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Pope Francis reflects on the anointed priesthood


During Monday morning Mass in the chapel of Casa Santa Marta, Pope Francis spoke of the significance of spiritual anointing of the priesthood, and thanked the many holy priests who give their lives in the anonymity of their daily service.

Commenting on the first reading of the day, which speaks of the tribes of Israel that anoint David as their king, the Pope said: "Without this anointing, David would have been only the head of the 'company' of a 'political society, which was the Kingdom of Israel'. He would have been a mere, 'political organizer.' Instead, after the anointing , the Spirit of the Lord," descends upon David and stays with him. Scripture says that David continued to grow in power, and that the Lord was with him. "This," said Pope Francis, "is precisely the difference anointing makes."

'The anointed one is a person chosen by the Lord. So it is in the Church, for bishops and priests. The bishops are elected not only to conduct an organization, which is called the particular Church. They are anointed: they have the anointing and the Spirit of the Lord is with them. All the bishops are sinners, every one. Still, we are anointed. We all want to be more holy every day, more faithful to this anointing...

Pope Francis went on to say that anointing brings bishops and priests closer to the Lord and gives them the joy and strength, "To carry people forward, to help people, to live in the service of their people." Anointing gives the joy of feeling oneself "chosen by the Lord, watched by the Lord, with that love with which the Lord looks upon all of us." Thus, "When we think of bishops and priests, we must think of them in this way: as anointed ones."

"..It is impossible to understand, not only that, it is impossible to explain, how the Church could continue under merely human strength. This diocese goes forward because it has a holy people, many things, and also an anointed one who leads, who helps it to grow. This parish progresses because it has many organizations, many things, but it also has a priest, who carries the parish forward. We in history know but a small part - though how many holy bishops, how many priests, how many holy priests have given their lives in the service of the diocese, the parish; how many people have received the power of faith, the power of love, hope itself from these anonymous pastors? We do not know: there are so many.".. "The parish priests of the country or the city, who, with their anointing have given strength to people, who have passed on the teaching of the faith, have given the sacraments: in a word, holiness."

"'But , Father, I have read in a newspaper that a bishop has done such a thing, or a priest who has done this thing.' Oh yes, I read it, too. Tell me, though: do the papers carry news of what great charity so many priests, so many priests in so many parishes of the city and the countryside, perform? Of the great work they do in carrying their people forward? No? This is not news. It is the same as always: a single falling tree makes more noise than a forest that grows. Today, thinking about this anointing of David, it will do us good to think of our brave, holy, good, faithful bishops and priests, and pray for them. We are here today thanks to them."

Source: Vatican Radio/VIS

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