During World War II, King George VI of England was on the radio making an important speech concerning the war. In the middle of his speech an electric wire broke, preventing his voice from being carried to those who were listening. Realizing that there was no time to fix anything, an alert workman in the studio took the two wire ends in his hands and thus, became himself a part of the circuitry, allowing the king's speech to continue. What that workman did for the king, every priest is called to do for Christ. He becomes part of the living circuit to bring the voice and presence of Christ to each of us today.
Many Church Fathers such as St. John Chrysostom and St. Gregory the Theologian, describe the priest as an extraordinary link to God by referring to him as a "bridge between heaven and earth," and as a "ladder leading upward." The priest's task then is to keep the world of God and the world of man connected at all times. He is to be an icon of the One, True High Priest in the midst of God's people and, as its spiritual leader, must emulate the Good Shepherd who not only tends to the flock's needs, but one who is ready to lay down his life for his flock as well. In the words of my beloved professor Fr. Alexander Schmemann, "[The priest] is in the liturgy the visible icon of Christ...There can be therefore no liturgy, no worship of the Church without the priest for it is precisely his duty to 'change' the earthly and human congregation into the Church of God by perpetuating in it the mediating ministry of Christ."
Fr. John
Δεν υπάρχουν σχόλια:
Δημοσίευση σχολίου