” “That “moving mystery” that is the establishment of priesthood “also includes the power of absolving” which “makes us partake of its awareness of the misery of sin and all the darkness of the world and puts in our hands the key to reopen the door to the House of the Father”. In the first part of his sermon at Chrismal Mass of Maundy Thursday, the Pope dwelt on the “signs” that are typical of the sacrament of priesthood, such as the “extremely old gesture” of the imposition of the hands, that “sums up a whole existential journey”. Like that of Peter’s, who, when “he noticed all of a sudden that water did not hold him up and he was about to sink down”, cried out “Lord, save me!”. “Like Peter commented the Holy Father we cried out: ” Lord, save me!” (Mt, 14, 30). As we saw all the fury of the elements, how could we pass the rumbling and bubbling waters of last century and last millennium? But then we looked at Him and He took us by the hand and gave us a new ‘specific gravity’: the lightness that comes from faith and that draws us upwards”. “Let’s always look at Him again and reach out to Him”, is the Holy Father’s invitation to priests: “Let’s let His hand take us, and then we will not sink, but we will serve life which is stronger than death and love which is stronger than hatred”.
