Jesus is always able to save those who approach God through him, since he lives forever to make intercession for them.
It was fitting that we should have such a high priest: holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, higher than the heavens. He has no need, as did the high priests, to offer sacrifice day after day, first for his own sins and then for those of the people; he did that once for all when he offered himself. For the law appoints men subject to weakness to be high priests, but the word of the oath, which was taken after the law, appoints a son, who has been made perfect forever.
The main point of what has been said is this: we have such a high priest, who has taken his seat at the right hand of the throneof the Majesty in heaven, a minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle that the Lord, not man, set up. Now every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; thus the necessity for this one also to have something to offer. If then he were on earth, he would not be a priest, since there are those who offer gifts according to the law.They worship in a copy and shadow of the heavenly sanctuary, as Moses was warned when he was about to erect the tabernacle. For God says, “See that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain. ”Now he has obtained so much more excellent a ministry as he is mediator of a better covenant, enacted on better promises.
REFLECTION
Jesus is always able to save those who approach God through him, since he lives forever to make intercession for them.
Daily when I go to Mass, I try to understand the mystery of my faith...God loved me so much that He sent His Son to save me. Daily He offers His glorified body to help me overcome selfishness, laziness, gossip, jealousy and doubt. Daily I thank Him by remembering what He did for me. Frequent confession regains graces and I can receive Him again and continue my journey towards heaven.
His death for our sins is once and for all. Sitting at the right hand of His Father, He continually intercedes for us; therefore, making His Name a most powerful prayer.
Reflecting on this passage from Hebrews on the priesthood and sacrifice of Christ helps me appreciate why PAPA prays for priests and why daily Mass is good.
Jesus Christ took on our human nature, died a horrible death, resurrected (thereby defeating death) and now sits at the right hand of the Father interceding for us.
In the Old Testament, the Levitical priests offered daily lamb sacrifices and annually offered bulls and goats for sacrifice. The sacrifices were offered both for the priests and the Jewish people. In the New Testament, Jesus is both the priest and the sacrifice. His sacrifice is once and for all.
Mass is the memorial of this sacrifice. We thank Him for His ultimate sacrifice and we receive His glorified Body and Soul. There is no longer need of the old ritual sacrifices.
The priest, "In persona Christi capitis in ecclesiae ..in the person of Christ, the Head in the Church" makes the one priesthood of Christ visible and available to God's people in every Catholic Mass. PAPA prays for all priests. Please join us in this prayer.
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