Old Law were taught to discern between leprosy and leprosy, as the priests of the New Law are taught to discern between sin and sin. And for this office two things above all are necessary—science and charity; the science of God, the science of the Saints, the science of self-knowledge; and charity, which, though it will not break the bruised reed, or quench the smoking flax, will never be silent when there is a sickness unto death, or when venial sin may pass into mortal, and the disease of the soul turn to death.
S. Paul might well ask, "for these things who is sufficient?" To stand in such close relation to the Word made flesh; to be set over the souls for whom He shed His Precious Blood; to be charged with their salvation, so that if we be unfaithful their blood will be required at our hands: all this surely demands in the priest a personal sanctity commensurate with the work of guiding souls from sin to penance, and from penance to perfection. How shall they guide who have never trodden the path themselves? Some theologians tell us that a man may exercise perfection—that is, teach others to be perfect who is not perfect himself. The imperfections even of the perfect are many, as the best priest knows better than any man. Nevertheless, to exercise perfection on others requires that the priest
