April 29, 2026

Wednesday Word . . . Visibility and Invisibility

We pray that N. may be to us an effective example in word and action, in love and patience, and in holiness of life. – BCP 535

What does a priest do? They write sermons. They preside at the Eucharist. They pray. They anoint. They listen. They offer guidance. In the ordination service (BCP 531), they are tasked with “proclaiming by word and deed the Gospel of Jesus Christ . . . to love and serve the people among whom they work, caring alike for young and old, strong and weak, rich and poor. They are to preach, declare God's forgiveness to penitent sinners, pronounce God's blessing, and celebrate the mysteries of Christ's Body and blood” – among other things. Another place says that the job of a priest is to “administer the saving benefits of Christ's passion through word and sacrament.” And still another source says that the priest acts on behalf of the gathered congregation. If you look, you can probably find other descriptions of what a priest is and does.

Not all priests perform these roles perfectly. Some are performed better than others. Some days we fail more than we succeed. Hopefully we succeed enough to make a difference. These are tall orders and, as my ordination chaplain said, “not to be entered into unadvisedly or lightly, but reverently and deliberately.”

The silver chalice we use here at Saint Luke's has a mostly hammered finish, but the bottom eighth of the stem is polished to a mirror-like finish.

On Easter, as we were praying the Lord's Prayer, my eyes were focused on the sacraments there in front of me. It was at that time I noticed my reflection in the stem of the chalice; or, rather, my partial reflection. The polished bottom eighth clearly reflected my chasuble, while the hammered finish immediately above obscured my face.

There are some who say that the priest is a stand-in for Christ at the Eucharist. I'm not sure about that, but I am sure that I am administering the saving benefits of Christ's passion through the sacrament being offered, and that I am acting on behalf of the congregation, especially in that moment. As I looked at that reflection of clear chasuble and obscured face, I was struck with the remembrance that what I do at the altar isn't what I do but what Christ does through me. Another way of saying that is, “It's not about me, but about Christ.”

Teresa of Avila said that we are the hands, feet, eyes, and heart of Christ. There are times when we all are called upon to be the hands, feet, eyes, and heart of Christ in this world. When that time comes, may we clearly reflect the presence of Christ while obscuring ourselves for the greater good.

Blessings,