This is nothing profound, but recently I've been thinking that the two things I like best about being a full time priest are visiting sick people and teaching bible/topical study classes. There is always some surprise, or some unexpected thing that happens, or remark that is made, that makes such encounters really interesting. And it's fascinating, when visiting the sick, to find out about their lives, and everything they have been through and experienced (especially the old ones). I find myself so completely engrossed in their life stories and experiences when I visit them that I often stay a lot longer than I had planned (it's generally best to keep sick visits short, but if they want to talk I'll stay as long as they wish).
I guess I mention this because I used to have the idea (before ordination) that the coolest thing about what a priest did was saying mass, preaching, and doing some other sacramental things. And that stuff is indeed cool. But it is amazing how, when you actually begin a full time priestly ministry, you sometimes find the other responsibilities of the ministry to be more mysterious and fulfilling than some of those other things.
