The Priesthood - Ministers of the Eucharist

Homily for the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ

The C cycle of the Lectionary for Sunday Mass emphasizes the minister of the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist as we celebrate this Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ.

In three short verses from the Book of Genesis, we are introduced to Melchizedek, king and high priest of Salem, later known as Jerusalem. Abram was returning home from a successful raid on some of the tribes of Siddim who had previously raided his tents and had kidnapped his nephew, Lot. As he passed the city of Salem, Melchizedek feared that in the flush of his victory Abram would also attack his city. So, he went out to meet Abram, offering bread and wine as a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and invoked a blessing on him. Abram responded by sharing the spoils of victory with Melchizedek.

Names play an important role in Scripture. Their meanings reveal something of the significance of the actions performed. Melchizedek is a compound of two Hebrew words: “malki’,” which means “my king,” and “sedek,” which means “righteous.” His name, therefore, describes the character of his governance as king and high priest. Melchizedek was not a priest of the God of Israel but worshipped a creator god. So, the rite that he celebrates with Abram is his personal way of both praising his god and bestowing his blessing upon Abram and his family with a prayer for safe conduct.

This short episode generates an unlikely response in the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures. Melchizedek, after a passing mention in the Book of Genesis, is mentioned in the psalms and in the Letter to the Hebrews as a prefigurement of both the high priest of the Jerusalem Temple and the Davidic dynasty. In all probability, this short episode becomes important simply because of the fact that Salem becomes the most important city in Israel - Jerusalem. Of course, the responsorial psalm for today is the one psalm that mentions this little-known figure as it sings the praise of God who raises up the dynasty of David to rule over Israel. Melchizedek becomes the first minister of the bread and wine sacrifice.

The reading from the first Letter to the Corinthians is the first written account of the institution of the Eucharist, written long before the Gospel accounts were written. To this very day, our Eucharistic sacrifice is based on the account given to us by St. Paul who is then copied by Saints Matthew, Mark and Luke.  St. John, of course, concentrates his narrative on the washing of the feet of the apostles. However, all the Gospel accounts include an admonition that we are to remember Jesus when we celebrate the Eucharist.  St. John’s Gospel relates that the apostles are to imitate Jesus and wash each other’s feet. More than one writer has pointed out that this is the one commandment that no one has ever broken! No one has celebrated the Eucharist without remembering Jesus; no one has washed another’s feet without remembering this humble act of Jesus.

The importance of St. Paul’s account lies in the fact that St. Paul clearly indicates that the Eucharist is handed down through the apostles and their successors, transmitted to the apostles by the Risen Lord Jesus. The Eucharist is given to us by God and handed down through the appointed ministers of the sacrament who are the successors of the apostles.

The familiar story of the feeding of the multitude from the Gospel of St. Luke is the Gospel passage for today. In his retelling of this event, St. Luke tells us that the Twelve asked Jesus to dismiss the crowd, to which he responded, “Give them some food yourselves.” Ever since Jesus uttered those words, it has been the ministry of the apostles and their successors to feed the flock, God’s chosen people, who are the Church. It has also spurred many saints in the history of the Church to feed the poor and the hungry.

Pope Francis once made the comment: “Without the Eucharist, there would be no priesthood; without the priesthood, there would be no Eucharist.” The sacrament of the Eucharist and Holy Orders are bound together by the Eucharist. Unfortunately, some priests have brought shame on the priesthood and the Catholic Church through criminal acts of abuse. Consequently, we need to look to Melchisedek for an answer to this scandal. We need priests who, like Melchisedek are righteous men. We need good and holy priests who can act as mediators between God and God’s people.  While the Church takes steps to restore the good name of its priests, all of us, working and praying together, must pray that God will lead us to the righteousness that was once found in Melchizedek, in the Twelve apostles, and in all those who are called to be pastors of God’s people. Pray for priests. I need your prayers; all priests need your prayers. Vocations to the priesthood in our country are becoming fewer and fewer. Pray  that young men will answer the call to the priesthood and that they will be good and holy pastors of the flock of God’s people.