Christ is a victim.
His blood too must be shed to sanctify,
The folk he offers his life to redeem.
His life is blessed and like christ’s is broken,
Poured forth in the service of the Christians,
Whom God himself has from darkness chosen,
To cleanse, forgive and heal of all their stains.

The priesthood is ever fresh e’en today,
For Christ’s breath still flows in the chosen lot;
Empowering them even nowadays,
As it did to men called of old by God.
Many a scandal may even now flow,
Yet God his servants still uses as e’er,
For they are the oxen through whom he ploughs,
His vineyard: children, mothers and fathers.

Mary, the mother of the divine priest,
Could raising the tiny infant profess,
‘This is truly my body’, like a priest,
Raising the host at the mass does confess,
Referring to Christ present in the host,
And truly a sign of his gift of self.
Mary is the mother truly august,
Of today’s priest an’ of the God-man himself.