‘With the aroma of Christ and the smell of the sheep’: Abp. Iruzubieta

Vatican City, 20 April 2013: Good Shepherd Sunday and World Day of Prayer for Vocations fall on 21April this year. On the occasion Pope Francis will order ten new priests for the Diocese of Rome. It is a beautiful tradition that contains a wealth of meaning, related to the convergence between the Word of God, the rite of ordination and the Easter season in which it is located, said Abp. Iruzubieta, secretary of the Congregation for the Clergy, on Friday.
In the Chrism Mass of Holy Thursday, he said, the Pope spoke of the beauty of the good priest who by his life offers a clear proof of this anointing on behalf of his people.

The great Christian paradox, that the priest gives life through his ministry, is in the ‘losing his life’, to ‘give his life for the sheep.’ Only in this way can he lead the faithful entrusted to him the true life, life "in abundance".
Citing Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, he said, last year at this time, the Pope reminded that "to give life" is the essential characteristic of the true shepherd.

This same freedom to "give life", trusting in the word of the Lord that we will be given "to the full" again, Jesus asks to those who follow this way of priestly ministry. "Whoever does not come out by himself - said Pope Francis last Holy Thursday - becomes gradually an intermediary, a manager." Hence the dissatisfaction, sadness, lack of apostolic zeal, so you become collectors of antiques or novelty, instead of being shepherds with "the smell of sheep." Strong words that put the priest on guard to preserve and increase more and more in himself what is essential to lay down his life for Christ and for the sheep, to get out of themselves, to fully trust the word of Jesus from the moment of the imposition of hands and anointing by the bishop until the last breath of life.

I would like important and essential joy of the Good Shepherd. His divine election demands that the priests follow Christ in the priestly ministry with a clear awareness of their own identity, with unity of life, joy and ardor with transparency in mission. The priest radiates and attracts if his life and his ministry are joyful event of its accession to the mystery of Jesus. This joy has its roots in the form of a cross, supported by identification with the Good Shepherd, crucified and risen.

The life and ministry of the priest are a continuation of the life and action of Christ himself. This is the source of their identity, their joy, their true dignity, the certainty of their lives. The oil of joy, the aroma of Christ that heals and comforts and gladdens the heart must come through the priest ‘in the suburbs where there is suffering, there is bloodshed, there is blindness, there are prisoners of many bad masters.’

Source: VR Sedoc