Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

In light of what I spoke about last week, namely the baptismal priesthood and what it allows us to do, this week I want to speak about the ministerial priesthood.

I want to try to do five things today–first, a quick review of the sacraments three basic points; second, something really foundational we need to know about the priesthood; third, the function and the essence of the priesthood; fourth, what does this have to do with you and me and last, a plea.

So first, a review of the sacraments, three things: definition of a sacrament? Lots of them floating around, most basic one is that it is a visible sign instituted by Christ to effect or gives grace.

Second point on the sacraments: they are extraordinary signs. They’re not like any other kind of sign because they actually cause to happen what they signify.

For example, if we pour water over a child or an adult over there, the symbol is that they’ve been cleansed but it’s not just symbolized, it happens. They really get cleansed. For those of us who were baptized as adults, we experience that profoundly.

Third thing about sacraments to keep in mind is that they are not magic. Meaning what? Meaning that how you and I approach the sacraments means everything.

On God’s end, he’s offering us–whatever the sacrament might be–something remarkable but if you and I don’t approach the sacrament with faith, nothing happens.

The most common example of this, at least in my life when I was younger, was how I approached the Eucharist rotely and ritually without any reflection whatsoever about who it was I was receiving. Walking down the aisle, put your hands out, put what you received into your mouth, start thinking about what your gonna make for dinner or the score of the game currently going on.

As opposed to walking down the aisle in awe as you contemplate that there’s somebody standing here, and it’s not me, who’s giving himself to us.

We can either approach today rotely and without reflection or you and I can approach in awe aware of who it is who’s about to give himself to us.

Second, a really crucial point to understand about the priesthood. There’s one priest. Only one. His name is Jesus. Everybody here who has been baptized participates in his one priesthood. That means you’re a priest.

I was a priest before I was ordained. Meaning what? Meaning that you and I had access to the Father already and meaning that you and I were invited from the moment of our baptism to give back to God the sacrifice of our lives.

Those who are ordained priests, like I am, or Fr. Peter, Fr. Ken, that’s what we call the ministerial priesthood.

Vatican II reminds us that those who are ordained priests are ordained so that they can serve the other priests. We call it the ministerial priesthood. In other words, we’re ordained to help the rest of you reach the goal for which all of us were made. Which is what? As St. Paul reminds us, to become saints, to be holy. That’s the point.

Third point, the function and essence of the priesthood.

The function of the priesthood is to be a mediator between God and man. Keep in mind that’s not me so much as it is Jesus. Jesus is the one mediator between God and humanity and he’s both. He brings us into the presence of the Father.

The essence of the priesthood is sacrifice. The Letter to the Hebrews, from which we’ve been reading if you follow the lectionary, over and over speaks to us how a priest is ordained to offer sacrifice on behalf of the people.

I say sacrifice and you think what? You have to get up early to get the kids ready for school. We call that a sacrifice meaning it’s a pain, right? Because you had to give up precious sleep. We think of Lent and we take on sacrifices which means for most of us penance. No sweets or whatever the case might be for some of us. But that’s not the purpose of sacrifice, that’s not what sacrifice means. Sacrifice literally means just “to make holy.”

So the priest offers sacrifices so that the recipients can be transformed, so that they can become saints as St. Paul tells us we are created to be.

Here’s the problem, in the Old Testament, those who were ordained priests approached an altar and they did what? They sacrificed what? A bull or a goat or a lamb. They took the blood and they threw it on the people. I can sprinkle the blood of a bull on you all day long, it isn’t going to change you. Nothing is going to happen.

What if the Lamb that is sacrificed isn’t just a lamb? What if the Lamb is actually God? Hidden not under the appearance of a man but as a man. Who offers himself as a sacrifice? Well that changes everything.

St. John the Baptist, in the Gospels, when he identifies Jesus calls out, “Behold, that’s the Lamb of God” meaning what? Meaning that’s the one of whom the Book of Exodus, when we hear of God instructing Moses to tell the people to take a Lamb and to slaughter it, that’s what he was actually talking about.

So some of us have seen The Ten Commandments, the old movie with Charlton Heston, and Moses splits the Red Sea and they all walk through which is the story we all know and the one which St. John the Baptist is referring which if we don’t understand, we’re not gonna understand the basics of who Jesus is.

In Exodus chapter 12, God tells Moses, “tell every household to get a lamb, make it a year old and unblemished, perfect. Take it and slaughter it. Then take its blood and throw it on the door posts of your homes and then eat the lamb.”

In fact, five times God instructs the people to make sure they just don’t kill the lamb and put its blood on the doors, but that they eat it. Why? So that somehow you and I can come into communion, or the ancient Israelites can come into communion with the one who died so that they could live. That’s exactly what happens here.

What’s this all have to do with us? Every time you and I approach the Eucharist, you and I are feeding on the one who has sacrificed himself for us so that we can live. Not just here, but forever.

When we come forward for communion, we should be mindful of two things: first of all, to be profoundly grateful I’m alive and I have offered to me the promise of eternal life because of him who sacrificed himself for me and for you.

I come into communion with the victim who died for me. But he didn’t just die, He rose. Which means that when you and I come forward for communion, you and I are putting into our bodies power like we can’t possibly imagine. You and I will never in our lives experience anthing remotely as powerful as what we can receive everyday as Catholics in the Eucharist.

Which means what? How many are struggling with say, anything? Where do we go? Where do we find help?

Some of us here are grieving the loss of a loved one. Some of us were just diagnosed with an illness. Some of us are here are wondering what’s next for me in life. Some of us are here who are fearful about a whole host of things and we’re wondering how we’re gonna find the strength to do whatever it might be.

So again and again the essence of the Christian life isn’t trying harder. The essence of the Christian life is God making accessible to you and me power.

Nothing more powerful will be put into your body than the Body and Blood of Jesus which is not sprinkled on us, it’s put into us.

Lastly, the plea. St. John Chrysostom, hundreds of years ago, in talking about those who are ordained priests said this: “He says I’m talking about an office,” the office of the priesthood, “which doesn’t involve the leading of men into battle, it demands the virtue,” he says, “of an angel.” Hmm. Good luck with that.

Myself, Fr. Peter, Fr. Ken, every single man who has ever been ordained a priest has been ordained into an office which we, quite frankly, will never ever be able to live up to, meaning we need your prayers desperately so that we can offer this sacrifice, which was offered once for all but is made present again on this altar for you so that you can be not just what God made you to be but what you want to be. Great. So please pray for us that we too may cooperate with God’s grace and become saints.

Sunday Mass begins at 11 a.m. with the Sacrament of Reconciliation at 10:15 a.m.

Come pray with us at St. Michael Catholic Church located at 1004 W. Gentry in Henryetta.