The Feast of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Our Eternal High Priest.
Feast Our Lord Jesus Christ, Our Eternal High Priest
Today’s Mass begins with an entrance antiphon from the letter to the Hebrews 7 which jumps right into the heart of the mystery celebrated in today’s feast. It says, “Christ, Mediator of the New Covenant has an eternal Priesthood because he remains forever”. This antiphon contains only fourteen words, but it sums up what we celebrate today with great joy and confidence. It announces with certainty that Jesus Christ is the Mediator with God the Father, and of course, this faithful mediation is only made possible through Jesus’ paschal mystery by which God established and sealed the New Covenant. Having established this truth of Jesus’ Mediation in the New Covenant, it goes on to announce Jesus’ Eternal priesthood. It shows that Jesus’ priesthood isn’t just like any other priesthood like those of the Old Covenant. Firstly, Jesus’ priesthood was founded on a new covenant which supersedes the Old. Secondly, the priesthood of the Old Covenant cannot be compared to his priesthood, because the former passes away as it wasn’t intended to remain forever, but the latter remains forever. Hence Psalm 110:4 which was originally meant for the priest-kings of Jerusalem, points to this truth and says, “you are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek”. What this means is that Jesus priesthood is not in the line of Abraham nor Aaron but goes back to the line of Melchizedek, king of Salem, a mysterious biblical figure, who suddenly appeared from nowhere.
The priests of the old covenant died, but Jesus lives for ever. Can you see how loaded this antiphon is? I hope you can also see the level of assurance it gives us who to come to God through Jesus Christ our eternal high priest. The letter to the Hebrews 7: 25 therefore said that, “he is able for all time to save those who draw near to God through him since he always lives to make intercession for them”.
Unlike the priest of the old order, who had to offer sacrifices daily for their sins and those of the people since it is the very function of the high priest to offer sacrifices, Jesus, is blameless and has offered one single and all sufficient sacrifice by offering himself.
In offering himself, the Letter to the Hebrews 10:20 tells us that, he opened for us through his body, a new and living way into the Holy of Holies, the living sanctuary. Now that he is seated at God’s right hands, he invites us to draw near to him with true hearts in full assurance of our faith.
Today’s first reading from Isaiah 6:1-4,8 draws out the certainty of Jesus’ mediation and Priesthood. It describes the glory and splendour of his reign which Isaiah saw in a vision, a vision of the Lord of hosts seated on the throne, and his train filled the sanctuary. As the heavenly being praised him singing Holy Holy Holy, we were told that the foundation of the threshold of the earth shook and the temple was filled with smoke. I don’t know if you sensed what I sense in this reading, One can see hear a heavenly liturgy, we hear about sanctuary, reminding of the sanctuary Hebrews 10:20 tells us that Jesus opened for us through his body, a new and living way into the Holy of Holies, the living sanctuary. We hear of the angels, the heavenly being floating in adoration and praise and declaring the holiness of the One who sits on the throne, the Lord of hosts. We also heard of the shaking of the foundations and of the smoke that filled the heavenly temple. Smoke, in a spiritual sense would point to the ascension of the prayers of God’s people to the throne of grace. It would also refer to the glory that descends when God is lifted high (see 2 Chronicles 5:14, 1 kings 8:11).
This shows us that, even though Jesus is ascended into heaven and seated in his glory at the right hand of the Father in majesty, he still makes intercessions for us and will never stop, because eternally he has offered himself to the Father, a priestly offering, not of the old covenant that comes to an end but as of the New covenant that remains for ever because Jesus lives forever.
While on earth Jesus frequently demonstrated his high priestly functions of mediation which reached its climactic point on the cross where he offered himself, contrary to other priests that offered other gifts but not themselves. But even before this climactic point of our faith on the cross, Jesus had often manifested his High priestly heart of prayer and intercession. And this is what today’s Gospel from John 17 reveals. With his eyes raised to heaven he prays for us, that he might give eternal life to all those entrusted to him. With a deep understanding of what believers would face in his name, he prayed that we be protected from the evil one. This is very important for some of us who doubt the existence of the evil one, the devil. Jesus our lord and our eternal high priest prayed that we be protected from the evil one, the enemy of our salvation. May no one deceive him or her self thinking that because of his or her our faith the evil one has suddenly become non-existent, huh. We must acknowledge the truth Jesus acknowledged, but urgently rely on the remedy he has provided, that is being consecrated in the truth of his word daily and every moment. Hence, he went ahead in his priestly prayer and prayed that we be consecrated in the truth, which is the word of God.
I won’t comment on everything Jesus prayed for in that priestly prayer in John 17. But for the sake of today’s feast, I would like to highlight one last point, and that is Jesus’ prayer for us to be where he is now and to behold his glory.
The role of a priest will mean absolutely nothing if he does not lead God’s people to their God. This is the essence of the priestly mediation and intercession. So, here, Jesus prays that in the end we may come to witness in truth that vision Isaiah describes in today’s first reading, a glory that even the angels dared not to gaze upon, hence they covered their faces with their wings in adoration.
Considering all this, do we think that Jesus would stop interceding for especially now that he is seated in glory at God’s right hand? The answer is no. His mediation and intercession is eternal. Therefore, he is rightly our Lord and Our Eternal High Priest.
As the letter to the Hebrews says, let us therefore draw near to him with true hearts in full assurance. It doesn’t matter how trivial or serious our intentions might be. Let us draw near to our perfect high priest in prayer knowing that he eternally understands us, our weaknesses and strengths more than we can understand ourselves. Let us therefore, with our intentions, approach Jesus, our eternal high priest who was once like us and is always on our side. Cast all your burdens on him for he cares for you.
Let us pray
O God, who for the glory of your majesty
and the salvation of the human race,
made your Only Begotten Son the Eternal High Priest,
grant that, through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit,
those whom he has chosen as ministers and stewards of his mysteries
may be found faithful in carrying out the ministry they have received.
We make our prayers through Christ our Lord and Our Eternal High Priest. Amen
The Lord be with you
May the Almighty God bless you, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Go in Peace and Happy Feast.