Christ shares His Melchizedek High Priesthood with all who have the Spirit of Christ within them, both clergy and laity; and all are ambassadors of Christ. The universal call to holiness requires this. The book of Hebrews makes no distinction between clergy and laity.
Another reason why Christ’s High Priesthood differs from the Jewish high priest is that Christ’s humanity lives forever to intercede for us in contrast with the Jewish high priest who eventually died and was replaced.
The new covenant is of faith, and not of religious law. A high priest of a different order was required when the old covenant was replaced by the new.
Christ came not to abolish the law, but to fulfill it. Religious law, both old and new, is still valid, but understood in the context of Christ, who instituted the law of love. As for the new covenant priesthood, it is corroborated in the New Testament, but thankfully, as Christians we aren't limited to Scripture alone. The Church, which wrote and determined the canon of Scripture, has from the earliest centuries always believed in a ministerial, apostolic priesthood beyond the priesthood shared by all the baptized, and we should receive this in a spirit of humble obedience.
In the New Covenant, sin is not imputed or charged as it was under the Old Covenant. The legal penalty for sin under the Mosaic Law no longer exists in the same way that is did not exist prior to the Law (cf. Romans 5:13-6:2). Our motivation for not sinning is now to remain free from its slavery rather than to avoid breaking laws (cf. Colossians 2:14-23).
A Christian must be with Christ all the way. Understandably we are all work in progress, but deliberately to be a fence-sitter is misleading people of who Christ is. It confuses people.
If we are in Christ, we should think like Christ, feel like Christ, reason like Christ. Why then we blatantly contradict his words and claim we are speaking for Christ?
Before the Apostles were sent to preach the good news, they underwent “catechesis” from Jesus, such that they were one with Him. Personal transformation happened most exemplified by Peter. Otherwise, for those who do the work but not one with the will of thd Farher is clear.
Matt 6:22-23 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
There is a tendency for us Catholics as if our Christian life is a matter of doing, which is not.
John 15:15
No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.
So if we knew what he is doing, it also mean, we know the motivation of the work, which is not a matter of performance, which now seem to be the impression we are now getting, even in this new liturgy of the mass.
We share his thought, his heart, his feelings, his concerns, his love. Because it is not a matter of performance.
That after the job is done, we become a different person from the one who just did the job. I call it job deliberately. That is what a performance is.
Christ shares His Melchizedek High Priesthood with all who have the Spirit of Christ within them, both clergy and laity; and all are ambassadors of Christ. The universal call to holiness requires this. The book of Hebrews makes no distinction between clergy and laity.
Another reason why Christ’s High Priesthood differs from the Jewish high priest is that Christ’s humanity lives forever to intercede for us in contrast with the Jewish high priest who eventually died and was replaced.
The new covenant is of faith, and not of religious law. A high priest of a different order was required when the old covenant was replaced by the new.
Christ came not to abolish the law, but to fulfill it. Religious law, both old and new, is still valid, but understood in the context of Christ, who instituted the law of love. As for the new covenant priesthood, it is corroborated in the New Testament, but thankfully, as Christians we aren't limited to Scripture alone. The Church, which wrote and determined the canon of Scripture, has from the earliest centuries always believed in a ministerial, apostolic priesthood beyond the priesthood shared by all the baptized, and we should receive this in a spirit of humble obedience.
In the New Covenant, sin is not imputed or charged as it was under the Old Covenant. The legal penalty for sin under the Mosaic Law no longer exists in the same way that is did not exist prior to the Law (cf. Romans 5:13-6:2). Our motivation for not sinning is now to remain free from its slavery rather than to avoid breaking laws (cf. Colossians 2:14-23).
I should have said that the New Testament makes no distinction between clergy and laity in the priesthood that we have from Christ.
Very good! I especially like the last paragraph!!!
Thank you Kathleen, I'm glad you enjoyed it, and thank you as always for reading! God bless!
A Christian must be with Christ all the way. Understandably we are all work in progress, but deliberately to be a fence-sitter is misleading people of who Christ is. It confuses people.
If we are in Christ, we should think like Christ, feel like Christ, reason like Christ. Why then we blatantly contradict his words and claim we are speaking for Christ?
You're certainly right in each of your points! Thank you for reminding us of these truths.
Before the Apostles were sent to preach the good news, they underwent “catechesis” from Jesus, such that they were one with Him. Personal transformation happened most exemplified by Peter. Otherwise, for those who do the work but not one with the will of thd Farher is clear.
Matt 6:22-23 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
There is a tendency for us Catholics as if our Christian life is a matter of doing, which is not.
John 15:15
No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.
So if we knew what he is doing, it also mean, we know the motivation of the work, which is not a matter of performance, which now seem to be the impression we are now getting, even in this new liturgy of the mass.
We share his thought, his heart, his feelings, his concerns, his love. Because it is not a matter of performance.
That after the job is done, we become a different person from the one who just did the job. I call it job deliberately. That is what a performance is.