Christ our High Priest and and all Priests: Our Representatives before God

Today's first reading, Hebrews 5: 1-10, speaks to us of the priesthood, reminding us that every "high priest is taken from among men and made their representative before God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins....No one take this honor upon himself but only when called by God, just as Aaron was. In the same way, it was not Christ who glorified himself in becoming high priest, but rather the one who said to him: 'You are my son: this day I have begotten you';....Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered; and when he was made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him."

When talking to the priest who said Mass for us this morning, he said that he deeply cherishes his priesthood. It means the world to him.  What a calling to be made our "representative before God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins."  The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is offered in obedience to Jesus, when, taking the bread and wine in his sacred hands, Jesus said to his disciples at the Last Supper: "This is my body given for you; do this in memory of me. This is my blood poured out for you; do this in memory of me."  In memory of Jesus' passion and death and resurrection, the priest consecrates the bread and wine at every Mass, calling upon the Holy Spirit to transform these gifts into the body and blood of Jesus at the words of consecration. In unison with the priest, we then offer these gifts to God as a sacrificial offering for our sins and the sins of the whole world.

Every second of every day, somewhere in the world, in Catholic Churches,  this sacrificial offering is made.  Jesus then feeds us in Holy Communion with this sacred food--His body and blood-- nourishing us in body, mind and spirit according to our needs and those we acknowledge; deepening our faith, hope and love according to our requests; purifying/cleansing us of the sins of which we repent;  strengthening us, making us whole, healing the brokenness about which we speak to Him and helping others whom we bring to Him in intercessory prayer!

Oh, the intimacy and nearness of our God!

Faithfulness to the New Covenant

In today's first reading, 2 Kings 22: 8-13; 23: 1-3, the High priest Hilkiah, found the book of the law in the Temple. He gave the book of the Law to the scribe, Shaphan, who read it to the king of Judah. He was appalled that the Covenant had been violated. "The king then had all the elders of Judah and of Jerusalem summoned together before him." The book of the law was read to all of them, as they gathered in the Temple of the Lord and listened to the reading. "Standing by the column, the king made a covenant before the Lord that they would follow him and observe his ordinances, statues and decrees with their whole hearts and souls, thus revising the terms of the covenant which were written in this book. And all the people stood as participants in the covenant."

At every Catholic Sacrifice of the Holy Mass, we gather before the altar, where bread and wine are consecrated and become the body and blood of Jesus, the Lamb of God. In our Amen, standing before the altar,  we recommit ourselves to obey the New Covenant sealed in Jesus' blood.

How faithful are we to the New Covenant to love the Lord our God with our whole heart, our whole soul and all our strength and to love our neighbor as ourselves? How faithful, that is,  are we in bearing good fruit in each choice we make throughout the day in our relationships with family members, co-workers, community members, and any other persons with whom we do business? Are we patient, forgiving, kind, just, merciful? Do we love tenderly? Do we sacrifice our time and energy and talent for the good of others?

With today's responsorial psalm, Psalm 119, may each of us pray: "Give me discernment, that I may observe your law and keep it with all my heart. Lead me in the path of your commands, for in it I delight. Incline my heart to our decrees and not to gain. Turn away my eyes from seeing what is vain: by your way give me life. Behold, I long for your precepts; in your justice give me life."  I ask fir these graces, as well, Lord, for all world leaders and especially for the leaders of this country in which I live.