The Eternal High Priest

One of the suggested Masses for today is the Votive Mass, Jesus Christ, Eternal High Priest. I took up the suggestion from the Ordo and say the prayers were very beautiful and spoke well of Jesus Christ being our Eternal High Priest. The Preface for the Mass was the one from the Holy Eucharist that speaks also of the priesthood of Jesus Christ. This Votive Mass went well with the first reading and Psalm for today. The letter to the Hebrews opens with, "Every priest stands daily at his ministry, offering frequently those same sacrifices that can never take away sins. But this one offered one sacrifice for sins, and took his seat forever at the right hand of God; now he waits until his enemies are made his footstool" (Hebrews 10: 11-18). The psalmist writes, "You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek" (Ps. 110:1, 2, 3, 4). Jesus Christ, the Eternal High Priest, won for us our salvation by his death on the cross and we have the hope of eternal life by his resurrection. He left us his Body and Blood as the memorial that we celebrate each time we gather at Mass. As priests, we follow in the footsteps of our Lord and bring his Body and Blood to the body of Christ who also have a share in the priesthood of Jesus Christ. As the gospel acclamation says, "The seed is the word of God, Christ is the sower; all who come to him will live for ever." Let us take the words of our Lord to heart and rejoice in the gift of the priesthood because we have a tremendous example in Jesus Christ who is the Eternal High Priest! Blessings to you!!!