Memorial of Saint Agnes, Virgin and Martyr

Lectionary: 311

Every high priest is taken from among men
and made their representative before God,

to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.

He is able to deal patiently with the ignorant and erring,
for he himself is beset by weakness
and so, for this reason, must make sin offerings for himself 
as well as for the people.
No one takes this honor upon himself
but only when called by God,
just as Aaron was.

The Author of the Letter to the Hebrews was not thinking  about Roman Catholic priests when he wrote the above. He had the novel idea that Jesus was a priest, and presented his argument brilliantly. Of the New Testament books and letters, only the Book of Revelation has a similar idea. The notion of Jesus, the descendent of King David, as priest probably came as a surprise to those Levite Jews who were disciples of Jesus. But they apparently accepted the idea. 

Centuries later, with the Letter to the Hebrews firmly placed in our New Testament, we take it for granted that Jesus was the True High Priest who offered himself to God on the altar of the cross. 

The Catholic Church uses the word priest to describe those who preside over the Mass. This is more than a poetic expression; it is regarded as revealed truth, rooted firmly in tradition and defined in our canon law. We should  reflect on the Letter to the Hebrews when we consider this gift to the Church, for it helps us to recognize the authority and the limits of the men who serve as priests. 

Unlike the levitical priesthood, the priests in our Roman Catholic Church practice celibacy and have no sons to replace them. We are "taken from among men," that is, from the congregation. My father was not a priest; my mother was not a nun. They were more surprised than anyone at my notion of entering the seminary. 

The priest, then, is given by the congregation to the altar. It has been said it takes three generations of devout Catholics to have a priest. Without a devout, dedicated laity, there is no church. 

Like everyone else in the church, the priest must make sin offerings for himself as well as for the people. And he should be able to deal patiently with the ignorant and erring, for he himself is beset by weakness. After 37 years I know that as well as anyone. 

No one take this honor upon himself but only when called by God. That calling is discerned through a mysterious process. No one should be ordained because he thinks he has a calling. The Church makes the call, and bishops today are interested in the insights, suggestions and sensibilities of the laity. If they feel comfortable with this fellow, and believe he has the intelligence, capability and sincerity of a true calling, he might be invited to ordination. If he "creeps them out" there should be some serious hesitation! 

Finally, although the priest comes from the congregation, he is also sent to them to represent the universal church. His public prayer, the liturgy, is the prayer of the whole church. It should never be overshadowed by his personal style, or altered by his personal preferences. He is, at best, "an administrator of the mysteries of God." If he feels the impulse to be creative he has plenty of latitude outside the liturgy for that. Of course one's style does enter the  enter the celebration but it should never be so overbearing as to drive people away. 

The priest leads the people in prayer. When I celebrate the Mass for children, I work hard to keep their attention. I know the little ones want to pray but their attention span is short. There are simple things I can do to help them pray. 

But I should never have to do that with adults. They have chosen to be there and I assume they're with me. They don't need my entertainment. I should simply read the familiar text clearly, enunciating every syllable of every word. There should be no unhelpful asides, unenlightening mini-homilies or intrusive reinterpretations. The principle celebrant is allowed only one homily per Mass. 

I should be neither in a hurry to get through it, nor so caught up in the beauty of the Mass as to take all day about it. (I do wonder about those saintly priests who were caught up in ecstasy and stretched their Mass into several hours. In the unlikely event that happens to me, I hope somebody will suggest that we Get On With It -- for the sake of the people who are praying with me.) 

Sometimes I am distracted by someone's inattention and that's very distressing.  If I lose my focus because of someone's obnoxious behavior, the whole congregation drifts away. If they're whispering to one another or checking their smart phones during the Mass, I wish they'd not come at all. 

January 5, 2013
Mount Saint Francis

Our duty is to pay attention to the One Priest who is truly offering himself during the Mass; that is, Jesus Christ. Ultimately, the president of the assembly -- be he pope, cardinal, bishop or priest -- is only a member of the Church. He prays with the congregation as the Holy Spirit compels the Son of God to give himself in love to God the Father for our salvation.