Vatican
City, 28 March 2013
(VIS) – This morning, Pope Francis warned Catholic priests around
the world that “the reason why some priests grow dissatisfied, lose
heart and become in some sense collectors of antiques or novelties”
comes from seldom going out of oneself, which leads to “missing out
on the best of our people”. Instead, he strongly urged priests to
be “shepherds who have the smell of their sheep'.”
The
solemn Holy Thursday Chrism Mass celebrated in the Vatican Basilica
opens the Paschal Triduum of Holy Week. During the course of the
Mass, celebrated in all the churches and cathedrals throughout the
world, priests renew the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience
that they made at their ordination. Also, the oil used to anoint
catechumens and the oil used to anoint the sick as well as the chrism
oil—olive oil scented with balsam—used to anoint those being
baptised, confirmed, or receiving Holy Orders is blessed.
The
Chrism Mass presided over by the Holy Father was concelebrated by the
over 2,000 cardinals, archbishops, bishops, and priests present and
was attended by over 10,000 faithful. Francis pointed out to them
that the “clear proof” to recognizing a good priest is “by the
way his people are anointed”. He added that “it is not in
soul-searching or constant introspection that we encounter the Lord:
self-help courses can be useful in life, but to live our priestly
life by going from one course to another, from one method to another,
leads us to become pelagians and to minimize the power of grace,
which comes alive and flourishes to the extent that we, in faith, go
out and give ourselves and the Gospel to others”.
He
developed this theme throughout his homily, which he began by
recalling that this Mass was a reminder to all priests—including
himself—of the day of their ordination. In this context the Pope
explained what it means to be anointed ones, to “be for” others,
and he focused on the meaning of the liturgical vestments. “When we
put on our simple chasuble, it might well make us feel, upon our
shoulders and in our hearts, the burdens and the faces of our
faithful people, our saints and martyrs, of which we have so many in
our times.”
At
the same time, he noted how “the beauty of all these liturgical
things ... is not so much about trappings and fine fabrics” as it
is destined to the action expected of priests. “The ointment, dear
brothers, is not intended just to make us fragrant, much less to be
kept in a jar, for then it would become rancid … and the heart
bitter.”
The
Holy Father also gave concrete details to inspire priests in their
pastoral mission, commenting that: “our people like to hear the
Gospel preached with 'unction', they like it when the Gospel we
preach touches their daily lives, when it runs down like the oil of
Aaron to the edges of reality, when it brings light to moments of
extreme darkness, to the 'outskirts' where people of faith are most
exposed to the onslaught of those who want to tear down their faith.
People thank us because they feel that we have prayed over the
realities of their everyday lives, their troubles, their joys, their
burdens and their hopes. And when they feel that the fragrance of
the Anointed One, of Christ, has come to them through us, they feel
encouraged to entrust to us everything they want to bring before the
Lord: '“Pray for me, Father, because I have this problem', 'Bless
me, Father', 'Pray for me'.”
“What
I want to emphasize,” the Pope said, “is that we need constantly
to stir up God’s grace and perceive in every request, even those
requests that are inconvenient and at times purely material or
downright banal—but only apparently so—the desire of our people
to be anointed with fragrant oil, since they know that we have it.
To perceive and to sense, even as the Lord sensed the hope-filled
anguish of the woman suffering from haemorrhages when she touched the
hem of his garment.”
Before
finishing his homily, the Holy Father also addressed the lay
faithful, urging them to “be close to your priests with affection
and with your prayers, that they may always be shepherds according to
God’s heart.”