Pope to seminarians: Prayer is the foundation of the priest’s life

Pope Francis urged the Seminarians from Barcelona Seminary to live a life of prayer as the basic foundation of the priest’s life, at the Vatican on Saturday.

The Pope stressed the importance of prayer life for the priests, “Remember that, when you become priests, your first obligation will be a life of prayer born of gratitude for that love of predilection which God showed you in calling you to his service.”

He added that this is the first joyful mystery from which everything is born.

Pope Francis met with the members and seminarians of the Seminario Conciliar de Barcelona at the Vatican on Saturday.

The Pope encouraged the seminarians to examine whether they could challenge themselves with the response of the Mother Mary upon God’s calling or not in their prayer life during the formation.

The Pope noted, “The priest is not a dominator of souls by silver and gold... his wealth, his power, is only the virtue of the name of Jesus", meaning to make him present in the Eucharist, in the sacraments, in the word, to be born in the hearts of men, to be his instrument in everything and always.”

He added, “That is why we give ourselves, like Jesus, in the temple, as victims, for the redemption of the world.”

The Pope illustrated the last joyful mystery as an important point of finding Jesus in the temple.

 “Jesus whom one must always return to seek in the tabernacle,” he encouraged the seminarians.

He urged them to lose themselves there with Him and wait for the faithful: "the good priest knows very well that, as long as he has eyes to weep with, hands to mortify himself with and body to afflict, he has no right to say that he has done all he had to do for the souls entrusted to him."

Pope Francis described that the glorious mysteries are the thanksgiving for the Mass of Jesus on the cross and continued to give thanks in heaven after his resurrection and ascension.

He added that Christ at the Father's right hand gave us hope and joy because he promised us heaven. God sent the Holy Spirit to teach them these mysteries, and he will one day make them Christ's priests.

The Pope reminded, “Never cease to savour and remember this love of predilection which pours and will pour itself abundantly into your heart, at your ordination and for the rest of your days.”

Pope Francis urged the seminarians never to quench the fire that will make them brave Gospel preachers and heavenly treasure-givers and to join their bodies to Jesus by sharing in the Eucharistic sacrifice and His victory as Mother Mary did.

He exhorted them, “Dear seminarians, take up your rosary, then, and ask Mary, Queen, and Mother of Mercy, to help you to unveil the mysteries of the priesthood to which God calls you, contemplating the mysteries of her Son, accepting that the joy of discipleship and perfect identification on the cross are the only way to glory.”