Remember: Christ is calling you; the Church needs you; the Pope believes in you and he expects great things of you.
Pope John Paul IRead
The priestly vocation is essentially a call to sanctity, in the form that derives from the Sacrament of Holy Orders. Sanctity is intimacy with God; it is the imitation of Christ, poor, chaste and humble; it is unreserved love for souls and self-giving to their true good; it is love for the church which is holy and wants us to be holy, because such is the mission that Christ has entrusted to it. Each one of you must be holy also in order to help your brothers pursue their vocation to sanctity.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote emphasizes the priestly vocation as a divine call to live a life of holiness and service to others.
In this quote, Pope John Paul I articulates the essence of the priestly vocation as a commitment to sanctity, which involves developing a close relationship with God and embodying the virtues of Christ. Sanctity, expressed through poverty, chastity, and humility, calls priests to dedicate themselves wholeheartedly to the spiritual well-being of their community, reflecting the church's holy mission to foster holiness within its members. The call to holiness is not only a personal journey but also a communal one, urging all to guide each other towards a deeper connection with the divine.
Themes
SanctityHolinessServicePriesthoodLoveChristIntimacyCommunity
In practice
Example use cases
In a sermon discussing the role of priests in the modern world.
More from Pope John Paul I
All quotes →What a mistake those who do not hope make! Judas made a huge blunder the day in which he sold Christ for 30 denarii, but he made an even bigger one when he thought that his sin was too great to be forgiven. No sin is too big: any wretchedness, however great, can always be enclosed in infinite mercy.
Pope John Paul IRead
If someone had told me I would be Pope one day, I would have studied harder.
Pope John Paul IRead
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