Why do we need a Priest? What is the purpose and where does it come from? Many people listening to this sermon might ask this question, especially if they are coming from a protestant background where priests do not exist, but the Scriptures today tell us a story that we must learn to understand with the fullness of the eyes of scripture. For Jesus Christ calls each of us to the faith that we might enter into the fullness of his redemption and be saved to sit in eternal glory with the Father in heaven. For St. Paul this morning calls Jesus, “The High Priest” and so typically people say, well if he is the High Priest and I can go to Jesus, I have no need for a priest on earth. Yet we must be cognizant that St. Paul is using verbiage that helps us understand the necessity of the Priesthood instituted by Christ. For the Apostles were set apart, called to be his hands and feet, the new Priests of the New Covenant. For in John 20:22 we see “And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost” and they received from him the Holy Ghost, the special imposition of graces that were bestowed upon them, the very Divine Energies transforming them into new Priests, marked forever in the lines of Melchizedek. We also see the transfer of these same Divine Energies, this authority to act in the Priesthood of Christ through the laying on of hands when St. Paul tells Timothy “ Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.” Yet, who is this character of Melchizedek? Melchizedek was the first-born son of Noah according to tradition, also known as Shem, and his name means “King of righteousness” and thus was the inheritor of the covenant promises of his Father as the first-born son. He offered bread and wine and was a priest of the Most High God (cf. Gen 14:20). This teaching provides for us all the information that we need about Melchizedek to a degree. We must ask the question of why bread and wine, what is the purpose of these things? We see in the scriptures, specifically Leviticus 7:11, that this sacrifice was unleavened bread as the sacrifice of thanksgiving. Now, as we move to the new covenant in Christ we see an offering of two things, first bread in which he says, “Take and eat, all of you, this is my body that will be given up for many for the forgiveness of sins, do this in [anamnesis] of me.” Following, he takes the wine and says, “Take all of you and drink, this is the blood of the New Covenant, poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins, do this in [anamnesis] of me.” How are we best to understand? What does this mean? We see here that Blessed Paul is likening the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross to the Todah sacrifice in Leviticus and the Gospel writers do the same when they say that Jesus cried out, “Eli, Eli Sabachthani” which means, “My God, My God, Why have you forsaken me?” Yet why these words? Because every Jew would have known them, that they were not a cry for help, but rather the first words of Psalm 22. It is the cry of every penitent soul, the promise of redemption and Jesus offers up all of us, we who “repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand” (Matthew 4:17), so that we might be saved and be saved in abundance. That we “shall eat and be satisfied” (Ps 22:26). And according to the divine design what should come after this salvation? Psalm 23, “The Lord is my Shepherd, therefore can I lack nothing.” What blessed love we have from our redeemer that he would desire us and this relationship. That he freely gives himself for us, but who is doing this remembering in action, this anamnesis? Who is to recall the sacrifice of Christ? The Bishops, successors to the Apostles, and the new Priesthood in Christ, those who are Priests of the High Priest. To say that he is a High Priest means that there are other priests that are under him, that serve him and help at the Altar. For if there were expected to be no other priests, then he would just be a Priest according to the lineage of Melchizedek, but this is not what it says, it says, “For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens.” (Heb 7:26). So friends, this is why we have a priesthood, for Christ has called us to serve at the Altar here on earth to do HIS will and to bring forth the great act of the Eucharist, which means thanksgiving. We call down the Holy Ghost in our remembrance of his sacrifice on the cross and the Most Holy Trinity sends forth its divine energies to consecrate this most blessed bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. For we must either do one of two things, firstly we must believe Jesus and take him at his word, for he did not say that this is like my body, or like my blood, but he said, this IS my Body, this IS my Blood. For to argue otherwise calls Jesus a liar, and thus we are no better than those who abandoned our Lord in John 6. When the scriptures said, “Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.” (John 6:53). It continues and says, “From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.” (John 6:66) Secondly, we must repent and come before the Lord. For this is the message of the Scriptures. These are the first words of the Holy Scriptures and we must “drink of the brook in the way.” (Psalm 110:7). In this way the Gospel shows us that the way is wrapped up in these two great things, Love of God and Love of Neighbor. It is from these two that we find our ultimate salvation and that we shall enter into the house of the Lord, dwelling with him forever. So friends, let us turn our hearts unto the Lord and Bless him eternally. Let us praise his name so that he may be forever glorified. Let us prepare ourselves for the sacred feast of the Lamb, given up for us and for many for the forgiveness of our sins. Hear Psalm 110 Dixit Dominus:
“The Lord said unto my Lord:
Sit thou on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.
The Lord shall send the rod of thy power out of Sion:
Be thou ruler, even in the midst among thine enemies.
In the day of thy power shall the people offer thee free-will offerings with an holy worship:
The dew of thy birth is of the womb of the morning.
The Lord sware, and will not repent:
Thou are a priest forever after the order of Melchisedech.
The Lord upon thy right hand:
Shall wound even kings in the day of his wrath.
He shall judge among the heathen;
He shall fill the places with the dead bodies:
And smite in sunder the heads over divers countries.
He shall drink of the brook in the way:
Therefore shall he lift up his head.”
In the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Ghost. Amen.