Priest, Prophet and King

Today’s first reading spoke of the void in society of a priest, prophet and king, type figure. I can’t help but wonder if that same phrase is true in today’s society. In a society, today, full of euthanasia, killing of school children, abortion, and a push for the recognition of gay marriage by the Church, it could be easy to fall into a rut and think that such a person is truly missing.

However, while we know that Christ is the P-riest, P-rophet, and K-ing, I beg to also offer that we are also a part of that priesthood, of that prophet-ness, and of that kingship. When we were baptized, we were baptized, just as Christ, to be priests (not in the ontological change sense), prophets, and to be a part of that KING-dom. So there really is no lack of a person being a priest, prophet and king.

We have seminarians studying to become priests, wanting to be in persona Christi, wanting to give of themselves for others and for the kingdom. We have priests in parishes now who are not only fulfilling Christ’s role, but also are like prophets, like Jeremiah and like Paul before them, they are preaching the Word and truly evangelizing their communities of faith with the Word of the Lord. But, when it comes to being Kings, there is only one King, the King of Kings, Christ Jesus the Lord. But, we are a part of His KING-dom. It is up to you and I bring forth the kingdom, to live out the gospel values everyday of our lives to truly bring the world we live in temporarily, more like the world we will live in eternally. Each time, we as Catholics, come to the Eucharistic Banquet, heaven, that glorious KING-dom, is presented right before our eyes to make sense of the trials and tribulations of everyday life.

Yet still, having said that, and knowing that myself, we still need an example to get us outside of ourselves to stand up for these values which are evident in the Gospel and in the teachings of Christ. We have to be like John the Baptist. We have to counter-cultural to preach what people do not want to hear and be a living witness to the kingdom, literally saying “Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!” The season of Lent is really the perfect time for the devil to act on us, because we really are waiting to be saved, we are vulnerable. Lent is not a time to loose sight of why we are fasting, praying and giving alms for 40 days. Our eyes need to be, and should always be, FIXED ON CALVARY! We need to constantly keep at the forefront of our lives the CRUCIFIED CHRIST, because there is no better image then why we must be witnesses to Him than that. We gave us THE SIGN of witness and obedience to the will of God. May we, His children, constantly return to Him, who is Priest, Prophet, and King, so that we too might share in the glory of His cross that is the Kingdom of Heaven.