Are All Believers Priests?

Our Protestant brethren are sometimes critical of the Catholic priesthood, pointing to passages in the New Testament that describe Christians in general as a “royal priesthood” or “a kingdom of priests.”

This leads to the concept frequently referred to in Protestant circles as “the priesthood of all believers.”

What is often unrecognized is that the relevant New Testament passages are quotations from Old Testament passages that refer to the Israelites in just the same way.

So if in the Old Testament there was a “priesthood of all Israelites” alongside a ministerial priesthood possessed by only some Israelites then in the New Testament there can be a “common priesthood” (to use a Catholic term for it) that exists alongside the ministerial priesthood exercised by Christ’s ordained ministers.

For it’s part, the Catholic Church acknowledges the universal priesthood of all Christians.

For example, in one of his general audiences, Pope John Paul II commented on one of the universal priesthood passages in the book of Revelation and remarked:

As [the Lamb] has been “slain”, he is able to “ransom” (ibid.) men and women coming from the most varied origins.

The Greek word used does not explicitly refer us to the history of the Exodus, where “ransoming” the Israelites is never spoken of; however, the continuation of the phrase makes a clear reference to the well-known promise made by God to the Israelites of Sinai: “You shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Ex 19: 6).

This promise has now become a reality: the Lamb has truly established for God “a kingdom and priests… who shall reign on earth” (cf. Rv 5: 10).

The door of this kingdom is open to all humanity, called to form the community of the children of God, as St Peter reminds us: “You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God”s own people, that you may declare the wonderful deeds of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light” (I Pt 2: 9).

The Second Vatican Council explicitly refers to these texts of the First Letter of Peter and of the Book of Revelation when, referring to the “common priesthood” that belongs to all the faithful, it points out the components to enable them to carry it out.

“The faithful indeed, by virtue of their royal priesthood, participate in the offering of the Eucharist. They exercise that priesthood, too, by the reception of the sacraments, prayer and thanksgiving, the witness of a holy life, abnegation and active charity (Lumen Gentium, n. 10) [General Audience of Nov. 3, 2004].

So it isn’t a question of whether there is a common priesthood shared by all Christians.

There is.

The question is whether the existence of this priesthood excludes another, ministerial priesthood.

As shown by the parallel Old Testament priesthoods, it doesn’t.

The Church Year: June 12, 2012

Today is Tuesday of the 10th week of Ordinary Time. The liturgical color is green.

In the Extraordinary Form, this is the season after Pentecost, and the liturgical color for today is white.

 

Saints & Celebrations:

On June 12, there is no special fixed liturgical day in the Ordinary Form.

In the Extraordinary Form, we celebrate St. John of San Facundo, Augustinian, confessor, who died in A.D. 1470. It is a Class III day.

In the Extraordinary Form, we also celebrate St.s Basilides, Cyrinus, Nabor, and Nazarius, martyrs, who died in A.D. 305. This celebration is a commemoration.

If you’d like to learn more about St. John of San Facundo, you can click here.

If you’d like to learn more about St.s Basilides, Cyrinus, Nabor, and Nazarius, you can click here.

For information about other saints, blesseds, and feasts celebrated today, you can click here.

 

Readings:

To see today’s readings in the Ordinary Form, you can click here.

Or you can click play to listen to them:

 

Devotional Information:

This Friday is the solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. According to the Holy See’s Directory on Popular Piety:

The Sacred Heart of Jesus

166. The Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus on the Friday following the second Sunday after Pentecost. In addition to the liturgical celebration, many devotional exercises are connected with the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Of all devotions, devotion to the Sacred Heart was, and remains, one of the most widespread and popular in the Church.

Understood in the light of the Scriptures, the term “Sacred Heart of Jesus” denotes the entire mystery of Christ, the totality of his being, and his person considered in its most intimate essential: Son of God, uncreated wisdom; infinite charity, principal of the salvation and sanctification of mankind. The “Sacred Heart” is Christ, the Word Incarnate, Savior, intrinsically containing, in the Spirit, an infinite divine-human love for the Father and for his brothers.

Are Living Christians Saints?

One of the things that many Protestant Christians have been perplexed by is the fact that Catholics often use the term “saint” in a way that refers to those saints who are in heaven–particularly those that have been canonized.

Although the Bible does apply the term “saints” to those in heaven, this use of the term isn’t dominant. Instead, the Bible refers to people here on earth as saints also, including (in the Old Testament) the Israelities (God’s original holy people) and (in the New Testament) the Christians (a new holy people).

Catholics can also acknowledge this–a fact I was reminded of recently when I was reading one of John Paul II’s last general audiences, from just a few months before he died.

In it, commenting on a canticle sung by the twenty-four elders in heaven in the book of Revelation, he said:

Now, the almighty and eternal Lord God “has taken [his] great power and begun to reign” (11: 17).

His entry into history does not only aim to curb the violent reactions of rebels (cf. Ps 2: 1, 5), but above all to exalt and reward the just.

These are defined with a series of words used to describe the spiritual features of Christians.

They are “servants” who comply faithfully with the divine law; they are “prophets”, endowed with the revealed word that interprets and judges history; they are “saints”, consecrated to God, who revere his name, that is, they are ready to adore him and to do his will [General Audience of Jan. 12, 2005].

So, while language is always changing, and while words like “saint” can take on new meanings, including the one commonly used in Catholic circles today, we can still acknowledge other uses of the term, including and especially those in the Bible.

The Church Year: June 11, 2012

Today is Monday of the 10th week of Ordinary Time. The liturgical color is red.

In the Extraordinary Form, this is the season after Pentecost.

In the Extraordinary Form, it is the 2nd Sunday after Pentecost.

 

Saints & Celebrations:

On June 11, in both the Ordinary and the Extraordinary Form, we celebrate St. Barnabas, apostle who died in A.D. 61. In the Ordinary Form, it is a memorial, and in the Extraordinary Form, it is a Class III day.

If you’d like to learn more about St. Barnabas, you can click here.

For information about other saints, blesseds, and feasts celebrated today, you can click here.

 

Readings:

To see today’s readings in the Ordinary Form, you can click here.

Or you can click play to listen to them:

 

Devotional Information:

According to the Holy See’s Directory on Popular Piety:

165. In adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, which can take different forms, several elements deriving from the Liturgy and from popular piety come together and it is not always easy to determine their limits:

  • a simple visit to the Blessed Sacrament: a brief encounter with Christ inspired by faith in the real presence and characterized by silent prayer;
  • adoration of the Blessed Sacrament exposed for a period of time in a monstrance or pyx in accordance with liturgical norm;
  • perpetual adoration or the Quarantore, involving an entire religious community, or Eucharistic association, or parish, which is usually an occasion for various expressions of Eucharistic piety.

The faithful should be encouraged to read the Scriptures during these periods of adoration, since they afford an unrivalled source of prayer. Suitable hymns and canticles based on those of the Liturgy of the Hours and the liturgical seasons could also be encouraged, as well as periods of silent prayer and reflection. Gradually, the faithful should be encouraged not to do other devotional exercises during exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. Given the close relationship between Christ and Our Lady, the rosary can always be of assistance in giving prayer a Christological orientation, since it contains meditation of the Incarnation and the Redemption.

“I Know the Name, But I Can’t Place the Face”

Did You Know? There is a condition called prosopagnosia, or “face blindness,” in which people can’t recognize the faces of others. Prosopagnosia (Greek: “prosopon” = “face”, “agnosia” = “not knowing”) is a disorder of face perception where the ability to recognize faces is impaired, while the ability to recognize other objects may be relatively intact. Few successful therapies have so far been developed for affected people, although individuals often learn to use ‘piecemeal’ or ‘feature by feature’ recognition strategies. This may involve secondary clues such as clothing, gait, hair color, body shape, and voice. Because the face seems to function as an important identifying feature in memory, it can also be difficult for people with this condition to keep track of information about people, and socialize normally with others. LEARN MORE.

The Weekly Benedict: 10 Jun, 2012

This  version of The Weekly Benedict covers material released in the last week from 23 May – 2 June 2012  (subscribe here; get as an eBook version for your Kindle, iPod, iPad, Nook, or other eBook reader):

General Audience

Messages

Speeches

The Church Year: June 10, 2012

Today is the 10th Sunday of Ordinary Time. The liturgical color is white.

In the Extraordinary Form, this is the season after Pentecost, and the liturgical color for today is green.

In the Ordinary Form, in the United States, this is Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ Sunday.

 

Saints & Celebrations:

On June 10, there is no special fixed liturgical day in the Ordinary Form.

In the Extraordinary Form, we celebrate St. Margaret, Queen of Scotland, widow, who died in A.D. 1093. It is a Class III day.

If you’d like to learn more about St. Margaret, you can click here.

For information about other saints, blesseds, and feasts celebrated today, you can click here.

 

Readings:

To see today’s readings in the Ordinary Form, you can click here.

Or you can click play to listen to them:

 

Devotional Information:

According to the Holy See’s Directory on Popular Piety:

Eucharistic Adoration

164. Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is a form of Eucharistic devotion which is particularly widespread in the Church and earnestly recommended to her Pastors and faithful. Its initial form derives from Holy Thursday and the altar of repose, following the celebration of theCoena Domini Mass. This adoration is a most apt way of expressing the connection between the celebration of the memorial of the Lord’s Sacrifice and his continued presence in the Sacrament of the Altar. The reservation of the Sacred Species, so as to be able to administer Viaticum to the sick at any time, encouraged the practice among the faithful of recollection before the tabernacle and to worship Christ present in the Sacrament.

Indeed, this worship of adoration has a sound and firm foundation,” [109] especially since faith in the Lord’s real presence has as its natural consequence the outward and public manifestation of that belief. Therefore, the devotion prompting the faithful to visit the blessed sacrament draws them into an ever deeper share in the paschal mystery and leads them to respond gratefully to the gift of him who through his humanity constantly pours divine life into the members of his Body. [110] Abiding with Christ the Lord, they enjoy his intimate friendship and pour out their hearts before him for themselves and for those dear to them and they pray for the peace and salvation of the world. Offering their entire lives with Christ to the Father in the Holy Spirit, they derive from this sublime colloquy an increase of faith, hope, and charity. Thus they foster those right dispositions that enable them with due devotion to celebrate the memorial of the Lord and receive frequently the bread given us by the Father.

What’s the World’s Smallest Country?

Did You Know? You might say, “Vatican City State,” which is the smallest country that is extensively recognized. But Vatican City State is *huge* compared to the self-proclaimed micronation of Sealand. Sealand is only 6 *thousand* square feet, while Vatican City State is 4.7 *million* square feet! Vatican City State is *almost a thousand times larger* than Sealand! The latter is based on an old British gun platform from WWII in the North Sea and boldly proclaimed its independence from the UK in 1967. You have to admire the courage of the plucky Sealanders (all four of them). The only reason their nation hasn’t been crushed by British military might is, apparently, that it’s not deemed worth crushing. LEARN MORE.