All of God's people participate in the priesthood of Christ
You don't like your friends and colleagues, who think only of themselves and only look for their own benefit in everything. You rightly call them selfish and selfish. And what would you call such Christians?, who are convinced, that God only called them to the Church for that, that only for themselves they can be saved ? Can a believer in Christ only think about his salvation? ? Does a Christian belong to the People of God only for his own good ?
St.. Peter
St.. Peter the Apostle wrote to Christians living in Little Asia :
…..you too, like living stones, you are being built as a spiritual temple, to constitute a holy priesthood, for making spiritual sacrifices, pleasing to God through Jesus Christ…
And you are the chosen tribe, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, people (God) for the property intended, to proclaim the works of His power, who called you from the darkness to his marvelous light " (1 P 2, 5. 9).
In this letter, St.. Peter is not addressing the clergy, but to all baptized lay people. He calls them priests. Why is St.. Peter calls Christians priests ?
Priestly people
You already know last year from studying religion, that God made a covenant with the first chosen people, solemnly declared : "You will be my kingdom of priests and a holy people" (Wj 19, 6). God made the Israelites his people, and it is a priestly people. As a priestly people, they were to proclaim God's great works to all nations, which God has accomplished in their history. They were also to worship God by offering sacrifices, keeping the law of the covenant and prayer. They were to do this not only for their own sanctification, but to effectively show other nations the way to the true God, that is, to mediate in the salvation of other nations. In this way, God, through the first chosen people, prepared people for the coming of the Savior, The Son of God. It was only as the High Priest who saved all people. He offered himself to God. As God-Man, He is the true mediator between God and people. He brings saving love into the world from God. In the world, he and others worship God perfectly by doing His will, sacrifice and prayer. Christ entrusts his priestly duties to all baptized people. Each, who will believe in Christ and be baptized, he participates in his priesthood by the will of Christ, that is, he becomes a priest. We call this participation of Christians in the priesthood the universal priesthood of the faithful, because it includes all the baptized. This is what St.. Peter in his Letter. Of course, that those of the faithful share in the priesthood of Christ differently, who receive the sacrament of priesthood.
Tasks of the priestly people
St.. Peter, speaking of the priestly dignity of all baptized people, it reminds us of their mission and tasks at the same time. They are to offer God spiritual sacrifices and proclaim God's goodness and power to all people, and thus effectively show other nations the way to salvation. Christians in apostolic times had a keen sense, that they are a priestly people. Their lives revolved around the Eucharistic Sacrifice, in which all gathered actively participated. Only the baptized gathered for the Eucharistic Sacrifice, because only they were partakers of Christ's priesthood. Together with Christ, they glorified the Father by taking part in his priestly activities. Through participation in the sacrifice and common prayer, they were strengthened in unity and mutual love. "One spirit and one heart animated all believers" (Dz 4, 32). “They worshiped God, and all the people were kind to them. And the Lord added to them every day, who were saved " (Dz 2, 47). Their way of life, especially mutual love, they were for others a sign that showed the way to God. In this way, as a priestly people, contributed to the salvation of other people, who joined them. The Second Vatican Council recalled with renewed vigor, that all baptized people truly share in Christ's priesthood and have a duty, each in their own way, to fulfill this priestly mission by preaching the Gospel and making sacrifices, as the early Christians did (by. KK 34).
The priesthood of the faithful is most fully manifested, when gathered during the Mass. they participate consciously, performing liturgical chants and acclamations.
The ordinary Christian also fulfills his priesthood then, when, as a reader, during the liturgy, he reads the Holy Scriptures., when he sings the liturgical texts, when he acts as a commentator, ministranta, organist or church organist during a liturgical assembly. Moreover, every Christian honors the Father with Christ perfectly by participating actively in the other sacraments of St.. and throughout the Church's liturgy. The daily life of a Christian is closely linked to participation in the liturgy. Participation in the priesthood of Christ obliges the Christian to do more than that. As the Apostles and early Christians once did, he should bear witness to God and Jesus Christ, both by life and by word.
The Christian then effectively proclaims salvation to people, when his life conforms to the Gospel. “But it is not enough, that the Christian people may be present and organized among a people ; it is not enough either, that he may fulfill the apostolate of good example. He is established for it, and he is present for it, to proclaim Christ by word and deed to non-Christian fellow citizens and to help them to fully accept Christ " (DM 15).
How will I answer God ?
From Baptism, you participate in the priesthood of Christ and belong to the priestly people. On the fifth Easter Sunday, Christ reminds you with the words of St.. Peter, that you may become aware of your priestly dignity.
- How you fulfill your priestly mission ?
- How you contribute to this, that other people would know Christ better ?
- Whether your life is in line with the Gospel and can bring people closer to Christ ?
- How do you tell people about God ?
- How do you participate in the Sunday Mass. ?
Through a life worthy of a Christian and conscious participation in the liturgy, I will try to bear witness to God and bring people closer to Christ..
I will pray for it, that all the priestly people may fulfill their tasks worthily :
"Lord, let our Mediator, Jesus Christ, will make these gifts pleasing to you ; and let us, united with each other, present to You as a pleasant sacrifice " (Prayer over gifts, from the votive mass of Christ the Priest).
■ Think :
1. Whom St.. Peter calls the priestly people ?
2. Who Participates in Christ's Priesthood ?
3. What are the most important tasks of the priestly people ?
4. What the life of the first Christians in apostolic times focused on ?
■ Remember:
55. Why do we call Christians a priestly people ?
We call Christians the priestly people, because through baptism they share in the one priesthood of Christ, otherwise you, who have received the sacrament of priesthood, otherwise laypersons.
56. What are the tasks of the priestly people? ?
Priestly people :
a) he shows people the truth of God through the proclamation of the word of God and through holy life ;
b) he gives the highest honor to God by offering a Sacrifice, participation in the sacraments of St.. and by prayer.
■ Task :
1. List these activities in your notebook, through which you fulfill your priestly service in the Church.
2. How important is the life of Christians in fulfilling the priestly mission? ?