The priests, 4
The wise rector’s attitude towards his videoke-loving priests for me reflects our Heavenly Father’s magnanimity of heart, and His Son’s mercy and compassion showered upon shepherds following His footsteps. We may adopt Pope Francis’ most frequently quoted (and misunderstood) question, “Who am I to judge?” in reflecting upon what we perceive as erratic ways of our priests. To begin with we can ask the Lord to show us how our own weaknesses are feeding those of the priests. Priests do not live in a vacuum—we are part of their world, we share in their culpability. When on account of their soiled hands we hold priests in contempt we may be committing a sin just as grave as that we are condemning. Do we not pray every day, “Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us”? If we can be blind to our own faults, how can we claim to see those of others? How do we know that these “difficult” priests we complain about do not beat their breasts every night in remo