The Priest is the Church's guardian
by VP
Posted on Monday April 20, 2020 at 01:00AM in Books
The Church is the spouse of Christ, but the priest is her guardian. The Church is an army in battle array, but the priest is her general. The Church is a vessel sailing through the storms of persecution, but the priest is her pilot. The Church is the mystic body of Christ and the faithful are its members, but the priest is the principal member of this mystic body. By the eyes of the priest Jesus Christ watches over His flock; by the feet of the priest Jesus carries to every nation the gospel of peace; by the heart of the priest our Lord diffuses everywhere that divine charity without which all is dead. The Church is the people of acquisition, bought at a great price; but the priest is the leader, the teacher, the prince of this chosen generation. The Church is the sacred edifice, built by divine Wisdom itself; but the priest is the administrator of this palace; he is the pillar of the Church upon which rests the whole world. God the Father created the world without the priest, but it is only through him that he saves it. God the Son has redeemed the world without the priest, but is is only by him that he applies His blood to the souls of men, and secures the fruits of His copious redemption. You can hardly name a single blessing of the Holy Ghost of which the priest is not the chosen instrument. Indeed, as St. Bernard declares that all graces come to us through Mary, so we can say in truth that all happiness, all graces, all heavenly gifts come to us through the priest.
Source: The Catholic Priesthood, by Fr. Michael Muller, 1885
