A priestly life programme

The much awaited apostolic visit of Pope Benedict XVI has come and gone. But those who have "eyes to see [and] ears to hear" (see Deut. 29, 4), could sense that the Holy Father's journey to our islands has already left an indelible mark on all of us, especially on us priests.

Through his simple and profound speeches, the German Pope offered us priests an extraordinary spiritual legacy. The priest is "the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice" (Jn 3, 29). With his ardent faith and fatherly love, the Pope is inviting each one of us priests: "Do not be afraid to be intimate friends of Christ". But who is the Christ who has called us to serve him?

In his letter to the Colossians, St Paul provides the key attitudes that the disciples of Jesus Christ should nourish. "Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness and patience, forbearing one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these, put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony" (Col. 3, 12-14). Were not these exceptional virtues of humility, goodness, meekness, generosity, deep devotion to prayer together with a passionate commitment to disseminate the Gospel message, the leading qualities which made Dun Ġorġ Preca Malta's second father in faith as well as a model and inspiration for every Maltese and Gozitan priest?

Through many ways Jesus is continually asking us, as his ordained ministers, a basic and serious question: "Do you love me?" What does loving Jesus mean? Pope Benedict XVI helps us to decipher this question's ripple effect on our sacerdotal identity and mission. "Do you love him? Do you wish to serve him through the gift of your whole lives? Do you long to bring others to know and love him? With Peter, have the courage to answer, 'Yes, Lord, you know I love you,' and accept with grateful hearts the beautiful task that he has assigned you. The mission entrusted to priests is truly a service to joy, to God's joy which longs to break into the world". Priestly joy is found in washing the feet of our brothers and sisters. In fact, a joyful living definition of a priest always necessarily accords with the same frame of mind of the joyful Jesus.

"The Son of man also came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many" (Mk 10, 45). This gratuitous self-giving, emanating from a Trinitarian self-giving God, brings enormous joy and healing, both to us, as the givers and to those we serve, as the receivers. This is so because it is Jesus's love, which has become ours in the process, that we are communicating not our self-centred love. Thus, the Roman Pontiff reminds us: "It is our love for the Lord that must inform every aspect of our preaching and teaching, our celebration of the sacraments, and our care for the people of God. It is our love for the Lord that moves us to love those whom he loves, and to accept gladly the task of communicating his love to those we serve".

God's love, radiating through us priests, necessarily creates a communion of love, solidarity and peace within the Maltese society. That is why Pope Benedict XVI has strongly encouraged us with the subsequent exhortation: "As [priests] we are called to manifest God's all-inclusive love. So we should seek out the poor, the vulnerable, the marginalised; we should have a special care for those who are in distress, those suffering from depression or anxiety; we should care for the disabled, and do all we can to promote their dignity and quality of life; we should be attentive to the needs of immigrants and asylum seekers in our midst; we should extend the hand of friendship to members of all faiths and none. That is the noble vocation of love and service that we have all received. Let it inspire you to dedicate your lives to following Christ". "For God loves a cheerful giver!" (2 Cor. 9, 7).

Even if, one hundred per cent humans, we often deny Jesus, let us immediately avow to Him our love. May his healing, forgiveness and trust be the spirit and life of our priestly being and mission. "The love of Christ controls us" (2 Cor. 5, 14). Let us preserve with a prayerful discernment and unshakeable hope in Jesus's love, our ministerial priesthood!