I was particularly struck by the address Pope Benedict XVI delivered to the Polish clergy, when he met them at St John's Cathedral in Warsaw during his pastoral visit in Poland.
In his moving yet compelling speech, Pope Benedict highlighted that for a priest who is worthy of his vocation, he must reflect both in his own ministry and personal life, Jesus Christ himself. In everything he does, the priest acts in persona Christi. That is why he carries on his shoulders a great responsibility, precisely that of powerfully radiating Christ, in his word and deed.
The priest can successfully fulfill this hard task if he becomes one with his Master, body and soul. "Immerse yourselves in his love, and give him your love". The word immersion is particularly eloquent. It recalls the experience of baptism, whereby through immersion into the water, the old self dies and the new self resurrects. Thus, falling in love with Jesus Christ always implies for the priest a dying and a rising, from self-centred love to God-centred love, from eros to agape. Because he lets his heart adhere to God, the priest can truly grow in his affective maturity.
A priest who really believes in the power of his priesthood always dedicates a substantial time from his daily schedule to prayer, specifically adoring Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. Fully convinced of the great spiritual benefits of this kind of prayer, Pope Benedict strongly urged the priests not just to commit themselves to silently yet actively adoring Jesus but also to promote adoration in their pastoral dealings with their fellow Christians. "Be assiduous in the prayer of adoration and teach it to the faithful".
As an expert in the things of the Spirit, the priest expresses his closeness with God in the way he serves Christ's flock. Availability is the key attitude. Thus, the exhortation of the Successor of Peter to every ordained minister is evermore appropriate: "Serve everyone; be accessible in the parishes and in the confessionals, accompany the new movements and associations, support families, do not forget the link with young people, remember the poor and the abandoned".
What is expected from us as priests is simply to be authentic. While letting our gaze be one with that of Christ, let us be like him, authentic!