I remember my surprise when, after saying my marriage vows, I realized that I had become a bride, and that I really had a husband. The vows themselves lasted maybe two minutes, but it was enough. A few sentences changed my whole future life—and not just mine. That’s the power of a sacrament.
Such is the case of this young man, who in a few minutes, after a few sentences from his bishop, becomes a priest and his entire future is changed. And not only his own!
What happened next was recorded in a short video, 45 seconds full of meaning. I couldn’t help being moved by this scene.
In the video we see a very emotional young man who has just been ordained a priest. His mother stands in front of him. He enthusiastically approaches her to bless her for the first time in his life, but his mother takes his hands first and wipes them with a cloth to remove the oil of consecration. (By tradition, a priest’s mother keeps this cloth, called the maniturgium, and it is buried with her as a sign of the son she has given to the Church.) Although he tries to raise his hands to bless her, she pulls them down to kiss them. Then finally he blesses her, and she makes the sign of the cross.
The newly ordained priest then hugs her, crying, overcome by emotion. The two embrace and time seems to stand still.
Is there a dialogue between the two? We don’t know. The words are hidden from our ears, but we might guess at what the two hearts are experiencing in that moment: pride, joy, fear of the unknown, trust in God … What is manifest and unmistakable is the presence of great love. It’s a son’s love for his mother and his mother’s love for him, who—though he has grown up and become independent—will always find consolation in her arms.
