Gospel Reflection for the Thirty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A.
By The Benedictine Community
In you, Lord, I have found my peace. (Psalm 130)
God's priests have a very high standard to live up to - no less than the priesthood of his son, Jesus Christ with whom all priests are one. The priesthood balances between Christ, cooking fish for his Apostles on the shores of the Sea of Galilee after the Resurrection and that of the One High Priest, "who is set on the right hand of the throne of the majesty in the heavens, a minister of the sanctuary." (Heb 2:16-17).
At this time in our Christian history, we have to remember the sublime dignity of the priesthood, as it derives from our Saviour, Jesus Christ. "There is, under the Gospel but one proper Priest, Prophet, and King, Altar sacrifice, and House of God." (J.H. Newman). Recent scandals in the priesthood indicate that priests need to be reminded of this dignity themselves as they seem to have forgotten it.
As the Christian faithful we can help by praying for priests.