Be faithful, joyful, another Christ on earth<\/h4>\n
The ceremony was broadcast online. Father Javier Cereceda, LC, territorial director of the Legionaries of Christ in Spain, welcomed viewers through the digital platforms: \u201cIt is a privileged moment for a Christian to witness something so incredible as Jesus Christ coming down to configure another man to Himself,\u201d he explained. \u201cThank you for joining us; it is a celebration for all Legionaries of Christ, for the entire family of Regnum Christi, for the entire family of Father Rafael who is here accompanying them, and I invite you to participate in the celebration through prayer, to pray for this priest so that God our Lord grants him the grace to be faithful, joyful, and another Christ on earth. Thank you for being with us and for being there,\u201d said Father Cereceda. Minutes later, the celebration began.<\/p>\n
The Cardinal of Madrid began his homily by addressing Father Rafael Pou, explaining that today \u201cthe Lord gives you His own ministry and His own mystery. Your presence as a priest in the Church will bring Christ closer to those you dedicate your ministry to, according to the obedience you are called to in your congregation.\u201d He also wanted to remind everyone that \u201cthe Lord today transforms your life so that you are in Him, through Him, and for Him.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFirst of all, you must show the face of Christ.\u201d This is the reason why Father Rafael is being ordained a priest. Citing the first reading of the Mass (Isaiah 25:6-10), the priest\u2019s task, like that of the prophet Isaiah, is to tell the world: \u201cHere is our God.\u201d And Cardinal Osoro explained: \u201cThey must see the presence of someone who acts in the name of Christ, but does so with his own person. Show the face of Christ.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGiving God’s love will be your profession. You will have no other. Deliver God’s love. Others will be able, through your life, to see the face of Jesus Christ himself,\u201d warned the Archbishop of Madrid.<\/p>\n At this moment, Cardinal Osoro made a reference to the current situation, pointing out that \u201camidst this pandemic that is afflicting Humanity, you receive the priestly ministry. But you must show with your life that He is here among us, that He wants us to rebuild human life in all its dimensions, not just socially and economically.\u201d That is why he asked him to do \u201ceverything possible to lay foundations, to make others understand that together, men, hand in hand, as Pope Francis urges in this latest encyclical He has given us<\/a>, looking out for others, and others for us, we can emerge from any situation.\u201d And he concluded: \u201cPreach this, show the face of the Lord: that men know we are in this world not to destroy it but to give ourselves to each other, to always defend life and not death.\u201d<\/p>\n Referring to the second reading (Phil 4:12-14, 19-20), the Cardinal reminded Father Rafael Pou that it is God who sustains us: \u201cIn the midst of all difficulties you may have in life, \u2018I can do all things in Him,\u2019 says the apostle Paul, in Him who strengthens me.\u201d He encouraged him to stay attentive because \u201cwhen we sometimes rely on our certainties, our personal qualities, we are actually putting obstacles in the way of the Lord.\u201d<\/p>\n God sustains the priest \u201cso that he can tell all men \u2018Take and eat; this is my body.\u2019\u201d So that he can feed them with the food that makes us great, that enlarges our hearts, that makes us feel brothers of all, so that you can approach men who have not yet known the Lord and make them members of the Church in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDear Rafael \u2014 continued Don Carlos \u2014 sustained by the Lord, make it possible that fraternity never breaks apart. Imitate the Lord, who from the very beginning rescued fraternity. The Lord called you to rescue it. The Lord who conquered your heart.\u201d That is why he asked him: \u201cConquer the hearts of men in the style of Jesus Christ.\u201d<\/p>\n And concluding with the Gospel reading of the Mass (Mt 22:1-14), the Archbishop of Madrid explained that the Lord compares the Kingdom of God to a banquet: \u201cJesus gives us this parable as a metaphor to invite every human being to fill their deepest longings.\u201d In this context, he clarified, \u201cGod calls everyone, and calls to the greatest happiness possible within any limitations. God invites us to be happy.\u201d And once again, he reminded Father Rafael of his mission: \u201cAnnounce this to men.\u201d Moreover: \u201cDevote your life exclusively to making this invitation, in the manner of Jesus: today the Lord tells you that your profession is to call all men to the feast.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou will be ordained a priest, and for everyone, it is an invitation to the feast,\u201d so he encouraged him not to make mistakes: \u201cNot to confuse it with our tastes, because if it\u2019s about our tastes, perhaps we will only invite a certain group; or with our projects, because sometimes we have our own projects that are different from God’s.\u201d<\/p>\n Finally, Don Carlos emphasized the vocation to which the new priest has been called: \u201cGod has chosen you to be Him among men. Live with His strength; that is what will comfort you. God will provide all your needs. Jesus Christ will act in your name so that you feed others and give meaning to the lives of those you meet.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnnouncing Jesus \u2014 the bishop concluded \u2014 means announcing that God loves you, God wants you, God embraces you, God wants to count on you. God lives among men. You do not speak in the name of a dead man from centuries ago. You show the face of Christ.\u201d<\/p>\n The parish of Santa Mar\u00eda de Can\u00e1, in Pozuelo (Madrid), has hosted several Regnum Christi family celebrations this year: in addition to Father Rafael Pou\u2019s ordination, the broadcast of Julian Frommling\u2019s final vows<\/a> and the diaconal ordination of Father Ignacio Rubio H\u00edpola<\/a>. Its pastor, Don Jes\u00fas Higueras, wanted to share a few words before the final blessing. \u201cI do not want to miss this moment to thank first God our Lord for this new priestly vocation, thank Don Carlos who with so much affection always cares for us all, and also thank the Legionaries of Christ who have chosen this parish community for Rafael\u2019s ordination,\u201d he said. \u201cThe truth is, it is a sign of communion that we have been living for many years between the diocesan reality, the charisms, the ecclesial realities\u2026 always in communion with the shepherd, and the parish \u2014 which is a community of communities, truly the meeting place for everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"Cardinal](\"https:\/\/subdir.legionariosdecristo.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/10\/prafaelpou2.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nBe for Christ<\/h4>\n
Deliver the love of God<\/h4>\n
I can do all things in Him who strengthens me<\/h4>\n
Call to the feast<\/h4>\n
God counts on you<\/h4>\n
Santa Mar\u00eda de Can\u00e1, community of communities<\/h4>\n