What it means to be a Holy Priest

Lord, after Mass this morning and passing homeless living on our city streets, you remind us of what the Mass and the priesthood is all about. In the words of St. Peter you speak . . . “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, so that you may proclaim the goodness of God who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”   1 Peter 2:9

Lord, it is here in the words of the Saint that you remind us that we are a royal priesthood, meaning that just as the priests of the temple had to make sacrifices for the brokenness and sinfulness of the refugees, migrants, immigrants and homeless people of lost Israel; so we too are priests called to minister to the poor and the empty. It is that charity that makes us "holy."

The essence of priesthood is poverty and brokenness. And so Lord, we discover as it was in your day, errant priests became deceived and thought their office was about power, pride, prestige and titles. Yet, in your own person you abolished that notion and revealed to us the royal priesthood is first and foremost not about pride, power and control, but it is a participation in the poverty and emptiness of the priesthood of the suffering Christ; who though he was rich, he emptied himself and became poor and thus has become our model high priest.
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