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When the Spirit rested upon them, they prophesied.
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A reading from the book of Numbers.
Moses said to the Lord, "Why have I not found favor in your
sight, that you lay the burden of all this people on me? Did I
conceive all this people? Did I give birth to them, that you
should say to me, 'Carry them in your bosom, as a nurse
carries a sucking child,' to the land that you promised on
oath to their ancestors? I am not able to carry all this people
alone, for they are too heavy for me."
So the Lord said to Moses, "Gather for me seventy of the
elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the
people and officers over them; bring them to the tent of
meeting, and have them take their place there with you. I
will come down and talk with you there; and I will take some
of the spirit that is on you and put it on them; and they shall
bear the burden of the people along with you so that you will
not bear it all by yourself.
So Moses went out and told the people the words of the
Lord; and he gathered seventy elders of the people, and
placed them all around the tent. Then the Lord came down
in the cloud and spoke to him, and took some of the spirit
that was on him and put it on the seventy elders; and when
the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied.
The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Numbers 11:11b-12, 14-17, 24-25a
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This reading from the Roman lectionary for the rite of ordination of a priest seeks to situate the ministry of presbyters in the context of the bishop's priesthood and ministry.
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Questions for Reflection or Discussion
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Choose the question(s) that appeal to you, either because it spontaneously grabs you, or perhaps because it seems too difficult.
Try jotting down your answers. The act of writing both organizes and generates thought.
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My ministry of priest as presbyter is a sharing in the ministry of
bishop as priest.
- What is the present state of my relationship with my Ordinary? Specifically, how is the relationship strong? What's one way in which it might be further strengthened?
- What is the present state of my relationship with my brother priests in this presbyterate? Specifically, how is the relationship strong? What's one way in which it might be further strengthened?
- What is the present state of the relationship between the presbyterate and the Ordinary in this local church? Specifically, how is the relationship strong? What's one way in which it might be further strengthened?
- How am I being called to speak and act prophetically as a priest in this presbyterate at this time?
A contemporary reading of this scripture passage also suggests reflecting on my relationship of priest?as?pastor to other collaborators in ministry.
- In what specific ways are my people "too heavy" for me right now? How is God acting to lighten the burden?
- How do I "share the Spirit" of gospel ministry which I have received in ordination with the lay ecclesial ministers with whom I work?
- If I had to sum up my vision of ministry in a single sentence, what would that sentence say?
- How am I being called to speak and act prophetically as a priest in my particular ministry at this time?
Return to the Read, Reflect, Respond index page.
Return to the Year for Priests Welcome page.
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