PRIEST - VISIBLE CO-WORKER OF CHRIST IN THE WORK OF SALVATION SPIRITUAL PASTORAL CARE
/DUŠPASTIER – VIDITEĽNÝ SPOLUPRACOVNÍK CHRISTOV V DIELE SPÁSY DUCHOVNEJ PASTVY/

Peter KORMANIK

emeritus professor, secretary, Office of the Metropolitan Council of the Orthodox Church in Slovakia, Bayerova 8, 080 01 Presov, Slovakia, kormanik@orthodox.sk, 00421517724736

Abstract

The article discusses the demands of pastoral ministry in the Christian Church. Candidates for the priestly ministry prepare for the ministry in the Church of Christ first in a spiritual school for several years and then as priests in practical pastoral ministry they learn to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, first proclaimed to the world by the Word of God - Isus Christ and then also proclaimed by saint apostles are sent out by Him into this world to become living members, members of this Kingdom, living stones for the building up of the spiritual house, to teach themselves and others. Pastors live under the roof of God's temple, learning to know God and His holy will, learning how to enjoy the holy and life-giving mysteries, to live according to God's words and command­ments, so as to become zealous and devout servants of God's temple, heralds of God's Word, servants of Christ and stewards of God's mysteries, heralds of the enlightenment, sanctification, and salvation of souls redeemed by the honorable blood of Christ the Savior. In order to become a light for others, pastors must first shine themselves, they must be filled with light, they must be enlightened in order to lead others, they must themselves walk firmly and steadfastly on the holy way, the narrow way called for by Is Christos, the way full of renunciation, self-denial, the way of the cross and self-sacrifice for others. The most immediate and obvious means of fulfilling this vocation of the pastor is the acquisition of the necessary knowledge through study, which embraces everything that can be the object of human knowledge. The future soul-pastors leave nothing unattended, unnoticed, consider nothing less important and unnecessary; they strive to extract from everything, like the bee, a pleasant, fragrant, and nutritious honey. They try to use their time wisely, not wasting it in vain. They must not forget for a moment that the first and principal object of their study, investigation and reflection is to be, in the spirit of the words of the Apostle Paul, Christos himself, who is to dwell in their hearts by faith and love; they are to know the love of Christ, which surpasses all knowledge.

Keywords

Priest, pastoral care, salvation, church, prayer

SUMMARY

In this article we have pointed out that the classic examples of the Bible are fully instructive for every pastor. The words of King David, "They that sow with tears shall reap with rejoicing," also speak of the success and fruit of this ministry, which requires of every pastor great spiritual strength and nobility of feeling, a noble soul that prays, pleads, watches, sighs, and hopes. Only by placing Christos himself at the center of the Christian pastor's life can the evil spirit of dark indifference and pessimism be banished from his soul forever. His pastoral activity will be awakened to life and intensified. Difficulties will be overcome. And successes, hardly observable today, will adorn him in the near and far future. And though he may sometimes be tempted to think that he is working almost without profit, yet his merits cannot be lost or taken away by anyone, for they are written in his book of life. God will reward them according to good will, zeal shown, and torments endured: "Every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour."

(Language: slovak)

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