Homily for Wednesday, Week 3 of Ordinary Time

Homily for Wednesday
3d Week of Ordinary Time

Jan. 27, 2021
Heb 10: 11-18
Provincial House, New Rochelle

“This priest offered one sacrifice for sins, and took his seat forever at the right hand of God” (Heb 10: 12).

(Velasquez)

Christ’s priesthood is a main theme of the Letter to the Hebrews.  We missed some treatment of that theme the last 2 days because of proper readings.  Today’s reading shows us the excellence of Christ’s priesthood in contrast with the priesthood of the Jewish temple.

The priests of the Law of Moses “stand daily at their ministry,” the author says (10:11).  They stand—always on their feet—because their service is never done.  They offer sacrifices day after day because the sacrifices have no lasting effect; “they can never take away sins” (10:11).

Christ, by contrast, is seated; his work is done (10:12).  He offered one sacrifice, a perfect sacrifice, that effectively took away all the sins of humanity, that made perfect those whom he has consecrated thru that sacrifice—made them perfectly clean, perfectly holy (10:14).  He is seated—a position of power and authority, which derive from his position “at God’s right hand” (10:12).

His lordship over humanity and all creation will be complete when “his enemies are made his footstool” (10:13) as he sits enthroned.  His enemies, we know, are sin, death, and Satan and his allies.  They’re already doomed by the “one sacrifice for sins” (10:12), and with those already forgiven, “there is no longer offering for sin” (10:18).

Christ has given us the grace beyond all graces of making his one sacrifice and its effects universally present in time and place.  So we are privileged to come to his altar and take part in his self-offering; to share in his redemption.

While there’s only one priesthood of the new covenant—his—he shares his priesthood with all the baptized, so that we make his sacrifice our sacrifice; we offer him as our sacrifice.  As priests we partake of the sacrificial meal.  Daily we’re consecrated anew for his service and for—someday—a place in his eternal presence.  How blessed we are!

Indeed, may our sins and evildoing be remembered no more (11:17).  May we live Christ’s priesthood not only around his altar but wherever we are, “offering ourselves,” as St. Paul says, “as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, our spiritual worship” (Rom 12:1).