All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me....well almost. With Fr David on his annual leave some might say that it's now my job to exercise "absolute power" but is it? Is that what priesthood is all about? Is that why I offered myself as a candidate for ordination? Is that what the parish is expecting from me in the next few weeks? These, and other such questions have been swimming around in my mind as throughout last week I began to enjoy the rare freedom of having the presbytery all to myself.

Priesthood, according to my reckoning, is not about the exercise of power. If it were the Church would be like a regiment where the slightest sign of insubordination would be ruthlessly stamped on. That's not how I've encountered the Church either in our parish or diocese. Not having been born in the era that lived by the dictum "Father knows best" has occasionally meant my being at a loss when someone has expected me to know the immediate solution to a problem. Thankfully though, most people in our parish don't seem to expect this from me or from Fr David which is just as well since neither of us would seek to be acclaimed a know-all.

In wanting to be a priest I for my part was originally inspired by the simple desire to serve others in such a way as to enable them to share their faith in God. If an image is more helpful, I was drawn by what as a boy I saw enacted in my church every Holy Thursday one person washing the feet of twelve others It was observing that person which inspired me to imitation and because of them I am now able to do what they did, washing the feet of those who come seeking God. There is a tremendous satisfaction in doing this in all its myriad of ways. I would recommend it to any one who was interested. To wash the feet of those who come seeking God is not though the exclusive responsibility of the ordained minister. There is a very real sense in which all of us who are baptised must minister to each other. To neglect this duty or seek to abuse it is to ignore the words of Jesus in today’s gospel: "anyone who wants to be first must make himself last of all and servant of all."

So, have no fears. In the absence of the parish priest there will be no changes, alterations or alleged improvements. Well, not from me anyway. He’d kill me if I dared! DG