I would like to share something with you that I find absolutely important if we are going to understand Jesus Christ. It's the fact that Jesus Christ is a priest in the order of Melchizedek. You know, we've heard that name, "Melchizedek", for a long time; yet, it is possible that we may never have considered the priesthood of Christ as important as it is and may never have related Jesus' priesthood to that of Melchizedek. 

The name, "Melchizedek" first appears in the book of Genesis. "Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought out bread and wine and being a priest of God Most High, he blessed Abram with these words: 'Blessed by Abram by God Most High the creator of heaven and earth; And blessed by God Most High, who delivered your foes into your hand.' Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything. (Gn. 14:18) 

What had happened was that the area of Sodom had been invaded and Lot, Abraham's nephew, had been taken as a prisoner along with all his people and their possessions. Well, you can imagine that it did not set well with Abraham. A Messenger came to inform him whereupon he took 318 of his men and went to rescue Lot. They succeeded in finding Lot, rescuing him and his wife and daughters and recovering all their possessions. When he was returning from his victory a very special meeting, a unique meeting in history, happened. Melchizedek, King of Salem, brings bread and wine and he offers a sacrifice to God Most High. He blesses Abram, "Blessed by Abram by God Most High, the creator of heaven and earth. Blessed by God Most High who delivered your foes into your hands." Now, at first sight, that may not seem to have been special; however proof of its significance lies in the fact that Abraham gave Melchizedek one-tenth of everything he had. 

So you can imagine that Melchizedek made a hit with Abraham. How did he make a hit? He offered a sacrifice of bread and wine offered to God. There had been sacrifices offered beginning with Cain and Abel. "In the course of time Cain brought an offering to the Lord God from the fruit of the soil, while Abel, for his part, brought one of the best firstlings of his flock...(Gn 4:3)" 

I think we need to understand something about sacrifice. When a sacrifice was offered to God, not only was it offered but it was destroyed as well. Abel would offer sheep, kill the sheep; and the smoke going up to heaven like incense was a prayer offered to God. 

And so it was when Noah came out of the ark. The first thing that he did was to offer a sacrifice. "Then Noah built an altar to the Lord and choosing from every clean animal and every clean bird, he offered holocausts on the altar. (Gn 8:20) 

Sacrifices were offered constantly to God, but never had bread and wine been offered until Melchizedek. We see Abraham offering sacrifices, building altars and sacrificing animals. In the biblical account of God making a covenant with Abraham we read "He (God) answered him, 'Bring me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old she-goat, a three-year- old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.' He brought him all these, split them in two, and placed each half opposite the other; but the birds he did not cut up. Birds of prey swooped down on the carcasses, but Abram stayed with them." (Gn 15:9-11) 

Moses really did a lot to explain to people how to make sacrifices, but always the sacrifices were of animals: bulls, lambs, rams, sheep; that kind of sacrifice. A very detailed account of the Passover ritual is given in Chapter 12 of Exodus. First fruits, wheat were also offered, but never bread and wine. "Then, Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses, brought a holocaust and other sacrifices to God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to participate with Moses' father-in-law in the meal before God.(Ex 18:12) 

Solomon and the entire community of Israel present for the occasion sacrificed before the ark sheep and oxen too many to number or count. (1 Kgs 8:5) 

We find something very interesting in Psalm 40, written by David about 1000 years before Jesus. "Sacrifice or oblation you wished not but ears open to obedience you gave me. Holocausts or sin-offerings you sought not; then said I, 'Behold I come; in the written scroll it is prescribed for me, To do your will, O my God, is my delight, and your law is within my heart.'" (Ps 40: 7-9) 

"Behold I come!" Who's coming? What does that mean? David is saying that God does not want sacrifice or oblation, but ears open to obedience. God does not want holocausts or sin-offerings; but that someone is coming. "Behold I come!" 

We read in Psalm 100, verse 4 also written by David. "The Lord has sworn, and he will not repent: You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek." (PS 100:4) 

So here's this name Melchizedek again; here's that promise again. This "bread and wine" man is announced by King David as having done something special. We find Melchizedek mentioned about 1850 years before Jesus Christ as recorded in Genesis and about 1000 years before Jesus Christ in the Book of Psalms. 

Chapter 22 in the Book of Leviticus describes the sacrificial banquets. "The Lord said to Moses, 'Speak to Aaron and his sons and to all the Israelites, and tell them: When anyone of the house of Israel, or any alien residing in Israel who wishes to offer a sacrifice, brings a holocaust as a votive offering or as a free-will offering to the Lord, if it is to be acceptable, the ox or sheep or goat that he offers must be an unblemished male. You shall not offer one that has any defect, for such a one would not be acceptable for you. When anyone presents a peace offering to the Lord from the herd or the flock; it must be unblemished; it shall not have any defect." ( Lv 22:17-21) 

Malachi, the last prophet of the Old Testament, lived about 400 years before Jesus. He writes. "When you offer a blind animal for sacrifice is this not evil? When you offer the lame or the sick, is it not evil? Present it to your governor: see if he will accept it or welcome you, says the Lord of hosts. (Mat 1:8) 

If you offered something blemished, it would not be acceptable to the recipient. If you offered somebody a defective animal as a gift, do you suppose he would be pleased with your gift? God said, "Then don't do it to Me. If it would not be acceptable to him, don't offer it to me." We see the persistence of the Lord in prescribing to the people of Israel the kind of sacrifice pleasing to Him. 

We find the same message repeated in Deuteronomy. "You shall not sacrifice to the Lord, your God, from the herd or from the flock an animal with any serious defect; that would be an abomination to the Lord, your God. (Dt 17:1) 

"If an animal is blind or crippled or maimed or has a running sore or ringworm, you shall not offer that kind of animal to the Lord. Do not put such an animal on the altar as an oblation. If an ox or a sheep that is any way ill-proportioned or stunted, it will not be acceptable as a votive offering." This is the word of God concerning sacrifice.

God's displeasure with the offerings of unacceptable victims of sacrifice as indicated in the preceding biblical passages comes to a climax as indicated below: 

"Oh, that one among you would shut the temple gates to keep you from kindling fire on my altar in vain! I have no pleasure in you, says the Lord of hosts; neither will I accept any sacrifice from your hands. (Mal 1:10) 

And here's the prophecy: " For from the rising of the sun, even to its setting, my name is great among the nations; and everywhere they bring sacrifice to my name and a pure offering; for great is my name among the nations, says the Lord of host. (Mal 1:11)

The Lord is announcing a brand new kind of sacrifice and this sacrifice is going to be pure. Nobody will be able to mess it up. As a priest of God, daily offering the sacrifice of the Mass, I recall my seminary days. Reflecting on these words of God concerning sacrifice gave me much relief. I understood that I could never mess up the sacrifice of God, and I was very pleased to become a priest. As a priest, I could not mess up. I could not cut up the sacrifice of the Living God. 

What is interesting also in Malachi 1:10 is the revelation that this sacrifice would be offered from the rising of the sun to its setting. The sun is always rising, always setting somewhere in the world. So the Lord was announcing a sacrifice around the clock; and you and I, if we're not going to tear any pages out of the Bible, need to examine this sacrifice fully. We need to understand what the Lord has revealed: a sacrifice that will be offered "among the nations and everywhere they bring sacrifices to my name, a pure offering." We have to find that sacrifice; a sacrifice offered in all the nations of the world; a sacrifice offered that is a pure offering that was announced by the Lord Himself. This sacrifice is discovered only inasmuch as we know Melchizedek; what he did; and what impact he had in history; and how Jesus Christ is called a priest in the line of MELCHIZEDEK.

One of the most amazing biblical discoveries for me has been the place and the role of Melchizedek in the life of Jesus Christ. He had come and offered a sacrifice of bread and wine and then Jesus comes along and miraculously multiplies the loaves when feeding the crowd. "When Jesus raised his eyes and saw that a large crowd was coming to him, he said to Philip, 'Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?'... Philip answered him, 'Two hundred days wages worth of food would not be enough for each of them to have a little bit.'" (Jn 6: 5-7) 

Then Andrew came along and said, "There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what good are these for so many?" (Jn 6:9) 

"Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to those who were reclining, and also as much of the fish as they wanted." (Jn 6:11) 

Five thousand people ate! 

An interesting event occurred the next day. The crowd, looking for Jesus Christ, realized that He had not gone along with His disciples in the boat. Some of the crowd went by boat across the lake; some walked all around the lake, finally catching up with Jesus Christ. After their greeting and inquiry about when He had gotten there, Jesus said to them: "...Amen, amen, I say to you, you are looking for me not because you saw signs but because you ate the loaves and were filled. do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him the Father, God, has set his seal. (Jn 6: 26-27) 

In a word, Jesus is telling them that they are not looking for Him because they had seen signs, but because they had eaten the loaves; they had had their fill; they were looking for Him because they had filled their bellies. He admonishes them for working so hard for perishable food; walking all around the lake; rowing all across the lake; working so hard for perishable food. Their curiosity is aroused when He declares that they should be concerned, rather, with food that remains unto life eternal; food which the Son of Man will give them. Their response was, "Well, gee, give us some of that food." Jesus' answer was difficult for them to understand. "...Amen, amen, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." (Jn 6:32-33)

It was not Moses who gave to you, it's the Father who gives to you. He's giving it to you now. It is the Father who gives you the real heavenly bread. God's bread comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.

So they said to him, "Sir, give us this bread always." (Jn 6:34) 

Jesus responded that He is the bread of life; He's the bread of life for your brains, for you mind, your intelligence. You have to believe. Note carefully the following quote. "Jesus said to them,' I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst. But I told you that although you have seen me, you do not believe. Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and I will not reject anyone who comes to me.' (Jn 6: 35-37) 

Jesus insists: "This is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life, and I shall raise him on the last day." The Jews murmured about him because he said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven," and they said, "Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph? Do we not know his father and mother? Then how can he say, 'I have come down from heaven'?" Jesus answered and said to them, "Stop murmuring among yourselves. No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draw him, and I will raise him on the last day. It is written in the prophets: "They shall all be taught by God." Everyone who listens to my Father and learns from him comes to me. (Jn 6:40-45) 

Then Jesus insists again! "Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. (Jn 6:47)

Then Jesus changes direction now and He says that He is the bread of life for us to eat and the blood for us to drink; two very interesting dimensions. He had fed the multitude; then He had said, "I have a better bread; I am the bread of life. You have to believe in me and then you have to eat and drink." 

Note well the next development because it's very, very important. "I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate manna in the desert, but they died; this is the bread that comes down from heaven so that one may eat it and never die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world. The Jews started to quarrel among themselves, saying, "How can He give us His flesh to eat?" (Jn 6:48-52)

Jesus heard the question and you know what He did? He just insisted. He didn't change his mind; He didn't say, "You don't understand; you didn't get me right." He just simply insisted. "...Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is true food; and my blood is true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died; whoever eats this bread will live forever. (Jn 6:53-58) 

This is so marvelous. Jesus fed a multitude; they come for more. He said, "I have a better bread, bread from heaven." "Give us some of that bread." "I am the bread." And then He insists, "You have to believe; you have to believe; you have to believe." Three times, "You have to believe." He insists. And then He goes on. When they questioned Him about his coming from heaven, He says, "I solemnly assure you, I am the bread of life for you to eat." and eleven times in a row He says, "Eat and drink, eat and drink." We know that's what He says. Then, what happened? 

After hearing his word, many of the disciples said that this saying was hard to accept; "You know, I can't buy that." When Jesus heard their murmuring, He said to them, "What if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where He was before?" (Jn 6:62) "That would really shake you up!" A disappointing thing happened next. 

As a result of this, many of his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied Him. (Jn 6:66) Because Jesus had said that, He saw many of the disciples walk away. He didn't say, "Hey, wait, wait, don't go away. Wait a minute; you didn't understand." They understood . "We cannot eat his body and drink his blood." They understood that and they started to walk away. "We can't buy that," they said; and He let them go. He turned to the apostles and said to them, "Do you also want to leave?" (Jn 6:67) That was a strong question for the twelve. Simon Peter answered, "...Master to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and we are convinced that you are the Holy One of God." (Jn 6:68-69) 

So, you see, my dear friends, that there is a great, great deal to be said about the multiplication of loaves and the sequence of events following. The famous speech which Jesus gave in the synagogue in Capernaum recorded in Chapter 6 of John's gospel is startling. When Jesus started His public life He performed various miracles. He healed; He cured: He delivered people; He multiplied the loaves. They followed Him until they wanted another miracle and He said, "I'm the miracle. You want a miracle, take me! I'm it! I'm the biggest miracle you'll ever see! I, myself, am the Bread of Life!" As we look through the gospels, we learn that this was the turning point in his mission. After this event Jesus Christ performed very few miracles. He had performed a sufficient number for people to believe in Him. The greater number of his miracles were made before that event. Realizing that helps us to understand the impact, the importance, the insistence of Jesus of the fact that He is the Bread of Life. 

I invite you to look at this again. Read John's gospel, Chapter 6 after praying to the Holy Spirit. Ask to become really open to receive his word; to teach you the message that Jesus Christ was giving. Begin with the multiplication of loaves and then listen to what Jesus says about the fact the He is the Bread of Life; that we have to believe; that we have to eat and drink. And if we believe; if we eat and drink; we will have life and He will raise us up on the last day. It is a marvelous promise and it was made with solemnity. "I solemnly assure you, he who eats my body and drinks my blood has life and I will raise him up on the last day." (Jn 6:54) 

One of the greatest gifts that we have received from Jesus Christ is, without a doubt, the institution of the Holy Eucharist at The Last Supper. It was then that Jesus did something that was announced 1,850 years before when Melchizedek offered a sacrifice of bread and wine. We could say we had different previews of coming attractions. In Melchizedek, the first preview; secondly, David in Psalms 40 and 110; then, in chapter 1 of Malachi. When Jesus fed the multitude by multiplying the loaves, it was another preview of coming attractions. When Jesus Christ gave His famous speech about the Bread of Life in the synagogue in Capernaum He was announcing what was going to happen at The Last Supper and on the following day, Good Friday. 

Since Luke's account of the passion gives greater detail than those of the other evangelists we will examine it for better understanding and appreciation of those events. We know that after the miraculous passage of the Israelites through the Red Sea, God had commanded an annual celebration of Passover. This celebration was to commemorate the angel of the Lord "passing over" every family that had marked their houses with the blood of the sacrificial lamb. Jesus faithfully celebrated the Passover every year. 

"When the day of the feast of Unleavened Bread arrived, the day for sacrificing the Passover lamb; he sent out Peter and John, instructing them, "Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover." They asked Him, "Where do you want us to make the preparations?" And he answered them. "When you go into the city, a man will meet you carrying a jar of water. Follow him into the house that he enters and say to the master of the house, 'The teacher says to you, "Where is the guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?"' He will show you a large upper room that is furnished. Make the preparations there." (Lk 22:7-12) 

So this is an amazing word. "Where do you want us to go?" "Go downtown, you'll see a man with a jug on his head; follow him. He's going to go into a house; follow him. And then the master will show you a room upstairs." You know, this is really another proof of who Jesus is; a mind reader; a person who knows the future; a person who was really a prophet. so the disciples went and prepared the room, and when the hour arrived Jesus took His place at table and the Apostles were with Him. 

He said to them, "I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer, for, I tell you, I shall not eat it again until there is fulfillment in the kingdom of God." (Lk 22:15) 

At the Passover meal the Jews had different cups and offered different toasts. It was during one of these toasts, taking one of the cups of wine that Jesus consecrated the bread and wine. 

"Then He took a cup, gave thanks, and said, 'Take this and share it among yourselves; for I tell you that from this time on I shall not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.' Then He took the bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, 'This is my body, which will be given for you; do this in memory of me.' And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which will be shed for you." (Lk 22:17-20).

So Jesus is telling us, "This cup is the new covenant;" a covenant passed in the blood of Jesus and He prophesizes that his blood will be shed and we know that will take place on the following day. Matthew adds that "You must all drink from it." 

"Then He took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them saying, 'Drink from it, all of you, for this is my blood of the new covenant which will be shed on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins." (Mt. 26:27-28) 

So when we reflect on The Last Supper, we know what Jesus did. We know that He took bread and He took wine; we know that He relived the sacrifice of Melchizedek, offered a sacrifice of bread and wine.

We need to understand two things about a sacrifice; there's an offering and there's a destruction. The bread was offered and the bread was destroyed. It was no longer bread. He had said, "This is my body." He hadn't said, "This is bread." "This is my body!" He took the cup; offered the cup; offered the wine; destroyed the wine. It was no longer wine. "This is my blood." This was a sacrifice. 

If we're going to understand what happened at The Last Supper, we need to put three things together: first, The Last Supper; second, Calvary; and third, the Mass. Let us examine further. At The Last Supper, Jesus is the priest; the one who says, "This is my body to be given for you. Take and eat." At Calvary Jesus is the priest who gives His life on the cross. 

"This is why the Father loves me because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own. I have the power to lay it down, and power to take it up again. This command I have received from my Father." (Jn 10: 17-18) 

At The Last Supper the victim is Jesus Christ. He gives Himself. "This is my body; take and eat." He gives his life on Calvary; He is the victim. They came to get Him in the Garden of Gethsamane. "Who do you want?" They said, "Jesus." He said, "I'm Jesus." They all fell on their backs Remember? Remember how He said, "I could call on the Father and He'd send me twelve legions of angels." At Mass He is the victim. He gives his life. He was the priest at The Last Supper and at Mass also, Jesus is the priest. Clearly, The Last Supper is a real sacrifice; Calvary is a real sacrifice; and the Mass is a real sacrifice. At the Last Supper no blood was shed; at the Mass no blood is shed; the blood was shed on Calvary. John was there and he pronounces: "...one soldier thrust his lance into His side, and immediately blood and water flowed out. (Jn 19:33) John's testimony is very reliable. For this reason, a Mass is never celebrated in the Catholic church on Good Friday. The Good Friday liturgy consists of scripture readings and a communion service. The Church tells us on Good Friday, "Look at Calvary." The Last supper then becomes a preview of "a coming attraction", the sacrificial offering of Jesus on Calvary's cross. The Mass is a reliving of what happened on Calvary and a commemoration of what happened on Good Friday. 

We see Jesus Christ coming up with a new sacrifice; another dimension that's interesting to me. Recall that on Good Friday the people did not want to enter the Praetorium, not to be defiled, so they could offer the Passover. "Then they brought Jesus from Caiaphas to the Praetorium. It was morning and they themselves did not enter the Praetorium, in order not to be defiled so that they could eat the Passover." (Jn 18:28)

Very interesting! As Jesus Christ was dying on the cross, He becomes the new Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. 

The Jews had been celebrating the Lamb's blood that had been put on the doorposts on the day of the last plague in Egypt. Passover for them was an annual solemn celebration. Now the Jews were preparing to celebrate the Passover on Good Friday and they did not want to enter into the praetorium for fear of being defiled. Understand that on the night before, Jesus had already celebrated the Passover with the disciples. This act signified the end of the Jewish Passover. It was the end of that kind of sacrifice. On Good Friday while others were celebrating the old Passover prescribed by Moses, Jesus, the new Lamb of God, was being offered as a sacrifice on the cross; not opening His mouth; not resisting those who were putting Him to death, as the lamb brought to the shearers. "Though he was harshly treated, he submitted and opened not his mouth. Like a lamb led to the slaughter or a sheep before the shearers, he was silent and opened not his mouth." (Is 53:7) 

We need to really look more deeply at this particular phase in the life of Jesus Christ: The Last Supper and Calvary. What He did was crucial and what He said is very important. "Do this in memory of me." He was a priest in the order of Melchizedek; He offered a sacrifice with bread and wine and that's what we do at Mass.

There is no doubt whatsoever in my mind that one of the most important things we can discover is the place of the breaking of the bread in the heritage we receive from Jesus Christ. When we look at the life of the first Christians right after Pentecost as recorded in Scripture, actually in the same chapter of the account of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, we see how the disciples were living. "They devoted themselves to the teaching of the apostles and to the communal life, to the braking of the bread and to the prayers. Awe came upon everyone, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. (Acts 2: 42-43)... Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple area and to breaking bread in their homes. (Acts 2:46)

The first word that was used for the celebration of the Eucharist was "the breaking of the bread." Now let's look at that a little more deeply for better understanding of its meaning. I think that the best passage that we have, without a doubt is in St. Paul's first letter to the Corinthians. "For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus, on the night He was handed over, took bread, and, after he had given thanks, broke it and said, "this is my body that is for you, do this in remembrance of me." In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it in remembrance of me." (1 Cor 11:23025) 

And then St. Paul explains further in verse 26. "For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until He comes." (1Cor 11:26) "Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily will have to answer for the body and blood of the Lord. A person should examine himself, and so eat the bread and drink the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body, eats and drinks judgment on himself. (1Cor 11:27-29)

So this word needs to be listened to and read again and again because we must understand St. Paul' s word. He's saying that when you eat the bread, you eat the body; when you drink the cup, you drink the blood. Now some people would like to say that when we break the bread, we just think of what Jesus did. We must remember what happened at The Last Supper. This cannot be simply a memorial of The Last Supper because of St. Paul's teaching. Why would Paul consider it sinful to receive the Body and Blood of Jesus unworthily if the Eucharist is to be thought of as merely bread and wine? You know there can't be any sin in that! Listen to the word of Paul again. "Every time you eat this bread...." What happens? "Whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily sins against the body." If the idea of breaking the bread were just a reminder of what Jesus did, why would a person sin against the body and blood of Jesus? Why would a person really have to examine himself or herself first and only then eat of the bread and drink the cup. "He who eats without recognizing the body, eats and drinks a judgment on himself." We need to look into that often. Certainly Paul is reiterating Jesus' words: "This is my body. This is my blood." "He who eats this bread and drinks this wine, eats my body and drinks my blood and I will raise him up on the last day." That's why you cannot eat it or drink it unworthily.

One of the greatest discoveries we can make is to realize that Jesus Christ is a priest in the line of Melchizedek. "This Melchizedek, king of Salem and priest of the most High God met Abraham returning from his defeat of the kings and blessed him. And Abraham apportioned to Melchizedek one-tenth of everything. Now his name means first righteous king. He was also King of Salem that is, king of peace. Without father, mother, or ancestry, without beginning of days or end of life, thus made to resemble the Son of God, he remains a priest forever. "(Heb. 7:1-3) 

This Melchizedek showed up only once in history. No one knew where he came from; no one knew where he went. He shows up in the life of Abraham and in the letter to the Hebrews. "See how great he is to whom the patriarch Abraham gave a tenth of his spoils." (Heb 7:4) 

By way of explanation, suppose that I would be speaking to you explaining this and I would make such a hit with you that you sent me ten percent of all you have. I would have had to make an admirable hit, don't you think? Well, that's what happened between Abraham and Melchizedek. Melchizedek made such a hit that Abraham gave him ten percent of what he had. What had Melchizedek done to merit such a gift? He had offered a sacrifice with bread and wine. 

Jesus Christ is the promise of King David in Psalm 110, "You however are a priest in the line of Melchizedek. The Lord has sworn that." So since it's such a solemn promise, we must not look at Melchizedek as if he were just like one of the other guys in the Old Testament which is replete with patriarchs, prophets, kings, and others. Don't look at Melchizedek that way. Melchizedek is unique and has a very, very special function in the Bible. We are able to say that he, like Jesus, is a priest forever. We must realize that Jesus Christ is a priest. "Therefore, holy 'brothers' sharing in a heavenly calling, reflect of Jesus, the apostle and the high priest of our confession." (Heb 3:1) 

Jesus is a High Priest. What kind of High Priest? A priest like Melchizedek. Jesus is a new priest, a priest like Melchizedek. 

Chapter 7 of Paul's letter to the Hebrews explains Chapter 14 of Genesis. Between these two Scripture readings we have all the pieces necessary to come to a deep understanding of the priesthood of Jesus Christ. We know that in the Old Testament the priests were Aaron and his boys from the tribe of Levi. All the males in the tribe of Levi were priests and only priests of the tribe of Levi officiated as priests. "If then, perfection came through the levitical priesthood, on the basis of which the people received the law, what need would there still have been for another priest to arise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not reckoned according to the order to Aaron? When there is a change of priesthood, there is necessarily a change of law as well." (Heb 7: 11-12) 

Now here's something even deeper. "Now he of whom these things are said belonged to a different tribe of which no member ever officiated at the altar. It is clear that our Lord arose from Judah, and in regard to that tribe Moses said nothing about priests." (Heb 7:13-14) 

So you see that Jesus Christ is a High Priest and He is not a High Priest in the line of Aaron. He is not a High Priest in the tribe of Levi. And when you think that no one in Israel ever offered a sacrifice unless he was a Levite, then you have to ask yourself, "Why did Jesus Christ offer a sacrifice? Why is Jesus Christ a priest?" There's never been a priest from the tribe of Judah. So you see that there is certainly a very, very different kind of thing happening in the people of God. The matter is clearer still. "It is even more obvious if another priest is raised up after the likeness of Melchizedek, who has become so, not by a law expressed in a commandment concerning physical descent but by the power of a life that cannot be destroyed." (Heb 7:15-16) 

The next scripture passage reveals the reasons for this "new priesthood." 

"For it is testified: On the one hand, a former commandment is annulled because of the weakness and uselessness, for the law brought nothing to perfection; on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God." (Heb 7: 17-19) 

Let's jump for a moment to Chapter 8 where God says, "They broke my covenant; I will make a new one." When God says "a new covenant", He declares the first one obsolete and what has become obsolete, has grown old, is close to disappearing.

"For if that first covenant had been faultless, no place would have been sought for a second one. But he finds fault with them and says: "Behold the days are coming says the Lord, when I will conclude a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah." (Heb 8: 7-8) 

Jesus Christ comes and obtains a more excellent ministry just as He is mediator of the better covenant founded on better promises. So we have to look again at this very, very special dimension that Jesus is a priest in the line of Melchizedek. "And to the degree that this happened not without the taking of an oath--for others became priests without an oath; but he with an oath; through the one who said to him; 'The Lord has sworn, and he will not repent; you are a priest forever' to that same degree has Jesus (also) become the guarantee of an even better covenant." (Heb 7: 20-22) 

When we look at this more deeply, we see the importance of these words. Jesus has a priesthood which does not pass away. Remember Malachi had said, "A pure offering everywhere from the rising of the sun till its setting." We find that in Jesus Christ. Jesus is always able to make intercession for those who approach God through Him, since forever He is a priest in the line of Melchizedek.

It was fitting that we should have such a High Priest, wholly innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, higher than the heavens. It was important because I and other priests are not always as good as we're supposed to be. "He has no need, as did the high priests, to offer sacrifice day after day, first for his own sins and then for those of the people; he did that once for all when he offered himself. For the law appoints men subject to weakness to be high priests, but the word of the oath which was taken after the law appoints a Son, who has been made perfect forever." (Heb 7: 27:28) 

Jesus has no need to offer sacrifice day after day for His own sins. Jesus did not sin. He had said: "Who among you will convict me of sin?" He did not need to offer sacrifice day after day. He did that once for all when He offered Himself. Jesus offered a sacrifice once for all. 

We know that Jesus Christ offered a sacrifice once and for all and we know that He said, "Do this in memory of me." Why did He say that? I received some literature knocking down the Mass; ridiculing the Mass; saying Jesus Christ offered sacrifice once; there's no need to do it again. What's the matter with some Catholics? Why are they saying such things? Let me tell you one thing about Catholics. They can be weak as others are weak; sinners like others; but before repudiating a basic belief of the Church, one has to search diligently for Truth before rejecting it. 

When we reflect that Jesus Christ, at The Last Supper, took bread and said, "This is my body. Do this in memory of me"; that He took the cup likewise and said, "This is the new covenant in my blood. Do this in memory of me"; that St. Paul said that everytime we do it, we proclaim the law of the Lord; that we think of the first Christians who assembled every day to break the break; that in the Catholic church we daily break the bread; then every Catholic should be aware of the importance of offering the sacrifice of the Mass even as we realize that the sacrifice of Jesus Christ was done once for all. We know that His sacrifice is acceptable to the Father because he is a different kind of mediator; that He offered the sacrifice once, but He told us to do it; that He commanded Christians to "Do this in memory of me." We find this not only in the Catholic church, but also in the Orthodox church, in the Anglican, in the Lutheran; in many, many churches. The reason? All are doing this in memory of Jesus Christ. 

The sacrifice of the Mass is the only sacrifice in the world today acceptable to God; the sacrifice of His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ. This had been announced 1850 years before Jesus as recorded in Genesis; announced 1000 years before Jesus by David; announced 400 years before Jesus by Malachi; announced by Jesus Christ Himself in the synagogue at Capernaum; announced by Jesus after He had fed the multitude with bread. It was lived by Jesus at The Last Supper; lived by the first disciples who recognized the Risen Christ in the breaking of the bread. It was also announced by St. Paul in his letters. 

"This sacrifice, pure offering, will be seen everywhere in all nations, a pure offering, as long as the sun is rising and the sun is setting." Where do you find that? I ask you where do you find the sacrifice of Jesus Christ in this world? You have to find it; it's a prophecy of God. You have to find the sacrifice and remember one thing; that it is found in the Mass, the only acceptable sacrifice to God. We may think that when we offer praise and good works to God in prayer that these acts are meritorious, and indeed they are; however it is only a little more sublime than the praise and thanks we give to one who cooks a good meal or cleans the house or performs other good deeds in our behalf. These acts and prayers, as meritorious as they are, are not "special" to God. But sacrifice! That is the only thing we have that is reserved for God. It behooves us then to understand the meaning of sacrifice and understand that since the beginning of time to the end of time, sacrifice will be offered to God. We will find the sublime sacrifice in the Mass because Jesus Himself, Son of God, is offered to the Father. "But you are 'a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that you may announce the praises' of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light." (1 Pet 2:9) 

In the Catholic church we believe that priests are ministers offering the Mass; the laity present join in the offering. We are the royal priesthood.

Heavenly Father, we ask you, please, help us to put all these pieces together so we will discover Jesus. We want to thank you for sharing the Good News of Jesus. Help us to understand the role of Melchizedek, the High Priest who offered a sacrifice of bread and wine. We ask you to bless and inspire all who read this article.