because they come from your heart , because what you are telling them is what you carry in your heart . It is in this way that the word of God is passed on , and thus your teaching will be a joy and support to Christ ’ s faithful ; the fragrance of your lives will be your testimony ” ( LL ). One readily recalls here the episcopal motto of John Henry Cardinal Newman : Cor ad cor loquitur ( Heart speaks to heart ).
“ A good priest can be recognized by the way his people are anointed ; this is a clear proof . When our people are anointed with the oil of gladness , it is obvious : for example , when they leave Mass looking as if they have heard good news . Our people like to hear the Gospel preached with ‘ unction ,’ they like it when the Gospel we preach touches their daily lives . . . , when it brings light to moments of extreme darkness . . . . People thank us because they feel we have prayed over the realities of their everyday lives , their troubles , their joys , their burdens , and their hopes ” ( AA ).
7 . Carefully Monitor Any “ Clerical Position or Power ” You Possess
Perhaps the most pointed address of Pope Francis to alert priests and bishops to some possible pitfalls in their ministry and life is found in his 2014 Christmas message to the Roman Curia ( HH ). The message was crafted as a kind of “ examination of conscience ,” following the practice of the Desert Fathers who prepared “ lists ” as a preparation for the sacrament of reconciliation . Francis noted that healing comes about through an awareness of one ’ s sickness and the personal and communal decision to patiently and perseveringly apply the appropriate remedies .
Francis mentioned some of the probable “ diseases and temptations which weaken our service to the Lord ,” which can weaken our “ vital , personal , authentic , and solid relationship with Christ .” Mentioning several specific items provides clarity and can foster “ a living relationship with God that nourishes and strengthens our communion with others .”
The “ disease list ” of Pope Francis includes 15 items ( HH ): 1 . “ The disease of thinking we are ‘ immortal ,’ ‘ immune ,’ or downright ‘ indispensable ’; . . . it is the disease of those who turn into lords and masters and think of themselves as above others and not at their service . It is an effect of the pathology of power , from a superiority complex .” 2 . “ Another disease is the ‘ Martha complex ,’ excessive busyness . . . . Jesus called his disciples to ‘ rest a while .’” 3 . “ Then , too , there is the disease of mental and spiritual ‘ petrification ’; it is found in those who have a heart of
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