"The priest is Christ's slave, and Christ himself took the form of a slave and became obedient to death. So the priest in serving human needs lives a Godward life, possessed by God and witnessing that only when lives are utterly possessed by God do they find their true freedom"

Arthur Middleton's quote delves into the profound nature of the priestly vocation and its doctrinal foundations. It begins by illustrating the priest as "Christ's servant", invoking the scriptural imagery of Jesus Christ as one who took on the form of a servant or slave-- an idea rooted in Philippians 2:7 -8, where Christ, though divine, emptied himself to become human and obedient to the point of death. This contrast sets the stage for understanding the priest's role as one dedicated entirely to the service of God and mankind, guided by the same selfless obedience that Christ exemplified.

Middleton stresses that the priest's life is oriented toward God, identified by overall dedication and service. This "Godward life" recommends a continuous aiming towards magnificent alignment, where personal ambitions are set aside to satisfy a higher, spiritual calling. In doing so, the priest embodies a spiritual paradox: real freedom is found not in autonomy but in total surrender to God's will. This is the essence of witnessing-- showing through actions and life choices that liberation is accomplished through divine belongings. The priest's life ends up being a testament to the power of divine love and grace to transform and liberate.

The text likewise recommends that by satisfying "human needs", the priest stays linked to the earthly world, fulfilling a dual role of serving both God and neighborhood. This service needs a deep empathy and understanding of human struggles, grounding the priest's spiritual mission in useful, everyday realities. Nevertheless, it is precisely in this service that priests discover their deepest connection to the divine, showing how one's total commitment to God results in real inner freedom.

Through this representation, Middleton articulates a vision of the priesthood as both an extensive spiritual dedication and a manifestation of Christ-like compassion and love. Thus, the priest serves as a bridge in between the divine and the temporal, constantly pointing towards the supreme flexibility found in unfaltering devotion to God.