1 Cor 4:1-5 / Luke 5:33-39
A priest has many titles that describe who he is. Among those are "Reverend Father", "shepherd", "minister" and "cleric".
One title that would aptly describe the role of a priest is "man of God". That title has its origins in the Old Testament as it was a title given to Moses (Deut 33:1), David (Neh 12:24), Elijah (1 Kings 17:18) and Elisha (2 Kings 4:7).
This title reminds the priest that he is set apart as one having a special
relationship with and an origin in God. The minister is God's special
representative, one whom God has personally chosen and sent.
Hence the primary role of the priest is to form his people into a "People of God". The Church is most profound in its identity when it shows itself as a "People of God".
The 1st reading puts it in another way: people must think of us as Christ's servants, stewards entrusted with the mysteries of God.
Just as Christ came to serve, we as Christ's servants are also stewards of the mysteries of God and we serve by bringing the mystery of God's presence and His love to the world that is darkened by sin and evil.
Yet we must already be a "people of God" to each other, we must already be a "man or woman of God" to each other before we can be a "people of God" to the world.
To be a person of God means that we are filled with the Holy Spirit and we serve with love and are ready to forgive and we refrain from judging the character of others and we are at peace with others.
Hence if the priest is truly a "man of God" and the parishioners is truly a "people of God" then it will show like a new cloak and taste like new wine.
Yes, people must see us as Christ's servants, and they must also see us as a holy people of God. Let us pray that we will truly live out to our baptismal calling.