Untitled - Saints' Books

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CHAP, in.]
Sanctity Necessary for the Priest. 57
whom the highest office has been assigned, yet we are so
far from the fervor that God required of the priests of
the Old Law, who were in comparison with us only
shadows." :
The Lord commanded even those that carried the
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sacred vessels to be free from all
who carry the vessels of the Lord?
stain: Be ye clean, you
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much greater,"
says Peter de Blois, should be the purity of priests
who carry Jesus Christ in their hands and in their
breasts ?" He that holds in his hands not only golden
vessels," says St. Augustine, but those vessels in which
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the death of the Lord is commemorated, must be pure."
The Blessed Virgin Mary should be holy and free from
all stain, because she was to carry in her womb, and to
treat as a mother, the Incarnate Word.
"Why, then,"
says St. John Chrysostom, should not sanctity shine
forth with greater splendor than the sun, in the hand
that touches the flesh of a God? in the mouth that is
filled with celestial fire ? and in the tongue that is pur
pled with the blood of Jesus Christ ?" The priest on
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the altar holds the place of Jesus Christ. He should,
then," says St. Laurence Justinian, approach the altar
to offer sacrifice like Jesus Christ; imitating as much
as possible the purity and sanctity of Jesus Christ." 6
How great the sanctity that a confessor requires in a
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Vse nobis miseris, qui, ministerium altissimum sortiti, tarn procul
absumus a fervore quern Salomon in umbraticis Sacerdotibus
exigebat."
In Ps. cxxxi. 7.
Mundamini, qui fertis vasa Domini." Is. Hi. n.
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Quanto mundiores esse oportet, qui in manibus et corpora portant
Christum!" Epist. 123.
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Oportet mundum esse, qui
sed etiam ilia in quibus Domini mors exercetur."
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Quo
solari radio non
non solum vasa aurea debet tractare,
splendidiorem oportet esse manum Carnem
hanc dividentem, os quod igne spiritual! repletur, linguam quae tremendo
nimis Sanguine rubescit ?"
pop. Ant. horn. 60.
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Accedat ut "
Christus, ministret ut sanctus." S. de Euchar.