On the Day for the Sanctification of Priests, Pope Leo invites his brother presbyters to be builders of unity and peace, and to renew their devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
By Christopher Wells
The true nature of priestly ministry, Pope Leo writes in a Message to Priests, is revealed in “the Heart of Christ, pierced for love… the living and life-giving flesh that embraces each of us and conforms us to the image of the Good Shepherd.”
In his Message – occasioned by the Day of Sanctification of Priests, observed each year on the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus – Pope Leo notes that the day’s feast “renews in our own hearts the call to be completely committed to the service of God’s holy people,” a ministry that “begins with prayer and is carried out in union with the Lord.”
‘Be builders of unity and peace!’
Entering into the Sacred Heart, the Pope says, allows priests to “experience and renew that gift which the Lord entrusted to us and charged us to pass on in His Name,” by bringing to God’s people “the Word and the sacraments… in order to bring about a world reconciled in love.”
For this reason, he continues, “I would make this heartfelt appeal to all of you today: Be builders of unity and peace!”
Pope Leo explains that to do so, priests must be “pastors capable of wise discernment,” with the “ability to understand and interpret complex situations,” and provide “pastoral solutions that generate and regenerate faith by building good relationships, bonds of solidarity, and communities in which the style of communion shines forth.”
He went on to emphasise that “being builders of peace and unity means serving and not domineering,” and highlights the need for priestly fraternity, which can become of a credible sign of God’s presence.
Ministry rooted in prayer and proximity
The Holy Father closes his Message with an appeal to priests to renew the “yes” they gave at their ordination, to allow themselves to be shaped by the Holy Spirit, and to not be “daunted” by personal frailty. “The Lord does not look for perfect priests,” he says, “but for humble hearts that are open to conversion and prepared to love others as He loved us.”
And finally, after recalling his predecessor’s invitation to priests to renew their devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, he encourages them to root their ministry “in prayer and forgiveness, and in closeness to the poor, to families, and to young people who are searching for the truth,” reminding them that “a holy priest makes holiness flourish around him.”
