Among the Qualities of the Priest
Among the Qualities of the Priest
We previously spoke about the condition of being filled with the Holy Spirit, and the importance of the spiritual life of the priest and his service.
We now speak about another necessary quality for the priest, which is wisdom.
Wisdom:
When choosing the seven deacons, the holy apostles said: “Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom” (Acts 6:3). If wisdom is necessary for the deacon, then it is even more necessary for the priest and the bishop.
We see that Solomon the Wise, when the administration of the people was entrusted to him, his only request to God was that He grant him wisdom to govern the people (1 Kings 3:7–12). If political administration requires wisdom, how much more spiritual administration.
The Lord cares about wisdom to the extent that He called Himself Wisdom in the Book of Proverbs. And He said: “Wisdom has built her house” (Proverbs 9:1). Even regarding the ordinary house, when God commanded the building of the Tabernacle, they chose a wise man to carry out every craft in this house (Exodus 31:1–4).
And the Apostle Paul, in his building of the Kingdom of God, said: “According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation” (1 Corinthians 3:10). And the importance of wisdom reached such an extent that the Lord Christ praised the unjust steward because he “acted wisely” (Luke 16:8). And although the Scripture said: “God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise” (1 Corinthians 1:27), it said this about the wisdom of the world which comes to nothing and which is foolishness with God. Yet the Apostle Paul also said: “However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age” (1 Corinthians 2:6).
This wisdom was described by our teacher James the Apostle in the third chapter of his Epistle, saying: “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy” (James 3:17). And perhaps among the importance of wisdom is that it is one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
And it is assumed that the shepherd be good in administration and wise, able to manage the affairs of the Church with wisdom, to manage each soul with wisdom, and to manage relationships with outsiders and non-Christians with wisdom. This is because a mistake by the priest may drag the entire people into problems and complications.
The priest should be experienced in souls, experienced in the tricks of the devils, and able to manage everyone, just as he previously managed his own household well (1 Timothy 3:4–5). It is not fitting for him to be reckless, foolish, hasty, or impulsive. It is not fitting for him to be narrow-minded or short-sighted in his thinking, nor to be of the type who views matters from one angle only, nor to be rash.
Rather, in his wisdom he should be characterized by sobriety, dignity, calmness, and prudence as well. How true is the saying of the wise man: “The wise man’s eyes are in his head, but the fool walks in darkness” (Ecclesiastes 2:14).
Among the means that lead the priest to wisdom—aside from natural gifts of intelligence, breadth of mind, and culture which broadens his intellect—there is also experience. Experience makes the ignorant wise because he benefits practically from the events he has passed through.
For the sake of this experience, it is good for the priest to be of a mature age, so as to avoid impulsiveness on the one hand, and to acquire life experience on the other.
Age:
The word “priest” (presbyteros) means elder.
The Protestants translate the terms of priests as elders, because the Greek word carries the same meaning as well. Thus the priest originally was an experienced, wise elder, whom people looked upon as a father even from the physical aspect.
At this age, he would have finished raising his children and would no longer be preoccupied with his household. At this age, he would also have finished the youthful aspects, as the Didascalia says that he has grown beyond the age at which he touches a woman. Thus he is free in terms of time and household responsibilities, having acquired life experiences, and possessing the dignity of age and the reverence of gray hair.
If the priest has not reached the age of old age, then at least he should have another maturity which some call the wisdom of youth. For age is not a measure, for how many youths have surpassed elders in their wisdom. Athanasius the Apostolic was wise in his early youth and surpassed all the elders of his time. We also note that many of the patriarchal fathers sat on the papal throne at an early age, such as Athanasius the Apostolic.
We also note that the Lord Christ, although He is the hypostasis of Wisdom, did not begin His ministry until He reached the age of thirty. Likewise, at this age John the Baptist began to preach repentance to the people. And the age of thirty was the age of priestly service among the Jews. For the young person is threatened by two things: either he errs or becomes arrogant, or people belittle his youth (1 Timothy 4:12). Such belittlement may shake his ministry.
The matter of age is not only related to proper conduct, but also to service, because as a person grows older his knowledge and information increase, and thus the priest becomes able to satisfy his people with teaching. Age is also related to dignity and reverence.
Knowledge and Learning:
Among the work of the priest is that he be a teacher to the people. The Holy Bible says: “For the lips of a priest should keep knowledge, and people should seek the law from his mouth” (Malachi 2:7). And the Didascalia says that he must satisfy his people with teaching. Therefore, it is not sufficient for the priest merely to be educated, but he must be apt to teach, capable of guiding others.
This knowledge should be of multiple aspects:
He should have knowledge of theological, doctrinal, liturgical, and religious matters in general. He should know the interpretation of Scripture and be able to debate those of other denominations in his region. He should also be knowledgeable about the human soul, its feelings and emotions, and knowledgeable about the wars of the devils and their methods of fighting, so that he may be a spiritual guide and a father to his children in confession. Otherwise, the saying applies: “If the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch” (Matthew 15:14).
We note that teaching is an important work for which almost all ranks of the priesthood are held accountable. We will speak about this subject in detail in the section (The Priest and Teaching).
Qualities of the Successful Priest:
There are qualities which, if present in any of the priestly fathers, help in the success of his service and in the people gathering around him, including:
- Strength of Teaching:
That the priest be satisfying to his people in terms of knowledge, with depth and spirituality in his sermons, richness and breadth of his information, so that they gather around him feeling that they benefit from him. Thus was the Lord Christ the High Priest. Thus were our fathers the apostles, and thus were the early bishops, the teachers of the Church. Among examples of teaching priests in our generation is Father Mansa Yohanna, priest of Mallawi. - Visitation of the People:
The priest who visits the people of his region house by house and family by family succeeds greatly. He has a personal relationship with every member of his congregation, knows each one by name and by condition, asks about him, follows up on his circumstances, and reassures him. Each person feels that he receives special care from this priestly father, and everyone feels his fatherhood and shepherding. He does not have a selected group to whom he limits his visits, but rather he belongs to all, treating everyone with the same love, attention, and care. - The Consoling Spiritual Voice:
There is a priest who succeeds because of the effect of his voice in his prayers and liturgies, so that people love to come to church in order to hear him praying, even if he does not preach. Among examples of this type is His Grace the late Bishop Benjamin of Menoufia, whom everyone longed to possess recordings of his voice. - Spiritual Guidance:
Often the reason for a priest’s success is that he is a successful confessor. People flock to him asking him to be a father to them because he is experienced in the human soul and its weaknesses, experienced in the wars of the devils and the way to resist them, compassionate toward sinners, giving them guidance that exactly suits their condition, beneficial to them and applicable. He does not recoil from their sins nor is he harsh toward them.
Among the examples that succeeded in this field is the late Father Archpriest Mikhail Ibrahim, who had spiritual children from many countries. - Spiritual Life and Exemplary Conduct:
The priest who is spiritual and exemplary in his conduct succeeds greatly in his service and in winning the trust and love of the people. The people see him as a living Gospel, blameless, giving them an image of practical religion, and being an example before them in everything. They respect his life and qualities and are ready to obey him, and he teaches them even without speaking.
Among the important qualities that must be present in the spiritual priest are purity of the hand from love of money and its accumulation, and purity of the tongue with the sweet word they hear from him. Also his humility, gentleness, forbearance, and distance from anger and irritability. Everyone feels that he is a blessing in the Church and a source of blessings.
- Activity and Projects:
Among the reasons for the priest’s success is that he be a flame of activity, so that the people feel that with his ordination new life has entered the Church, and that he exerts all his effort to uplift it. Everything his hand extends to must succeed, and at all times he has new projects to care for all—whether the poor, the youth, workers, the elderly, expatriates, or construction and building, and so on. - Answered Prayer:
Perhaps among the greatest qualities of the successful priest is answered prayer, such that every person with a need or problem feels that if he resorts to this blessed father and he prays for him, his needs are fulfilled and his problem is solved, because God is near to his lips and does not refuse him a request.
One priest may combine more than one of these qualities, but the ideal priest is the one who gathers them all together.
As for the priest who is characterized by none of these qualities, he becomes a burden on the service and without benefit.
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