Reflections By Dr. Herbert
Tomorrow is Maundy Thursday and one thing that really moves me is to witness the Chrism Mass live from Rome via Television. This is time of the year that the priests gathered around their Bishop celebrates the Eternal Priesthood of Jesus Christ.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church poignantly explain this priesthood thus: "Christ, High Priest and unique mediator, has made of the Church 'a kingdom of priests for His God and Father." The whole community of believer is , as such, priestly. The faithful exercises their baptismal priesthood through their participation, each according to his own vocation, in Christ's mission as priest, prophet, and king..." [CCC 1546] Through the ordained ministry, especially that of bishops and priests, the presence of Christ as Head of His Body, Shepherd of His flock, high priest of the redemptive sacrifice, Teacher of Truth. That is what the Church means by saying that the priest, by virtue of the sacrament of Holy Orders, acts in persona Christi Capitis...[CCC 1548 b].
The visible presence of Christ is made more manifest among the faithful through the ministry of Priests, the bishop being the High Priest of the New Covenant. This does not mean however, that priests are perfect, like everyone of us they have their own weaknesses to conquer. But the virtue of Christ's action through the Sacrament of Holy Orders, makes the ministerial priesthood relevant in the service of the Church.
Who is the priest? A priest is someone taken from among the people to offer sacrifice and to stand as mediator between God and His people. In the Old Testament, this ministry was manifest in the Levitical Priesthood. The Almighty has made His visible presence to in the midst of His people by means of the Temple, its priesthood and sacrifices. The strict regulations imposed by the Torah in the manner of Temple celebrations speaks of how the Lord would like to manifest more perfectly the heavenly worship to His people on earth. The Priest occupies the central figure in this cult of God. For unlike the tribes of Israel, the sons of Levi did not receive a territorial inheritance from the Lord. For the Lord said that the inheritance of Levi shall be the Lord [meaning the splendor of His service]. And indeed the Lord is the greatest of inheritance. But all these Levitical regulations points us to a more perfect priesthood and a more perfect sacrifice. St. Paul speaks of this eternal priesthood in the New Covenant thus: "...we have such a high priest, who has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty of heaven, a minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle that the lord, not man, set up. Now every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices, thus the necessity of this one also to have something to offer. If then he were on earth, he would not be a priest, since there are those who offer gifts and sacrifices thus the necessity for this one also to have something to offer..." (Hebrews 8:1-3, NAB)
Through the Sacrifice of the Mass, we see the Priest performing the highest function of his ministerial priesthood, a minister ordained for God's people, a servant of the servants of God, alter Christus, an oblation and a victim. To offer sacrifice of propitiation for both the living and dead. To forgive sins, to bury the dead, to heal the sick and to counsel. As the Bible said, "How beautiful are the feet of them that brings good tidings!".
Let us pray for our Bishops and Priests, support them with our prayers, help them in their ministry, and by our generosity contribute to the sustenance of the Divine ministration.
[photo above from Armand La Morte]
Tomorrow is Maundy Thursday and one thing that really moves me is to witness the Chrism Mass live from Rome via Television. This is time of the year that the priests gathered around their Bishop celebrates the Eternal Priesthood of Jesus Christ.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church poignantly explain this priesthood thus: "Christ, High Priest and unique mediator, has made of the Church 'a kingdom of priests for His God and Father." The whole community of believer is , as such, priestly. The faithful exercises their baptismal priesthood through their participation, each according to his own vocation, in Christ's mission as priest, prophet, and king..." [CCC 1546] Through the ordained ministry, especially that of bishops and priests, the presence of Christ as Head of His Body, Shepherd of His flock, high priest of the redemptive sacrifice, Teacher of Truth. That is what the Church means by saying that the priest, by virtue of the sacrament of Holy Orders, acts in persona Christi Capitis...[CCC 1548 b].
The visible presence of Christ is made more manifest among the faithful through the ministry of Priests, the bishop being the High Priest of the New Covenant. This does not mean however, that priests are perfect, like everyone of us they have their own weaknesses to conquer. But the virtue of Christ's action through the Sacrament of Holy Orders, makes the ministerial priesthood relevant in the service of the Church.
Who is the priest? A priest is someone taken from among the people to offer sacrifice and to stand as mediator between God and His people. In the Old Testament, this ministry was manifest in the Levitical Priesthood. The Almighty has made His visible presence to in the midst of His people by means of the Temple, its priesthood and sacrifices. The strict regulations imposed by the Torah in the manner of Temple celebrations speaks of how the Lord would like to manifest more perfectly the heavenly worship to His people on earth. The Priest occupies the central figure in this cult of God. For unlike the tribes of Israel, the sons of Levi did not receive a territorial inheritance from the Lord. For the Lord said that the inheritance of Levi shall be the Lord [meaning the splendor of His service]. And indeed the Lord is the greatest of inheritance. But all these Levitical regulations points us to a more perfect priesthood and a more perfect sacrifice. St. Paul speaks of this eternal priesthood in the New Covenant thus: "...we have such a high priest, who has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty of heaven, a minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle that the lord, not man, set up. Now every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices, thus the necessity of this one also to have something to offer. If then he were on earth, he would not be a priest, since there are those who offer gifts and sacrifices thus the necessity for this one also to have something to offer..." (Hebrews 8:1-3, NAB)
Through the Sacrifice of the Mass, we see the Priest performing the highest function of his ministerial priesthood, a minister ordained for God's people, a servant of the servants of God, alter Christus, an oblation and a victim. To offer sacrifice of propitiation for both the living and dead. To forgive sins, to bury the dead, to heal the sick and to counsel. As the Bible said, "How beautiful are the feet of them that brings good tidings!".
Let us pray for our Bishops and Priests, support them with our prayers, help them in their ministry, and by our generosity contribute to the sustenance of the Divine ministration.
[photo above from Armand La Morte]
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