The Priest is Not His Own by Venerable Fulton Sheen

“The stole is a sling in which the priest carries on his shoulder living stones, the burden of the churches, the missions of the entire world. He drags the whole of humanity to the altar, where he joins heaven and earth together. For his hands raised at the Consecration merge into the Hands of Christ in heaven, who lives on still to make intercession on our behalf.” -Fulton Sheen

"The book The Priest Is Not His Own by Venerable Fulton J. Sheen is a treasure trove of wisdom for those discerning the priesthood. My first time reading this book was when I entered seminary and it has remained my favorite book on the priesthood. In it, Fulton Sheen breaks down what it means to be a priest, distilling it into one word; victim. To be a priest is to be crucified everyday in the person of Christ, to be poured out for your flock. Priesthood cannot belived apart from a total gift of self. As someone who is discerning the priesthood, this idea of the priest-victim is attractive because it speaks to a deep desire that resides in all of our hearts for a purpose, a fight to be fought. The priest is the medic on the spiritual battlefield where the war is waged between Heaven and Hell, channeling grace to those who fight. It is through his hands that the Eucharist is confected, sins are absolved, and the dying are anointed. That is why in the ordination rite of the Church, the priest's hands are anointed with Sacred Chrism, making them holy weapons against evil. However, the primary way a priest fights is on his knees in prayer, interceding for his flock and asking God to give them the graces they need to endure the suffering and fatigue that come with fighting for the salvation of souls. Reading this book gave me a much higher respect for the priestly vocation and a greater understanding of the weight of responsibility that lies on the shoulders of every priest."