One of the Priest’s Qualities: Tenderness of Heart
His Holiness Pope Shenouda III emphasizes that tenderness of heart (kindness and compassion) is an essential quality a priest must possess, because the priest is called to be an image of Christ’s love and mercy in his dealings with the people, especially sinners, the poor, and the weak.
Spiritual and educational dimensions
- Imitation of Christ: The Lord Jesus was merciful and tender in His earthly life — He had compassion on the crowds, healed the sick, showed mercy to sinners (the woman caught in adultery), raised the widow of Nain’s son, and comforted Mary and Martha and wept with them.
- Compassion toward sinners: The priest is required to have compassion for the penitent regardless of the magnitude of their sins, not with rebuke or mockery but with guidance that leads to repentance, using patience and long-suffering as in the teaching “Erase the sin by instruction.”
- Compassion for the poor and the weak: Harshness or suspicion toward those claiming poverty is improper; the heart must be merciful even if the poor sometimes deceive, because need may drive them to falsehood or fraud.
- Long-suffering and graduated instruction: The priest needs long-suffering when dealing with some people’s ignorance or weakness of understanding, giving them time to learn and be trained gently rather than harshly so that spiritual service can bear fruit.
Examples and practical applications
- Avoid a harsh or frowning face before people; a gentle face attracts souls.
- Do not impose your personal teaching compulsively; teach with gentleness and tenderness to win hearts.
- Do not always chastise youth; firmness is required but not violence that produces rebellion.
- Be thankful for God’s patience with nations and sins and work with long patience with sinners as the Lord did.
Conclusion
Tenderness in the priest’s heart is a reflection of the Lord’s own tenderness. The priest is required to be long-suffering, gentle, compassionate toward sinners and the weak, and to make instruction and guidance instruments of healing and repentance, not of humiliation or harsh punishment.
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