Participation in Christ’s Priesthood
Though they differ essentially and not only in degree, the common priesthood of the faithful and the ministerial or hierarchical priesthood are none the less ordered one to another; each in its own proper way shares in the one priesthood of Christ. (Lumen Gentium, 10)
One of my favorite parts of the post-baptismal rite is the anointing of the newly baptized with chrism. This anointing reminds us that through baptism, each Christian is to share in his life as priest, prophet and king. We are reminded of this each time we walk into a Catholic church by three prominent symbols. In the center of every church is the altar which represents our participation in the priesthood of Christ. There is also always an ambo, where the prophetic words of Christ are proclaimed. Finally there is the presider’s chair which represents the kingship of Christ.
The fathers of Vatican II in their description of the people of God as the Church begin by focusing on our common priesthood that is lived first and foremost through the sacraments of the Church. Each Christian begins his life of faith through the sacrament of Baptism and has this sacrament strengthen by Confirmation. Confirmation seals and makes firm what has already been given in Baptism. Through participation in the Eucharist this faith is nourished and continually renewed. I often hear people describe Confirmation as a way for those who were baptized as infants to now choose for themselves whether they are committed to living the faith given them as children. While there is certainly something true in the statement in that sacraments are always meant to be freely chosen, I don’t particularly like the description. It gives the impression that it is somehow alright to choose to either embrace or reject our faith. Our lives as Christians are meant to be ones where we continually choose to follow Christ. One of the blessings of the Eucharist is that even though it is a sacrament of initiation, we can receive it again and again, and each time we do, we choose Christ.
Sometimes, however, we don’t always choose correctly and we turn away from our faith. This is where the first sacrament of healing comes into play. The sacrament of Reconciliation brings our spiritual life back to health when we have not chosen to live our Baptismal call to holiness. The analogy of a doctor is always helpful for me in understanding the sacrament. When I am very sick, I usually end up seeing a doctor in order to get well again. I also visit the doctor for regular check ups in order to stay healthy. This sacrament can also be used in this way to both restore and to maintain spiritual health. The second sacrament of healing, called Anointing of the Sick, also has a connection to forgiveness of sins. In the Scriptures we see often the connection between Christ’s physical healing and the forgiveness of sins. During times of extreme sickness it is this sacrament that reminds us of Christ’s participation in suffering and death so that we would be certain of his presence even there.
The final two sacraments that this council recommends to the people of God are the sacraments of vocation. Both of these sacraments in different ways are meant to invite us to make our entire life a sign of what God has done for his people. Through Holy Orders, bishops, priests and deacons are called to be present in service to the Church and to represent Christ in the sacraments. Through Marriage, a couple is called to show to the world the love Christ has for his Church and to help one another to grow in holiness.
It may seem strange on the surface to say that that the primary way we participate in Christ’s priesthood is through the sacraments, but when we reflect deeper there is probably no better way to look at it. Perhaps the best description of how this is done was shared with me at one of our priest retreats led by Fr. Gerry Austin. He noted that his sister once said to him that she went to mass each week in order to plop her life on the altar as an offering to God. If we continue to offer our lives on the altar each week, we can be sure that God too will continue to enter more deeply into every part of our lives and transform them.
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