Memory of the Saints and the Prophets

Prayer for the unity of Christians. Particular memory of the Christian communities in Africa

Reading of the Word of God

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

You are a chosen race,
a royal priesthood, a holy nation,
a people acquired by God
to proclaim his marvellous works.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

Hebrews 7,1-3.15-17

Melchizedek, king of Salem, a priest of God Most High, came to meet Abraham when he returned from defeating the kings, and blessed him; and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. By the interpretation of his name, he is, first, 'king of saving justice' and also king of Salem, that is, 'king of peace'; he has no father, mother or ancestry, and his life has no beginning or ending; he is like the Son of God. He remains a priest for ever. This becomes even more clearly evident if another priest, of the type of Melchizedek, arises who is a priest not in virtue of a law of physical descent, but in virtue of the power of an indestructible life. For he is attested by the prophecy: You are a priest for ever of the order of Melchizedek.

 

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

You will be holy,
because I am holy, thus says the Lord.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

Working from the text of Genesis, the author argues that Melchizedek, because of his priestly dignity, is superior to Abraham, so much so that the later had to pay tithes, "one-tenth of everything," to the priest. And so Melchizedek is seen as a foreshadowing of Jesus, whose priesthood follows in his line. The author wants to underline the fact that Jesus' priesthood is the "perfect" priesthood, the one which we needed. Christ is "holy, blameless, undefiled, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens"; neither the Mosaic law nor the Levitical line had been able to bring men and women to such "perfection." That is why today we no longer need to find multiple priests and mediators to reach God: the new "priest," Jesus Christ, brings us directly to God. The ancient pact has been replaced by a new and "better" covenant, the one established with Jesus. And there is no need to multiply sacrifices, as the Levitical priesthood was obliged to do. Jesus offered his sacrifice once and for all: "Unlike the other high priests, he has no need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for those of the people; this he did once for all when he offered himself." It is a real priesthood, with substance, not a ritual one, because Jesus became a priest through his personal sacrifice: he offered himself as victim and was brought to heaven, becoming simultaneously altar, victim, and priest, as is sung in the liturgy of the Church. By joining in the "sacrifice" of Christ, that is, becoming ourselves altars, victims, and priests, we Christians enter into direct relationship with God. This is the holy people, the people of priests, of which the New Testament speaks, which offers God the spiritual worship that is pleasing to him.