Mental Prayer for February 20, The Priest, Man's Way to God

Mental Prayer Meditation Helps

Presence of God

Grace I Ask: I want to realize the dignity of a priest.

The Idea: St. Francis of Assisi once said that if he met an angel and a priest walking together, he would reverence the priest more than the angel.

Why? The priest offers the sacrifice of the Mass for men to God. The priest also brings God's grace and truth to men. Through the priest's giving the sacraments, Christ touches men with His grace as He once touched and healed them with His hands.

Through the priest's teaching and preaching, Christ's truth frees men's minds as He intended it should when He sent the Apostles to teach all nations.

My Personal Application: God could have chosen to come to me in any way He wanted. He chose to come through other men - through priests. Without His priests today, I could pray... but how effective would my prayer be without the Mass to join it to? How would my sins be forgiven? No Communion. No last sacraments. Am I grateful to God for priests? Am I grateful to priests for God?

I Speak to God: I believe that you chose your priests, even some with faults. I believe that you give each priest the power to bring your body to the altar at Mass and to me in Holy Communion. I believe you forgive my sins when the priest absolves me. Help me to understand this better and to be grateful for your gift, the priest.

Thought for Today: The priest, man's way to God.
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Adapted from Mental Prayer, Challenge to the Lay Apostle
by The Queen's Work,(© 1958)