Chemin, 68

Presbyter—priest—etymologically means an elderly man. If old age deserves veneration, think how much more you ought to venerate the Priesthood.

 

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In July 1937, preaching to the small group who were living with him in the Honduran Legation in Madrid, St. Josemaría commented on the gospel of St. Matthew, 8:4. (Jesus said to him, "See that you say nothing to any one; but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a proof to the people.")

 

"What respect Jesus shows towards the priest, even though these were priests of the Old Law, servants of a Holy Ark that was only a figure of our Tabernacles! What consideration we have to show the priests of the New Law, who possess the power of changing bread into the very Flesh of Christ! What exquisite understanding we should have towards them, covering their failings and human weaknesses with the cloak of charity!"

 

[A classic work on this topic is St. John Chrysostom's De sacerdotio (About the Priesthood), which St Josemaría had previously read and meditated on.]

 

And he wrote in his notes for preaching in Vitoria in August 1938: "Dignity of the priest. Veneration we ought to show him. Noah and his sons: not like Ham, the bad son... [see point 75.] A good task: to pray, to suffer, to make expiation for priests."

 

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[excerpted from "The Way: Critical-historical edition," prepared by P. Rodriguez of the Josemaría Escrivá Historical Institute]

 

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