There are many places on the web where  our priests and our bishops our deacons, are condemned and castigated. There is much talk of the evils of "clericalism". (I think that this is a misuse of the word which has more to do with wielding political influence than the wallowing in the pride of  "ontological change" resulting from their ordination.) There is a shocking amount of consistent hatred that is displayed. Our institutional church is continually making mistakes. Are we too ready to forgive these as they do for each other?  There seem to be amongst our clergy those who cynically declare that we are all sinners and that the most we can hope for is not the Beatific Vision but Purgatory.

Lord you passed the authority to cleanse us from our sins to St Peter and your other Apostles let our priests become truth sayers and examples of your holiness.

We cannot ignore the sexual antics of some of your priests and the scandalous cover-ups instituted by their bishops. But the people on the web who claim that Jesus did not leave us a priesthood are wrong. It is true that Jesus did give the scribes and Pharisees a bad time and that the Chief priests at Jesus trial performed as badly as our Bishops when faced with interrogation. However, there is a hidden point in today's Gospel supporting the Pharisees' sincerity; when challenged by Jesus they drifted away!

Dear Lord you know we sinners need the sacrament of penance; may our priests see clearly their own offences but have them not drift away as did the Pharisees rather let them come back to their rightful places in our parishes.