a) PRIESTLY MINISTRY

"Sharers in my paternal labors"

With a father's ardent affection, I embrace all of you, pastors of souls, knowing as I do the beauty and necessity of your ministry since for a few years I, too, exercised the ministry in this vast parish of St. Bartholomew in Como.  I will never cease praising the parishioners' docility, faith, devotion, attendance at the preaching of the word of God, reception of the sacraments, and touching displays of filial love.

As sharers in my pastoral labors and dispensers of the mysteries of God, make every effort to be counted among the faithful dispensers, mindful of that very somber and at once terrible maxim: Those who preside will be subject to a most rigorous judgment (Wis 5).

No matter what sacred ministry you exercise, whether it be offering the august sacrifice of the Mass, administering the sacraments or performing sacred functions, exercise the ministry like a virtue communicated by God, with pure mind and heart, with a deep sense of faith and ardent devotion, so that in all things God may be honored through Jesus Christ (I Pt 4).

Beloved brothers, be angels of peace, be brave workers.  With kindness and tenderness, comfort the poor, the little ones, the orphans, the widows, the sick and the dying.  In this way, the charity and paternal solicitude of the pastors will shine ever more brightly.

Be extremely loving and tender with the deaf-mutes, the blind, and other unfortunate people.  Make sure they, too, receive instruction.  Diligently teach the young boys and girls the principles of the faith and the obligation of obeying God and their parents.  Be always eager and ready to help everyone with works of charity, thus tying the hearts of the faithful to you and to the faith by the most devoted loyalty. ¹

"God, priest and man"

Through his divine power, Jesus Christ could certainly have saved people without using other people but, in his infinite wisdom, did not choose to do so.  And so, in the order of grace, as in the order of nature, he created intermediate and secondary causes.  Between himself and people he placed his priests, in whom he deigned to perpetuate himself.  In his prayer to the Father, Jesus recognizes as disciples only those who would believe through them.  The gospel in fact always mentions three things: God, priest, and man.  Whoever excludes the priest removes the connecting link and breaks the chain, tears down the bridge, and creates an abyss. ²

"The priest is Jesus Christ working in a man"

Who is this man who holds in his hand the life and destiny of souls and, in some way, the life and destiny of God?  Once again, stand in awe of the dignity and power of the Catholic priest!

Not only does Jesus Christ live in the priest in a real way; but, through the priest, he also constantly performs all the divine functions that bring about the sanctification of souls and the salvation of the world.

The Catholic priest is not only Jesus Christ living in a man ‑- which is the privilege of all Christians.  The priest is Jesus Christ working in a man and carrying out the divine work of reparation together with a

man.  The priest is Jesus Christ speaking, Jesus Christ offering sacrifice, Jesus Christ forgiving, Jesus Christ saving.  Everywhere, in the pulpit, at the altar, in the tribunal of penance, the priest is invested with Christ's own dignity because he is invested with Christ's own authority!  Sacerdos alter Christus ‑- "The priest is another Christ." ³

"He is the man of God when teaching the truth"

When we speak, it is like God speaking because he speaks not only through his Son but also through us, the continuators of his work.

So the priest is truly the man of God when communicating the truth.  Someone said very beautifully that the priest gives the truth to all, to great and small alike, just as God gives the light of the sun to the cedar and to the blade of grass.  The priest is made loftier without pride and humbles himself without diminution.  Not only people with brilliant minds, eager for sublime and profound speculation, but also common people and children, whose minds need simplicity and clarity, find in the priest the answers to all the questions our human nature instinctively asks regarding its origins, its conditions, its duties, and its destiny.  What is even more important is that through the priest all these people find unshakable certainty and absolute assurance in their faith. ⁴

"In the name of God, he dispenses grace"

Besides truth, there is another sacred gift the priest gives people in the name of God, namely grace, a wholly gratuitous gift, which lifts the heart, creates and nourishes the supernatural life in us, makes us friends of God, brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ, and heirs of his kingdom.  Without grace, we can do nothing, nothing that is deserving of eternal life.

But how can the priest communicate grace to the faithful?  He communicates it through those mysterious channels we call the sacraments.

The transmission of this heavenly flow of grace had to come about in a manner fully in accord with the nature of man.  Since man is composed of spirit and matter, it is necessary that even things of a purely

spiritual nature be communicated to him through some material element that will touch his senses.  Through his senses, a man thus becomes aware of the spiritual action taking place within him.  This is precisely what happens through the sacraments. ⁵

"We take the place of the Savior"

Venerable brothers, we have been called to be and are ministers of Christ, sent forth by him just as he was sent forth by the Father; ministers chosen by the Holy Spirit for the work each one of us has been assigned; men of God sent to serve those who are heirs to salvation; priests of the Most High God; dispensers of the mysteries of God and of the surpassing grace of God; salt of the earth and light of the world; people set on a lampstand to give light to all those in the house.  Responsibilities were placed on our shoulders that would be awesome to angels.  Hence, we very much need piety, zeal for souls, and study so that no fault may be found with our ministry (...).

We carry out all our activities full of faith and the Holy Spirit.  We fulfill our ministry in the best possible way, glorifying and praising God, showing ourselves in all things as ministers of God.  We do this by much endurance, hardship, kindness, knowledge, unfeigned love, purity, and genuine piety.  We possess the promises of the present life and of the future life as well, for which we must work with all our energy in order to save souls, to make perfect the saints through our ministry, and build up the body of Christ.

We take the place of the Savior Jesus Christ.  Hence, concerned with the salvation of souls, obeying his commandments and following his example, we must graciously welcome and help all the faithful.  We must firmly resist vice and the hypocrisy of the pharisees, without human respect.  Whether convenient or inconvenient, we must with all patience and doctrine reprimand and plead with the obstinate, the hardened, and those with little religious instruction.  We must avoid greed and even the suspicion of vanity or personal gain, becoming slaves to everyone so as to win everyone over to Christ. ⁶

"A priest's only ambition"

To work, to grow weary, to sacrifice himself in every way for the spread of the kingdom of God here below and to save souls; to fall on his knees before the world, as it were, and ask of it the favor of being allowed to do it some good: this is a priest's only ambition.  For this purpose he employs whatever power, whatever authority, whatever skill, whatever talent, whatever energy he has.

Are children in danger?  He assumes responsibility for them.  Does a tragedy occur?  He rushes to give help.  Does a quarrel breaks out?  He becomes the herald of peace.  Here he becomes the guide of the straying, support of the wavering, shield of the oppressed.  There he becomes the eye of the blind, the tongue of the mute, the father of orphans, the mother of little ones, the companion of the imprisoned.  He becomes a slave to all so as to win over everyone to Christ.

From the shack of the poor he rushes to the mansion of the rich, from the altar to the deathbed, from the mountains to the valleys, always in search of the lost sheep.  He has peace only when he can clasp one of his sheep to his bosom and lift another to his shoulders, when he can bind the wounds of one of his injured sheep and feed another with food taken from his own mouth.  He is never happier than when, going to bed at night, he remembers a tear he wiped, a family he consoled, a child he protected, the name of God he glorified along with his people. ⁷

"The salvation of souls is our only reason for being"

Work hard, cheerfully, and untiringly to win souls over to God: in hoc positi sumus ("this is why we were put here").  This is precisely why we are priests.

The salvation of souls is our life, our only reason for being.  Our whole existence must be one constant search for souls.  We must not eat, drink, sleep, study, speak, or even relax except to do good for souls, without ever, ever growing tired.  Just as Christianity binds a Christian to act like a Christian at all times, in the same way the priesthood obliges a priest to act like a priest at all times.  What a Christian must do for the salvation of his own soul, the priest, and more so the pastor, must do for the salvation of the souls of others.  In this way

does he save his own soul. ⁸

"They were given the duty to care for souls, not necessarily to put things right" 

A very subtle temptation often creeps into the hearts of people in authority.  They see at times that their labor does not yield an immediate or abundant fruit.  The situation is desperate, they say, and nothing can be done.  They get discouraged and so give up on their ministry.

Should we be surprised that what the Apostle Paul experienced in himself is now happening to others?  "But for that reason I was mercifully treated, so that in me, as the foremost, Christ Jesus might display all his patience as an example for those who would come to believe in him for everlasting life" (I Tim 1:16).  These pastors then should go forth as ministers of Christ in all patience, remembering the Lord's words: "One sows and another reaps.  I sent you to reap what you have not worked for; others have done the work, and you are sharing the fruits of their work" (Jn 4:37-38).   They must sow the word and leave others to gather the fruit.  They must remember that in ordination they were given the duty to care for souls, not necessarily to put things right.  However, they must burn with love, for "love believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things" (I Cor 13:7). ⁹

"Spirit of mildness"

It is also fundamental to know how to do the works of God.  Some undertake the works of God in a purely human spirit and, as a result, gather little or no fruit.  You know what the spirit of God is?  "The spirit of God is utterly mild and gentle.  It is not found in agitation or fire but in utter serenity.  It is open and simple" (Tertullian to Marc.).  Christ worked in this spirit, and his ministers must be inspired with a like spirit.  Since the Lord is not found in turmoil and unrest, we must carry out the sacred ministry in the same spirit of mildness.  The wise man says: "Son, great is the power of God; by the humble he is glorified" (Sir 3:19).  With any other attitude, pastors and anyone committed to the care of souls will hinder both their own salvation and the

work of God.¹⁰

'Priests of God, society invokes your help"

Priests of Christ!  Never forget that, if there was ever a time when society needed you, this is it.  She herself invokes your help (...).

Run to her then, apostles of charity, and may your ministry be one of well-being.  May your word be water that quenches, bread that nourishes, medicine that heals, light that dispels darkness.

Deepen ever more your understanding of revealed truth and of every field of knowledge.  It is up to you to strengthen the faith, destroy prejudices, shake up the sluggish, and win over hearts.

Love and help each other.  Be men of sacrifice.  Be like the people the Apostle Paul describes: "They hold fast to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience." Make absolutely sure that to faith you add virtue; to virtue, knowledge; to knowledge, temperance; to temperance, suffering; to suffering, piety; to piety, fraternal love; to fraternal love, charity.  Indeed, if these virtues are part of you and increase in you, they will make your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ bear fruit in you (...).

Brothers, watch over peace in the family, the sanctity of marriage, respect for Sundays and holy days, the dignity of God's house, reverence for superiors, honesty in business, and the observance of justice.  Do not be frightened by the opposition and antagonism of the world.

Make allowances for the weaknesses of everyone, love everyone, do good to everyone without exception.  Imitate the Good Shepherd.  His zeal, which unites and does not tear apart, should be your kind of zeal; his spirit of mildness, your spirit.  Detest sin, never the sinner.  All of you should be on guard both against excessive acquiescence and against grim-faced severity.¹¹