The Hierarchy of the Church
The first point here is that hierarchy means something in some ways similar but largely different than what it has been meant by this term to secular perspectives. This term to anything Christian is upside down to secular societies. To describe this dynamic is a Christian term called "servant leadership". The implication of this term is what produces the hierarchy of the Church and this hierarchy is preserved by Canon Law which is based on how the Early Church did things which will be a separate point. This "servant leadership" dynamic comes from a description of handling communal problems in marriage in Ephesians 5 and responses to communal problems in the New Testament Councils and Letters called "mutual obedience". "Wives, be subject to your husbands as you are to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife just as Christ is the head of the church, the body of which he is the Savior. Just as the church is subject to Christ, so also wives ought to be, in everything, to their husbands"(Ephesians 5:22-24). It is important to remember that marriage is a unity of persons as strong as death, and thus should be the strongest bond of any interhuman relationship. The bond does not pose one person of the other but no less gives each person a particular office (as need merits), the woman being naturally disposed to nurture and care is the heart, and the man naturally disposed to difficulty and analytical thought is the mind. Of course, these are general images on the level of the particular there may be excess compassion or analytical perspective and a deficiency somewhere but they are examples that what is needed both embody and they tend to complement the other, not one giving all the orders, and the other following but a balanced and harmonious unity. This is where servant leadership and mutual obedience come into play. The greatest among you should be the servant of all"(Matthew 23:11) It is precisely through self-sacrifice that one is worthy of leadership. Through love, we do what is best for one another and obey the needs/desires of those we love.
Second, we know that there were established roles from the beginning. An Apostle, and especially when the Apostles agreed, had God-given authority over the faithful in matters that concerned faith, especially when needed (cf. Acts 15, Matthew 28:19-20, Matthew 16:14–19). It is thus evident that there is a need for Apostolic influence in many places and from this need came the concepts of Apostolic Succession, having a priesthood, and even a diaconate. Christian unity requires this also every area of the world needs servants of Christ present and that come from that area. The "breaking of bread" or Mass as it is now called can only be done by one acting in the person of Christ and it makes the most sense that this is a part of that same ministry. Further, those present at the Last Supper received this command. Therefore, it is not only apart that this hierarchy is necessary for the expansion of Christ's Kingdom, but also it was God's ordaining will that it exists for those reasons and others as well known to Him.
In conclusion, in the ways described and others the diaconate, presbyterate, and the episcopate are each themselves a spouse of the Church in as much as they are even more Christ than our baptism makes us. The non-ordained are given roles here also because there is always more work to be done than people to help accomplish God's mission. The mission Christ’s coworkers embody encompasses all humanity and thus is an ideal Kingdom. The resulting hierarchy is not meant to be lorded of subjects but rather to serve them in spite of self i.e. to love them (Matthew 20:25, 1 Peter 5:3, John 13:34, John 15:12). Most people when they hear the word hierarchy are not thinking of Christ’s kingdom but secular ones. Further, Christ’s kind of hierarchy is necessary and is not only found in the Church at large but in the Domestic Church wherein servant leadership is incumbent upon flourishing (John 21:15-17).
Poetry on the Papacy by Alasdair Ekpenyong Posted on April 1, 2013:
"Long have you served, and served in righteousness–
Long have you labored and in faithfulness,
Like a tall, sturdy forest oak you’ve stood,
Confronting evil and promoting good.
When persecution scathing vollies sent,
You braved the storms, unshaken and unbent.
One of God’s nobles, you have truly proved,
An honest man in every sphere you’ve moved;
Honest and true to every sacred trust,
Truthful in word, and in your dealings just.
...
We record bear–in many a trying hour
Your cheering words have added strength and power;
To woman’s efforts when our duties led,
O’er human need, benevolence to shed.
To clothe the naked, and the hungry feed,
And in broad fields of usefulness to lead."
