An excerpt from the Dignity and Duties of the Priest
by St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori

“Divine,” says St. Cyril of Alexandria, “are the offices confided to priests.” The entire Church cannot give to God as much honor, nor obtain so many graces, as a single priest by celebrating a single Mass; for the greatest honor that the whole Church without priests could give to God would consist in offering to him in sacrifice the lives of all men.  By a single Mass, he gives greater honoring to God than all the angels and saints, along with the Blessed Virgin Mary, have given or shall give to him; for their worship cannot be of infinite value, like that which the priest celebrating on the altar offers to God.