b) THE HOLINESS OF THE PRIEST

"The purpose of your vocation is holiness"

The purpose of your vocation is holiness (...).  Priests are called not only to personal holiness but are committed to the holiness of others as well.  "I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain" (Jn 15:16).

I chose you, that is to say, separated you from sin and fixed you firmly in the state of grace so that you might go forth, make progress in virtue, and bear fruit, that is to say, bring people to conversion.  These fruits must last; in a word, the faith of those you will bring to me must be solid.

With what power and according to what model can priests manage to do this if not with Christ's power and according to Christ's model of holiness?  "Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me" (Jn 15).  The power of your priesthood derives from your sharing in Christ's priesthood.  In fact, Tertullian tells us, he appointed priests as his vicars.  For this reason, you must represent Christ to the people both in your holiness and in your ministry.

When a priest approaches the altar to offer the immaculate Host, the faithful must see in him Christ's love for, and devotion to, the Father.

When a priest climbs the pulpit of truth, the place itself demands that he talk about the highest truths.  In the same way, people must see those truths so incarnated in the priest that he reproduces the preaching Christ, not the pharisees (St. Gregory, pars II, c. 3).

When a priest sits in the tribunal of Penance, there especially he must be molded and fortified by the holiness of Christ.  "The hand that reaches out to wipe away other people's guilt must itself already be clean, so as not to sully even more what it touches should it be itself soiled with mud" (St.  Gregory, l.c., 27).¹²

"Holiness is purity consecrated to God"

Holiness, says St. Thomas, is purity consecrated to God.  Not common or mediocre purity, but sublime purity, as St. John Chrysostom tells us: holiness is a lofty purity of mind.  In any case, the purity of the priest could not be mediocre, for he is like a city on the mountain top which cannot be hidden from view.  Holiness, then, is purity consecrated to God: purity dedicated to the honor of God.  Together with purity of mind, true holiness demands a steady immolation.  Holy, in fact, is what is entirely consumed on the altar of God.  Obviously, authentic holiness requires that the life of a priest be free of all vices and ever committed to the honor of God.

I would be unhappy if at this point anyone begins to think that such holiness is so far removed from daily life, so difficult to achieve, that it must be reserved to people who live withdrawn from the world.

There is no reason for anyone to fear real holiness.  Holiness, the perfection possible in this life, is not something absolute, free from every imperfection.  In fact, even the just man sins seven times a day.  Holiness, instead, consists in a constant effort to attain it.  This is what St. Bernard taught.  Here let me mention St. Augustine's teaching on this score: "He is perfect who has no serious sins and tries to avoid venial sins as well; in short, it is he who runs without tiring along the path of virtue" (De Perfect. Iust. c. 3).¹³

"The.first step to holiness is an ardent and generous desire"

The first step or means to holiness is the ardent and generous desire for holiness itself.  Since holiness is the goal of the priesthood, all aspirations must be directed to this end.  An ordinary desire or resolution is not enough.  What is needed is a will, a desire comparable to hunger and thirst.  "Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied."

Holiness is the true wisdom that one must beg for, desire, seek out like riches, and dig out like treasure (...).  No one will ever reach the pinnacle of holiness if he does not unceasingly and ardently long for it.  Venerable brothers, all of you have desired holiness.  Each of you must judge the intensity of your desire by your fruits.

The love of holiness gives rise to frequent and daily

meditation on the law and the heavenly mysteries.  The priest who neglects daily meditation will not be holy but will, instead, experience desolation.  "He is like a man who looks at his own face in a mirror.  He sees himself, then promptly goes off and forgets what he looked like" (Jas 1:23).

If one has a true love of holiness, he will be zealous in purifying his conscience every week according to the prescription of the synod.  He who neglects this duty is far from the path of holiness, for he who disparages little things will gradually go astray.

The examination of conscience stems from the same intense desire.  This examination is especially necessary for priests to ascertain what they are accumulating on the foundation of the faith, whether gold or silver, hay or straw.  St. Gregory the Great warns us that, in fact, our spirit is constantly distracted with everyday cares and that we would be unaware of this if we did not check our progress or regression through self-examination.¹⁴

"Integrity of heart"

What does an upright heart mean?  A heart that seeks only God, a simple heart, a pure heart, like the one desired by the royal psalmist: "A clean heart create for me, 0 God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me" (Ps 51:12) (...).

This integrity of heart is truly a great thing.  It is the wellspring of all virtues, the font of holiness, the source of priestly life (...).

This integrity of heart must be the supreme concern of any priest.  It was with this attitude that you took your place in the army of the Church, and it is in this attitude that you must constantly persist.  The wise man says: "With all care, guard your heart, for in it are the sources of life" (Prv 4:23).  How true.  What, in fact, diminishes the fear of God in us, what makes us so fickle in the practice of virtue, and why is our progress in the ways of perfection so laborious?  The cause is the faintness of our hearts.  Why are the stones of the sanctuary sometimes found strewn at the corner of every road?  And why do the very cedars of Lebanon come crashing down?  Because of a hidden sin of the heart.

Hence, like a wise architect, the priest must lay the foundation of an upright heart, that is, a heart turned to God, and then build on this foundation.¹⁵

"How can we make sure of staying on the path of integrity?"

How can we make sure of staying on the path of integrity?  By meditating on the law of God and constantly dialoguing with him in prayer.  He who wants to keep this integrity of heart must apply himself to prayer.  A spiritual writer says this about prayer: "If someone were to ask me what a priest in care of souls most desperately needs, I would repeat: prayer.  If he were to ask me what else he needs, I would repeat: prayer.  And if he were to ask me the same question again and again, my answer would always be the same."

You understand, then, how important prayer is.  Let us listen to St. Bernard: Reflection or meditation, from which prayer flows, yields these benefits ‑- first of all, it purifies the mind, that is to say, the very source of meditation.  Furthermore, meditation corrects excesses, moderates behavior, makes life virtuous and orderly and, finally, provides knowledge of human and divine things.

Meditation clarifies what is obscure, puts together again what has been torn apart, gathers what has been scattered, discerns the secrets of the heart, fathoms things that are true, examines things that are probable, unmasks things that are deceptive and false.

It is meditation, once again, that helps us plan our work and ‑- once the work is carried out ‑- helps us evaluate it so that nothing unbecoming or worthy of correction is part of our life.  Finally, it is meditation that prepares us for adversity, and this is prudence.  When adversity does come, it is meditation that helps us barely notice it, and this is fortitude (De Consid. I, c. 7).¹⁶

"Love thrives on meditation and is nourished by it"

This, then, is the power meditation has to foster singleness of heart and integrity in our spiritual life.  From meditation incalculable riches will accrue to us whereas without meditation we experience desolation upon desolation and become absolutely barren of good works.  We will never be able to fulfill the duties of our ministry worthily if we do not keep our ministry constantly before our eyes through an untiring and intimate contact with God.

So, priests who fritter away the day in visits and exterior amusements, thus extinguishing the spirit of prayer, must examine how they are carrying out their ministry.  They are readier to engage in worldly affairs or

discuss the daily news than to engage in prayer.  They are accustomed to talk nonstop with people and almost never with God.  They rarely find time for their morning meditation.  They put off the obligation of the Canonical Hours to the last hours of the day as if it were the least of their duties.  They get bored with God because they love him so little.

You must realize that love thrives on meditation and is nourished by it.  "In meditation a fire breaks out in me," the prophet says.  These words should be applied above all to a priest's love.  As God's minister, he must be a blazing fire: "He made his ministers a fiery flame" (Heb 1:7).  His heart must be an altar on which to offer a perpetual holocaust: "The fire on the altar is to be kept burning; it must not go out.  Every morning the priest must put firewood on it" (Lv 6:5).  You all know that daily meditation must keep fueling the life of a priest so that this fire will never go out but spread far and wide.¹⁷

"Good example is the mark of a good shepherd"

It is not enough for a priest to be pious and holy before God or in the depths of his conscience.  He must appear such even before people.  Since he has become the portion of the Lord, he must not only be a person of integrity but must also give witness to this integrity among the faithful.

He regards a good reputation as his bounden duty to God, to the Church, and to the faithful.  You well know that good example is the mark of a good shepherd, as Christ himself tells us: "When he has driven out all his own, he walks ahead of them and the sheep follow him (Jn 10:4) (...).

A priest in care of souls is like a city on a mountaintop, exposed to the view of everybody.  His life cannot remain hidden and is bound to have an effect on others.  In fact, he is destined for the fall and rise of many.  So see how you are conducting yourselves in word and deed.

A priest is a lamp set on a lampstand, giving light to all in the house.  He must keep his light bright and strong so as to lead others to virtue by his example.  A priest's exemplary life is the best way to form people.  You well know that nothing is more powerful than good example (...). Sacred preaching already possesses great power, but this power is doubled when the word preached is holy and the one preaching is likewise holy.¹⁸

"God did not choose his ministers from among angels but from among men"

In his infinite goodness, God did not choose his ministers from among angels but from among men ‑- "every high priest is taken from among men" ‑- that is, from among human beings who are full of infirmities and imperfections.  These ministers are fashioned from the common clay of Adam and exposed like everybody else, and often even more so, to the assault of the passions.  We must not forget that, when God gave priests his powers, he did not give them his impeccability.  If he lets a few leaves of the great tree fall into the mud, he does so in order to teach us that these powers do not depend on the merit of the one receiving them; that they are given to the individual not for his own convenience but for the good of others; and that the Church does not stand firm by human power but by the power that comes from above.¹⁹

"If priests are not angels, it is just as well"

If priests are not angels, it is just as well because they will more readily sympathize with sinners and with their unfortunate brothers and sisters and come to their help: "for he himself is beset by weakness."  We can truly say, however, that priests have no reason to blush before their accusers, that, as a whole, they are carrying the banner of their ministry high, and that with knowledge, charity, virtue, and hard work they are fulfilling the precept of the Apostle: "I will bring honor to my ministry."²⁰