Priesthood in the Spectrum of the Eucharist

by Fr. Martin Mary Fonte, FI

There was a survey that came out in the United States conducted by secular institution in the seventies trying to collect the general impression of the masses on the identity of the priest. The result is so varied that the survey concluded that the priest’s identity is in a state of crisis. There are two general ways of trying to understand the priesthood: one is like pyramid where the pointed tip comes from above and descends down; the other is an upside down pyramid where the tip is at the bottom. The first is understanding the priesthood from the point of view of God’s revelation. The other, is the mass gallop poll of opinions.

There is an indissoluble bond between the mystery of the Eucharist and that of the priesthood. The liturgy of Holy Thursday indicated the simultaneous institution of the Holy Eucharist and that of the priesthood by Christ himself. We can truly say, that the priest is ordained for the Body and Blood of Christ. He finds his essence of existence only in the Eucharist. On the other hand, apart from the Eucharist he falls into the modern psychological and sociological phenomena of identity crisis.

This existential connection between the Eucharist and that of the priesthood stands out to be the theme of today’s liturgy of Corpus Christi. The book of Genesis underscored the uniqueness of the priesthood of Melchizedek from the usual priesthood in existence during his time. First and foremost, it defies the conventional idea that priesthood is by blood, that is, constricted solely to Levitical family line. Melchizedek is no descendent of Levi. Secondly, the matter of the sacrifice, instead of animals, Melchizedek offered bread and wine. Thirdly, there is no mention of Melchizedek’ sons succeeding him in the priesthood. The Church always sees the figure of Melchizedek as a prophetic inauguration of the priesthood of Christ: it is universal because it is not confined to race and family descent; it is sacramental as the matter of the sacrifice is the species of bread and wine and finally, it is perennial, because it will last until the end of time.

St. Paul in the second reading underscored the apostolic origin of the priesthood and the mystery of the Holy Eucharist. This apostolicity in fact, became a criteria for Paul to distinguish the uniqueness of Eucharistic sacrifice from all pagan sacrifices in existence during his time. He considered himself, together with the apostles, as mere guardians of the Tradition who hand over to the next generation what they themselves have received. The office of any authentic priest is to faithfully hand over what they themselves received. There is something corporate in the sacramental personality of the priest-- he bears the Church that came before him and is responsible to bring that same Church to the future generation.

The miracle of the multiplication of the bread recorded by St. Luke in today’s Gospel highlights the inseparability of the Eucharist and the priesthood. Jesus broke the bread, hand them to his disciples and they in turn distribute them to the faithful. We priests sometime think, that the work of feeding souls is purely the work of our human hands. I believe that was the predicament of Philip in John’s version of this miracle. He humanly calculated what was the cost of feeding five thousand as requiring a full year’s wage and implied its human impossibility. Andrew, on the other hand, presented to Jesus the little boy who had a few bread and fish and claimed equally, that it is humanly impossible to feed thousands with them. Any honest priest is aware, that the care of souls are far beyond his human talents. The supernatural work of saving souls is lacking proportion from what a mere human person can do. The efficacy of the priest’s actions finds its source only in Jesus. He picks up the little talents we priests have and perform great wonders through them. The priest’s spiritual proximity with Jesus is the key that engenders his efficacy in his ministry.

One of the most awesome miracles, that greatest of miracles here on earth that every priest witness daily is the miracle of the Eucharist when simple bread and wine combined with simple words uttered by the priest, become truly God among us.

As the Church concludes the year of the priest, we remember to be grateful to God for the gift of their vocation and we priests to be thankful for our vocation because God has so deign to choose us to reveal to the hopeless and despairing world His mercy, His goodness and His love in the Holy Eucharist.

+ May the Lord give you his peace.

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