Program of Priestly Formation 6th edition

14 | PROGRAM OF PRIESTLY FORMATION

are called to prolong the presence of Christ, the One High Priest, embodying his way of life and making him visible in the midst of the flock entrusted to their care. . . . In the Church and on behalf of the Church, priests are a sacramental representation of Jesus Christ— the head and shepherd—authoritatively proclaiming his word, repeating his acts of forgiveness and his offer of salvation—particularly in baptism, penance, and the Eucharist, showing his loving concern to the point of a total gift of self for the flock, which they gather into unity and lead to the Father through Christ and in the Spirit. In a word, priests exist and act in order to proclaim the Gospel to the world and to build up the Church in the name and person of Christ the head and shepherd. 37

Calling to mind the image of the suffering servant (Is 53:4ff.), we are reminded that priestly ministers are called to embody the life of Christ, who accepted suffering and death as part of his mission to bring salvation to the whole world. 38 Because the priest is objectively configured to Christ through ordination, he must seek to make a personal gift of his life in response to this consecration. 39 T he sacramental configuration to Christ the Servant was also conferred on the priest at his diaconate ordination. This configuration is not lost when he is ordained a priest but rather continues in imitation of Christ, who came not “to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mt 20:28). Finally, Christ is the Bridegroom, a title which “expresses the truth about the love of God who ‘first loved us’ (cf. 1 Jn 4:19) and who, with the gift generated by this spousal love for man, has exceeded all human expec tations: ‘He loved them to the end’ (Jn 13:1).” 40 “Hence Christ stands ‘before’ the Church and ‘nourishes and cherishes her’ (Eph 5:29), giving his life for her. The priest is called to be the living image of Jesus Christ, the spouse of the Church. Of course, he will always remain a member of the community as a believer alongside his other brothers and sisters who 26.

37 38 39

Pastores Dabo Vobis , no. 15. See Lumen Gentium , nos. 14-16. See Ratio Fundamentalis , no. 39.

40 St. John Paul II, Mulieris Dignitatem ( On the Dignity and the Vocation of Women on the Occasion of the Marian Year , 1988), no. 25, www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/apost_letters/1988/documents/hf_jp-ii_ apl_19880815_mulieris-dignitatem.html .