WWednesday 15 January 2025
Semper Excelsior writes again - "Who really is the
Catholic Priest?"
This true story took place in Paris many years ago, when the world
was more carefree than it is today.
An actor, who was playing the part of a Catholic priest, was in such a
hurry to leave the theater one day after his performance, that he did so while
still wearing his costume, which
was the traditional full
length black cassock. As he hurried along the street, there appeared a small child before him.
With joy, the child took the actor's hand and kissed it! "Good morning,
Father," he called over
his shoulder as he ran happily away.
Reverence and Familiarity
The actor was astonished! That innocent action of the child made such a
deep impression on him. As he continued walking he thought, who on earth is a
Catholic priest that he would attract such reverence and familiarity?
The question did not leave his mind. He began his research and study into
Catholicism, and happily, this led him to becoming a Catholic!
Where is this reverence for priests now? Reverence that leads to such
conversions? Respect that sets them apart from the rest of humanity?
We mustn't be fooled by the fact they look like the rest of us. The
Catholic priest harbors Divinity within him! He is called Another Christ
- Alter Christus. You and I are not an Alter Christus, but the priest is. He is
different.
He is like the Tabernacle with
the hidden Christ inside - silent, secret but there. In the confessional the
priest as an Alter Christus brings us the tender mercy of God.
Priest - Alter Christus - Another Christ
At the altar the priest, an
Alter Christus, breathes out upon the Host, speaking in the very person of
Christ,"This is my Body" so that we too, may briefly possess the Divine within us. What a mystery! What a grace!
As Jesus can no longer walk among us, He has hidden Himself inside the
priest so He can draw out of us our childlike love and reverence for Him.
As Jesus carried the Cross, the priest carries the whole world on his
shoulders with his prayers.
As Jesus was tossed about on a boat, the priest is tossed about in this
world, exiled, unwanted.
And thus he knows he is truly following in the footsteps of that
Divinity within him, when as Alter Christus he sleeps through the storm,
because he knows, all is God's will.
"If the world hate you, know ye that it hath hated me before
you." (Jn 15:18),
Part 2 - Importance of the Priestly Office
- by St Alphonsus Liguori,
Bishop and Doctor of the Church
St Alphonsus Maria, Bishop and
Doctor of the Church
The dignity of the priest is estimated from the exalted nature of his
offices.
Priests are chosen by God to manage on earth all his concerns and
interests. "Divine," says St. Cyril of Alexandria, "are the
offices confided to priests."
St. Ambrose has called the priestly office a Divine profession. A priest
is a minister destined by God to be a public ambassador of the whole Church, to
honor Him, and to obtain His graces for all the faithful. The entire Church
cannot give to God as much honor, nor obtain so many graces, as a single priest
by celebrating a single Mass; for the greatest honor that the whole Church
without priests could give to God would consist in offering to Him in sacrifice
the lives of all men. But of what value are the lives of all men compared with
the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, which is a sacrifice of infinite value? What are
all men before God but a little dust? As a drop of a bucket, as a
little dust. They are but a mere nothing in His sight: All nations are before
Him as if they had no being at all.
Thus, by the celebration of a single Mass, in which he offers Jesus
Christ in sacrifice, a priest gives greater honor to the Lord, than if all men
by dying for God offered to Him the sacrifice of their lives. By a single Mass,
he gives greater honor to God than all the Angels and Saints, along with the
Blessed Virgin Mary, have given or shall give to Him; for their
worship cannot be of
infinite value, like
that which the priest celebrating on the altar offers to God.
-The Priest -
Ambassador of the Whole World to intercede with God
Moreover, in the holy Mass,
the priest offers to God an adequate thanksgiving for all the graces bestowed
even on the Blessed in Paradise; but such a thanksgiving all the Saints
together are incapable of offering to Him. Hence it is, that on this account
also the priestly dignity is superior even to all celestial dignities.
St John Chrysostom,
Bishop, Doctor of the Church
Besides, the priest, says
St. John Chrysostom, is an ambassador of the whole world, to intercede with God
and to obtain graces for all creatures. The priest, according to St.
Ephrem, "treats familiarly with God." To priests every door is open.
Jesus has died to institute the priesthood. It was not necessary for the
Redeemer to die in order to save the world; a drop of His Blood, a single tear,
or prayer, was sufficient to procure salvation for all; for such a prayer,
being of infinite value, should be sufficient to save not one but a thousand
worlds. But to institute the priesthood, the death of Jesus Christ has been
necessary. Had he not died, where should we find the victim that the priests of
the New Law now offer? a victim altogether holy and immaculate, capable of
giving to God an honor worthy of God. As has been already said, all the lives
of men and Angels are not capable of giving to God an infinite honor like that
which a priest offers to Him by a single Mass.
All the lives of men and Angels are not able to offer the infinite
honour
that a priest offers to God by a
Single Holy Mass
at the
Mother of Perpetual Succour Oratory, Christchurch, N.Z.
