Christ the High Priest

[FightingFat]

I’m particularly thinking of Hebrews 6-11 and wondering what exactly the importance of Christ as the High Priest is and how it deepens our understanding of the Eucharist. Can it be said that this section of Scripture particularly develops a proper understanding of Eucharist in us?

I know this might seem a bit deep, any thoughts?

 

[ConstantineTG]

I’m particularly thinking of Hebrews 6-11 and wondering what exactly the importance of Christ as the High Priest is and how it deepens our understanding of the Eucharist. Can it be said that this section of Scripture particularly develops a proper understanding of Eucharist in us?

I know this might seem a bit deep, any thoughts?

Think first what the high priest in the Jewish Temple does. That is the key to understanding this.

 

[Barbkw]

From the Catechism in part:

A priestly, prophetic, and royal people

783 Jesus Christ is the one whom the Father anointed with the Holy Spirit and established as priest, prophet, and king. The whole People of God participates in these three offices of Christ and bears the responsibilities for mission and service that flow from them.208

784 On entering the People of God through faith and Baptism, one receives a share in this people’s unique, priestly vocation: "Christ the Lord, high priest taken from among men, has made this new people ‘a kingdom of priests to God, his Father.’ The baptized, by regeneration and the anointing of the Holy Spirit, are consecrated to be a spiritual house and a holy priesthood."209

785 “The holy People of God shares also in Christ’s prophetic office,” above all in the supernatural sense of faith that belongs to the whole People, lay and clergy, when it "unfailingly adheres to this faith . . . once for all delivered to the saints,"210 and when it deepens its understanding and becomes Christ’s witness in the midst of this world.

786 Finally, the People of God shares in the royal office of Christ. He exercises his kingship by drawing all men to himself through his death and Resurrection.211 Christ, King and Lord of the universe, made himself the servant of all, for he came "not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."212 For the Christian, “to reign is to serve him,” particularly when serving "the poor and the suffering, in whom the Church recognizes the image of her poor and suffering founder."213 The People of God fulfills its royal dignity by a life in keeping with its vocation to serve with Christ.

The sign of the cross makes kings of all those reborn in Christ and the anointing of the Holy Spirit consecrates them as priests, so that, apart from the particular service of our ministry, all spiritual and rational Christians are recognized as members of this royal race and sharers in Christ’s priestly office. What, indeed, is as royal for a soul as to govern the body in obedience to God? And what is as priestly as to dedicate a pure conscience to the Lord and to offer the spotless offerings of devotion on the altar of the heart?214

 

[Barbkw]

I was listening to Fr. Barron this weekend on Dish Channel - WGN. He said something to the effect that:

In the Eucharist, Jesus is Priest, calling us as one Mystical Body to Himself in worship. Giving of Himself in totality, Body and Blood as the food we eat at His celebration feast.

In the Eucharist, Jesus is Prophet, showing us His Resurrection from death, just as we too convert our old self from the death of sin into new life with Him.

In the Eucharist, Jesus is King, heralding in the Kingdom of God, even while we are here upon earth He guides us toward heaven.

 

[ConstantineTG]

I was listening to Fr. Barron this weekend on Dish Channel - WGN. He said something to the effect that:

In the Eucharist, Jesus is Priest, calling us as one Mystical Body to Himself in worship. Giving of Himself in totality, Body and Blood as the food we eat at His celebration feast.

In the Eucharist, Jesus is Prophet, showing us His Resurrection from death, just as we too convert our old self from the death of sin into new life with Him.

In the Eucharist, Jesus is King, heralding in the Kingdom of God, even while we are here upon earth He guides us toward heaven.

I went to an intro course on Theology of the Body, and the most interesting that is taught is that in the Eucharist, Christ is the husband. Like a man and wife becomes one flesh in marriage, we become one with Christ through the Eucharist in a totally non-sexual way. That in the beginning it was Adam and Eve brought together by God in marriage (Genesis) and in the end its the Lamb marrying His bride, His Church (Revelations).

Back to topic, the High Priest makes the sacrifices and is the only one who can enter the Holy of Holies. Like Jesus, he made the perfect sacrifice, Himself. And only he can enter the Holiest of Holies, the heart of God where He resides (again got this from Theology of the Body) and through the Eucharist, he brings us to live in God’s heart as well. We can’t exist in the Father by ourselves, but only by being in the Son can we be in the Father

[BIBLEDRB]John 15:10[/BIBLEDRB]